From Vienna to Venice - Is the Night Train an Alternative to Flying?
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- čas přidán 7. 03. 2023
- What’s it like to sleep on a night train? How much does it cost? What is the service like? And where can you shower? DW's Lukas Stege tries it out on route from Vienna to Venice.
The 11-hour train ride seems to be at a disadvantage in comparison to the 1 hour and 15-minute plane ride. Nevertheless, more and more night train routes are being operated all over Europe.
Would you take a night train?
CREDITS:
Report: Lukas Stege, Andreas Kirchhoff
Camera: Holm Weber, Lukas Stege
Editing: Nora Rehn
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I'm surprised the video did not mention the main benefit of taking the night train: You are combining your hotel and travel into one, possibly saving you a lot of time. Taking this trip during the day would make you lose a whole day, and flying still takes up half of the day. But with this, you pretty much are paying the same cost (if not less) than a hotel + flight, and you arrive at your destination in the morning.
To follow up on this, we just booked the Nightjet from Vienna to Venice for me and my partner in the spring. The total cost was just under 300 Euros for a room with a shower/toilet. If we were to fly, Ryanair (with bag and seat) would be about 135 euros, plus another night in a hotel in either Vienna or Venice would be at least another 125 euros (probably 175 Euros or more for Venice). So it does end up being about the same cost, but I think it will be worth it!
The night train saves on hotel charges vs the plane.
Yes, that's another interesting point. Greetings!
Glad to see the beautiful 11 hour journey experience & as my self new Indian CZcamsr in Germany & would love to explore the Europe in Hindi for my country as many of Indians love to experience the Europe but in Hindi so if DW would give me opportunity then would love to work as DW Traveller 😊
Yeah I'm surprised this was not mentioned as the main benefit. The climate angle is nice, but taking the train by day would be a waste of time, and you still lose half the day by flying. By taking an overnight train, you at least combine your hotel and travel into one, and the showers onboard can let you arrive in your destination refreshed and clean.
The OBB Night Jet is great! I also paid 180 euros for an 11-hour journey from Wroclav to Vienna for a private en-suite cabin with private shower -- BUT there are many advantages: 1) if you take into account that this is also instead of a night at a hotel, you realize that it is not that expensive!! 2) It is an eco-friendly solution and saves tons of time on those annoying airport waits and procedures. The ease of use on European trains is nothing short of a miracle!! It is amazing to be able to go from one city center to another one!! 3) You can carry much more in your luggage, including food items such as wine, olive oil and what not! However, one does have to get used to sleeping in a new setting but I guess that after a few times and maybe a sleeping pill or melatonin spray it will work out...:)
Thanks for your thougths. The 3rd one is a good point we weren't aware until now!
@@DWTravel Thank YOU DW for being such a professional and reliable media outlet :)
I'm old, so that was how we travelled when I was your age. Night trains were romantic and often fun, since you'd meet other young people and party. I rarely booked a cabin or sleeper bunk, but it felt very glamorous to do it once in a while.
Back then, the regular compartments had seats that could pull out to be completely flat, so everyone could lie down. Each compartment held six people. So sometimes you could convince people to swap compartments, so younger people could stay up late and play cards or maybe even sing a bit and play the guitar. Or you would share a compartment with two people your own age, two nonnas and a salesman, and the conversation would be different, but still lively and interesting. Sharing food and wine was always good. Modern Europeans probably wouldn't share what what effectively one large bed with five strangers, but we were all fully dressed and it felt normal back then.
In many countries, the restaurant cars were really restaurants, with full kitchens cooking to order, and white tablecloths. Again, since you shared tables with strangers, the meals were memorable, not only for the food.
Thank you very much for sharing these experiences with us!
I like your hosting style a lot and this night train is really more fascinating than airplane
I have been fan of Dw since a long time ago, they produce good reports, in differents languages and show us specific things about Germany and i really like this Dw Travel channel and i want to congratulate for his jornalist Alan he does so good job.
DW is amazing!! :)
I love night trains. I had a lot of night train trips in Ukraine and Vienna-Amsterdam, and Nurnberg - Amsterdam. I find it amazing. However, it is such a pity night trains within the EU are quite pricy.
but you don't have to pay for a night at a hotel and get to your destination at the same time - so NOT so pricy... :)
i am excited for my trip berlin to roe via Vienna :-)
Just ❤ this!!! And the interviewees are super nice!
Last summer i went from Berlin to Malmö by night train with my family. The children really enjoyed it. I am glad i could give them that experience. And it was totally stress free. No weighing luggage, no passport check before leaving, no fluid checks, not having to wait on an airport, all luggage close by all the time and we departed and arrived from the city centre.
Super! It bacomes one of my admirations thanks to this vid:)
Very nice and funny man! We want more video like that! Trains its something fantastic!
