Overnight climate-friendly train journey to Croatia | DW Travel | DW

At Munich’s Ostbahnhof station, I was greeted by the aroma of Leberkasse meatloaf and other Bavarian cuisine. Much to my delight, the night train to Zagreb is already waiting at platform 12, ready to depart. Croatian Railway Company HZPP The guide, speaking a mixture of German, Croatian and English, leads me to my sleeping cart. Moments later, the train jolts toward the southeast.

As I stop for a beer with other passengers on the route, conversations quickly arise about previous night train journeys and destinations we’ve been to. This will be a rare experience on a plane. At most there might be a brief exchange with the person sitting next to me.

On the night train, the journey is part of the travel experience

Conversations during the journey repeatedly show that what makes the night train special is this particular mode of travel. Sarah, a thirty-seven-year-old resident of Belgium whom I meet on the trip, tells me that she likes that the night train takes its time to reach its destination and that she can feel the distance of the journey.

Sarah isn’t alone in appreciating her slower pace. Night trains aren’t a mass phenomenon these days, and there’s a dearth of attractive routes and offerings both nationally and internationally, but the idea of ​​getting on a train at night and getting off the next day is proving relaxing and stress-free. Renaissance and gaining more and more fans. Matthias Gastel, spokesman for Germany’s Green Party’s rail policy, said the European night train network would make intra-European flights more efficient.

“Since most of the COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, night trains on the Munich-Zagreb route are fully booked, especially on summer weekends,” said Ivana Kubelik, Corporate Communications Officer at Croatian Railways Company HZPP. According to the German Travel Association, people are interested in traveling after two years of lockdown. But it’s not just the need for travel that drives demand for night train travel, it also increases environmental awareness.

I met a family from Berlin who were going to Albania. Parents Bianca and Thomas tell me that there was a heated discussion at the breakfast table about the pros and cons of travel during climate change. Their daughter is part of the Friday Future movement, which was started by environmental activist Greta Thunberg and wants to travel by train. They finally reached an agreement: return to their destination by train and bus, by plane.

Ishmael, from Amsterdam, has been on the road since 8am and explains his decision to take the night train: “In my circle of friends, the awareness of the climate crisis we are facing is very prominent. Some are tight and don’t ever fly. If I want to travel with them, I have to follow him.

Growing rail network

My plan is to board in Munich in the evening and leave for Zagreb in the morning. From there I continue by bus to Croatia’s Adriatic coast. The distance from Munich to Zagreb is just under 550 kilometers (342 miles). A one-way ticket from Munich to Zagreb costs 80 euros ($80). For simplicity, I booked the ticket directly through Austrian Federal Railways (OBB). Wido and Johannes, my fellow travelers from Weimar, complain that you have to be very skilled to get a ticket. Many say they get so frustrated with the complicated booking process that they give up and use the car. But that may soon change.

The European night train network is to be expanded and extended in the coming years, and the compatibility of international bookings should also be improved. German rail operator Deutsche Bahn is joining forces with European partner companies and despite not having its own wagons. In the coming years, 13 more major European cities will be accessible by night train. The Berlin-Brussels and Berlin-Paris routes are due to start in December 2023.

A suitable option for the climate

Passengers on the night train to Zagreb agree that demand is increasing. Alex Kebohn, who is traveling to Slovenia with friends for a vacation, said Deutsche Bahn needs to do its homework, promote its services better and make night trains a better alternative to flying.

From an ecological point of view, the advantages of taking the train are clear. If the route from Munich to Zagreb was covered by train, this would produce 20 kg of CO2 per passenger. By plane, the figure is 130 kilograms, according to EcoPassger’s online calculator. But as we all know, people do not choose only modes of transportation for ecological reasons. Despite all the climate controversies, air travel between major European cities is often cheaper than traveling by overnight train. After all, air transport is subsidized and kerosene tax and value added tax on cross-border flights are waived.

The journey is part of the adventure.

It’s not just the carbon footprint that is so low on train journeys. Night trains are more comfortable and a great travel experience than flights.

I lucked out on the way to Zagreb, with a six-person cabin all to myself. After two weeks, I find that the sleeping experience becomes somewhat less romantic and comfortable when the carriage is fully occupied. For light sleepers, an overnight train adventure can quickly turn into an all-nighter, leaving you feeling groggy the next day.

Looking out the window on the way to Zagreb in the morning, I saw beautiful meadows framed by mountains. Breakfast is basic, it includes croissants and jet-black coffee. It takes the last bit of tiredness out of my legs. We arrived in Zagreb a little before 9am.

Walking from the main train station to the nearest bus station, the city seemed deserted this Sunday morning. The last leg of my trip took me by bus to the seaside town of Zadar. Three hours later, I was rewarded for the 17-hour journey – a dip in the clear waters of the Croatian Adriatic.

This article was originally written in German.