That's a good possibility. Could be the cabins are cut off from the interruptions most times, but reset to default once the power was restored (like a car radio).
I was in one of these last weekend, a few thoughts: 1. The cabins didn't feel very well ventilated, and smelled, to be honest, quite bad. Some HVAC controls would be nice, but at least they need to look at ways to improve airflow. 2. The roller doors at the end of each cabin rattle when the train is moving. I jammed a thin towel between the door and its track, which cut down on the rattling a bit, but hopefully they can find a proper fix for this, as it seems to be a common problem. (I had this problem both directions). 3. I think the sheets are just meant to be used like a sleeping bag liner, i.e. you just climb into it, you don't "make the bed" as such. 4. I suppose the huge luggage racks in the seating area are meant for the couchettes also. ÖBB need to communicate this better as lots of people seemed to be falling over their luggage given the small lockers in the couchette car. 5. They sell sleep masks (€2), and ear plugs (€2.50) on the train, I'd recommend these for a better night's sleep. 6. The key card holder next to the door is a nice idea. All in all, I think the cabins are a huge improvement on previous couchettes, especially when travelling alone, as it means you can go to sleep at your own time, not worry about disturbing others when joining / leaving the train part way through, etc. I think it's a really cool idea, and respect to ÖBB for taking a risk here. I think the teething troubles will be worked through soon enough, and these can become a realistic, economic alternative to flying for some journeys.
Technical issues with the new train stock and even worse technical deficiencies and lack of availability with the old stock on all the other routes is really what's plaguing the ÖBB Nightjet service. Frankly, in combination with the now dynamic prices and the massively increased price to take a bike with you (thank you for mentioning it by the way, this is often overlooked, it was only 10€ or so before), it no longer is an option for me and my partner (with two bikes) and we're unfortunately back to travelling by day.
I wasn't aware of the implementation of dynamic pricing* so thanks for the advice! *Dynamic pricing=we will squeeze you for every Euro possible. It gets more like the dreaded Ryanair every day...
@@Robutube1 I dread to think what that will do to the cost - in January I booked a comfort sleeper cabin from Amsterdam to Innsbruck for mid June and it cost me €600+ (100% increase on last year) and that was for a trip on the old un-refurbished stock! This will be my last ride on the NightJet.
I’ve travelled by rail in Europe many times as a child in the 1960-70’s, & then on my own 1984-1992. In 1985 I spent 6 months in Europe using trains from Ireland, UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Greece, Hungary, Austria, West Germany & East Germany, Denmark, Holland, Belgium & Luxembourg. The trains have changed so much in all these years, especially from country to country. France already had TGV’s by this point & the rest of Europe quickly followed. I wish they had sleeping compartments like this when I was there. I’ve had to share a couchette with 5 other people, and invariably I always got someone who snores! Plus personal possessions were in danger depending on who shared your compartment. I will have to make the trek back to Europe soon. I’m in my 60’s now, and many of my relatives in Ireland, UK and Serbia are getting old and passing away now. I will definitely take advantage of these new trains (where I can). Thanks for posting this. Brian Toronto Canada.
I remember the shared 5 sleeper compartment in the 80's! I was so freaked out by being the only woman in a sleeper with 4 unrelated males, I couldn't sleep. Especially after they locked the door to the compartment. One said thieves roam in the night to gain compartment access. 🤦😂
When I caught the Nightjet from Vienna to Brussels last year we were about five hours late - the EU compensation money really does make the whole experience that much more appealing! Ended up cheaper than a hotel rather than much more expensive. The lack of a bar car is a bit sad though, what's the point of a sleeper train if you can't flirt with mysterious widows and hatch murder mystery plans until being sent to your cabins at midnight?
If it weren't for the random announcement and lights coming on, this would be a pretty good option at that price if you're single or travelling with mates. Probably doesn't work as well for couples and families or older people who need more comfort and less climbing. It's good to have the choice though!
The pods are a perfect example of fancy glossy looks over practicality. The paper thing dividers between pods means if next door snores, talks on a phone etc there is no sound proofing. And the entry doors rattle open and closing so again people coming and going will wake you.
Exactly! It's not revolutionary but anti-people! It's basically a cage & they are charging a premium for it. Looks very uncomfortable & claustrophobic tbh, not desirable.
Of course a good acoustic isolation would eat up more valuable space: Every pod would need its own separate suspension from the superstructure. Using earplugs for sleeping may be sufficient?
