I Try The Arctic Sleeper Train - NOT The Best Experience!, The Lapland Express
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- čas přidán 6. 01. 2024
- I try a sleeper train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi in the Arctic Circle. Which will take over 12 hours!
I'll experience everything from my en-suite cabin, restaurant, bar car and breakfast. Come with me on the epic train journey to the arctic circle! My Backpack 👉 rb.gy/n5ztoy
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We actually have spent 11+hours on AmTrak in their regular seats because we couldn't afford a sleeper car lol. It was a 2 day train ride and horrible. Never again. I will say the food was pretty good though :)
Hello Tim 🙂
I Enjoy Watching Your CZcams Channel ,
You Should Wear More Winter Season Clothing For Warmth To Protect Yourself From Deep Freeze Temperatures . I Look Forward To Your New Episodes & Stay Warm 🙂
How lucky you are. To see that your'e immune to the cold, with no hat or gloves and wearing your little unzipped jacket like it's a British spring evening makes me envious of you.
0´38-40´ i0v är pannk äyk Frömm pälm eylünD ^F^
1:23 vvätt se häl ärk v äFf öh -?-
2:30 eis neiß > >
4:44 äh jäzz $€ TRäFälläehrce cvrrß?v 2:44 237 ;$ 13:41 mehghikk is ön lööF -.- wellie vvell Fjäll v?v bä$.hD kärrbönnärrärrh vv v=pSHhpkSBQvo&ab_channel=roofman1969
jew dönütt kätt nhüüdell ! - .-
oh christ a burger king we are cursed with those too
“Frostbite is a real thing”. Especially when you’re gloveless when it is MINUS TWENTY.
I've been in minus 50. 🤣😂
@@thevikingwarrior Same. I’m just outside of Chicago and we got down to minus 50 in 2019. I’m a mailman and the government decided it was too cold to do our job that day. Gloves or not!
@@Strangwood Flippin' heck, you have earnt you wages then! I have been to Chicago as well, very very briefly.
@@thevikingwarrior you guys are talking about wind chill which is fake temp
😂😂 why did he do that. Standing outside excessively long, to show us the train station we had been looking at, and with that jacket open the whole time only to go inside and still record which he could've been doing.... Literally, this guy knows how to build the drama 😅😅
Complaining about the cold but your literally wearing the smallest jacket ever with no hat or gloves
He's dressed for a balmy UK Autumn.
For a travel writer he should have known to dress accordingly. Stupid I guess.
He's British !
@@nicholasmurphy8634 what’s that got to do with it??
@@leedsforlife1 Name checks out.
12 hours in those seats with that much leg room seems a lot better than some of my long haul economy flights.
I once spent ~16 hours on a coach bus down to the snow in Victoria. Honestly wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
Yes! Came to say the same. I have to take flights that long all the time. Misery 😪😂
trying spending 24+ hours on a Greyhound in the US.. You'll promise yourself "NEVER AGAIN!!" 🤣
Was thinking same thing
@@CopiousDoinksLLC What do you even do for 16 hours 😭
11 hours in those seats look more comfortable than 11 hours on a plane in economy!
But The thing IS - there are several Stops on The way ! Not everybody are forced to travel - end of The LINE !
@@holoholopainen1627 Ways to interpret the BIBLE: 5 points of GOSPEL:
- Figurative 1.) Christ died
- Symbolical 2.) for our sins
- Literal 3.) was buried
- Devotional 4.) rose again
- Historical 5.) According to the script.
- Dispensational
GOD`s expectations to us;
- REPENT!
- BORN AGAIN!
- BE HOLY!
- EXPOSE EVIL!
- DO THE WILL OF YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER!
yea but 11 hours in a plane would take 20 000 hours on that train...
Hi.Always carry earplugs!!!🎉😂❤.
Yes I would very much travell on that train. You don't need 2 showers a day??!!😅.
Finland is really cool/nice.Thank you.
A 12 hour, major city to major city, train ride in Australia is a short one. Never considered a sleeper for such a short trip.
-20C..Tim where the hell is your hat and gloves?!
Exactly!!!! 😮💨🤦🏽♀️
People are vain. Put on a damn toque and cover your hands!
@@wrath231 I'm fairly certain that vanity is not the reason.
He's British, he's not used to weather that goes below zero.
He doesn’t even know what a bidet is…..
