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Just in case you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years, Europe’s going through no less than a full-blown night train renaissance. After decades of cuts to sleeper routes, thanks to their environmental benefits (not to mention their many other charms), night trains are being relaunched across the continent.
NightJet, the sleeper arm of Austrian national rail firm ÖBB, has played a huge part in the sleeper revival. NightJet’s new routes are some of the most exciting that’ve been announced so far, including routes covering Paris, Vienna and Budapest, as well as Zurich, Milan and Rome.
To build the hype even further, NightJet has just unveiled the new trains that will be serving its swish new routes. At a launch event yesterday (September 6), ÖBB revealed its new generation of sleeper trains – and, to put it lightly, they look very fancy indeed.
Each new NightJet train will consist of seven carriages: two seating cars, two sleeping cars kitted-out with two-person compartments and three sleeper cars with four-person suites, plus some mini-cabins for solo travellers. Each train will have the potential to carry 254 passengers, more than most short-haul planes, at a top speed of 143 miles per hour.
On top of that, the new NightJet trains will also have swanky touches like wireless phone charging and mood lighting, while all the sleeper-car compartments will have their own loos and showers.
Here are a few teaser pics of the new trains from Mark Smith, alias train legend The Man in Seat 61, who was on the ground at yesterday’s launch event.
The Nightjet reveal event begins at 10, and I’m here. Must be Europe’s first 230km/h sleeper train? #excited? Nope, make that #hoppingupanddownexcited. pic.twitter.com/JPipY5gDOv
— The Man in Seat 61 (@seatsixtyone) September 6, 2022
The on-board reveal of ÖBB’s new Nightjet begins! First up, the 4-berth couchettes. Note the wireless phone charging points. (Compartment door removed for today’s event to make photography easier) pic.twitter.com/5WM1bEghLF
— The Man in Seat 61 (@seatsixtyone) September 6, 2022
And now for the greatest innovation on these new sleeper trains: The minisuites, individual privacy at couchette prices. pic.twitter.com/aMmGq1PUmo
— The Man in Seat 61 (@seatsixtyone) September 6, 2022
NightJet has ordered 33 of these beauties, which are set to come into service in summer 2023 and entirely replace the sleeper service’s current fleet by 2025. Just think: you could be whizzing along, snoring under the stars surrounded by swish design in no time at all. It’s definitely more tempting than a budget flight.
Did you see this map of all Europe’s cool new sleeper trains?
Plus: Missed Germany’s €9 travel pass? Here’s where you can still travel in Europe for basically nothing.