@@gargoyle7863 so in other words it’s not a relaxing evening. More akin to a 10 year old going to a school camp? Earplugs are hardly a solution for an inferior dumbed down product . It’s like saying if the toilets are dirty, just take a bucket with you.
So what do you want? You are on an effing train that is moving, there are noises all the time, and there are other people. I took some time ago the Nachtzug from Berlin to Munich, in a private cabin just by myself with a loo and a shower. The night was wonderful, breakfast tasty and I stepped off the train Munich fresh and well rested. I also took some 37 years back the train from Dortmund to Rome, in a normal 6 seat cabin (which I had to myself outbound and inbound) and it was an amazing experience. In particular when you are some sort of a train enthusiast. Going up the Gotthard in the early morning hours, Northern Italy mid morning and arriving at Roma Termini was epic. Return trip was via Domodossola and Sion, equally a gorgeous track to take a train, the landscapes are awesome. Anyhow, if you have a problem with a sleeping mask and ear plugs, an overnight train isn’t for you. Plain and simple. You better take a plane, and don’t bother other people who still think that the journey is the adventure, and not the arrival! A concept completely lost on more and more people.
@@SuperalbsTravels "We will now be departing from Platform 0..... Even though that's a platform that doesn't exist. It's my first day on the job, so I'm just gonna spray paint the ballast, and that's your Platform 0. Good day, watch out for oncoming trains, I don't want to deal with more paperwork on my first day". That's probably not what happened, but I'd like to imagine that's why the door opened there.
I did this journey (and back) 2 weeks ago. On the way to Hamburg the lights also came on randomly during the night and a couple of announcements. Although I was not next to the bathroom (33) you could hear the very loud beeps everytime someone entered the bathroom and the sound isolation in the corridor was none existent. That being said I did get some sleep. The journey back was much better and was actually on time?! Which is the first on time I had with the Nightjet from 6 trips in the last 12 months
Great video! But I had a different experience. I travelled on this just a couple of days ago from Hamburg to Vienna. It was a bizarre experience too, at 7am, the host knocked on my door with breakfast, and didn’t hand it over until I’d given him the bedsheets, and as you could imagine, in such a small space, it was very difficult while he was just standing there. Then an hour before arrival at 8:30am, the host took my key card so I couldn’t get back into the room after I’d left, so I couldn’t go to the toilet for the last hour, so I was generally very uncomfortable. In terms of the nights sleep, I had a very comfortable sleep, and only arrived 40 minutes late. The boarding process was all a mess and I found everything apart from the sleep itself, very awkward. I really enjoyed your take on it though and what you found positive and negative, I look forward to the next one!
Those tiny capsule sleeping compartments are great from young fit people but no good for us older less mobile folk. They also rather remind me of the drawers in morgues/mortuaries used to house cadavers.
There is enough space to fit through... The divider door shown in the video would be opened and both halves of the window broken, opening up the entire frame.
Pricing for Europe is indeed very good and it seems they upped their comfort level a bit. We used one of their trains 2 years ago and for me being over 190cm it was a horrible experience. I couldn't pull up my knees without hitting something and I couldn't lie all out without noticing the bed space was 2-3cm short, so I slept about 30 min out of pure exhaustion. Judging from your review that spacing issue, hasn't changed. Thank you for your review, the plane it is.
The only time I've slept overnight on a train it was 1992, the motorail service from Santander to Malaga. Slept fine for most of the way, but do recall being woken by the sound of a train going slowly over points somewhere near Madrid. This was the time before internet, so I used the Thomas Cook book to identify the train & booking office then I called them for their fax number. I don't speak Spanish so they had to read the number very slowly ... luckily numbers are similar to French! I booked by fax, to meet the ferry from the UK. Many of the fellow pasengers were British who lived in Spain. Drove back for the return, sadly this service does not operate anymore.
I Don't know alot about trains but when I interrailed in Europe I got to try out a lot of them. And suprisingly the best BY FAR was the new MAV intercity trains from Budapest to Hamburg. Such a nice design, smooth ride and nice seats:) would love to see a video on it!
