The Good Night Train!
It's time to apply the brakes and slow things down a bit. Brussels is a great hub from where you can reach a huge number of other European destinations by train but what's the rush. Imagine a train formed from refurbished 1990s carriages where you can snooze your way through The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the Czech Republic.
There are several levels of comfort to choose from as you travel between countries. Seats are the most affordable option, with six seats in a compartment. On most routes, they can be booked as a private compartment or you they can be shared either with your group or with others.
The couchettes offer either standard (6-person) or comfort (5-person and air-conditioned) compartments. Like the seats, the couchettes can be booked as a private compartment, and the 5-person couchettes are also available as women-only compartments. All couchettes can be locked from the inside.
The final, higher-end option is the sleeper, described on the European Sleeper website as the most comfortable travel option. There is a maximum of three beds in each sleeper compartment, and a washbasin is also included in the compartment. Like the couchettes, the sleepers can be locked from the inside, private or shared, and are also available as women-only compartments.
Whichever type of cabin you select on the Good Night Train, it seems like a great opportunity to see parts of a country you wouldn’t normally visit, passing through countryside and towns, as well as the big cities.
With demand for more sustainable travel on the rise, and the journey becoming as important as the destination, sleeper trains are a more desirable form of transport than ever. According to Trainline, overnight bookings in 2023 increased by 147% compared to 2019 and with the European Investment Bank's climate survey finding 62% of respondents supported a ban on short flights, it looks like demand will rise further.
The Good Night Train generates only a sixth of the carbon emissions compared to a flight, pleasing those who are carbon-conscious, as well as those who enjoy a convenient way of travelling. According to ecopassenger.org, taking the train from London to Prague generates 49.8kg carbon compared to 301.7kg by plane.
Thanks to Emma at One Tree Travel for researching this great opportunity to see Europe more sustainably. It's not one I've tried yet but I'm looking forward to sharing more examples of the sleeper services available across Europe, and the odd things that happened along the way...
Good night for now, Roland at One Tree Travel! 🌳
