-
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
danshrimp
Member
ES have got hold of some new seat cars, in particular one with bike storage, which is allowing them to offer bike transport from today until 31 August. I say new - they are new to ES but even the slightest glance reveals that they are far from newly built!
Pics at https://bsky.app/profile/maartje.blahaj.social.ap.brid.gy/post/3lqrxdgbq42u2
Pics at https://bsky.app/profile/maartje.blahaj.social.ap.brid.gy/post/3lqrxdgbq42u2
DanielB
Established Member
Not really new indeed. Considering livery and interior these are former NS ICL cars, which were ex-DB IR cars from 1962.
StephenHunter
Established Member
Aren't some of their couchettes originally from ČSD?
doc7austin
On Moderation
My opinion on the European Sleeper Train:
Well, as you know, I've always thought we try to go A Bridge Too Far.
Arnhem Centraal, June 9, 2025 at 07:56:
European Sleeper Train ES 452 Prague-Brussels has reached the first Dutch stop just 2.5 hours late.
Well, as you know, I've always thought we try to go A Bridge Too Far.
Arnhem Centraal, June 9, 2025 at 07:56:
European Sleeper Train ES 452 Prague-Brussels has reached the first Dutch stop just 2.5 hours late.
doc7austin
On Moderation
The reason for the delay:
"Fixed technical failure on the train"
That is not the fault of DB InfraGO.
"Fixed technical failure on the train"
That is not the fault of DB InfraGO.
StephenHunter
Established Member
With those vintage carriages, ES services are Closely Watched Trains.
doc7austin
On Moderation
According to a Facebook post this Morning in the "Nachtzüge Europas" group, something happened to the European Sleeper Train on the night of August 05 and 06, 2025.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19aC7412Ua/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Train ES 452 Prague-Brussels got cancelled.
The train only made it as far as Berlin-Spandau.
The ETCS unit on the Railpool 186 289-5 electric locomotive had failed.
Between Dresden and Berlin that unit have initiated emergency brake sequences at least two times.
Apparently, DB InfraGO has allowed the train to stay on the platform at Berlin-Spandau until 4.30 am. But after that the train was evacuated and all passengers got stranded in Berlin-Spandau in the middle of the night.
According to some reports passengers were directed to DB Fernverkehr ICE/IC trains towards Cologne/Amsterdam later this morning. The European Sleeper Train tickets were apparently accepted.
Passengers reported having received a 20% voucher as compensation only.
Too little as passengers would be entitled to either a full refund (if they abandoned the trip in Berlin) or a 50% refund (because of the delayed arrival at their destination) PLUS the fare difference between seating car and couchette/sleeping car for the Berlin-Netherlands/Belgium segment.
I'd imagine that the return train Brussels-Prague on August 06 got cancelled, as well - because how else would the rolling made it to Brussels in time ?
Source: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19aC7412Ua/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Train ES 452 Prague-Brussels got cancelled.
The train only made it as far as Berlin-Spandau.
The ETCS unit on the Railpool 186 289-5 electric locomotive had failed.
Between Dresden and Berlin that unit have initiated emergency brake sequences at least two times.
Apparently, DB InfraGO has allowed the train to stay on the platform at Berlin-Spandau until 4.30 am. But after that the train was evacuated and all passengers got stranded in Berlin-Spandau in the middle of the night.
According to some reports passengers were directed to DB Fernverkehr ICE/IC trains towards Cologne/Amsterdam later this morning. The European Sleeper Train tickets were apparently accepted.
Passengers reported having received a 20% voucher as compensation only.
Too little as passengers would be entitled to either a full refund (if they abandoned the trip in Berlin) or a 50% refund (because of the delayed arrival at their destination) PLUS the fare difference between seating car and couchette/sleeping car for the Berlin-Netherlands/Belgium segment.
I'd imagine that the return train Brussels-Prague on August 06 got cancelled, as well - because how else would the rolling made it to Brussels in time ?
I've heard this from more users from previous occasions: 20% voucher to be used on a new booking. Sometimes even after explicitly requesting the regular compensation, or after asking for extra expenses to be reimbursed after a cancellation.
It looks like it ran from Amsterdam:
Ritinfo Trein 453 op Wo 6 aug '25
Ritinfo trein 453 op Wo 6 aug '25 , treinserie 450 van Brussel-Zuid/Midi naar Praha hl.n..
treinposities.nl
Bahn Experte
Dein Begleiter um Stressfrei Bahn zu fahren. Sucht die besten Informationen aus allen Quellen um dich ans Ziel zu bringen.
bahn.expert
The 20% voucher is reasonable and sensible as long as it's in addition to the full refund / 50% compensation as appropriate. The idea of that being suitable instead is utterly laughable.I've heard this from more users from previous occasions: 20% voucher to be used on a new booking. Sometimes even after explicitly requesting the regular compensation, or after asking for extra expenses to be reimbursed after a cancellation.
It looks like it ran from Amsterdam:
Ritinfo Trein 453 op Wo 6 aug '25
Ritinfo trein 453 op Wo 6 aug '25 , treinserie 450 van Brussel-Zuid/Midi naar Praha hl.n..Bahn Experte
Dein Begleiter um Stressfrei Bahn zu fahren. Sucht die besten Informationen aus allen Quellen um dich ans Ziel zu bringen.
doc7austin
On Moderation
An email vom ES:
Originally, I didn't read that email carefully - and may have understood 8 to 10 days, instead of 8 to 10 weeks.
Actually, I was checking my card account about 2 weeks after I had received that email. And I was about to fire off another email, but then saw within 8 to 10 weeks.
