European trains - sleeper service

[Will]

Advert for the new ÖBB Nightjet rolling stock, with a blink-and-you’ll-miss it glimpse of the bike storage space: https://twitter.com/unsereoebb/status/1 ... ob3qE-8uBA

They start coming into service this December, says the man in seat 61.

From the ÖBB website:



Will

[pal]

Ah: that's a better pic -- thanks! I'm not super-convinced by this set up, I have to say, though I know there are accessibility reasons for not sticking with the hanging hooks which they have on (some of) their current services. Hopefully there's a ramp (or at least a wheel channel), not a set of stairs, out of shot at the back... And of course any bike storage is better than none!

[Jdsk]

"Night train extended to link Brussels and Amsterdam to Prague":
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/ ... ith-prague

From 25 March 2024.

Jonathan

PS: "European Sleeper is also planning a winter night train between Amsterdam and the French Alps, as well as an EU-backed Amsterdam-Barcelona service launching in 2025. More sleeping cars should increase comfort and the travel experience, it said."

[Galactic]

The timetable for ÖBB's nightjet service from Paris to Berlin (and vice versa, from 11 December, three times a week) is now up on the Nightjet website https://www.nightjet.com/. Unfortunately they're still failing to live up to the bicycle-friendliness of the old CNL routes they replace, and bikes can't be taken unless packed up on the Berlin-Paris route.

(For a list of routes they do take bikes on see here: https://www.nightjet.com/en/angebote/fahrradmitnahme - basically just between Austria, Germany and Switzerland, albeit not the route from Berlin to Vienna that goes via Poland - if that's even running still).

A real shame - I was looking forward to this route being reopened to sleeper trains, but since both Eurostar and Nightjet are both pernickity when it comes to bikes this new-old route isn't much use to me

[Mike Sales]

I have just read a piece by Paul Theroux on the Orient Express, the Stamboul train, the Pullman service to Istanbul.
Long dead, but so romantic. Naunton and Wayne in The Lady Vanishes.
Did it carry bikes I wonder. Greene never mentioned them.

[MrsHJ]

New nightjet from Vienna to Hamburg. Sharing a photo from the man at seat 61 as his website isn’t coping with user numbers at the moment. Have a look when it’s calmed down a bit! https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-route ... ration.htm

Looks very interesting sleeping wise. Might feel a bit coffin like? Or is that just cosy?

[MrsHJ]

I’m curious- has anyone figured out a route from Brussels Zuid ie the Eurostar station to Amsterdam in time to catch the nightjet sleeper to zurich? I don’t think I’d get to Brussels before 3pm and at the moment I can’t see any easy options to get the train to Amsterdam other than quite late in the evening (too late for the night train departure at 8:28). I already have different plan that works but I was checking for affordable alternatives and this is a possible, I think the easier option might be to stay in Brussels and get the Berlin sleeper.

[ANTONISH]

I’m curious- has anyone figured out a route from Brussels Zuid ie the Eurostar station to Amsterdam in time to catch the nightjet sleeper to zurich? I don’t think I’d get to Brussels before 3pm and at the moment I can’t see any easy options to get the train to Amsterdam other than quite late in the evening (too late for the night train departure at 8:28). I already have different plan that works but I was checking for affordable alternatives and this is a possible, I think the easier option might be to stay in Brussels and get the Berlin sleeper.

How are you getting to Brussels?

[Will]

I’m curious- has anyone figured out a route from Brussels Zuid ie the Eurostar station to Amsterdam in time to catch the nightjet sleeper to zurich? I don’t think I’d get to Brussels before 3pm and at the moment I can’t see any easy options to get the train to Amsterdam other than quite late in the evening (too late for the night train departure at 8:28). I already have different plan that works but I was checking for affordable alternatives and this is a possible, I think the easier option might be to stay in Brussels and get the Berlin sleeper.

There is a hourly Inter City service between Brussels and Amsterdam, but it is not showing up in searches if you put in a date from this years timetable (which ends mid December). The 2024 timetable show a service leaving Brussels-Zuid at 15:45 (arriving A'dam at 18:32, and another at 16:45 (arriving A'dam at 19:32). When are you intending to travel?

Will

[Will]

I’m curious- has anyone figured out a route from Brussels Zuid ie the Eurostar station to Amsterdam in time to catch the nightjet sleeper to zurich? I don’t think I’d get to Brussels before 3pm and at the moment I can’t see any easy options to get the train to Amsterdam other than quite late in the evening (too late for the night train departure at 8:28). I already have different plan that works but I was checking for affordable alternatives and this is a possible, I think the easier option might be to stay in Brussels and get the Berlin sleeper.

There is a hourly Inter City service between Brussels and Amsterdam, but it is not showing up in searches if you put in a date from this years timetable (which ends mid December). The 2024 timetable show a service leaving Brussels-Zuid at 15:45 (arriving A'dam at 18:32, and another at 16:45 (arriving A'dam at 19:32). When are you intending to travel?

Will

The Brussels Zuid-Amsterdam Centraal Inter City service is not showing up in searches on the DB Bahn website, but it is showing on the NS International Website: https://www.nsinternational.com/

Will

[MrsHJ]

I’m curious- has anyone figured out a route from Brussels Zuid ie the Eurostar station to Amsterdam in time to catch the nightjet sleeper to zurich? I don’t think I’d get to Brussels before 3pm and at the moment I can’t see any easy options to get the train to Amsterdam other than quite late in the evening (too late for the night train departure at 8:28). I already have different plan that works but I was checking for affordable alternatives and this is a possible, I think the easier option might be to stay in Brussels and get the Berlin sleeper.

How are you getting to Brussels?

If I do the Brussels option it is with Eurostar and intact bike.

Will - thank you for your replies- that makes sense, I was surprised. I’m looking at next May/June but researching using the current schedule. I’d also have to get to grips with booking the night jet to Zurich and adding on my bike via the separate ?IC booking route.

[Will]

If I do the Brussels option it is with Eurostar and intact bike.

As I mentioned on the "When will Eurostar recommence carrying bikes?" thread:

The Amsterdam Eurostar was supposed to be getting suspended next year as a result of the infrastructure upgrades at Amsterdam Centraal. It is being reported that a possible solution has been found that could limit the disruption to the service:

https://www.dutchnews.nl/2023/10/soluti ... -services/

An announcement is expected at the end of the month. Lets just hope that the solution will allow them to carry bikes.

You may find that the "solution" will allow Eurostar to carry bikes on the Amsterdam service next year.

Will

[Will]

Youtube video on travelling on the new NightJet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnB_vSVkX3k&t=1324s

Will

[Jdsk]

"Europe’s geography ‘kind of reshaped’ as Paris-Berlin night train returns":
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023 ... in-returns

Jonathan

[Galactic]

Paris-Berlin night train returns

Sadly, at least according to the Deutsche Bahn website, this night train doesn't take assembled bikes. So you'll have to bag your best friend up if you want to sleep your way from Paris to Berlin or back again