They just run into Roosendaal with reduced power.
-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
European Sleeper experience
- Thread starter MattSGB
- Start date
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Belgian 3 kV locos and EMUs run in Roosendaal and Maastricht under 1.5 kV catenary all the time - at least once an hour in each station. With highly reduced power of course, but as it’s essentially flat over there, it doesn't matter much.
The change-over between the two voltages is just a section without catenary.
Well all gone a bit Pete tong
3hr delay as a result of the line to the German Dutch border being closed due to somebody being hit by a different train, means we won’t get to Venice till after the last train to Rome leaves to getting off at Verona instead
Apart from that the trips been good, some great sights and bed was comfy (even with the train thrashing it down the Rhine valley to try make up time)
3hr delay as a result of the line to the German Dutch border being closed due to somebody being hit by a different train, means we won’t get to Venice till after the last train to Rome leaves to getting off at Verona instead
Apart from that the trips been good, some great sights and bed was comfy (even with the train thrashing it down the Rhine valley to try make up time)
danshrimp
Member
Just been told that the dining car is out of action for Wednesday's service too. And that's the final one so there's no rush to get it fixed now I guess. From recollection that means it will have been missing from half the winter trains.
StephenHunter
Established Member
Is the dining car going back to the Prague service once Venice is done for the season?
GW43125
Established Member
- Joined
- 8 Dec 2014
- Messages
- 2,310
I have just found out that my ES in June is only going as far as Dresden. I haven't been told despite the fact I'm booked on the train! Anyone had experience with this happening before? Don't particularly fancy having to get from Dresden at my own expense (after paying full whack for the whole journey to Prague...)
You booked to Prague, so they have to bring you to Prague. Should you have any extra expenses, then you can claim them back. And don't forget compensation for delay; the time on your original booking is the reference. But I'd just wait and see what they have arranged.
GW43125
Established Member
- Joined
- 8 Dec 2014
- Messages
- 2,310
Thanks, I hope they get in touch soon as I have a wedding to attend so if I need to make other arrangements I need to know sooner rather than later! I also hope they give some sort of compensation because an EC or Rychlik isn't quite a private sleeper...
They won't get in touch, they won't offer alternative transport / accommodation, and they certainly won't proactively offer delay compensation or tell you your passenger rights.
You'll have to pay for your own transport, then claim back from ES. Then if/ when ES go bust you'll have to claim it back from your credit card company (assuming that's how you paid).
They did make alternative arrangements for the Venice Sleeper that wasn't, though, didn't they?
No it's not, but if the Munich-Prague trains still carry a Czech dining car that's something better than the sleeper.
They did, to be fair. Although they only told us the new arrangements once we were already waiting on the platform (for the Railjet that we'd heard through the rumour mill would be the replacement). Nobody on the train knew anything.
I'm still waiting for delay compensation. They've made three different (wrong) excuses about why they don't have to pay me.
That is a bit disappointing.
I'd love to know what excuses they are using.
I have to wonder how their finances are doing with all these issues...
They don't, but the Dresden-Prague ones certainly do (or a Hungarian one), and it's HappyHour from the border
Well I got told I couldn’t have a refund for my booked class of travel not being available so can fully believe it…
It’s a shame - I really want to see ES do well but their customer service really lets them down at the moment
For a delay of 2h50, which qualifies for a 50% refund, they told me, on three different occasions:
- We don't have to pay because we arranged alternative transportation
- We don't have to pay because it was caused by circumstances out of our control
- We don't have to pay because we told you two days before departure that there would be a new schedule
But because they're trying to pull the wool over my eyes, I've withdrawn that offer, and will only accept cash - within a strict 1 month deadline.
-
If they don't pay, I've already confirmed with the Belgian Rail Ombudsman that they can investigate the case. If necessary my credit card company can do a Chargeback or Section 75!
They don't, but the Dresden-Prague ones certainly do (or a Hungarian one), and it's HappyHour from the border
Oops! I meant Berlin, not Munich.
Munich to Prague is an interesting journey with multiple loco changes but as a regional route, a restaurant car is not one of the facilities.
Though to be fair it did, until the service was doubled to its current 2-hourly frequency - just before I planned to use it
StephenHunter
Established Member
There's no restaurant car on the train in May. Got that from ES themselves.
danshrimp
Member
Seems unlikely it'll ever be a regular feature (or even a feature again at all) at this rate. It only managed half the Venice services so presumably has some reliability problems, which surely only compound the challenging economics. A shame. Hope to be proved wrong.
BRX
Established Member
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2008
- Messages
- 4,477
I'm on it tonight, westbound. In a couchette. It feels like being in the 1990s again, except that people have smartphones and I'm three decades older.
Certainly it's a bit different to what most people's expectations of a train are, in western europe now. Things are a little rough around the edges (this is fine with me, but I wonder what some, especially younger, passengers make of it). The staff are friendly, not like the gruff conductors you might have encountered if it really was still the 90s.
It seems moderately well populated and we've not got to Berlin yet - I'm curious whether a lot of people will join there. I got on at Bad Schandau and was the only one doing so.