I made my trip in those mini-cabins. As a 1.99m tall guy, it was quite a squeeze but very comfy nonetheless! It has some flaws (very strong AC, poor noise-insulation, limited storage space), but in general it is a really great option for solo travellers and a true innovation to overnight travel! Some things that appear to be causing the main problems are more operational things. Apart from the boarding being very chaotic (due to very limited place), the staff sometimes appears to be a little rude and overwhelmed/unorganized. And: the trains are quite unreliable due to technical reasons, especially when coming from Hamburg. Annnnd we must mention the dynamic pricing which can be really frustrating... But overall I have to say the concept of those mini cabins is unbelievable! And I love them :D
The price is right!!, sorry copyright infringement, but the price would certainly make me use it a hotel room on the move and extra time to explore Hamburg or Vienna if you’re going the other way
Your transition to ads caught me off guard😂 Jokes aside, I think I have to give this a go. By then, the glitches which caused some disturbance in the middle of the night should have been fixed
Glitches on an inaugural run are sometimes to be expected. I'm sure they will iron out all the bugs in due time. I have no doubt this will end up to be a very popular journey. I can't wait to take it!! Great review!
Ah yes, another piece of europe's mobility puzzle falls into place... Great to see austria again being at the forefront of green travel. It would be nice to see more train operators run sleeper services of this quality. I suppose that new services can only be ran if there's enough demand, so hopefully the rest of europe and the world will see what's happening here and start campaining for better transport also. To be fair to OEBB, all new trains have a certain number of technical issues when new, especially with all the software involved nowadays, I'm sure this will get ironed out in the long run, especially if they follow their track record of listening to their passenger's feedback.
Yet, nobody has answered this question: How is the seating comfort in the capsules? I assume you'd like to sit at least while eating. To me, sitting looks like a nightmare, with square shapes all over and a tiny pillow.
Love to see ÖBB revolutionise the night train with introduction of capsule style cabin while retaining some tradional compartment for group travellers. Certainly this is good for privercy minded passengers, and all other night train operators especially SNCF should follow suit. It's very annoying having to share the room with 3 strangers in first class couchette or 5 strangers in 2nd class couchette when travelling in Intercités de nuit across France.
16:05 Imagine if that's the seat you were assigned when you bought your ticket last minute. The joy of being able to squeeze on the train would be short-lived to say the least.
I went from Paris to Toulouse on the overnight train about 10 years ago in a sleeper carriage. The service was lousy but the train was quiet & smooth . I slept like a log , it was a fantastic way to get between the 2 cities .
Unfortunate of the breakdown, but luckily this doesn't happen often with the Siemens Taurus and Vectron locomotives which are on this service. The lights and announcements coming on in the middle of the night might indeed be caused by the train head end power coming on again. Maybe ÖBB can find a way in reprogramming the software so that this doesn't happen anymore and lights do only come on after an operator command. Even at full price I think the value is very good, and when traveling alone I think these mini berths are an improvement over sharing a 4 berth compartment with strangers. The train is very cleverly designed, and looks attractive too. When having a large backpack or suitcase you may to have it stored in the luggage racks in the seater coach as there is no room to take it with you inside the berth. And when you are not that mobile I would always advise to reserve a lower berth.
Superbly done train vlog! A reasonable price Maiden trip Weird midnight announcement Being late for 3 hours and claiming the refund It's very entertaining to watch the video as a train enthusiast😄
Looks like something that would face serious safety (evacuation) and accessibility issues in the US regulatory environment. Higher capacity sleeping cars are a good idea but this pod business looks dystopian and very 1984. At one time in the US we had sleeping cars called Slumbercoaches that had the same capacity without the pod business and every room had a toilet and sink.
@@SuperalbsTravels LOL No Amtrak would charge what they currently charge for a single occupancy roomette for the pod and raise the price of roomettes even higher. I'll bet something like this happens in Europe as well. Mobility isn't in our future as planned by Davos, the WEF and Brussels.
We travelled in an overnight sleeper 4 weeks ago from Vienna to Venice. It was not the new coaches and we had a "4 person couchette" sharing with another couple. We boarded at night but the other couple boarded on route even later. We were on the 2 upper beds. It was a horrible night and we did not get any sleep. The other elderly couple were french and they would not stop eating junk food (crisps) and talking throughout the middle of the night. I told them to shut up but that did not work as they had no intention of actually sleeping. About 3.00am i had another go at them but that did not work. It was our worst experience travelling on a train and we would never book a couchette again unless it was a 2 person sleeper for couples. The pillows on that i would not even call a pillow as they were tiny with zero head support. The ladder to the top bunks (used for luggage storage only) rattled all night.
was thinking of booking something for the Christmas market. We both love trains with my wife. However, the price (800€ or so) would be enough for 2 tickets and 2 nights in a hotel, and we'd still have some spending money left. Not affordable yet. Hoping that this will change though.