I don't want to know how many affected passengers may have forgotten about the claim 8 to 10 weeks later - and won't notice that no money had ever been transfered.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Actually, the person, who has posted his experience about the ordeal August 05/06, hit the jackpot.
He was ticketed from Prague to Brussels.
After a day in Brussels he was booked on the Brussels-Vienna ÖBB Nightjet. And guess what: that Nightjet get completely cancelled at short notice, as well.
Imagine, you spend a lot of money months before to book ES Prague-Brussels and NJ Brussels-Vienna both in Sleeping Car travel class. And then both trains get cancelled and you get stranded both in Berlin and Brussels. For a single traveller, that might be survivable. But imagine you travel with your family, school class or big group.
Originally, I didn't read that email carefully - and may have understood 8 to 10 days, instead of 8 to 10 weeks.
Actually, I was checking my card account about 2 weeks after I had received that email. And I was about to fire off another email, but then saw within 8 to 10 weeks.
I don't want to know how many affected passengers may have forgotten about the claim 8 to 10 weeks later - and won't notice that no money had ever been transfered.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Actually, the person, who has posted his experience about the ordeal August 05/06, hit the jackpot.
He was ticketed from Prague to Brussels.
After a day in Brussels he was booked on the Brussels-Vienna ÖBB Nightjet. And guess what: that Nightjet get completely cancelled at short notice, as well.
Imagine, you spend a lot of money months before to book ES Prague-Brussels and NJ Brussels-Vienna both in Sleeping Car travel class. And then both trains get cancelled and you get stranded both in Berlin and Brussels. For a single traveller, that might be survivable. But imagine you travel with your family, school class or big group.
Last edited:
This is not acceptable, since they have to pay within 1 month.
StephenHunter
Established Member
It might drive you up the Wall.
I got a 25% refund back after the delay I had from Prague to Brussels in May, which was due to overhead line failure ahead of us.
Cloud Strife
Established Member
- Joined
- 25 Feb 2014
- Messages
- 2,962
I suspect the end is very near in this case. As referred to above, chucking passengers out in the middle of the night in Berlin-Spandau is really not acceptable, although I wonder why the train couldn't have been accommodated east of Spandau until a more reasonable time in the morning?
StephenHunter
Established Member
Wasn't that investment round looking to get new carriages?
Also, they don't own their locomotives and it's another company operating those. A 186 failure is not out of the question - I had a hotel power failure with a 193 on Nightjet in 2021 that necessitated a stop and full reset.
Also, they don't own their locomotives and it's another company operating those. A 186 failure is not out of the question - I had a hotel power failure with a 193 on Nightjet in 2021 that necessitated a stop and full reset.
BRX
Established Member
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2008
- Messages
- 4,477
The investment round is for new carriages and also a new route.
StephenHunter
Established Member
Looking at some of the logged vagonWEB formations, they seem to be very busy. Load 14 last night from Prague.
https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?rok=2025&id=148398
https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?rok=2025&id=148398
danshrimp
Member
Indeed the pitch deck for the current round of sharefunding cites an average pax/train of 350 in 2024, up from 194 in 2023 - I don't know much about the economics involved but that seems like a healthy number. And the constantly updated formations on https://www.europeansleeper.eu/train-composition generally give a similar picture to those vagonweb snapshots.
We just got off it. Big old train but no aircon. Very hot.
StephenHunter
Established Member
Must be a fault, because most of that rake has it fitted.
Yes all the T5 and the ‘new’ T6 + bike carriages I saw seemed to have aircon fitted but not working yesterday. 36deg in Prague on Thursday…
doc7austin
On Moderation
but in reality the AC is not working in all those cars, which had been fitted with AC.
StephenHunter
Established Member
Could be an issue with the connections between the locomotive and the carriages - also the line voltage.
Meanwhile Leo Express is wondering about a Bratislava-Prague-Ostend, possibly with rejuvenated Talgo VI sets:
www.railjournal.com
maybe ready to take over if European Sleeper goes under.
Leo have Renfe's deep pockets to get them going so might be more reliable than European Sleeper.
Leo Express plans cross-border overnight service
Leo Express has notified the Belgian rail regulator that it intends to operate overnight cross-border services between Ostend and Bratislava.
www.railjournal.com
maybe ready to take over if European Sleeper goes under.
Leo have Renfe's deep pockets to get them going so might be more reliable than European Sleeper.
SephenWorceste
Member
- Joined
- 29 Aug 2012
- Messages
- 467
It is such a shame about the unreliability of these services. I had hoped to try them next year for my trip in May. The probability of being cancelled or finding my sleeper is a now a seat (my own personal limit) is just too high for me.
I know sleepers schedules can be a bit flexible (late). I tend to plan a day contingency into crucial parts of my itinerary but even that might not be enough as they might cancel or abandon the second day.
I have had some good sleeper trips to Barcelona, Venice and down the east of the US. They can save so much time and money compared to day trains and hotels. Worcester to Barcelona in about 24hours. Compared to two days with a hotel in London, Paris or Nimes.
I wish them well. I am sorry they are not for me.
I know sleepers schedules can be a bit flexible (late). I tend to plan a day contingency into crucial parts of my itinerary but even that might not be enough as they might cancel or abandon the second day.
I have had some good sleeper trips to Barcelona, Venice and down the east of the US. They can save so much time and money compared to day trains and hotels. Worcester to Barcelona in about 24hours. Compared to two days with a hotel in London, Paris or Nimes.
I wish them well. I am sorry they are not for me.
Memories of the Trenhotel