Couchette Travel In Europe

[RichmondCommu]

G'day everyone,

Our 18 year old twins and two of their freinds are planning to travel through Europe this summer and much to my delight they are going to use the train. They are also planning to travel overnight where possible and on their behalf I'm interested to know whether there are services still running with Couchettes.

In order to narrow things down a bit they are planning to spend time in France, Spain, Germany and Italy. As they are financing the trip themselves, it will be 2nd class travel all the way however if security is not so good on over night trains I'd be prepared to pay for 1st class couchettes which from memory are four beds rather than six. I'd be delighted to hear from anyone who has recent experience of using couchettes.

Thanks in advance,

Richmind Commuter

 

[johnnychips]

Our 18 twins and two of their freinds

Five first-class couchette compartments will be expensive

 

[Max]

I travelled in a couchette between Amsterdam and Posnan (Poland) about 18 months ago. It wasn't the most comfortable but it was perfectly acceptable, and much better than seats. Since there are four people in the party security shouldn't be too much of an issue as you'll be able to book your own couchette. I shared with my friend and two other people. One of the two was a German businessman who was very friendly, the other we didn't meet as he boarded at a late night stop and we got off before the train's terminus. Thankfully, your sons won't have any issues with people joining late at night in their own couchette.

If they consider venturing into Eastern Europe it might be worth looking at sleeper prices, as they can often be very cheap and the comfort and security far superior.

Best of luck with the journey planning, interrailing was one of the best things I've done!

 

[RichmondCommu]

Five first-class couchette compartments will be expensive

Laugh out loud! Very good! I'll change the post!

 

[Oscar]

As Max has stated above, couchettes are not particularly comfortable but safety isn't really a problem. A 4-berth couchette feels a lot more spacious than a 6-berth couchette.

 

[Squaddie]

Travelling overnight isn't much fun, even in couchettes, and it soon gets tiring. These days it isn't necessary to do that to save money, as there are now chains of budget hotels (such as Ibis) right across the continent. Youth hostels have also had a massive makeover in the past decade and now now offer extremely good quality accommodation at very good prices. Even Swiss youth hostels are very good value for money - a room with four beds and private bathroom typically costs about £30 per person, including buffet breakfast (and, of course, the chance to meet other people from right across the world).

I'd suggest that a better plan would be to book budget accommodation, to get a good night's sleep and good breakfast, and travel during the daytime, to enjoy the scenery, with just the occasional overnight journey by couchette for the experience.

 

[Oscar]

I would suggest that possibly the main advantage of couchettes is to save time, not money. In any case, night trains are not particularly good value with Interrail as supplements are required which are often almost as high as the cheapest "Advance" equivalent ticket.

 

[Max]

I would agree on the topic of youth hostels but sometimes you cover such vast distances on an interrail that travelling through the day can use up a lot of time. There are other advantages to travelling overnight, such as the perk that if you depart after 2000 you only have to fill in one box on your pass (the second day).

Perhaps a combination of hostels and sleeper trains for the longer journeys would be most appropriate.

And also, to make a general point about interrail, France is (in my view) a country to avoid. This is simply because the supplements for the TGV are so incredibly high. In contrast, there are no supplements on Intercity and ICE trains in the vast majority of other countries such as Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands. In France you are better off getting cheap advances.

 

[317666]

Generally couchettes are safe, much safer than seated accommodation because there is at least a lockable door to the compartment. I can't speak for other countries but as far as I know, on German (City Night Line) sleepers a four-berth couchette is only about €10 more expensive than a six-berth one, as they don't have first class couchettes as such.

 

[Max]

Generally couchettes are safe, much safer than seated accommodation because there is at least a lockable door to the compartment. I can't speak for other countries but as far as I know, on German (City Night Line) sleepers a four-berth couchette is only about €10 more expensive than a six-berth one, as they don't have first class couchettes as such.

This was my experience too.

 

[Oscar]

And also, to make a general point about interrail, France is (in my view) a country to avoid. This is simply because the supplements for the TGV are so incredibly high. In contrast, there are no supplements on Intercity and ICE trains in the vast majority of other countries such as Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands. In France you are better off getting cheap advances.

The situation is similar in Spain for any long-distance trains and Italy for Le Frecce high-speed trains. The supplements are typically around 10€ per person per trip and are limited by quotas. This may not sound a lot but adds up when making several trips. Whether Interrail is good value or not also depends on the general level of fares in a country / countries compared to the price of the Interrail pass. Having used Interrail twice in France and once in Switzerland, I would say that Interrail offers far better value for money in Switzerland than in France.

 

[30907]

Don't think there's any difference in security between 4- 5- or 6- berth couchettes, but the extra space might be useful. Certainly worth having a couchette rather than a reclining seat in an open saloon (the days of 3-a-side compartments with pull-down seats for a night's kip are long gone).

I wouldn't recommend consecutive nights on overnight trains, though I did that when I was much nearer their age.

If you havent already checked it out, there's masses of info both on couchettes and on railpasses on www.seat61.com.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Thank for all your replies. Virtually every night of their European adventure will be spent in Youth Hostels which as others have said provide excellent budget accomodation. In all honesty my OP wasn't entirely accurate in that they only want to travel overnight for long journeys.

