ADVERTISEMENTAs more people reconsider how they travel on a warming planet, a small but growing contingent in Europe wants to switch from high-emission, short-haul planes to more climate-friendly sleeper trains.
But for all the climate benefits - plus the enduring romance of overnight train journeys - it's not always simple building a vacation around them.
Several national railways and private operators have moved in to meet the rising demand, and the result is a patchwork of overnight routes sold on over 30 different websites. Many routes may not run every day, and online ticket aggregators don’t include all countries that have night trains.
“I’ve always gone around on trains and boats and buses, so it was normal for me,” says Cat Jones, founder of the flight-free travel agency Byway. “But friends would say, ‘Oh, that sounds amazing, but no way am I going to plan all that.’”
Sleeper train advocates, however, say the experience and convenience of riding the rails makes them worth any booking difficulty. With patience and a few tips, you’ll never have to deal with airport security lines in the middle of your European holiday.
How to research your night train journey
First, make sure routes exist between your desired cities. Back on Track, a European rail advocacy group, maintains a night train database with all current and soon-to-launch routes on the continent. Just be aware that city names are listed with local spellings, such as Praha for Prague.
Then head to the sleeper train section of the Man in Seat 61, a website run by former rail industry worker Mark Smith that exhaustively explains what to expect. The site has details on dozens of international routes, down to seat and berth numbers on specific trains - even photos of the food and where to find electrical outlets.
Many operators provide perks like breakfast and free water, and some allow female travellers to book shared spaces only with other women.
Once you’ve found the right route, check Trainline and RailEurope, which sell tickets on most railways. Or go directly to the operator’s website; all will have an option to switch the language to English.
Decide how much privacy you need
Night trains' configuration varies by operator, line and carriage. Many trains have a car or two with traditional upright seats selling for as little as €19, but they recline and are much more spacious than an airplane seat.
Other carriages have sleeper cabins with anywhere from one to six beds, which likely fold up when not in use. It’s possible to book an entire cabin for a family or group of friends, but you’ll pay extra.
Sarah Marks, a frequent sleeper train traveller from London, says she was nervous the first time sharing a cabin, but ultimately found it was a great way to meet like-minded travellers. “It’s quite an intimate experience,” she says. “But hand over heart, every single one has been really nice and actually enhanced my experience.”
Plan to book in advance - but not too far in advance
Because most rail companies use dynamic pricing, as airlines do, the price of a ticket likely will rise as the date approaches.
But if you search for tickets now for summer travel, chances are you won’t see the routes available. Many railways do not open ticket sales until two or three months in advance. Several factors influence the timing, but it’s mostly because track maintenance usually is scheduled overnight to minimise commuter disruption.
“With sleeper trains, that’s tricky to plan around,” Mark says, noting that he often hears concerns from Americans who like to plan their trips several months in advance.
Be flexible when booking night trains
The most popular routes, such as Paris to Berlin, can sell out or become prohibitively expensive for some travellers during peak times.
Rather than be deterred, travellers should think of rail travel as breaking the mould of point-to-point round trips, says Cat.
“If what people want is not available on that day, do a daytime train and we’ll put you on another sleeper somewhere else,” she says. Because Europe’s rail network is so extensive, there are many ways to get from point A to point B and back again, maybe return through a city you might not have considered visiting.
ADVERTISEMENT“By relying on that network effect, there’s always an amazing option as long as you’re flexible," says Cat.