"Can you imagine sitting in one of these seats for 12 hours!?!" mate those seats look pretty good, living in New Zealand, flights to almost anywhere other than Australia start at 12 hours. My flight to the USA was 19 hours so.. 12 hours in a large train seat with plenty of space to walk around wouldn't be a problem 😂😂😂
@jakes4164 I'm not OP but I've done flights like that at least 25 times. International economy seats are often bigger than domestic economy seats. This is immediately obvious if you have domestic connection after an international flight. Overall I find these long haul international flights to be fine. I generally try to sleep most of the way. Most airlines are very tolerant of people standing around the galley on long haul flights although I believe it's illegal on US carriers. A lot of carriers now leave snacks and water bottles in the galley you can just take when you want.
Drinking a beer before getting on a train without working toilets, you're more brave than me 😅
nea. he had a water bottle, and there are walkways...
just p out the window dude or on someone elses door lmao
The toilets worked cause he tested them in his bathroom-cabin but he did not try the one in the hallway (that looked nicer than the one in his cabin haha).Love Pinkie
I'm pretty sure that the train wouldn't have gotten anywhere without working toilets. Obviously some pipes were frozen and they were fixing the problem and that's (one of) the reason(s) why the train was late.
As long as they have bottles, you have a place to go (number 1 at least).
As a Lapland resident, I travel semi regularly from Rovaniemi to Helsinki and back, and always enjoy the train journey despite that as a student I often save money and just book a seat. With a good book, 12 hours in a day carriage is doable, but cabin is well worth the price tbh... I love sleeping in those trains, it feels like a cradle, being slowly lulled into sleep by the train swaying and making all those clank-clonk sounds. I'm sorry to hear that your journey didn't go according to plan, but you were travelling during the coldest week there has been for ages, -30 to -40'c in large parts of the country. Finnish railways were in chaos because the frost caused a lot of technical problems for both trains and railway infra - in milder weather Finnish trains are somewhat reliable and mostly in schedule. Cold water and low water pressure were undoubtedly related to frost issues as well. During the busiest tourist season you can sometimes see old sleeper cars being used among the new ones, and you managed to spot one of those! The three-bed cabin with orange basin etc. is one of the so called "blue stock sleepers", first built some 50 years ago! (Renovated several times since, obviously...) Still going strong despite its age, it seems. Other "blue stock" carriages were removed from the regular use in the early 2000's.
Russia gets way colder. I am Russian / Finnish currently living in Canada. I never understood the big deal about -20, it’s a pretty average winter temperature for me
@@JC-qb2qj I often find, that when people say they don't understand things about other people's statements, it is not the case. Understanding is clear, but some bizarre mechanic in our brain, insist on stating the opposite.
Old blue ones weren't late when its cold. These newer models produced somewhere south cannot stand really cold weather.
@@budgiefriend what are you smoking
Your English is impeccable for a foreigner.
In Finland we like to meme about the trains always being late, but actually by European standards they are quite well on time on average. Unfortunate that your trip didn't go exactly as planned, but you seemed to enjoy it well enough. Btw, those armrest buttons used to be for radio, not TV.
I think in Germany , we have much more delays than in finland😅 It’s so normal here to have minimum 30 mins delay for intercity or intercity express trains (no regional, they are (mostly) on time).
The delays in Germany have been crazy these past years. I used to never have issues like that before. Hopefully they can get it together in the next few years
In Germany I have never had a train that is 4 hours late. In Germany we like to complain a lot, but I have a Deutschlandticket and I don’t own a car so I only use public transport and I really don’t find it that bad.
Finnish sleeper trains are the best in europe in my opinion. Sure they aren't perfect, but they seem to work well most of the time and because Finland uses bigger rail gauge they have very good amount of space compared to other sleepers especially in europe. Finland uses 1524mm gauge while many other countries use the standard 1435mm. This makes a big difference especially when talking about sleeper trains.
@@akuankka321876that 89mm must make all the difference......
'when you're told you can't go, you need to go'. Ain't that the truth! Fantastic video mate
Lol thanks Steve
“Frostbite is definitely a thing, especially when it’s cold” 😂. Should put that on some merch
lol saying that with opened jacked no snow hat nor gloves filming outside in - 20. Fun fun fun.
Yeah, frostbite in the tropics isn't that bad.
@@incremental_failure Those tropic frostbites are vicious.
I love sleeper trains! The things that bother you, i.e., the noise and the motion from the train, are the things that lull me to sleep.
Me too,.
I'm the same, can't sleep in airplanes or cars & bus's, never been able to. As long as there's a window I'm happy 😊😁 ❤
same
The only overnight train I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing was one from Moscow to Leningrad in 86. Even though it was the Soviet Union (so pretty basic set up) it was still the best sleep I’ve ever had. An extended train trip anywhere in the entire world is at the top of my wishlist.
