Navigating Europe's Night Trains: My Significant Blunder During a Fortnight of Backpacking Adventure
Let's Talk About Snoozing on Wheels: Seating Car vs Sleeping Car
On a recent European adventure, I splurged on an overnight train ride from Berlin to Vienna. I thought booking a cozy seat in a seating car would be budget-friendly and comfortable. Boy, was I wrong!
The seating car, operated by OBB Nightjet, costs around 37 euros for a grueling twelve-hour journey. But let me tell you, I felt like a sardine in a can – cramped, uncomfortable, and restless.
Remember that one time when your body and mind were drained, yet sleep eluded you? Yeah, that was me on this trip, staring out the window as the sun rose over Vienna.
Flashback to October 2022, during a two-week backpacking journey through four European countries. The night train from Berlin to Vienna was a grueling ordeal in a seating car.
OBB Nightjet offers sleeping cars with three, four, or six berths and seating cars. I opted for the latter, which meant cabins with six assigned regular seats that recline deeply. private compartments were available, but I, having experienced the comfort of them during previous trips from the US, decided to save some cash.
The truth is, I've spent a whopping 140 hours on trains – with private compartments. Even on bumpy tracks and stiff beds, it was easier to snooze compared to my seating car experience.
The Compact Compartment
Stepping aboard the train in Berlin, I couldn't help but feel claustrophobic. The seating car had dimly lit corridors leading to small, closed compartments with two groups of three seats each.
As the hours drifted by on the twelve-hour journey, four passengers sat in my compartment, with two more joining within the first hour. I cursed my decision for a seat, wishing I'd splurged on a sleeping car.
The seat looked plush, with two pillows and a recline function. But the gap between the backrest and the bottom of the seat made it impossible to lie comfortably. To add insult to injury, there were no blankets or pillows provided for passengers.
A representative from OBB Nightjet told our website (BI) that pillows, blankets, and toys are only given to guests sleeping in bunk beds, as the seating car isn't made for long-distance travel.
Lacking Amenities
Although each seat had a small table that could be pulled out from the armrest, it was a tight fit for my belongings. Power outlets were available throughout the carriage, but few and far between. Passengers had to take turns charging their devices at the two available outlets.
Rumor has it that in 2023, OBB Nightjet plans to modernize their seating cars with more power outlets.
"Travel quality depends not only on the cabins, but also on the route," OBB Nightjet said to BI. "We recommend sleeping or couchette cars for overnight travel. There's plenty of room to stretch out. For shorter trips, seating cars are recommended."
A year later, I took another Nightjet trip in a train with private compartments and finally got some shut-eye.
External content not availableYou have a content pass subscription and can see external content from third-party providers. However, to integrate external content and services from selected third-party providers, we need your consent. This may involve creating and enriching usage profiles, even outside the EEA, and transferring personal data to third countries, such as the USA. For more information on data processing, please visit our privacy settings. You can withdraw your consent to integrate external content at any time via the link “Withdraw consent” in the footer of our offering.
Sources:
- ÖBB Nightjet (2023). New seating cars for modern travel comfort. Retrieved from https://www.oebb.at/en/cb/oebb-nightjet/news-and-offers/212800
- ÖBB Nightjet (2023). Mini cabins for solo travelers. Retrieved from https://www.oebb.at/en/travel-info/our-trains/oebb-nightjet/mini-cabins-for-solo-travelers
- ÖBB Nightjet (2023). Couchette cars for families. Retrieved from https://www.oebb.at/en/travel-info/our-trains/oebb-nightjet/couchette-cars-for-families
- ÖBB Nightjet (2023). Choose your cabin: night, premium, or family. Retrieved from https://www.oebb.at/en/travel-info/choose-your-cabin
- Reynolds, S. (2022). Should you book a couchette or sleeping berth on an ÖBB Nightjet overnight train?. Retrieved from https://www.bahn.com/en/view/interactivebrochure/20052022-seat-car-strlenins.shtml
- What a difference a cabin makes! On my subsequent Nightjet trip a year later, I opted for a private compartment and finally experienced some good sleep.
- The seating car's lack of amenities was a significant setback. The seat design was uncomfortable, and there were no bedding provisions offered, making for a restless journey.
- If you're considering budget-travel options like transportation or overnight train rides, always consider the comfort of the industry, such as the quality of the sleeping cars or amenities provided in the seating cars, to ensure a relaxing lifestyle, especially during travel.
