Couchettes

[DiscoStu]

Just planning a trip to Oktoberfest by train in September, and wondered, why have we never used Couchettes on our overnight trains in the UK?

They're a great budget option, and I'm sure they'd be well used .... wouldn't they?

 

[Essexman]

Just planning a trip to Oktoberfest by train in September, and wondered, why have we never used Couchettes on our overnight trains in the UK?

They're a great budget option, and I'm sure they'd be well used .... wouldn't they?

If you don't mind sleeping in your clothes with five other strangers and worrying that your valuables might disappear in the night.
I don't think we need another option between seated sleeper & shared berths.

 

[Yew]

I was thinking he was talking about in the berths, I think having an option to convert the lower bed into a sofa for the evening/morning (if you get up)

 

[DiscoStu]

If you don't mind sleeping in your clothes with five other strangers and worrying that your valuables might disappear in the night.
I don't think we need another option between seated sleeper & shared berths.

Some people are prepared to do that, clearly, seeing as how popular they are on the continent.

I use them myself, and have never had a problem from other passengers.

 

[Greenback]

I might have considered couchettes in my younger days*, but I;m far too old for that now.

*In fact I was so skint I just slept in the seats!

 

[dk1]

Because we are British & dont like such things. Same reason i wear shorts in same sex European saunas where as everyone else doesnt give a hoot.

 

[pendolino]

I like them in a stir fry or ratatouille.

 

[sheff1]

Because we are British & dont like such things.

Exactly.

Might also have something to do with the loading guage as well though. All couchette carriages I have ever seen are a lot taller then Britich carriages.

 

[button_boxer]

Might also have something to do with the loading guage as well though. All couchette carriages I have ever seen are a lot taller then Britich carriages.

Indeed. I doubt you could get a 6 bed couchette in the British loading gauge. 4 bed might work ok though, provided there could be enough room for luggage as well as the people.

 

[90019]

Because we are British & dont like such things. Same reason i wear shorts in same sex European saunas where as everyone else doesnt give a hoot.

I love how you can always tell most of the British tourists in the showers at foreign swimming pools, as they're the ones who always keep their trunks or shorts on

 

[gordonthemoron]

Indeed. I doubt you could get a 6 bed couchette in the British loading gauge. 4 bed might work ok though, provided there could be enough room for luggage as well as the people.

Actually, the corridor would probably also have to be narrower as the couchette bunks aren't very long (less than 6ft) and couldn't be shortened.

Personally It's never bothered me sharing with 3/5 others in a couchette. I don't like sharing sleeping berths though.

My main beef with night trains these days is the joining and splitting charade, once they take the loco off the air con goes too.

It's a pity that DB got rid of their Talgo night trains, they were great

 

[Oliver]

I was thinking he was talking about in the berths, I think having an option to convert the lower bed into a sofa for the evening/morning (if you get up)

I think the UK loading gauge would make it difficult to build a 6 berth couchette which would convert to a day coach. In the 1950's many second class sleepers in Britain were four berth, which seems quite crowded enough to me.

The general reasons why sleepers have a limited (and decreasing) appeal have been discussed here many times: expensive to operate, low daily revenue take, people prefer their own beds, few routes long enough to make it worthwhile, growth of internal air routes, faster day time trains.