I have the best sleeps of my life on a sleeper train or on an overnight ferry. I love the movements, not so much the noise, but earplugs deal with it.
Your mother never taught you to zip up your jacket when it’s cold?
This is why I enjoy your videos over all others
You are so genuine, you check everything, and more importantly you won't hide things just for the sake of playing up the experience
Thanks for being so great!
I appreciate that! Thank u
It's bit unfair for VR that he was complaining about not getting a good sleep because the trains moves and stops. If you can't handle that, maybe sleeper trains aren't for you. Many people I know have been on this train and they said that the beds are very comfortable (almost hotel quality) and they got very good sleep out of them.
Usually showers on sleeper trains can be colder than the showers you get back home. That's just the nature how the water system works. The water pressure can also vary depending how many people use then at the same time and how much water there's left on water tank. It's not perfect, but it is what it is.
@@akuankka321876 Keep in mind folks that rolling trains water tanks are NOT connected to cities water mains. Unlike ferries and cruise ships, trains don't make portable water from sea water. There IS a reason why trains in most to the world have limited water supplies and have long stops to change crews and top off the water and diesel tanks...
@@akuankka321876 what I mean by the comment is he doesn't sugar coat anything
Yes this could very well just be a one off, and that's fair
But he unlike other channels he does things the average person might actually go to/do, and rightfully criticizes things that cost waaaay too much money even if he is, in a lot of ways, very very lucky to be there
@@akuankka321876 " If you can't handle that, maybe sleeper trains aren't for you."
Which is basically what he said, that other people might like them more than he does because he has trouble sleeping on them in general. He was not blaming the railway company for the fact the train is a train. Not sure how you think him relating his experience, and politely as always, is unfair somehow.
In addition I've watched quite a few travel videos on various channels and usually on trains this new the shower will be warm and have at least a constant stream of water even if it's on the weak side. No one is expecting it to be as good as your shower at home but it should be more than ice cold and sputtering, seems like a reasonable expectation to me that it should be better than that.
Helsinki railway station is an architectural icon, that is high on my bucket list of places I want to visit very soon. I love sleeper trains but I agree, sleeping on a sleeper train is difficult. The only time I managed it was from Chicago to New York after not sleeping on a train from Salt Lake City to Chicago in coach for about 35 hours. So exhaustion prior to trying to sleep on a sleeper might be the answer. The irony is that I fall asleep sitting up on a train during the day because of the motion of the train. Oh, and just as you said "you can't go wrong with a carbonara" my wife passed the TV and said "not if you get bad cream". But I'd do the trip for sure, probably wouldn't sleep, and I'd have the carbonara and risk the cream.
Food in most finnish trains is better than many wannabe gourme restaurants. Every train in finland is the same company vr
Tim this is incredible.. to think that you began this channel by recording a walk up the road! Your dedication & support from Gabby has taken you so far & it's such an honour & pleasure to see 🥂
As a Finn, I got to say that we're really well prepared for cold weather, but the last week or so has been horrendous. So we're used to it, the transportation sector is used to it, but sometimes it gets too cold for even us. :)
Yeah, I’d like to see what would happen to the trains in central europe if they had -30c weather for 2 weeks straight 😂
@@jk7921I'm in eastern Finland. We just had a few days of around -35C (occasionally a bit colder, too) and the index, the "feels like" temperature got as low as -45C here. People's cars were freezing, even though we're prepared. We know how to act and what to do. Sometimes the weather just does something rare and... :D
Yes very true .. I did mention that later in video.. brutally cold
@@WalkWithMeTim Hi! You can submit refund request to VR (train company) if the train was over 4h late you get 50% refund.
@@WalkWithMeTim That's why you have to wear the right clothing in the Arctic, Tim. Hat, gloves, scarf, thermals, boots. No wonder you were frozen.
Been a railway enthusiast myself, this is definably everybody's bucket list to do as it does look real impresses especially touring the winter times. I could see myself trying it out when I'm in Finland.
And it's not to expensive.. Shame the water was cold or it would have been the best I've done
@@WalkWithMeTimyou need to let the water run for some time for the water to become warmer. It's very common on nordic sleeper trains. It's still going to be much colder compared to hotels ect because that's just the nature of sleeper trains and how the water system works. The water can also totally run out if many people are over using the water.
As a native it's always flattering to see something very regular to me described by someone else as "bucket list" lol, I hope you get to experience it and have a better experience than Tim did here!