Hola lukas bonito video como siempre😀
My only gripe with night trains as a bike tourist, is that you're not allowed to board the full bike. You have to box it in a heavy bike bag or in a huge cardboard box, just as you do with the plane. If they allowed you to board the bike as in a local train, it would be a no brain, train for life!
Welcome back Lukas…somehow I’ve not seen presentations from you recently…thank you for posting this video…Your spontaneity and youthful energy always shines through….there is a first time for everything in life be it the night train or showering ÖBB the train….even though eleven hours seems long, hopefully you’re able to get some sleep… ”Ease”…I like that one word from the lady from Arkansas….Europeans must embrace train travel more and more…the European train network is extensive, perhaps its is difficult to coordinate cross “border” train travel and tickets but I remain a firm proponent of this mode of transportation. Thanks once more
Ok so you didn’t sleep much…perhaps a bit of night sedation might help….
It amazing video, Definitely that trip is on my bucket list to do in Europe. You guys always produce great videos, I love it. Here in Sydney travelling interstate by train is unusual, because airfares are costly and people are trying environmentally friendly ways to travel. Travelling by train its a great option.
Hey Eduardo, that your dream will come true 🦼🙂
Very interesting.
I have taken an overnight sleeper car from Venice to Brindisi and it was just like you said - a bit difficult to sleep but I was using the EurailPass so it was a lot cheaper than flying at that time (circa 2000).
I have taken many overnight trains sleeping in the 1st class coach chair and it was the same, difficult to sleep but I did not have the expense of the sleeping car.
I think that if you are young (in your 20s or 30s etc.), that might be OK to do but now that I am in my 70s I probably won’t do it again for my health’s sake
I'm in my 70's and find an overnight sleeper far less hassle than a flight it's city centre to city centre. One's also a lot closer to a hospital than at 35000 ft if required. Many have great food in the dining car with a good wine list. Also saves the cost of a hotel for one night. Any train journey nearly always has me asleep in minutes. One day will do the Orient Express or the Trans Siberian through Russia to China. The only train that has a bogie change whilst the passengers are on board. (Different track gauge between the Countries).
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Admirable of the eco -conscious newlyweds to honeymoon in twin beds! Ps Lucas always does a great job sharing his travels (and bad coffee!)😮
Train vlogs are so popular!
I did the exact opposite! From Venice to Wien. It was great!
I have never used trains much as I usually fly. However, flying has become a nightmare with delays, changes in equipment, lost luggage and airport security and gate changes. I think I need to try something different. I have trouble even sleeping at home. Recently due to weather, we could not land so spent the night in a different city airport. Got home 1 day late.
For me this night trains arrive a bit to early at the morning. 8am . Better would be 10am as hotel is from 2pm usually
I experienced the difficulty of sleeping in a train when I went to Rome. Since then, I use sprayable melatonin which works like a charm! I fall asleep easier without any hangover. I think there are 3 additional benefits when using the train a) you're always in the middle of the city, not at the airport in some rural area 1h+ away which saves time and money b) you can carry much more stuff you bought w/o extra costs (wine, cheese, olive oil etc) and c) you have enough time to reflect on your journey and the adventure, think it through and enjoy it a second time (and flick through your pics, deleting doubles etc). Oh, and I would have loved to see the difference to the first class compartment.
We Love in Munich and the Flight from here costs way more than Night Jets .
So if we are travelling to any where in Hungary Italy or Croatia we prefer Night Jets .
As it takes hardly 10 mins to reach train station and we can be in train in no time .
Flight are good when you stay in the city of Low cost carriers operate like Berlin.
Different experience 🎉
Had the exact same experience. Impossible to sleep with so much noise and motion in the train :-(
whole new experience and save you one night hotel fee .win win situation :)
Your bigger fan
I didn't realize that he only had 2 fans. Who is the smaller one? 😜🤣🤣🤣
surely you can turn it into a sleep or seating area yourself? anyway this looks awesome, i might fly into rome, take the train to germany, then go from munich or salzburg back to rome for my germany holiday. Looks cheaper, more convenient and more scenic than dealing with an airplane
I'm planning a trip from Milan to Verona and then Inssbruck by train and then maybe Munich ...will it be worthy ? I work at airport so I'm used to fly
What’s the website to book that train and what’s the train name
💞👌
I would like Vienna to Barcelona train 😀
How tall is Lukas?, is that bed 1.90 cm long?
I am from India
Free if buy Eyuro rail pass ?
Prices!?????
Clearly stated at the beginning of the video.
it's 160 euro more expensive one-way with a train.... good luck with that
@MrThunderlight If more people will take night trains in the future, hopefully the prices will go down as well..🚂
Night trains should not stop between midnight and 6 a.m.,
Many people have problems to sleep because of that
177 euros for making us greener....!!!
This man is rude. Why say coffe not good. I can't sleep.
Anytime I see a German being very excited about trains, I get really scared.