Certainly it's a bit different to what most people's expectations of a train are, in western europe now. Things are a little rough around the edges (this is fine with me, but I wonder what some, especially younger, passengers make of it). The staff are friendly, not like the gruff conductors you might have encountered if it really was still the 90s.
It seems moderately well populated and we've not got to Berlin yet - I'm curious whether a lot of people will join there. I got on at Bad Schandau and was the only one doing so.
Going the other way last year, it really emptied out in Berlin so my guess is that it will indeed fill up somewhat.
I found travelling through the Netherlands in a traditional compartment really quite a strange (enjoyable) experience.
The two young people in my compartment seemed to be enjoying the experience - but they were from Colombia so may not have had the same expectation as Europeans.
There were also two (older) Indians, who found it quite different from their trains at home. I did explain that not all sleeper trains in Europe were like this.
BRX
Established Member
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2008
- Messages
- 4,477
It did fill up at Berlin, and emptied out quite a lot at Amsterdam & Rotterdam. For that core part of the journey my impression was that the train was fairly full (possibly with the exception of the two more expensive sleeper carriages).
Currently running on time.
Currently running on time.
Virgin Voyager
Member
I'm looking at booking a trip from Brussels - Prague in July. Does anyone know if there are plans to upgrade the stock before then? ( One of the main draws for me is the older stock so I'm hoping not!) Also is there anything else I should be aware of? E.g them part cancelling services without telling you like this!
P.s @GW43125 do you know if this is a one off or if it will be a regular occurrence thought the summer?
danshrimp
Member
Highly unlikely.
My partner and I opted for private occupancy of a 5-person couchette over a sleeper because they are the most modern stock (and much less prone to being downgraded at the last minute), and we didn't regret our choice. It was clean, spacious and well-equipped.
BRX
Established Member
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2008
- Messages
- 4,477
The train I was on last night was made up of about 9 carriages of 5 berth couchettes and two sleepers. The couchettes are pretty standard (ex DB?) and the type with the slide-down windows (my favourite!). It looked to me like if you book a seat, you just sit in one of these compartments, with bunks folded up and no bedding etc.
The two sleeper carriages were rather characterful (felt like museum pieces!) with stainless steel on the outside, and the cabins had a very 1970s look. I'd choose one of those compartments over a private couchette compartment, if the were the same price, just for novelty. They are a/c with non opening windows but if you wanted to look out a window you could go to an adjacent couchette carriage.
Of course, the makeup of the train may not always be the same.
The two sleeper carriages were rather characterful (felt like museum pieces!) with stainless steel on the outside, and the cabins had a very 1970s look. I'd choose one of those compartments over a private couchette compartment, if the were the same price, just for novelty. They are a/c with non opening windows but if you wanted to look out a window you could go to an adjacent couchette carriage.
Of course, the makeup of the train may not always be the same.
cjohnson
Member
- Joined
- 3 Sep 2009
- Messages
- 613
Took a trip on the European Sleeper last week with the family (the full Prague -> Brussels route). We were in a private 5 bed couchette which was roomy enough. The kids (obviously) took the top bunks and enjoyed the novelty of having a window that opened quite wide and generally loved the experience. The rolling stock is definitely a little on the slightly tired side, but nothing that would put me off using it again. As others have mentioned the curtains over the compartment doors look to be a bit hit and miss, and I had to resort to using the other half's hairclips to get them to stay closed as much as possible. No issues with the temperature control (it was a hot day but compartment kept cool enough in the early evening and then not too cold at night). One toilet in the carriage was out of service from the start which was not ideal.
The train seemed busy enough from Prague and there appeared to be quite a few student-age travellers boarding at Berlin, so it was probably 80-85% full by the time it left Germany. There was a planned diversion due to engineering works which was advertised on the website well in advance, so it did not stop at Rotterdam, the Hague or Amsterdam Centraal but instead elsewhere outside Amsterdam.
A few other minor issues; was surprised there was no check of our Interrail passes (we had booked reservation only, and the individual checking reservations only wanted the surname of the booking); there was no or limited awareness made of the catering 'trolley' provision until an announcement was made quite late and just before service was stopping; and the braking at certain stations was less than smooth!
The train seemed busy enough from Prague and there appeared to be quite a few student-age travellers boarding at Berlin, so it was probably 80-85% full by the time it left Germany. There was a planned diversion due to engineering works which was advertised on the website well in advance, so it did not stop at Rotterdam, the Hague or Amsterdam Centraal but instead elsewhere outside Amsterdam.
A few other minor issues; was surprised there was no check of our Interrail passes (we had booked reservation only, and the individual checking reservations only wanted the surname of the booking); there was no or limited awareness made of the catering 'trolley' provision until an announcement was made quite late and just before service was stopping; and the braking at certain stations was less than smooth!
BRX
Established Member
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2008
- Messages
- 4,477
Yes the catering such as it was seemed basically unadvertised, it took me a while to hunt down a coffee in the morning and it involved the train manager radioing the crew to see if anyone was available.
Virgin Voyager
Member
Cheers guys, will book a couchette definitely a fan of the opening windows