It is impossible to have a “revival” when a single bunk on a night train costs four times as much as a budget flight that takes a fraction of the time. We are constantly told to travel sustainably, yet the most eco-friendly option is treated like a luxury hobby while kerosene remains tax-free and subsidized.
SR_RSMITH on
I wonder how they’d fix the fact that most trains are nowadays faster and there’s no way you can spend a whole night traveling between two cities. It takes about 600km and a really slow train for that (source: I used to travel like that when it was such a thing)
FTP4L1VE on
Bro should include snälltåget in his webpage.
Part of the issue is, that night trains aren’t offererd as travel options very much. Also, you often need to book them separately.
If they were as subsidised as cheap flights, trains would be used a lot more.
TameTheAuroch on
It’s insanely expensive and booking is a painful experience (at least in Hungary). I hate flying, love traveling via train. Spain was an awesome experience in that regard, just flying through vast distances from Sevilla to Madrid to Barcelona in a comfortable train for a low price was amazing. In other countries however it is often cumbersome and prohibitively expensive to do so, which is a shame. I am forced to pick flying more often than I’d like.
JadedElk on
I’d love to take a sleeper train for my continental travel. I find that the prices between train travel and air travel are pretty similar if I include the final-KM transit to get from the airport to my home. And then I can actually bring all my luggage, rather than being confined to a handbag. Unfortunately, I’m not prepared to wait from around midnight to the next day’s trains on Hamburg station, so night trains are not going to happen. (It’s not about safety, it’s about the cold and a bad previous experience)
Isaidhowdareyou on
I wished they would actually arrive in 2026, I would love to take my dog on a night train but then I have to buy like a whole 4 person cabin (last time I checked) for a dog. Yes, in Germany I pay for an extra seat while my dog has to sit in the space between rows on every normal train and now I have to book a whole 4 people cabin?
I know not everyone likes dogs- I get it, but in Europe it’s part of many (also singles without kids lives) and there has not been made one change in decades. So congrats, you are too expensive, make it impossible for people with pets and take longer than a plane. Benefits? You also get a hurting back.
Tardislass on
I’ll be that person. Sleeping in trains is hell for most people even with a roomette and bed. Frequent stops, train horns and swaying makes sleep a rare experience. Why should I take a night train when I could either fly or take a day train and spend a night in a real bed? No brainer. And they make the trains so expensive that the cheap people who would use it can’t afford it.
Night trains are a relic of an earlier age.
johansugarev on
No way to guilt trip me into trains, so long as they are so expensive. The environmentally friendly option should be the cheapest.
Corona21 on
Looked into this for trips and it doesnt make sense. Or only the cost factor is competitive which sometimes it can be but other things come into play.
I can get an evening train, get in early in the morning, wait around for the hotel check-in lug baggage around, or leave it with them. All after likely not having a great night sleep.
Or get to bed early or normal time, fly and arrive in time for hotel check in. I’ve only lost out on a less optimal morning for sightseeing.
Pochel on
I once took a night train where I had to sleep on a sit and that was an awful experience. They never switched off the lights, frequent stops prevented me from really falling asleep, and it was awfully cold. Even night busses were far more enjoyable
theprotestingmoose on
I took an SJ night train to Luleå recently. I paid 250 euro for a private cabin. It was fine but the whole train smelled like sewer 💩 flight back cost 150 euro and took 1h 20m.
LolaBaraba on
Thanks for reminding me to listen to Nightrain by Guns N Roses, one of the best hard rock songs of all time.
GinofromUkraine on
Looks like on some (maybe on many) routes it only exists because governments subsidize the prices. If they cancel subsidies, the trains stop. “Demand is strong” as they write in the article, but not so strong if people have to pay full price. Just because air travel is still so cheap in comparison…
NoRecipe3350 on
The problem is they are doing at ‘luxury’ prices that will only appeal to richer older people, but then they realise they are travelling on a train bed and it’s not particularly luxurious.
