citycat
Member
For the second year running, the family made use of the NightJet as part of our holiday. If you want to read last year's report, here is the link.
www.railforums.co.uk
We were heading to Italy so decided to make use of the NightJet service from Amsterdam Centraal to Innsbruck Hbf. We needed use of the family car during the holiday and unfortunately the OBB car wagons have transferred to the Hamburg to Innsbruck portion, so it was decided my wife and three kids would use the train and I would drive overnight from The Netherlands and pick them up in Innsbruck the next morning. Last year, we used a couchette compartment but this year we decided to book the seating compartment as it represented a big saving in the fare. We reserved the whole compartment by booking one adult and three child tickets, and then booked two further child tickets to gain exclusive use of the compartment. All in, it was just 139 euros.
On the day of departure, I dropped the family off at our local station of Woerden at 17:00, where after fond goodbyes and 'see you in the morning', they caught the local Sprinter service to Amsterdam. I calculated that I had time to return home and enjoy a cup of tea before heading off on the long drive to Innsbruck. Just to quickly give my side, I made good progress through Holland and Germany and stopped for dinner in Koblenz. I then continued my drive along the banks of the Rhine which was unfortunately in darkness by this time, but it was still nice to see the floodlit castles in the distance. I then continued on to Austria via Stuttgart, Ulm and the Fernpass at Reutte, arriving at Innsbruck Hbf at 06:32am, nearly three hours before the Nightjet was due, so I had time for a welcome nap.
For my wife and kids, they had time at Amsterdam Centraal to sit in Starbucks and enjoy some leisurely muffins, coffee and iced drinks before heading up to the platform to await the arrival of the NightJet consist into the station from the nearby depot at Watergraafsmeer. They actually found the seating compartment very comfortable compared to the couchette compartment last year. My wife said that the couchette compartment seemed a bit claustrophobic because the berths were already made up in Dusseldorf and we had to sit on the lower berths all cramped up until we felt ready to go to sleep, whereby the seating compartment felt much more open and well lit and everyone had a seat so they could stretch out comfortably until it was bedtime. My wife said only one ticket inspection was carried out, just after Koln West, and the conductor was not bothered that there were two missing kids according to the ticket.
My wife said they pulled out the seats to make one large 'mattress' for everyone, and they had come prepared with pillows and blankets from home so everyone was comfortable, and the kids were stretched out with their screens so they were happy. My wife was able to walk along the train and purchase some coffee from one of the couchette attendants. The family also had a pre bedtime picnic with sandwiches and drinks from home. My wife said they had a very comfortable night, the compartment was warm, and there was a combination of blinds and curtains for the window and corridor windows to keep the compartment dark. They were so comfortable in fact that they missed the stop in Munich where the train reverses, and woke up just as the train was pulling into Innsbruck on time at 09:14, where I was waiting for them.
We loaded the car with all the blankets, pillows and other bags, and I also had time to watch the OBB pilot loco transfer the car carrying wagons across to the unloading ramp where I was parked. We then all had a nice breakfast of croissants and coffee in the station buffet restaurant and got freshened up in the very clean toilets of Innsbruck Hbf, before heading off over the Brenner to our campsite near Venice. We had nine nights there and then went onto Croatia for a few nights before driving all the way back to the Netherlands, overnighting in Slovenia and Austria to break up the journey. We also stopped off at Dachau concentration camp to educate the kids, and had a final dinner in Heidleberg old town before arriving home in the early hours.
Basically, my family really enjoyed the NightJet and it was much more preferable than a night spent in the car. I would've loved to have joined them but someone needed to take the family car down to Italy. The train was clean, and despite a delay somewhere overnight (probably Nurnberg where the different portions detach and attach), the train arrived dead on time in Innsbruck. Although most people would gravitate towards the couchette or sleeping car accommodation, do not immediately dismiss the seating compartments as an option. If there are only three or four of you, it is possible to book out the compartment for sole occupancy and the seats pull across to make one big bed if you come armed with suitable travel pillows and lightweight blankets which will contribute to a comfortable night. It's possible to buy food and drink from the OBB attendants if required, though much better to bring your own picnic. And the cost saving can be quite a lot when compared to the couchette or sleeping berths.
Anyway, a big thumbs up for NightJet from my family. I am so glad to see the return of night trains and I hope NightJet spread their operations further. I'm just sorry we had to lose the car carrying option to the Hamburg portion of the service. Oh well, never mind.
