What it’s really like to ride the Nightjet train from Austria to Italy.
In 2022, the companyannouncedit would spend 4.1 billion to modernize its current Nightjets and produce33 brand-new ones.
Looking at Nightjets website before our trip, I was eager to experience the sleeper trains cozy elegance.
Credit:Harald Eisenberger/Courtesy of ÃBB
But as the hours ticked down to our scheduled 9:27 p.m. departure, my excitement morphed into wariness.
Would the sleeper train be as pleasant as advertised?
And would we actually sleep?
Harald Eisenberger/Courtesy of ÃBB
All sleeper cabins include a sink; deluxe ones also have a toilet and shower.
We wanted privacy plus, testing out the shower sounded interesting so we booked two deluxe sleeper cabins.
On the platform, we joined a stream of passengers boarding the train.
Harald Eisenberger/Courtesy of ÃBB
Our segment was helpfully labeledSchlafwagen(sleeper car in German).
Inside, we found our cabins, each equipped with a bathroom and twin-sized bunk beds.
The dark chocolate-covered roasted chickpeas were a surprising hit.
After leaving Viennas main station, the train stopped for more passengers.
One familys cabin was inexplicably locked from the outside, prompting a quick response from the conductor.
(All good!)
I assured her, as my daughter waved from her perch above.
Our young visitor wore teal footie pajamas and looked at us with drowsy eyes.
I smiled at the woman, and we exchanged hopeful wishes that the kids would get some sleep.
Soon, the conductor stopped by to check tickets and collect breakfast orders.
He also offered the adults mini bottles of Champagne, an elegant touch.
While the cabin was as clean and cozy as I expected, in some areas, Nightjet fell short.
The pillow was thin and small, and much to my kids chagrin, there was no Wi-Fi.
The shower and sink shared a single faucet, adjustable in height and operated with a button.
Our family got varying amounts of sleep on the night train.
My older daughter reported that she slept great.
My husbands experience fell somewhere in the middle.
Ultimately, we all ended up better-rested than after our red-eye flight to Europe.
After disembarking, we wandered outside into the warm, saltwater-tinged air toward thevaporetto(water bus) docks.
Even early on a Sunday morning, the city bustled with activity.
Across the Grand Canal, tourists snapped photos of theChurch of San Simeon Piccolo.
Locals lingered over cappuccinos at sidewalk cafes.
I felt my body swaying slightly, mimicking the trains gentle rocking.
A good nights rest later, the sensation had dissipated.
Would we ride the Nightjet again?
While it wont be an annual family tradition, we all agreed we would try it again.
Nightjet tickets from Vienna to Venice start at 52, and you’re able to book your triphere.
