OBB NightJet Thread

[Gilbert B Norman]

A video trip report with interior of the Deluxe Room with en-suite bathroom and shower.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-9kUcc ... plyRailway

The more I read and watch, "I'm tempted" come August.

If I were to do so, the itinerary would be four nights in Salzburg (planned Festival concerts are evening 1, day 3, and day 4), instead of six (day trips Villach AT, and Nuremberg DE, planned for those days), and day 5, leave for MUC where I'd ditch my bag save what needed for an overnight. Thence NJ 295 to Rome, walk around a bit with maybe a 4lb bag if that, then fly to MUC where final night 6 would be at an airport perimeter hotel. Day 7 fly home.

But again, I'm just too old for "Eurailpass marathons" such as I did during "post college-pre life" days, as well as being "homeless in Rome".

But all told, again I note, the OBB "Oberfuehers" were not just "doused with Gruner Veltliner" (somewhat fruitier than Chardonnay) when they signed off on the Night Jet business plan. Considering how every other European road had ditched Night Trains, this revival seemed far fetched - even considering how that Swedish girl was "'shaming' people away from Easy Jet to Night Jet".

[David Benton]

Once again, Mr Norman, I don't think one day would do Rome justice ,and you would only come away frustrated at having scratched the surface.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Agree Mr. Benton, the best I could hope for would be to walk to the Trevi and part with a €1,00 coin, have a Lunch at a sidewalk restaurant on the Via Veneto, then get out to LIRF for the flight to EDDM.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Off topic and off rails, look what our little "Miss shame 'em off Easy Jet..." has gotten herself into:

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/17/us/greta ... index.html

[David Benton]

The ubiquitous "the man in seat 61 " guide to the nightjets .

https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-route ... nd-tickets

[Gilbert B Norman]

That was a "great find", Mr. Benton. Thanks for sharing.

As I've noted, I did not take a Night Jet journey this past August when I was "over there"; the Munich-Rome Night Jet was annulled this past summer for overnight trackwork.

But alas, my overseas journeys have come to an end. For starters, my Passport will have expired; further, I would be 83yo and concerned about my health. I understand a Medevac would run about $75K and who knows what kind of "bone" the travel insurance United Airlines sells would throw in (guess what, I really do not intend to find out).

Further, the journey's cost is rising much more so than is the rate of inflation. Case in point: the Business Class airline ticket which was $4500 this past August is now quoted at $5600. Sorry, but I'm simply too old to even think about going Coach.

[David Benton]

Man from seat 61 does it again.
<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.p ... &width=500" width="500" height="793" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>

These kind of remind me of a modern version of the Japanese "pod" hotels.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Try "coffin" Mr. Benton.

Back to this past August, as I've reported here, I did give consideration for a Munich to Rome, but with night time trackwork, that Night Jet was a CX. Further, the plan would have had me "homeless in Rome" from arrival until an afternoon flight back to Munich. But with the 30dg Centigrade Temps in Rome prevalent during this past August, let's just say "uh, not a good idea" (it was 25C in Salzburg which is in an Alpine valley).

[Gilbert B Norman]

This video of two "normal sized" travelers traveling aboard Night Jet in an "inherited" DB Bi-Level car is simply too much of a "circus clowns in a VW" exercise for my taste:

https://youtu.be/yExVGQJGZG4

Not sure if the new cars OBB/NJ hope to have in revenue service this year is more of same, but if so "count me out" should I make future overseas journeys (not too sure; age and health have other ideas).

[Jeff Smith]

Various snippets on a "clickbait" paid article: BusinessInsider

I spent $200 for a private cabin on an 11-hour overnight train in Europe. It was worth every cent.

On overnight trains, a private cabin is always worth the upgrade.

Take it from me — someone who has spent 120 hours on sleeper trains across the US and Europe in a range of accommodations, including shared cabins.

My most recent sleeper train journey was an 11-hour ride on a Nightjet train from Venice to Vienna. I spent about $200 for a private cabin and thought it was well worth the price.
...
Inside my cabin, there were three beds — one top bunk, one in the middle, and one bottom bunk — as well as a wash basin, and a vanity.
...
The room locked from the inside for safety, and I used a key card to get in and out of the cabin.
...

[Gilbert B Norman]

Mention this morning on WBBM 780/105.9 that the Paris-Berlin service will start December 18.

Sure gotta say, that Swedish girl, now 20yo, sure delivered for the OBB Oberführers.

Meantime, she's been "branching out" involving herself in "other causes"

https://www.timesofisrael.com/greta-thu ... e-in-gaza/

[Jeff Smith]

Current "Streckennetz" (Route Map) of OBB Nightjet

[Jeff Smith]

WaPo ($) review: https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/t ... a-hamburg/

Testing Europe’s new night train, designed with solo travelers in mind

You know the phrase, “There’s a German word for that”? I recently discovered that the German word for a train enthusiast is the adorable-sounding pufferküsser, literally someone who kisses the railway buffers.

I was told this by a fellow passenger on the new Nightjet sleeper train connecting Vienna to Hamburg as we settled into our bunks and waited for the train to get rolling. The new service, run by the Austrian rail company ÖBB, is a major update on the old generation Nightjet sleeper trains and has thrilled pufferküsser all over Europe. I was there to try out the new “mini cabins” — a sleeping design similar to Japan’s capsule hotels, in which you have your own, lockable, private space and don’t have to share a cabin with strangers.
...

[Gilbert B Norman]

The Wash Post is "paywalled of sorts". Give them your email so they can bombard you with whatever, or do without.

[Jeff Smith]