I think you used the wrong dimensions for the storage area. On the OEBB site it says: max. 40 x 55 x 23 cm. The dimensions "18x57x15" are for the shoe storage.
I've just applied for my FIP Card so I will be looking forward to finally getting to go and experience these wonderful night trains myself. Thanks for all the wonderful videos that have kept me entertained during my ongoing battle with discitis 🙂
I’m trying to book this exact journey in September albeit in reverse. I can’t see that the minicabins are available though. Anyone know why? Yes I am using the OEBB website.
I’ve done the jet train between Munich and Vienna, it was a fine comfortable ride. I would find that room you had to be small, cramped, and uncomfortable. Most importantly, I don’t wanna hear anybody else’s banging, talking or clanking . Given the general low price, I would opt for a full private cabin.
Doubt Americans will ever go for the couchette room occupied by 4 strangers. In the long run I doubt Europeans will either for reasons that don't need to be mentioned but the news shows every day. The pods are another matter. I can see some Europeans buy into the idea but Americans never. There are ways to build higher capacity sleeping cars with out those pods.
@@emilkarpo, there's *_nothing_* wrong with these pods other than you watch too much news on TV and think that everything's bad when it isn't. These couchettes are great and will work for people in North America as much as they do in Europe.
I'd be really uncomfortable on those coffin sleepers. It looks like the japanese capsule hotels, on rails. They even have the announcements in the middle of the night :-P
Something that would be good for the London-Scotland trains I think if it brought the prices down. Was looking at taking the Caledonian Sleeper but the prices even booked months in advance are hard to justify when flights are £30 return. As much as I'm not too keen on flying and don't like the idea of polluting, it would be ~5 hour total trip for me for a fraction of the price. £540 for two of us in bunk beds, it's just insane, you can fork out for an airport lounge, multiple snacks on Ryanair, the flights and a 5 star hotel for less.
we've had the same dilemma- i would suggest doing it as a daytime journey seated. we haven't done it yet but we're planning to- st P to edinburgh is only 4.5 hr and you can get returns on lumo for this june for 2 adults under £300 without a railcard. If you're travelling as a pair you can use a two together railcard, worth it just for one journey as this makes it £200 return. safe travels!
@@rosieupton9924 Yeah I was just looking at that, we both have 26-30 railcards and you're right it comes out about £200 (with a local train into London from Essex). Still though, we can take a £2 bus to Stansted (so £8 total for 2 people) plus £60 for the two of us on the cheapest flights and total journey time would be similar. Buses also run through the night, so we could in theory take the early flight and be in Edinburgh at 8am. It's just frustrating that flying can be so cheap when there are direct trains available running all day. We pack light too, so not even the cases would make a difference.
New night services are starting up all across Europe but this is probably the first that's offering a product that is better than the majority of new overnights that are ordering the same product, couchettes, and ancient non-airconditioned sleepers that helped kill overnight trains decades ago.
My understanding is that four mini cabins occupy the same space as a couchette compartment. But the couchette compartments could have four or six beds. At least for pricing, the ÖBB prices the mini cabins the same as a bed in a four bed couchette (which has a premium compared to the six bed couchette).
That makes sense; my primary observation is that they got rid of all 3-tier bedding layouts. Maybe the train is just overall longer, but in terms of pricing/profitability I have to imagine it has some impact
Was interested to see your video as it referred to a new train. Aside from the first time bugs, I must admit that as an older person, the overall effect/look was very cold and the couchettes would be difficult and uncomfortable unless you were younger and fairly spry.
LeviNZ ( Levin ,town ,,NZ) thoroughly approves and recommends this video. 130NZ$ I suppose is value for money.. what would air or car costs be in comparison?
If you have travelled overnight from Germany to Itally via Villach you would be very grateful for the beds parallel to the tracks I can assure you. The curves thorugh the mountains are not kind to you when laying across the carriage and usually resulting in little or no sleep.
If you like Vienna main station, might be worth checking out the new Stuttgart main station (S21 project) - still a long way from being finished, but on their open days you can see the architect's (ridiculously expensive) vision taking shape . . .