You need to make the prices competitive with Flixbus and Ryanair to get the younger people in. I’ve taken a few night Flixbuses and they were a little bit ‘hellish’, a train with a bunkbed/couchette would be a step up but they aren’t competitive with prices.
14 commenti
It is impossible to have a “revival” when a single bunk on a night train costs four times as much as a budget flight that takes a fraction of the time. We are constantly told to travel sustainably, yet the most eco-friendly option is treated like a luxury hobby while kerosene remains tax-free and subsidized.
I wonder how they’d fix the fact that most trains are nowadays faster and there’s no way you can spend a whole night traveling between two cities. It takes about 600km and a really slow train for that (source: I used to travel like that when it was such a thing)
Bro should include snälltåget in his webpage.
Part of the issue is, that night trains aren’t offererd as travel options very much. Also, you often need to book them separately.
If they were as subsidised as cheap flights, trains would be used a lot more.
It’s insanely expensive and booking is a painful experience (at least in Hungary). I hate flying, love traveling via train. Spain was an awesome experience in that regard, just flying through vast distances from Sevilla to Madrid to Barcelona in a comfortable train for a low price was amazing. In other countries however it is often cumbersome and prohibitively expensive to do so, which is a shame. I am forced to pick flying more often than I’d like.
I’d love to take a sleeper train for my continental travel. I find that the prices between train travel and air travel are pretty similar if I include the final-KM transit to get from the airport to my home. And then I can actually bring all my luggage, rather than being confined to a handbag. Unfortunately, I’m not prepared to wait from around midnight to the next day’s trains on Hamburg station, so night trains are not going to happen. (It’s not about safety, it’s about the cold and a bad previous experience)
I wished they would actually arrive in 2026, I would love to take my dog on a night train but then I have to buy like a whole 4 person cabin (last time I checked) for a dog. Yes, in Germany I pay for an extra seat while my dog has to sit in the space between rows on every normal train and now I have to book a whole 4 people cabin?
I know not everyone likes dogs- I get it, but in Europe it’s part of many (also singles without kids lives) and there has not been made one change in decades. So congrats, you are too expensive, make it impossible for people with pets and take longer than a plane. Benefits? You also get a hurting back.
I’ll be that person. Sleeping in trains is hell for most people even with a roomette and bed. Frequent stops, train horns and swaying makes sleep a rare experience. Why should I take a night train when I could either fly or take a day train and spend a night in a real bed? No brainer. And they make the trains so expensive that the cheap people who would use it can’t afford it.
Night trains are a relic of an earlier age.
No way to guilt trip me into trains, so long as they are so expensive. The environmentally friendly option should be the cheapest.
Looked into this for trips and it doesnt make sense. Or only the cost factor is competitive which sometimes it can be but other things come into play.
I can get an evening train, get in early in the morning, wait around for the hotel check-in lug baggage around, or leave it with them. All after likely not having a great night sleep.
Or get to bed early or normal time, fly and arrive in time for hotel check in. I’ve only lost out on a less optimal morning for sightseeing.
I once took a night train where I had to sleep on a sit and that was an awful experience. They never switched off the lights, frequent stops prevented me from really falling asleep, and it was awfully cold. Even night busses were far more enjoyable
I took an SJ night train to Luleå recently. I paid 250 euro for a private cabin. It was fine but the whole train smelled like sewer 💩 flight back cost 150 euro and took 1h 20m.
Thanks for reminding me to listen to Nightrain by Guns N Roses, one of the best hard rock songs of all time.
Looks like on some (maybe on many) routes it only exists because governments subsidize the prices. If they cancel subsidies, the trains stop. “Demand is strong” as they write in the article, but not so strong if people have to pay full price. Just because air travel is still so cheap in comparison…
The problem is they are doing at ‘luxury’ prices that will only appeal to richer older people, but then they realise they are travelling on a train bed and it’s not particularly luxurious.
You need to make the prices competitive with Flixbus and Ryanair to get the younger people in. I’ve taken a few night Flixbuses and they were a little bit ‘hellish’, a train with a bunkbed/couchette would be a step up but they aren’t competitive with prices.