Nightjet auto train
I just took the Nightjet car carrying train from Dusseldorf to Innsbruck with the family last night and we are currently relaxing in our hotel in the Austrian Alps. It was an interesting experience having to load the car onto the train myself. Health & Safety would have had a field day with all...
www.railforums.co.uk
We were heading to Italy so decided to make use of the NightJet service from Amsterdam Centraal to Innsbruck Hbf. We needed use of the family car during the holiday and unfortunately the OBB car wagons have transferred to the Hamburg to Innsbruck portion, so it was decided my wife and three kids would use the train and I would drive overnight from The Netherlands and pick them up in Innsbruck the next morning. Last year, we used a couchette compartment but this year we decided to book the seating compartment as it represented a big saving in the fare. We reserved the whole compartment by booking one adult and three child tickets, and then booked two further child tickets to gain exclusive use of the compartment. All in, it was just 139 euros.
On the day of departure, I dropped the family off at our local station of Woerden at 17:00, where after fond goodbyes and 'see you in the morning', they caught the local Sprinter service to Amsterdam. I calculated that I had time to return home and enjoy a cup of tea before heading off on the long drive to Innsbruck. Just to quickly give my side, I made good progress through Holland and Germany and stopped for dinner in Koblenz. I then continued my drive along the banks of the Rhine which was unfortunately in darkness by this time, but it was still nice to see the floodlit castles in the distance. I then continued on to Austria via Stuttgart, Ulm and the Fernpass at Reutte, arriving at Innsbruck Hbf at 06:32am, nearly three hours before the Nightjet was due, so I had time for a welcome nap.
For my wife and kids, they had time at Amsterdam Centraal to sit in Starbucks and enjoy some leisurely muffins, coffee and iced drinks before heading up to the platform to await the arrival of the NightJet consist into the station from the nearby depot at Watergraafsmeer. They actually found the seating compartment very comfortable compared to the couchette compartment last year. My wife said that the couchette compartment seemed a bit claustrophobic because the berths were already made up in Dusseldorf and we had to sit on the lower berths all cramped up until we felt ready to go to sleep, whereby the seating compartment felt much more open and well lit and everyone had a seat so they could stretch out comfortably until it was bedtime. My wife said only one ticket inspection was carried out, just after Koln West, and the conductor was not bothered that there were two missing kids according to the ticket.
My wife said they pulled out the seats to make one large 'mattress' for everyone, and they had come prepared with pillows and blankets from home so everyone was comfortable, and the kids were stretched out with their screens so they were happy. My wife was able to walk along the train and purchase some coffee from one of the couchette attendants. The family also had a pre bedtime picnic with sandwiches and drinks from home. My wife said they had a very comfortable night, the compartment was warm, and there was a combination of blinds and curtains for the window and corridor windows to keep the compartment dark. They were so comfortable in fact that they missed the stop in Munich where the train reverses, and woke up just as the train was pulling into Innsbruck on time at 09:14, where I was waiting for them.
We loaded the car with all the blankets, pillows and other bags, and I also had time to watch the OBB pilot loco transfer the car carrying wagons across to the unloading ramp where I was parked. We then all had a nice breakfast of croissants and coffee in the station buffet restaurant and got freshened up in the very clean toilets of Innsbruck Hbf, before heading off over the Brenner to our campsite near Venice. We had nine nights there and then went onto Croatia for a few nights before driving all the way back to the Netherlands, overnighting in Slovenia and Austria to break up the journey. We also stopped off at Dachau concentration camp to educate the kids, and had a final dinner in Heidleberg old town before arriving home in the early hours.
Basically, my family really enjoyed the NightJet and it was much more preferable than a night spent in the car. I would've loved to have joined them but someone needed to take the family car down to Italy. The train was clean, and despite a delay somewhere overnight (probably Nurnberg where the different portions detach and attach), the train arrived dead on time in Innsbruck. Although most people would gravitate towards the couchette or sleeping car accommodation, do not immediately dismiss the seating compartments as an option. If there are only three or four of you, it is possible to book out the compartment for sole occupancy and the seats pull across to make one big bed if you come armed with suitable travel pillows and lightweight blankets which will contribute to a comfortable night. It's possible to buy food and drink from the OBB attendants if required, though much better to bring your own picnic. And the cost saving can be quite a lot when compared to the couchette or sleeping berths.
Anyway, a big thumbs up for NightJet from my family. I am so glad to see the return of night trains and I hope NightJet spread their operations further. I'm just sorry we had to lose the car carrying option to the Hamburg portion of the service. Oh well, never mind.
