Author Topic: New night trains  (Read 7361 times)

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
New night trains
« on: 10 April, 2020, 11:02:52 pm »


OBB have announced the time table for the new night trains from Amsterdam to Vienna/Innsbruck.

Article in Dutch: https://www.treinreiziger.nl/nightjet-dienstregeling-nederland-oostenrijk-bekend/

(Google translate does a good job of it).

The timing looks good, tho it's be nicer to arrive in Amsterdam an hour earlier. Then you could be in work by 0930...

This may be of interest from people coming from oop Noorf. Take a ferry to Ijmuiden, day in Holland, hop a night train to Austria.

Would also connect nicely with ICE trains Brussels-Köln.

No indication of bike policy as yet.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

yorkie

  • On top of the Galibier
Re: New night trains
« Reply #1 on: 10 April, 2020, 11:40:01 pm »
I believe the Amsterdam service is to be an extension of the current Innsbruck/Wien - Düsseldorf service, which doesn't currently carry bikes. The other portion of those services, Innsbruck/Wien - Hamburg do carry bikes (5 each to/from Innsbruck and Wien), so it may well be that ÖBB put a vehicle with bike spaces in the Amsterdam portions. Here's hoping!
Born to ride my bike, forced to work! ;)

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Re: New night trains
« Reply #2 on: 11 April, 2020, 10:11:08 am »
Ooh! Thanks for that.
As part of our aborted Interrail trip we were going to do the Vienna to Brussels overnight, but this could be a good alternative for June 21.
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: New night trains
« Reply #3 on: 11 April, 2020, 10:19:48 am »
Ooh! Thanks for that.
As part of our aborted Interrail trip we were going to do the Vienna to Brussels overnight, but this could be a good alternative for June 21.

It doesn't start running until 13th December when the new EU wide time tables come into effect.

Timetables generally change once a year, on 13th of December (which can make it hard to book trains for xmas in advance as they aren't yet set in the timetable) There is then an update done in May, but that is usually for minor changes only.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: New night trains
« Reply #4 on: 11 April, 2020, 05:48:24 pm »
Sounds very interesting.

I'm contemplating investing in an Airnimal with its carrying case that doubles up as a trailer. You can get round bike bans this way...
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: New night trains
« Reply #5 on: 11 April, 2020, 06:15:19 pm »
Sounds very interesting.

I'm contemplating investing in an Airnimal with its carrying case that doubles up as a trailer. You can get round bike bans this way...

I have been saving up for an S&S coupled bike with much the same idea.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: New night trains
« Reply #6 on: 11 April, 2020, 06:51:59 pm »
Ooh! Thanks for that.
As part of our aborted Interrail trip we were going to do the Vienna to Brussels overnight, but this could be a good alternative for June 21.

It doesn't start running until 13th December when the new EU wide time tables come into effect.

Timetables generally change once a year, on 13th of December (which can make it hard to book trains for xmas in advance as they aren't yet set in the timetable) There is then an update done in May, but that is usually for minor changes only.

J
That's June 2021  ::-)  sorry - I wish it could have been the 21st June, but I'm not risking another planning meltdown
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: New night trains
« Reply #7 on: 11 April, 2020, 08:54:07 pm »
Brilliant, was thinking the other day that it was about time I did the trip through Austria I'd like to do.
This starting means I can alter it from the original "aw god french trains interrail supplements" to hm I can make that work.

Ideally I'd splash out the sleeper south and direct e* to Amsterdam, but then I'd ideally also visit friends near Alkmaar one way.

Re: New night trains
« Reply #8 on: 12 April, 2020, 08:33:15 am »


.

Ideally I'd splash out the sleeper south and direct e* to Amsterdam, but then I'd ideally also visit friends near Alkmaar one way.
We intend going one way via Harwich to Hook - would that work for your trip?
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: New night trains
« Reply #9 on: 12 April, 2020, 01:15:26 pm »
The timing is a bit suboptimal. You'll have to spend a day in the Netherlands between arriving at Hoek, and getting the night train from Ams.

In theory, if the day ferry arrived in Hoek on time, you might be able to meet the night train in Utrecht, But it is cutting it really fine.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: New night trains
« Reply #10 on: 12 April, 2020, 07:10:16 pm »


.

Ideally I'd splash out the sleeper south and direct e* to Amsterdam, but then I'd ideally also visit friends near Alkmaar one way.
We intend going one way via Harwich to Hook - would that work for your trip?