However, they are planning to travel direct from Paris to Barcelona which is a long journey and they are considering travelling overnight hence my OP. I'm aware that 2nd class SNCF couchettes are six berth hence my question about security, especially given that there are only four of them including my daughter. If security is poor on that route I'll give them the money for a 1st class four berth couchette instead. I'm also interested to know whether overnight trains still run from Barcelona towards to Nice.

Any information on overnight trains in Italy would also be gratefully received. Given what's been said on here any overnight journeys in Germany will be in 1st class couchettes.

Thanks again,

Richmond Commuter.

 

[Oscar]

The Paris - Barcelona night train is run by Elipsos and the Interrail supplements are extremely high. There are no couchettes but there are Tourist Class 4-berth sleepers which are the most basic form of accommdation after the "First Class reclining seats". Overnight trains in Italy use old rolling stock. They have couchettes similar to those in Germany (which are often overheated) and sleeper accommodation. There are no night trains between Barcelona and Nice. There used to be a night train from Barcelona to northern Italy every other night and a night train from Barcelona to Switzerland every other night but they were recently withdrawn.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I can't speak for other countries but as far as I know, on German (City Night Line) sleepers a four-berth couchette is only about €10 more expensive than a six-berth one, as they don't have first class couchettes as such.

SNCF often refers to 4-berth couchettes as First Class couchettes. Other railway companies call them 4-berth couchettes.

 

[30907]

For Barcelona the alternative with French couchettes is the overnight Paris-Port Bou and onward by regional train - or for a scenic mountain route, Paris-La Tour de Carol and onward. (It's different portions of the same train in low season at least now).

 

[reb0118]

I've done both ways. i.e. direct on the trenhotel from Paris to Barcelona and also on the French Intercitie de Nuit service to L'Hospitalet pre Andore (side trip to Andorra) thence via Latour de Carol and le petit train jaune to Perpignon where you can connect with local and express services to Barcelona. There is also, as is stated above, a direct service to Barcelona from Latour de Carol.

As a rail worker I get discounted travel but normally have to pay any additional seat/couchette/sleeper reservation fee just as any fare paying passenger. The free FIP passes for rail workers are not the same as Interrail but there are similarities.

I paid 75€ for a bed in a four berth compartment on the direct Paris - Barcelona Trenhotel. This was shared. Over and above that it cost about 35€ for a few beers, a three course meal, & a half bottle of wine in the bar & restaurant car. This train is much more expensive than the French one but is probably worth it for the experience. Short video here

On the French Intercitie de Nuit train I paid 15€ for a 1st class couchette. Didn't know it was 1st until the tickets arrived as we had booked through Deutsche Bahn UK. Seemingly the Germans don't have 1st & 2nd class couchettes just four & six berth. Four is more expensive than six but you don't need a 1st class travel ticket in Germany unlike France. That said the ticket check was on the platform at the Gare Austerlitz and they only seemed to be checking for reservations ~ no one without a reservation was allowed to enter the platform. After that there was no further check on board (in other countries your tickets are normally taken off you by the steward on overnight trains and returned to you in the morning) ~ so no problems there.

As far as I'm aware there are no longer any direct overnight services from Spain to the French Riviera or Italy.

Hope your lass enjoys her trip.

 

[RichmondCommu]

For Barcelona the alternative with French couchettes is the overnight Paris-Port Bou and onward by regional train - or for a scenic mountain route, Paris-La Tour de Carol and onward. (It's different portions of the same train in low season at least now).

Thrilled to bits to hear that these services still run as I have fond memories of night trains on both routes from around 25 years a go. Even better that my teenage twins and their two mates will be travelling on these routes in July!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I've done both ways. i.e. direct on the trenhotel from Paris to Barcelona and also on the French Intercitie de Nuit service to L'Hospitalet pre Andore (side trip to Andorra) thence via Latour de Carol and le petit train jaune to Perpignon where you can connect with local and express services to Barcelona. There is also, as is stated above, a direct service to Barcelona from Latour de Carol.

As a rail worker I get discounted travel but normally have to pay any additional seat/couchette/sleeper reservation fee just as any fare paying passenger. The free FIP passes for rail workers are not the same as Interrail but there are similarities.

I paid 75€ for a bed in a four berth compartment on the direct Paris - Barcelona Trenhotel. This was shared. Over and above that it cost about 35€ for a few beers, a three course meal, & a half bottle of wine in the bar & restaurant car. This train is much more expensive than the French one but is probably worth it for the experience. Short video here

On the French Intercitie de Nuit train I paid 15€ for a 1st class couchette. Didn't know it was 1st until the tickets arrived as we had booked through Deutsche Bahn UK. Seemingly the Germans don't have 1st & 2nd class couchettes just four & six berth. Four is more expensive than six but you don't need a 1st class travel ticket in Germany unlike France. That said the ticket check was on the platform at the Gare Austerlitz and they only seemed to be checking for reservations ~ no one without a reservation was allowed to enter the platform. After that there was no further check on board (in other countries your tickets are normally taken off you by the steward on overnight trains and returned to you in the morning) ~ so no problems there.

As far as I'm aware there are no longer any direct overnight services from Spain to the French Riviera or Italy.

Hope your lass enjoys her trip.

Many thanks for your long and very informative reply. It's very much appreciated.