@@igrvks It looks like a nice little trip. Something locals take for granted for sure :)
12 hours on a seat is pure torture that's for sure. The room looks comfy and private. Worth the euros!
We wear gloves or mittens in the winter, here in Toronto Canada. They work well.
We did this train just before Christmas there and back and had an amazing time with a totally faultless experience, so I guess it's a case of opinions 🙂
The last two weeks have been rather chaotic with VR's long distance trains... Hours of delays, buses replacing trains, and indeed frozen toilets. I just spent a week in Northern Finland and took night express sleeper trains both ways. The first trip went fine, but on the return trip the train was rather delayed due to other trains breaking down, and some of the toilets weren't working. However the train conductor told us to apply for a refund due to the toilets not working. I believe VR also promises 25% off if the train is more than an hour late, and 50% off if more than two hours late.
Yes I tried but won't expect my uk bank details lol
Good thing that VR still handled that situation well and offered the refunds. Finnish sleeper trains are very good compared to many other sleepers I know. Finnish sleeper trains have more space anyways because Finland uses 1524mm rail which is larger than the standard 1435mm gauge. This is why they are so huge and have naturally bigger space for passengers.
These trains vacuum toilets similiar to cruise ships, ferries, and airliners, don't like double ply toilet tissue which clog them up, but nitwits worldwide continue to use double ply toilet tissue because they are spoiled with the thicker, softer tissue... Single ply biodegradable tissue is what they stock in the rest rooms, don't use your double ply tissue...
@@WalkWithMeTim I'd contact their customer support to get that worked out. Their customer support has always done a great job when I've had any troubles, unlike the personnel that you had to deal with at the train station that weren't well trained to handle the situation it seems.
@@akuankka321876its very claustrophobic. I would prefer to pay more and have the private bedroom like in USA.
Glad the pasta was nice and you were able to eat. Being cold and tired is never improved by being hungry.
I was in Rovaniemi last week and it was extraordinarily cold. Minus 32 one day! The owner of the airbnb we stayed in even said that it was unusual to be that cold!
You have to wear a woolen cap and mittens in these freezing temperatures! And a woolen scarf! 😉
Thanks for the tip!
@@WalkWithMeTim 🤣
I always thought I would want to go on a train, but after watching this, my claustrophobia is getting me by just watching. Watching you go down narrow hall after narrow hall and not finding the restaurant I just can’t do that. Thanks for sharing because now I know.
It's not for everyone
Finnish trains have actually more space compared to other european trains since Finland uses larger train gauge (1524mm compared to the standard 1435mm). Finland's sleeper trains are very good and better than many other sleepers I know.
You can order your food and drinks to be delivered to your room... Unless my sleeper car is adjacent to the diner, I have it delivered...
People may also take shorter trips whit that night train, e.g. late evening trip from Helsinki to Tampere or early morning trip from Oulu to Rovaniemi. Therefore it's great that there are also seats available.
You would have to admit you were not appropriately dressed for this trip. T Shirt, no gloves, scarf, hat, thin jacket. I understand the luggage restrictions but you’re dressed for Tenerife 🥶
When you’re told that you can’t go you need to go 😂. Truer words have never been spoken.
I bet the toilet on the train was used before it was reviewed in the video!
It's just a radio. As child I used to travel in that train a lot with my dad. It was memorable experience. These days I snore on a seat from Kuopio to the Helsinki and back.
That train looks even better than most Hotels I've been in! 😳
I'm a Finn living in the south of Finland. I've done the same route maybe about 50 times on the same sleeper train. It's not ideal, but beats driving up north with little kids every time. Imagine spending 1000 km in a car with three fairly small children... no thanks. Also, with additional cost, you can take your car with you on the train and continue by car from Rovaniemi further up north. That's usually my best choice. A bit pricy, but saves basically one day of travel and your nerves. And you still have a car in Lapland, so you don't have to think about public transportation, which is basically non-existent.
The Finnish track gauge is 1,524 mm compared to the standard gauge of 1,435 mm as found in the UK. This, together with the Finnish loading gauge being wider than the restrictive GB loading gauge should result in you having more space to move around in the breadth of the train and a more comfortable journey. It'll be interesting to hear your comments when you travel on the Caledonian Sleeper.
I already have.. link at the end
I have done the Helsinki to the North sleeper train about 10 times as I live in the North of Finland... I've never had a bad experience and I love sleeping on the train... last year my son and I overnighter to Helsinki from up north it was a great adventure.