3 hours delay is not too bad. My wife and I had to travel with ICE half of the way from Berlin to Paris because ÖBB partially cancelled our Nightjet a day before departure and insisted we changed in Mannheim at 3 am... Turns out our sleeper actually never left Mannheim that night. Luckily DB warned us about this and paid for a hotel for the night, despite ÖBB claiming that the cancellation was a lie...
I was thrilled about the new cabins, it seemed to be such a cool concept. But… lights and announcements randomly go on in the middle of the night, dynamic pricing, huge unreliability. And last, but not least, those tiny luggage lockers… how are you supposed to carry your luggage? Even a normal sized suitcase doesn't fit, you are forced to travel very light! The alternative? The "classic" couchette compartment: a little more space, but at cost of no privacy and risk of snoring travel mates. Sleeping cars? Just unaffordable for the most people! Pretty disappointed, I'm fed up with Nightjet: Since the old sleeping cars are ridiculously padded, you barely get a chance to sleep well. Such a shame!
Great trip. I don't know how to say it, but why brand new carriage of Nightjet having so many problems compared to the predecessor, and the Taurus breakdown is a rare moment to see.
Good to know, well made video. Still would fly it only takes around 3:30h hours from city center Vienna to city center Hamburg with a bit of headroom, pun intended.
Nice video but not for me Albs as I prefer daytime train journeys. The interrupted sleep is awful plus I'm sure that most other passengers are not as considerate as you regarding light switch noises from your cabin. I think ÖBB should have spent more on soundproofing.
Pretty good option, saving one night of accommodation which is rather expansive in both Vienna and Hamburg - and a few technical issues should be solved soon, remembering this was the very first journey of this particular train //
On my trip to Hamburg I got almost frozen in the minicaps. My smartphone told me the temperature in the cabin was about 15 degrees during the night. My girlfriend and I were ill after the trip and we had a serious cold. 🥶
Yeah, height might be an issue. I'm roughly 191 cm tall and I have a problem in my 2-metre bed. This would probably be uncomfortable. But I really love the concept! If I really had to go on a journey like this, this looks to be a great way to do it. Might recommend this to someone.
Have just travelled on the Nightjet from Feldkirch to Vienna in one of the new compact sleeper compartments. Great to have on suite bathroom but the beds were so hard and narrow. Good breakfast. Car travelled as well as it was a motor rail service. Why oh why are there not more of these services? It saves on pollution and takes vehicles off the road. The EU Parliament should be encouraging motor rail services. then advertise them well and people will use them.
Looks excellent and good value. Small flaws I am sure will be sorted soon. However, your current world record on how many people could cram into one of the cabins (5) likely will be broken by others. It's a challenge for many now... Thanks
Most likely. It looked like a "reboot" to me. But they also couple / de-couple other Nightjet services as part of the regular plan (e.g. there is an Innsbruck -> Hamburg Nightjet which is coupled to this train), so they need to be able to do this without disturbing everyone's sleep.
@@lordeisschrank Yes, but when I did the trip I also had the lights come on unexpectedly. It seems to be a problem that this happens with every kind of reset / reconfiguration.
Secure your privacy with Surfshark! Enter coupon code SUPERALBS for an extra 3 months free at surfshark.deals/superalbs
Your videos are such an inspiration to watch
Did you say you use SURFSHARK ? , I'm not sure oh maybe you did again and again.
SURFSHARK recurring lol
Hey. Could you add subtitles for non English words. Love you video
@@borntowild480 Hi, what exactly do you mean? :)
@@GlobeSync1 thank you! 🥰
I suspect the random announcements and lights may have been caused by the restarting of the electrical systems after the locomotive broke down
@@ncard00 Right now I would only be able to review Korean and Japanese trains ㄲㄲㄲ
That is what I thought too
That's a good possibility. Could be the cabins are cut off from the interruptions most times, but reset to default once the power was restored (like a car radio).
"Around midnight" train most probably arrived in Germany and they turn on lights during border control every time
Your explanation makes sense!
I was in one of these last weekend, a few thoughts:
1. The cabins didn't feel very well ventilated, and smelled, to be honest, quite bad. Some HVAC controls would be nice, but at least they need to look at ways to improve airflow.
2. The roller doors at the end of each cabin rattle when the train is moving. I jammed a thin towel between the door and its track, which cut down on the rattling a bit, but hopefully they can find a proper fix for this, as it seems to be a common problem. (I had this problem both directions).