For me to use the Harwich-Hoek ferry, I have to travel via London anyway.
Although Hoek Van Holland is considerably better connected than P&Os "Rotterdam" took me much longer than I expected to get from the P&O terminal to the Europoort ferry; also Hoek appears to have one of the few Albert Hijns that take cards other than Maestro.


Although that would be decent use of the "Single journey to a port in your home country" element of Interrail.

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: New night trains
« Reply #11 on: 12 April, 2020, 07:45:06 pm »
Ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam (IJmuiden) is another option if travelling from the north.
Though probably cheaper/quicker to get train to London, then Eurostar.

There is also a sleeper from Brussels to Austria, more direct than going via Amsterdam?

Re: New night trains
« Reply #12 on: 12 April, 2020, 08:23:18 pm »
Our (aborted) plan was to use a Dutch Flyer ticket to travel from Peterborough to Amsterdam using the overnight ferry (the ticket is valid from any Greater Anglia station to any NS station - Peterborough is our closest, and we'd pay the fare to there; the cabin is extra to the Dutch Flyer cost) - then use the Interrail pass from Amsterdam to Hannover.
The return journey was the OBB sleeper from Vienna - using an Interrail 'day' + sleeper berth surcharge - to Brussels where we'd overnight, and use our last Interrail day to travel back home (as our homebound Interrail day) via St Pancras.
It would have been possible to get off the sleeper train, mooch around, and then go straight on home by Eurostar, but it felt like we'd be completely knackered - and why not have a quick look at Brussels while we're there?

I'm pretty sure that the day ferry from Harwich counts as an Interrail single day journey to/from your home country, but that the overnight ferry doesn't.
We didn't have enough pass days to test the waters, and the Dutch Flyer ticket is cracking value IMO.
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: New night trains
« Reply #13 on: 13 April, 2020, 02:23:21 pm »
From what I heard some of these are new but some are OBB taking over services abandoned by [was it DB?]. Similarly to Denmark/Sweden[?].
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: New night trains
« Reply #14 on: 13 April, 2020, 02:30:55 pm »
From what I heard some of these are new but some are OBB taking over services abandoned by [was it DB?]. Similarly to Denmark/Sweden[?].

I believe it's the new rolling stock tho.

There used to be night trains from AMS, but they were discontinued due to politics, and also because the stock was getting old.

Night trains have become viable again due to Flygskam.

I am looking forward to when they run again from Amsterdam to Copenhagen direct. I hope, one day, please!

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

yorkie

  • On top of the Galibier
Re: New night trains
« Reply #15 on: 13 April, 2020, 04:26:49 pm »
Some of the ÖBB rolling stock was taken over from DB and SBB-CFF-FFS (Swiss State Railways), some was what they already used.

ÖBB have an order in with Siemens for new NightJet rolling stock from the Viaggio range of loco hauled passenger coaches (similar to the current RailJet sets operated by ÖBB and CD (Czech Railways)). Some will be conventional sleeping cars, some will be a new design with individual bunks with shutters round for privacy and some will be conventional seating coaches with cycle spaces.
The need for new rolling stock was partly due to the expansion of services, but also due to new Fire Regulations for all trains operating in Italy, which the current rolling stock doesn't meet.

There are currently plans being discussed between the Swedish, Danish and German railways (SJ, DSB & DB) to start a new overnight service linking Malmo, Copenhagen and Hamburg to Cologne and Aachen. There is the possibility of this one being extended to Brussels as well. Sadly not to Amsterdam!
Born to ride my bike, forced to work! ;)

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British Cycling Regional A Circuit Commissaire
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Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: New night trains
« Reply #16 on: 13 April, 2020, 06:31:07 pm »
Vienna would seem ideally placed geographically and in its long-standing favour of rail for expanded night trains. And for international services in general.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: New night trains
« Reply #17 on: 17 April, 2020, 12:33:35 am »
Ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam (IJmuiden) is another option if travelling from the north.
Though probably cheaper/quicker to get train to London, then Eurostar.

There is also a sleeper from Brussels to Austria, more direct than going via Amsterdam?
Sets off at 1600ish from Newcastle iirc, so still a day off work, even setting off in the morning I can be in Amsterdam by tea time
Iirc 5.5hrs Dundee to KX, 1 hr dwell at pancreas, 4hrs to AMS via Brussels.

Ordinarily I'd ask deutschbahn...