When i was young many years ago in the late 60s i remember traveling in these trains with my parents, these bunk beds braught back some memories, thanks for the video
Tim, the generators on those locomotives hauling your train must have been working to full capacity to cope with the absolute well below freezing conditions. Just think of the heating and lighting that is needed for a train that size, and even colder when running at speed. The train seems to be very clean and comfortable with a cafeteria part as well. A very enjoyable presentation, thank you. PS - shame about the delays you had at the beginning of your journey.
That's an electric train (you can see the pair of locomotives moving away at the end). There's an additional 1500 V coil in the main transformer for the head end power. All the power comes from the 25 kV overhead line. (A maximum of about 6000 kW or 8000 hp in this instance.)
No loos either on or off the trains, and sub zero temperatures? My worst nightmare, literally!😱😄What a confusing time and so late at night too! But I'm glad you finally got settled...sort of. Don't think I'll be going on that train any day soon, but I still enjoyed the experience through your eyes, Tim. Happy New Year to you and yours!
That was a very rare event. I've not heard of a similar lack of water ever. The cold delayed all trains for several days, they had to cancel some weekend trains in order to catch the timetables on the next Monday. Most Sleeper trains were running 1-2 hours late but the timetables are so loose that most of the would arrive in time to the destination.
There's a saying in Finnish. "Works like a train toilet". It was originally intended to signify how something works effortlessly. A hatch opened and contents were dumped on the track. Recently, the saying has picked up a new sarcastic undertone, because toilets are often clogged (overflowing) or out of operation.
I went to Rovaniemi in october 2023. The train was wonderful. Not so cold. I could see the lights my first night and went to Santa's Place the other day. Really snowy and with Christmas songs, it was all magic. The train got off in time.❤
I love sleeping in cold room and i love sleeping in moving trains/cars, i need to do this.
Traveling with you through vids is a great experience and i thank you so much for your hard work and determination.
U are one of a kind youtuber Tim.
Much appreciated
The little headphone hole in the seat is indeed for radios. I can remember listening to the radio while taking the train to visit my grandma
Trains are the same everywhere…nothing but problems. It’s absolutely beautiful there …a true winter wonderland. I bet Christmas time is surreal there.
i traveled in the States my home.. on Amtrack.. I went from NYC to Florida on the sleeper car and from Albany NY to Seattle on the sleeper.. great experience !! I love trains.. dislike flying,. Very beautiful train.. so nice a modern the one you were on.. Thanks interesting video
I from the USA and I really enjoyed this video. It’s so interesting to see sleeper trains from other parts of the world. I would love to see you ride and evaluate some of the long distance trains in the USA ❤
I live in the USA also! It would be great if Tim comes here to try one of our sleeper trains. I've been ever been on one..but I would like to try it ..
Which is best in the USA?
@@WalkWithMeTim If you wish to see America the most favorite route is the California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville (San Francisco Bay Area), a two nights and two days journey. But if you wish to see the best part of that route through the Rocky Mountains, save considerably and ride in coach during the day from Denver to Salt Lake City either westbound or eastbound... Amtrak has two types of sleeper trains, the single level Viewliner used for all sleeper trains serving New York City, and the double level Superliners used everywhere else. Both have the larger more expensive en suite standard bedrooms similar to European sleepers, and the smaller roomettes which are very popular and more affordable...
We took a train to Ca. It’s a long journey and rather expensive. We had a family room. Big plus a bed folds into a couch, private bathroom, meals included. We could go to site seeing car. The views in Colorado and Utah were awesome. Zephyr is hop on /hop off and you can get off in some city and catch a next train.
California Zephyr from Denver to Californiia (San Fran ?).
Thank you Tim for all your hard work in making these videos. What an experience it must have been and documented so well with your eye for detail and realism. This video in particular was fascinating.
What a beautiful country, I visited Rovaniemi in 1975 - wonderful place.
I travel between Helsinki and Lapland around ten times a year, always on a sleeper train. Usually reliable, I don't remember when last had delays or something else. I guess you were a bit unlucky here. There seems to be more problems in the daytime connections than in the night trains in Finland.
Those old sleeper carriers are not in frequent use. Usually only as a reserve or extras for the Christmas tourist season. This week was the coldest in Finland in around 15 years so I guess they had to replace some normal sleeper carriers to old ones due to "frostbite".
And for the longer break when you were having your carbonara - that was the car carrier station, takes around 30 mins to add the wagons. It's common to take a car with you, especially if are heading somewhere else than Rovaniemi in Lapland.
The staff should have handled the delay better at the station, hope they see this video.