3. I think the sheets are just meant to be used like a sleeping bag liner, i.e. you just climb into it, you don't "make the bed" as such.
4. I suppose the huge luggage racks in the seating area are meant for the couchettes also. ÖBB need to communicate this better as lots of people seemed to be falling over their luggage given the small lockers in the couchette car.
5. They sell sleep masks (€2), and ear plugs (€2.50) on the train, I'd recommend these for a better night's sleep.
6. The key card holder next to the door is a nice idea.
All in all, I think the cabins are a huge improvement on previous couchettes, especially when travelling alone, as it means you can go to sleep at your own time, not worry about disturbing others when joining / leaving the train part way through, etc. I think it's a really cool idea, and respect to ÖBB for taking a risk here. I think the teething troubles will be worked through soon enough, and these can become a realistic, economic alternative to flying for some journeys.
Agreed, I look forward to seeing how the product develops.
I dont know if its just me, but my feed is filled with "New railjet overnight train" every week.
Same here
I hope people dont stop talking about it until ÖBB fixes all its problems. :)
Yep there’s a lot of competing rail traveller’s on the tube now
All marketing propaganda for a shit product
@@ulfwder einzige Propagandist hier bist du, du Clown
Technical issues with the new train stock and even worse technical deficiencies and lack of availability with the old stock on all the other routes is really what's plaguing the ÖBB Nightjet service. Frankly, in combination with the now dynamic prices and the massively increased price to take a bike with you (thank you for mentioning it by the way, this is often overlooked, it was only 10€ or so before), it no longer is an option for me and my partner (with two bikes) and we're unfortunately back to travelling by day.
I wasn't aware of the implementation of dynamic pricing* so thanks for the advice!
*Dynamic pricing=we will squeeze you for every Euro possible. It gets more like the dreaded Ryanair every day...
@@Robutube1 I dread to think what that will do to the cost - in January I booked a comfort sleeper cabin from Amsterdam to Innsbruck for mid June and it cost me €600+ (100% increase on last year) and that was for a trip on the old un-refurbished stock! This will be my last ride on the NightJet.
Detailed and clear expression🙏 Thx for ur devotion😘 I tried the app mentioned by comments section, amazingly it is 💥super save🤩
I’ve travelled by rail in Europe many times as a child in the 1960-70’s, & then on my own 1984-1992. In 1985 I spent 6 months in Europe using trains from Ireland, UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Greece, Hungary, Austria, West Germany & East Germany, Denmark, Holland, Belgium & Luxembourg. The trains have changed so much in all these years, especially from country to country. France already had TGV’s by this point & the rest of Europe quickly followed.
I wish they had sleeping compartments like this when I was there. I’ve had to share a couchette with 5 other people, and invariably I always got someone who snores! Plus personal possessions were in danger depending on who shared your compartment.
I will have to make the trek back to Europe soon. I’m in my 60’s now, and many of my relatives in Ireland, UK and Serbia are getting old and passing away now.
I will definitely take advantage of these new trains (where I can).
Thanks for posting this.
Brian Toronto Canada.
I remember the shared 5 sleeper compartment in the 80's! I was so freaked out by being the only woman in a sleeper with 4 unrelated males, I couldn't sleep. Especially after they locked the door to the compartment. One said thieves roam in the night to gain compartment access. 🤦😂
Spain here. Overnight trains No Longer exist here, I miss them so much!! I guess it's better for you to know, to avoid dissapointments...
Eastern and central europe still have decent sleeper trains.
Truly love how the channel shows every detail even including for wheelchair users unlike many other channels! Best review channel on RUclips!
When I caught the Nightjet from Vienna to Brussels last year we were about five hours late - the EU compensation money really does make the whole experience that much more appealing! Ended up cheaper than a hotel rather than much more expensive. The lack of a bar car is a bit sad though, what's the point of a sleeper train if you can't flirt with mysterious widows and hatch murder mystery plans until being sent to your cabins at midnight?
😊😊😊😊😊
If it weren't for the random announcement and lights coming on, this would be a pretty good option at that price if you're single or travelling with mates. Probably doesn't work as well for couples and families or older people who need more comfort and less climbing. It's good to have the choice though!
Yep, but there are options for those people too, such as group compartments and more spacious private sleepers. :)
I think the random annoucements and lights are software bugs which will be fixed in the future.
@@SuperalbsTravels The announcement and lights was probably when the electrical system got reconnected, resetting everything.