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quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: New night trains
« Reply #18 on: 17 April, 2020, 01:43:04 pm »
Sets off at 1600ish from Newcastle iirc, so still a day off work, even setting off in the morning I can be in Amsterdam by tea time
Iirc 5.5hrs Dundee to KX, 1 hr dwell at pancreas, 4hrs to AMS via Brussels.

Ordinarily I'd ask deutschbahn...

No need to change in Brussels. Eurostar now run 3 direct trains a day from London to Amsterdam.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: New night trains
« Reply #19 on: 17 April, 2020, 02:16:43 pm »
Sets off at 1600ish from Newcastle iirc, so still a day off work, even setting off in the morning I can be in Amsterdam by tea time
Iirc 5.5hrs Dundee to KX, 1 hr dwell at pancreas, 4hrs to AMS via Brussels.

Ordinarily I'd ask deutschbahn...

No need to change in Brussels. Eurostar now run 3 direct trains a day from London to Amsterdam.

J
Assuming the timing works, the early one iirc leaves before the sleeper arrives.
I've not looked at the timetables to work it out, largely because I presume the timetables currently bear no resemblance to normal times.

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quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: New night trains
« Reply #20 on: 24 April, 2020, 03:28:08 am »
Assuming the timing works, the early one iirc leaves before the sleeper arrives.
I've not looked at the timetables to work it out, largely because I presume the timetables currently bear no resemblance to normal times.

ISTR the timing was something like 0800, 1200, 1600 departure from Ams. So the middle train would be just about perfect for the arrival of the night train. Just enough time for a quick breakfast/coffee, then checkin and get on the Eurostar. 

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

keeks

  • shooting from the hip ... because I am
Re: New night trains
« Reply #21 on: 06 May, 2020, 03:22:18 pm »
Hi , never been on Eurostar before ,but me and the Wife are looking at a Month travelling in Europe next year - buses and trains etc
but just checked prices for a trip to Amsterdam £42 for a standard £ 89 premier , the only difference being the Premier has more spacious seats ? So anyone know what the standard ones are like. I'm certainly not big  I laugh at , "mind your head " and  concerns about leg room in cars /planes.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: New night trains
« Reply #22 on: 06 May, 2020, 04:24:45 pm »
Hi , never been on Eurostar before ,but me and the Wife are looking at a Month travelling in Europe next year - buses and trains etc
but just checked prices for a trip to Amsterdam £42 for a standard £ 89 premier , the only difference being the Premier has more spacious seats ? So anyone know what the standard ones are like. I'm certainly not big  I laugh at , "mind your head " and  concerns about leg room in cars /planes.

You should be fine on the standard seats. Eurostar is now old rolling stock. The trend for ridiculously cramped conditions hadn't really set in when those trains were built. I'm 5'10" (wide* as well as tall) and I'm OK in the standard seats.

*I always try to get an window seat on a second class British Rail train as otherwise I have a trolley shaped bruise on one or other side, just below the shoulder.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: New night trains
« Reply #23 on: 06 May, 2020, 05:31:16 pm »
Hi , never been on Eurostar before ,but me and the Wife are looking at a Month travelling in Europe next year - buses and trains etc
but just checked prices for a trip to Amsterdam £42 for a standard £ 89 premier , the only difference being the Premier has more spacious seats ? So anyone know what the standard ones are like. I'm certainly not big  I laugh at , "mind your head " and  concerns about leg room in cars /planes.

Standard's fine, in both train sets. It's not mickey mouse trains like we have here, it's proper europe sized stuff.
I marginally prefer the seating on the Alstom E300 sets over the Siemens E320 sets.

If you're taking time around europe weigh up the cost of an interrail pass option, Eurostar costs 35 euro each way with one but unless it's changed you can only book the seat through SNCBs website (which is surprisingly decent)

With Interrail, AVE, SNCF and Thalys are a pain in the arse due to compulsory reservations, Germany is generally easy even ICE is on it without compulsory reservation (excluding some border crossings such as into Denmark) though some land level operators aren't on it, where as some S-Bahns are.  Swizterland is a minefield of private operators but easy enough to work out. I could og on for ever better just reading Seat 61 if you haven't already.

Re: New night trains
« Reply #24 on: 06 May, 2020, 05:51:46 pm »
You get* an "in flight" style meal and drinks with Premier, and there's far less competition for the luggage racks. Probably not worth it for normal journeys unless the price difference is very small.

You do get put put in Premier if you buy a 1st Class through ticket from some countries, and those sometimes cost barely more than standard.

(* or did, in the Before Times)