Thanks Nick, yes it's typical that I never have much luck with sleeper trains
Bro the way you’re in -20 -30 weather with no hat, gloves, thin jacket open is insane
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Experience of a lifetime.
Mad respect for these videos Tim. Often so much work going into getting all the shots of you walking, as you're filming it all solo!
Appreciate that , thank you
I am Finn and I think our trains are reliable and always couzy. Nothing ever happens here. It sounds like the -20 degrees have affected them. I think the weather is an exception due to destabilizing climate. I always use ear plugs when I sleep
Love this! I've ridden trains through parts of Canada and to commute. In my opinion the best way to travel. Now settled in the wild of Vancouver Island and miss traveling. Thanks for posting
I love that all your videos are real and raw. Like in Vegas. Thank you for being honest.
Great sleeper train vlog tim
Great video as always. Looked freezing outside!! 🥶
"Can you imagine sitting for 12 hours in one of these seats?" *Looks at my computer chair that I sit in for 8 hours a day and would sit in for 14-16 hours when I was in my 20's playing MMO's* Yeah yeah I can.
Thank you for your honest review. My wife and I would definitely not enjoy the train. You saved us from having a miserable time.
Long lasting frost, breakdowns, a cyber attack and an extensive system failure in Finntraffic’s and HSL’s information systems.
Combined these have caused some pretty large disruption on Finnish rails. Luckily this doesn’t happen often.
Tim,
I have never been on a sleeper train.... However back in the 90s there was a Lowestoft coach journey, to Malgrat de mar in Spain... The journey there, took 27hrs! We finally arrived at the Hotel Marapins, the worst hotel I've ever stayed at, & the journey from hell too! 😂 But.... It really was the best laugh I've ever had on a holiday! Luckily I was young & extremely enthusiastic lol.. & back then for £149 half board Inc travel, what do you expect 😂😂
Lol
We used to drive to a campsite in Spain and all the way there kept passing or being passed by the coaches of waving people going on holiday by bus!
This type of train is actually really good. They are not new, but the important parts are refurbished a while ago and are quite up to good standards. You had a miserable journey, normally trains don't go this bad in Finland. Cold is never good for any type of train, these trains should cope relatively well (but obviously didn't). The shower and toilets not working well is a shame...
Those door locks are the originals: the lock design is really old fashioned but is very simple: keys are not easy to duplicate but are easy to replace, and the locks don't need power to operate.
I've used sleeper trains all over the world and found a decent pair of noise cancelling ear plugs essential to get some sleep. Enjoying the vids. Keep up the good work! 👏
Good tip!
I find having earplugs or something similar (in-ear bud headphones) are handy for all places where you might want some sleep and there could be nearby noise. Hotels, camping, planes...
Still a million times better than our train services in the UK...
Lol
Great video. This brought back interrailing across europe memories. I always took the top bunk. Good fun and always met some characters. The views looked spectacular though
I love how you see the positives in all situations. It rounds everything out. ❤
Tim you lucky get!! That cabin looks soooo cozy. I'd love to travel overnight in one of those. (Never go anywhere without earplugs lol)
love the sleepertrain episodes Tim!
The whole shower/bathroom situation on trains always stresses me out - something about the shower/toilet being near on top of each other that makes me uneasy (I mean the cleanliness has to be very high). Other than that, despite that individual trying to get into your quarters, this seemed like a pretty cool experience. You are fantastic at what you do.
We all enjoyed this one. Travel by train in the US has never been something people rave about. And it is terribly expensive for making the trip so much longer. So idk if that’s what you want to do. Either way, we will be watching. Thank you again for getting us out and about in the world😎
Wow this is a great video and adventure to start the new year as I really do enjoy these travel day videos! I would defo consider something like this at any time of the year as I enjoy train travel especially in Europe but would also consider the caledonian train sleeper from a previous video. I expect delays and faults are quite common in the winter season on these trains. Love the sense of drama at the train station with the delays etc this wonderfully illustrated the anxiety of travelling by train on your own in Europe. Great stuff Tim!
Ha ha yes to be fair hats off to them getting the train going if it was in the uk the wrong sort of ice would be a prob
Via Canada had to spend significant money to upgrade the Eurostar Night Train cars they bought making them suitable for Canadian very harsh and very cold winters for their Ocean train route... I doubt whether any of the British sleeper trains would last through a single harsh Canadian winter as is...
Wow what an experience Tim, well done for taking it all in your stride! It looked a lot less claustrophobic once it got light & you could see the stunning scenery .. Love the new coat 👍🏻
Thanks 👍
Really great video from a real traveller just getting on with things without whining or complaining, despite the setbacks. I look forward to watching other videos.