The pods are a perfect example of fancy glossy looks over practicality. The paper thing dividers between pods means if next door snores, talks on a phone etc there is no sound proofing. And the entry doors rattle open and closing so again people coming and going will wake you.
Exactly! It's not revolutionary but anti-people!
It's basically a cage & they are charging a premium for it. Looks very uncomfortable & claustrophobic tbh, not desirable.
Of course a good acoustic isolation would eat up more valuable space: Every pod would need its own separate suspension from the superstructure. Using earplugs for sleeping may be sufficient?
@@gargoyle7863 so in other words it’s not a relaxing evening. More akin to a 10 year old going to a school camp? Earplugs are hardly a solution for an inferior dumbed down product . It’s like saying if the toilets are dirty, just take a bucket with you.
You find pods perfect? It is an example of dehumanisering travel, even pigs destined to slaughterhouse have fought to have some standard and space
So what do you want? You are on an effing train that is moving, there are noises all the time, and there are other people.
I took some time ago the Nachtzug from Berlin to Munich, in a private cabin just by myself with a loo and a shower. The night was wonderful, breakfast tasty and I stepped off the train Munich fresh and well rested.
I also took some 37 years back the train from Dortmund to Rome, in a normal 6 seat cabin (which I had to myself outbound and inbound) and it was an amazing experience.
In particular when you are some sort of a train enthusiast. Going up the Gotthard in the early morning hours, Northern Italy mid morning and arriving at Roma Termini was epic. Return trip was via Domodossola and Sion, equally a gorgeous track to take a train, the landscapes are awesome.
Anyhow, if you have a problem with a sleeping mask and ear plugs, an overnight train isn’t for you. Plain and simple. You better take a plane, and don’t bother other people who still think that the journey is the adventure, and not the arrival!
A concept completely lost on more and more people.
This was an excellent video on these - The door randomly opening on the wrong side was pretty unexpected 🤣
Thank you, it was pretty funny! 😂
@@SuperalbsTravels "We will now be departing from Platform 0..... Even though that's a platform that doesn't exist. It's my first day on the job, so I'm just gonna spray paint the ballast, and that's your Platform 0.
Good day, watch out for oncoming trains, I don't want to deal with more paperwork on my first day".
That's probably not what happened, but I'd like to imagine that's why the door opened there.
@@AutismTakesOnWell, if they ever need to serve Platform 9 3/4!
That was me opening the doors on the wrong side in train sim.. 😅
I did this journey (and back) 2 weeks ago. On the way to Hamburg the lights also came on randomly during the night and a couple of announcements. Although I was not next to the bathroom (33) you could hear the very loud beeps everytime someone entered the bathroom and the sound isolation in the corridor was none existent. That being said I did get some sleep. The journey back was much better and was actually on time?! Which is the first on time I had with the Nightjet from 6 trips in the last 12 months
yaaaaaaaayyy i am glad to feature in this video with my long legs haahahahha
You were a great actor! 😂😂😂😂
legs reveal :D
@@SuperalbsTravels it was a honor😆
The only travel blogger who takes the trouble to learn how to pronounce the names of places that he goes to.
How incredibly clean and well maintained this station is. Nothing like you see in New York or San Francisco !
Agreed! 😥
Last time I took a sleeping car, it was over 7 hours late - makes your 3 hour delay seem practically on time!
Wow, what route was that? 😭
Night trains tend to have enormous delays
@@SuperalbsTravels Hamburg to Stockholm, last June.
@@AnnabelSmyth Ah yes, that one is really troublesome. I've had a lot of problems myself too...
I took 2 sleeper trains this summer, a turkish one and a romanian one, both without any delays!
Great video! But I had a different experience.
I travelled on this just a couple of days ago from Hamburg to Vienna. It was a bizarre experience too, at 7am, the host knocked on my door with breakfast, and didn’t hand it over until I’d given him the bedsheets, and as you could imagine, in such a small space, it was very difficult while he was just standing there. Then an hour before arrival at 8:30am, the host took my key card so I couldn’t get back into the room after I’d left, so I couldn’t go to the toilet for the last hour, so I was generally very uncomfortable. In terms of the nights sleep, I had a very comfortable sleep, and only arrived 40 minutes late. The boarding process was all a mess and I found everything apart from the sleep itself, very awkward.
I really enjoyed your take on it though and what you found positive and negative, I look forward to the next one!
