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I love traveling more than most things in life, but I’m never hot enough to hit the airport three hours early just to sit for the plane. I know security is crazy slow and it’s better to have it pop up sooner rather than later, but it just rubs me the wrong way about wasting precious time doing something more productive or fun.
That’s why when I planned our last trip to Europe, I wanted to try to use the sleeper train instead of a short-haul flight.
It was the right decision.
First things first, finances
We want to see Zurich and Vienna for our trip. When looking at how we wanted to get from point A to point B, nonstop one-way flights were at least $300 each. compared to, We were able to book a 4-bed private bedroom for under $100 each. Not only that, but if you factor in the cost of getting to and from the airport and an extra night in a hotel, you can add at least $200 to the $300 each of the plane tickets.
For a simple numbers-based cost comparison, let’s say we spend $100 each on train tickets. Also, let’s say hotel was $200, flights were $300 each, and transportation from each airport was $20. If so, Our group of three saved $280 each, or a total of $840, by choosing the overnight train! And all that for a more relaxed, easy and fun experience!
2 hours to train departure
Our train, the OBB Nightjet, is scheduled to leave Zurich Main Station at 9:40 PM. At 7:30pm, we comfortably checked into a cozy restaurant before heading to Vienna. Our hotel happily checked our luggage that day, so we checked out early and went on a day trip to Stans and Luzern. Apart from the small bag I had with me, it felt like any other night in Zurich, and I had to remind myself that we were leaving in a few hours.
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@tyleroffpath I’m so cold I’m getting ready to take the night train, I’ll never fly to Europe unless I have to now! #zurich #lightjet #europe #roadtrip #travel ♬ Lazy Sunday – Official Sound Studio
If we had a flight in three hours my anxiety level would be through the roof! however, He said we only need our tickets to show up 15 minutes early.We drank every second we had left in Zurich before heading to the station.
1.5 hours to train departure
Plenty of wine! Switzerland doesn’t have as many places to have a sweet wine after 1 as GermanySt During our last hour or so of the year in Zurich, we made sure to find something to keep us warm. I still had to tell myself we were leaving soon. The whole preparation for our train departure was very relaxed. He felt like it wasn’t really happening.
@tyleroffpath Gluhwein walks in Zurich before taking the night train! #zurich #gluewein #nightjet #europe #roadtrip ♬ Original Sound – 4u
30 minutes early to the site
My anxiety started kicking in about 45 minutes before I got up. So we decided to take our bags from the hotel and go to the station. This only took us 10 or 15 minutes as we were close to our hotel. When we got to our platform, we were still about 30 minutes early. I don’t know about you, but I’d show up at the airport 30 minutes before my flight was supposed to take off and I’d be nauseous. The probability of making the flight is probably zero.
However, 30 minutes before our departure time We were there before the train appeared. This was a travel strategy I could practice, and the best part hadn’t even begun.
@tyleroffpath finally boarded the night train to Vienna! So easy, cool and fun! Sleeper trains travel as far as possible! #Europe #NightJet #Traveling #Zurich #Travel ♬ Shining Sea – Musspace
Boarding
Night train and plane travel to another country is a matter of day and night boarding. For the flight we have to get to the airport, clear security, go to our gate, wait for our boarding team and then sit on the plane for about 30 minutes before take off. The night train was completely different.
As soon as the train pulled into the station, we went to our train car number, boarded the train, went to our bedroom and put our bags. That was it. We didn’t even have to show our tickets to board, because the ticket inspector simply waited for us to validate our tickets. In less than 10 minutes we were boarded, settled, and ready for bed.
@tyleroffpath A quick photo of getting luggage on the overnight train from Zurich to Vienna
The ride
It was my first night train ride so I was excited to sleep straight away. So, I decided to do a little work. I love working on trains, and this was a very comfortable office. The night train included Wi-Fi, had enough outlets for charging, and my bank had its own reading light. After some work, I went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Some cabins have attached bathrooms with showers, but we opted for a more basic 4-bank cabin to save some money. Again, the bathrooms were spacious and extremely functional – much better than an airplane bathroom!
And now for the biggest difference between flying and driving a night train…
Sleep! Too much sleep!
I have a hard time falling asleep on an overnight flight. It’s too tight for me not to be able to stretch or throw and turn around a bit. I don’t fall asleep for 30 minutes or more. But on the night train I slept through the night. The sound of the train lulled me to sleep, and I slept soundly. We were all woken up by a knock on the door and the assistant stopped by an hour later for breakfast.
From now on I will add the night train to my itinerary
I loved taking the night train, and would definitely add it to my itinerary instead of flying. Night trains are better than planes because:
- Instead of worrying about running to the airport, you’ll enjoy yourself more.
- Free, reliable Wi-Fi during your trip.
- You get a whole bed to yourself and you can stretch out completely.
- For a complete “hotel on rails” experience, there are showers.
- You wake up in a new destination, completely refreshed and ready to explore.
I loved the experience, and always recommend it on a flight!
Traveler alert: Don’t forget travel insurance for your next trip!
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
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