Another "Arctic Express" - Arktika - routes from Moscow to Murmansk (69 Degrees North) in around 35 hours! We made this return trip by luxurious 1st Class Sleeper wayback in Summer 2019 - Pre Covid - when there is midnight sun for much of the trip! The train views are especially amazing through the wild lakes of Karelia and then the Khibiny Mountains of the Kola Peninsula!
Thank you for the video Tim. I actually want to give this night train route a go if I ever manage to convince my Finnish husband, who‘s sceptical about the noise. I travelled from Karlsruhe in Germany to Amsterdam in the past and it was great, but the long stops and the noise meant I didn’t get much sleep. By the way the enclosed „vip“ cabins for 2 or 4 people can be booked as an add on from the VR website.
Tell him he should it's a great experience
Wow well done for doing that Tim certainly wouldn’t have been for me! Coldness and lack of sleep would result in me being very cranky! 😂 But it’s great you show us these things ☺️
Our pleasure!
Agree with difficulty sleeping on sleeper train, between the jolting start, stops, changing cars etc. Room itself was nice
Loved watching your experience. Thank you.
The room key looks like what was called a "Ving Card" that hotels used back in the 80s and 90s before magnetic and RFID room locks. With the 32 or 36 or whatever number of positions on it, you could make billions of different combinations of punches. They lined up mechanically with a lock that set pins through to match and then open (why it has to be in the door for the door to open).
Yes it is a Ving Card. They begin in 1974 when lockmaker Tor Sørnes hears about a woman attacked by an intruder in her hotel room. The story inspires him to invent a better door opening system. The goal is to make hotel guests and travellers feel safe no matter where they are staying. Two years later, Sørnes introduced VingCard, the world’s first recordable keycard door lock. At the same time, Bjørn Lyng, constructs the world’s first electronic in-room safe, Elsafe. The two joined forces in 1994 to to better serve their customers and grow the company.. The modern version is smartphone operated giving self service check in possibilities in leading hotels.
Great video.i really enjoy watching the sleeper train's. Especially enjoyed this because of the snow and freezing temperatures.😊
Thank you very much kelly
This IS much nicer at Summer Time !
Thanks so much for doing what you do Tim. Fabulous consistent entertaining content always 💯🇬🇧
A train trip in the Canadian Rockies would probably be pretty neat. it's not cheap tho, but I feel like it would give the occasion to review multiple hotels along the way as well. Cheers Tim !
Absolutely amazing. I took it from Jasper to Prince Rupert. It was like 32 hours. Canadian Rockies are unbelievable.
This was great. Thorough. Informative. Every thing I need to know. Amazing
I love your content it’s genuinely so interesting keep it up 👍
Thanks a ton!
That shower was like something out of a Horror movie 🎬 👁👻
Lol the smell was too
You always amaze me, you never seem to get really fazed with your travel circumstances (or maybe it`s just good editing lol).
"Can you imagine sitting in one of these seats for 12 hours" -laughs in American- I can't even count how many car trips I've taken that were over 10 hours! Usually with my car crammed full of luggage and belongings
Hahah nice used to drive like that too when had a car. I actually have been sitting on those Finnish trains 12hours and its pure hell trying to sleep since they are telling every station where it stops with 3 different languages and everytime you fall asleep you will wake up from that noisy speaker up in your head. Changed to go with the bus since there you can sleep.
This was almost like watching an episode of "Walk With Me, Snowpiercer" with all those frigid temps.
Felt sorry for those poor station attendants. They are there to provide security, it seems. They don't have any control over the train delays or the weather. I understand people getting upset, but jumping on them isn't going to make the train come any faster.
I had a similar situation last year when I was scheduled to fly Seattle-> Reykjavik->London during that huge blizzard in Iceland in Dec, '22. My flight was cancelled at the last second, and Icelandair customer service was just overwhelmed. It took me an entire day just to get through to an agent, and it was stressful and annoying, but it wouldn't have done any good to get mad at the agent..it wasn't her fault (and once I did get through, they were extremely good about getting me an alternate booking through Boston with Jet Blue, so in the end, I only lost one day of my vacation).
Anyway, all the best to Gabby and Casper. Safe Travels!
Thx for the vid, tried a sleeper train, which was from Brisbane to Cairns, slept like a baby, the only thing I can complain about is, that I was promised my lounge chair would be turned into a bed by the staff, yet the staff didn‘t turn up. Hence I had to figure out be meself, how to do that. Wasn‘t a big deal, can definitely recommend the trip. Lying along a huge window, waking up in the morning and seeing loads of kangaroos in the distance, … hardly ever woke up better 😁
You read my mind Tim. Those sleeper trains that go across Chimerica look really cool.
