WANT TO REALLY SAVE ON HOTELS?
TAKE THE NIGHT TRAIN
The
secret of European travelers from backpackers to the ever frugal Swiss.
If you think the Scots have a reputation for saving pennies, the Swiss
didn’t leave holes in their cheese for nothing. For those traveling
around Europe wanting to see different cities and not taking the
packaged
“if it’s Tuesday, this must be Belgium” bus tour, get
a Eurail pass (see Is
Rail Pass Worth it) and take the night train. Instead
of arriving in your destination
city at the end of the day and checking into an expensive hotel, just
to unpack and nod off. Sleep on the train and arrive in the morning
to
begin your explorations.
For
a few extra Euros, on trips between distant cities (at least 5 hours
apart by regular schedule)
the
train services operate special Night Trains with sleeping arrangements,
the City Night Line (see City Night Line Sleeper Trains). Three to
four levels of service are offered. For a rather expensive
price you can have a private compartment in first class. But if you’re
minding the travel budget, this misses the point. For a very modest
charge
of about 15 Euros over the fare you can take a Second Class 4 berth or
6 berth compartment, drowsing with fellow travelers. The former cramped
berth cars are being replaced by new especially designed updated cars
with luggage compartments to avoid the
assorted luggage crammed into the corner. There is very little ceremony.
You sleep
in your
clothes, tucking your shoes into the corner of your space.
But if it can save 150 Euros on a hotel night, who hasn’t spent
a night on Uncle Charlie’s couch. If you want to save even more,
you can also take the sitting car, provided with special reclining
seats. There are some special hotel trains on certain routes that are
more formal than the standard night train. Should you want a little
more privacy or comfort and are travelling with a Rail Pass (First
Class) you can get a compartment with a shower and its own bathroom
at less than a hotel room would cost (see Night
Train From Dresden).
The
savings advantage is clear. However, there are a few drawbacks to consider
if you’re thinking of the Second Class low cost travel option.
Get to your assigned berth quickly or you may be the one sleeping on
your
suitcase. The regular travelers
will be first to get there, so know which car you're on. Taking the
train
at night, you do miss any scenery that might otherwise pass the window.
So, this might be best if you’re traveling a route you’ve
already seen or are willing to miss. And to make the schedule work
out,
many of these trains park themselves somewhere for a few hours in-between
destinations. This can be a little troublesome if you’re the
type who can’t go to sleep at nine o’clock. But you
can get out and take a stroll in the environs of the train station
which might not
otherwise be on your intinerary. And no matter where you go, there always
seems to be two or three Swiss guys with leather pants and thick warm
socks traveling together with their lunch in a plastic bag of oranges,
a little sliced meat and cheese with holes. © Bargain
Travel Europe
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