I've traveled right across Europe by train a bunch of times, so I've taken a good few night trains. In Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Italy, a couple in the Balkans, even the Dogu Express right across Turkey. I've also taken day trains everywhere, of course.

Every single experience on a night train was something of an ordeal. That's because a night train is basically a hostel on wheels. Staying the night in a tiny cabin in extreme proximity to strangers, without privacy, without access to a decent bathroom, this is just never going to be competitive with a short flight, no matter how cheap it is. For students, young people and more adventurous types, sure, it's a great idea.

The only genuine solution to the plane problem is high-speed rail that is fully competitive on price.

[–] albert180@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

I've Had my own toilet and shower in the new Nightjet, and I've only Had another Person in my Cabin. And with the Mini Cabins in the new Nightjets it's possible to have your own private space for cheap If you are travelling solo

[–] JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Sure, if you luck out like you did and get a 2-person ensuite cabin to yourself (or if you pay top dollar for a private), then it's equivalent to a hotel.

Otherwise, the equivalent is not a hotel but a hostel. And most adults with an income prefer not to stay in hostels. That's all I was saying.

[–] albert180@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Somehow the night Train is still completely booked out every time I Take it, weeks in advance, despite "top Dollar" prices.

And Hotel rooms usually also don't get cheaper If you travel alone and Not as a Couple

[–] JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Somehow the night Train is still completely booked out every time I Take it, weeks in advance, despite “top Dollar” prices.

OK but this could be just a good match of supply and demand. To come to any conclusions we would need the total number of passengers compared to flight seats for that route. We both know that the latter vastly outnumbers the former.

And Hotel rooms usually also don’t get cheaper If you travel alone and Not as a Couple

Sure, and anyway a high price is surely fair given the presumed cost of transporting a hotel room 1000km or whatever. This is why, for me, there's no winning: either it's an unpleasant hostel-on-wheels, or it's a pleasant but expensive rolling hotel room which makes no sense if you're trying to reduce your carbon footprint.

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