The views are like something from a movie
@@WalkWithMeTim Michael Portillo did a great series on American Railroads (and sleeper trains) years ago. Much nicer than trains in India. Imagine standing in a phone box with 5 other people - that's what they're like over there. 🤣
✨ That looked freezing 🥶 you really put yourself through it . Loved seeing this wouldn’t of liked the confined spaces myself, hats off to you, But the views were so lovely outside ☃️☃️
Thanks so much! 😊
Via and Amtrak blow torch the pipes to unfreeze the pipes at several stops under the cars when its very cold outside...Via wraps more insulation around the pipes than Amtrak, but alas still blow torch when necessarily... If you riding on the trains after they blow torch, take a shower quickly thereafter before the pipes freeze again...
Blimey ,That’s prob why it was late , Warning up the pipes ,, All the work that goes on behind the scene 🚆
Congrats for braving our cold winters!
you weren't tired, when you truly are, you'll fall sleep on front of running PC monitor with biscuit in your mouth and wake up 4 hours later
Another great video, despite your Helsinki sleeper train adventure not being the best experience. At least the view from the train was breathtaking.
Very true!
Other CZcamsrs have taken first class sleepers, and they include food and drink. Might be worth checking it out. Next time, dress for the weather!!!!😅
I've done five long distance trains across the USA (California Zephyr through the Rockies from Chicago to San Francisco was my first) and it was an amazing experience, unparalled. The first time I opted to go 'in coach' (ie no bed, you sleep for two nights in your seat, which does recline and has more space than UK trains) but it wasn't ideal (although I still count it as one of my best life experiences ever) so the next four times I had a couchette (sleeper) which was a lot better. You MUST do one!
I had a trip in this sleeper wagon lit recently. It was great! Clean, modern, slept very well
Amazing video as always Tim! Would love to see you try an older Swedish sleeper train to Narvik, Norway or a ski resort in northern Sweden as i know that atleast the trains to Narvik, Norway travel a really scenic route from Stockholm!
That would be cool!
0:00 - Not the Smoothest Start: Issues with toilets due to freezing temperatures and frost on the train, causing delays and discomfort for passengers.
0:15 - Cold Consequences: Facing -20°C temperatures in Helsinki, the train's technical problems exacerbated due to extreme cold weather conditions.
0:43 - Derailed Plans: Initial confusion regarding the correct train, leading to a delayed start and uncertainty about cabin arrangements.
1:04 - Chilly Beer Moment: Grabbed a local Finnish beer at the station, pondering dinner plans due to train delays impacting the restaurant car's availability.
1:59 - Misleading Information: Challenges in obtaining accurate updates, conflicting information on the delay duration caused further confusion.
3:02 - Toilet Troubles: Toilets at the station and on the train out of order, posing a significant issue for passengers waiting for the delayed train departure.
5:23 - Frustration and Chaos: Tension and frustration rising among waiting passengers due to lack of clear communication and facilities.
6:52 - Cabin Exploration: Finally boarding the train, explored the sleeper cabin, noticing space, amenities, and potential noise concerns from neighboring rooms.
10:32 - Shower Mishap: Encountered problems with the shower and room, including cold water and malfunctioning equipment, impacting comfort during the journey.
13:00 - Dining Dilemma: Explored dining options on the train, found food not included in the ticket price, opting for a meal at an additional cost.
14:26 - Train Features and Oddities: Discovered unique features on the train, including older areas, audio controls in seats, and unusual room designs.
16:45 - Sleep Struggles: Challenges with noise, interruptions, and train movements affected the quality of sleep during the journey.
19:32 - Arrival Delay: Arrived significantly behind schedule, experiencing multiple disruptions and inconveniences throughout the journey.
20:55 - Mixed Experience: Despite challenges, acknowledged the uniqueness of the journey, prompting reflection on whether sleeper trains are personally suitable for future travels.
Amtrak and Via have the same problems with pipes during very cold winter weather, both resorting to blow torching the pipes to unfreeze them numerous times on their journeys... For a one night journey use the rest rooms at the station before boarding the train and use the rest rooms at the station when you disembark the train, especially when it is very very cold outside... While the pipes in these polar areas may be buried several feet under the ground to serve basements, the pipes serving trains aren't buried under the ground... Duh...
Good memories. Used the overnight train routinely for about 4 years to visit my partner at the time.