Brussels to Vienna on overnight train

[andytheflyer]

Sleeping on a sleeper?  Try the 'Ghan.  Adelaide to Darwin.  I swear the train's running off rails on a cart track from Port Augusta to Alice Springs.  Sleep?  You're joking!  Still a fantastic once-in-a-lifetime experience though.  At a price!

[grams]

I think the only actual sleeper train I’ve been on is “Carpet Class” in Japan, which is exactly what it sounds like. I slept surprisingly well.

[Greenbank]

Paris to Lisbon although small matter of changing trains in Hendaye/Irun due to Iberian gauge. On the way down the change was sometime around midnight and on the way back it was in the morning.

Viedma to San Carlos de Bariloche. Not much to see out of the window except pampas for large periods of that journey.

Slept quite well on all of them.

[perpetual dan]

I usually manage an acceptable sleep on a sleeper - and often better use of annual leave than the alternative. Arriving in Venice (boat outside the station levels of arriving) after an overnight from Paris was particularly agreeable.

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[Paul H]

As a leisure traveller I love the sleepers, I don't expect to get a full nights sleep, that dozing off and being woken not knowing what's outside the window is part of the fun.  If I had something important to do the following morning, I might feel different, but I don't.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I recently learnt that the Penzance sleeper is now the only train regularly arriving in Paddington on diesel.

[fuaran]

And now plans for a new sleeper from Malmö and Copenhagen to Cologne. Allows for connections to Brussels and London.
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/sweden-london-train-sleeper-malmo-amsterdam-cologne-munich-rail-a9288206.html

[quixoticgeek]

And now plans for a new sleeper from Malmö and Copenhagen to Cologne. Allows for connections to Brussels and London.
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/sweden-london-train-sleeper-malmo-amsterdam-cologne-munich-rail-a9288206.html

And a nice connection to Amsterdam. Just don't expect to be able to take your bikes on it. Swedish railways are awful for taking bikes.

J

[MikeFromLFE]

I was talking to a Man in the UK railway industry yesterday who said that there is an established company with a passenger licence (Open Access Operator?) who are working up a business case for two new UK sleeper routes.
He didn't know the details (or wasn't saying) but he said that the terminal points weren't necessarily London.
Apparently the issue with the new Night Calledonian rolling stock is poor ride quality due to the lightweight construction, and this mysterious company is talking to OBB about how they've specified their new carriages that are on order - presumably to get a baseline cost.
It'll probably come to nothing, but at least the thoughts are there.

[FifeingEejit]

I was talking to a Man in the UK railway industry yesterday who said that there is an established company with a passenger licence (Open Access Operator?) who are working up a business case for two new UK sleeper routes.
He didn't know the details (or wasn't saying) but he said that the terminal points weren't necessarily London.
Apparently the issue with the new Night Calledonian rolling stock is poor ride quality due to the lightweight construction, and this mysterious company is talking to OBB about how they've specified their new carriages that are on order - presumably to get a baseline cost.
It'll probably come to nothing, but at least the thoughts are there.

OBB ordered their new stock on the basis of needing to meet the various different fire regulations around Europe.
It's entirely possible they would be willing to order some stock to EuroTunnel and UK fire and gauge requirements.

One of the biggest problems SJ are expected to meet with the new services from Sweden is the German's restrictions on subsidies.

Iv'e not heard of ride quality problems on the new sleepers yet, the Mk3 SLE(P) ride quality wasn't great either, but I've always put it down to the track...

[Jakob]

Took the sleeper train from Istanbul to Ankarra (and return), which was decent.
The cross-Canada train is tempting, but it takes a week and is expensive.
https://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/trains/rockies-and-pacific/toronto-vancouver-canadian/classes-and-services#sleeper-plus

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

I've a very early memory of taking the Auto-Couchette to the Riviera.  One of the best bits was when our diesel locomotive broke down and was replaced by a real live steam engine. 

Think what you'd have to pay for that now..

[FifeingEejit]

Sleeping on a sleeper?  Try the 'Ghan.  Adelaide to Darwin.  I swear the train's running off rails on a cart track from Port Augusta to Alice Springs.  Sleep?  You're joking!  Still a fantastic once-in-a-lifetime experience though.  At a price!

When Chris Tarrant followed that, he followed a bit of diverted track where then had been plonked down onto the desert floor.
And pointed it out on bits of the current route, who needs ballast when the grounds so dry and hard...