Thanks! That sounds like a really unusual experience, it would definitely annoy me... 🤔
Those tiny capsule sleeping compartments are great from young fit people but no good for us older less mobile folk. They also rather remind me of the drawers in morgues/mortuaries used to house cadavers.
The funniest thing is the window! It is marked as safety exit, but I doubt someone lile you and me would fit through 😂
😂😂😂
Watch at 7:44, it is quite interesting how it works.
All great fun until the train derails and the side it falls on is the emergency exit side and the chances of that are ALWAYS 50/50.
There is enough space to fit through... The divider door shown in the video would be opened and both halves of the window broken, opening up the entire frame.
@@emilkarpo You know there's emergency exits on the other side, right?
Pricing for Europe is indeed very good and it seems they upped their comfort level a bit. We used one of their trains 2 years ago and for me being over 190cm it was a horrible experience. I couldn't pull up my knees without hitting something and I couldn't lie all out without noticing the bed space was 2-3cm short, so I slept about 30 min out of pure exhaustion. Judging from your review that spacing issue, hasn't changed. Thank you for your review, the plane it is.
The only time I've slept overnight on a train it was 1992, the motorail service from Santander to Malaga. Slept fine for most of the way, but do recall being woken by the sound of a train going slowly over points somewhere near Madrid. This was the time before internet, so I used the Thomas Cook book to identify the train & booking office then I called them for their fax number. I don't speak Spanish so they had to read the number very slowly ... luckily numbers are similar to French! I booked by fax, to meet the ferry from the UK. Many of the fellow pasengers were British who lived in Spain. Drove back for the return, sadly this service does not operate anymore.
Spain and Portugal really gave up completely on trains. Well, they exist, but it’s really not used often.
12:51 "me and the boys" moment
great to see rail geeks being sociable :)
😂😂😂😂
Those are not for someone who is claustrophobic. But I do like the idea. I am glad to see there are accommodations for wheelchairs.
I’ve ridden a night train from Hamburg to Vienna and return. I remember exactly 2 things from that trip,- Hamburg hbf and 9/11.
Oh right! 😳
I Don't know alot about trains but when I interrailed in Europe I got to try out a lot of them. And suprisingly the best BY FAR was the new MAV intercity trains from Budapest to Hamburg. Such a nice design, smooth ride and nice seats:) would love to see a video on it!
I'd like to try it sometime. And my friend told me there are discounts now.
I’m going on that train tomorrow, and I did it 2 months ago as well. Very comfortable! The restaurant was great also.
I made my trip in those mini-cabins. As a 1.99m tall guy, it was quite a squeeze but very comfy nonetheless! It has some flaws (very strong AC, poor noise-insulation, limited storage space), but in general it is a really great option for solo travellers and a true innovation to overnight travel!
Some things that appear to be causing the main problems are more operational things. Apart from the boarding being very chaotic (due to very limited place), the staff sometimes appears to be a little rude and overwhelmed/unorganized. And: the trains are quite unreliable due to technical reasons, especially when coming from Hamburg.
Annnnd we must mention the dynamic pricing which can be really frustrating...
But overall I have to say the concept of those mini cabins is unbelievable! And I love them :D
I really like them too! Hopefully they sort out the issues. :)
The price is right!!, sorry copyright infringement, but the price would certainly make me use it a hotel room on the move and extra time to explore Hamburg or Vienna if you’re going the other way
Haha 😂😂😂
Your transition to ads caught me off guard😂
Jokes aside, I think I have to give this a go. By then, the glitches which caused some disturbance in the middle of the night should have been fixed
Glitches on an inaugural run are sometimes to be expected. I'm sure they will iron out all the bugs in due time. I have no doubt this will end up to be a very popular journey. I can't wait to take it!! Great review!
Ah yes, another piece of europe's mobility puzzle falls into place... Great to see austria again being at the forefront of green travel. It would be nice to see more train operators run sleeper services of this quality. I suppose that new services can only be ran if there's enough demand, so hopefully the rest of europe and the world will see what's happening here and start campaining for better transport also.
To be fair to OEBB, all new trains have a certain number of technical issues when new, especially with all the software involved nowadays, I'm sure this will get ironed out in the long run, especially if they follow their track record of listening to their passenger's feedback.
Yeah, I am looking forward to seeing these carriages settle down a little. :)
lol @green travel. Yea okay
Yet, nobody has answered this question:
How is the seating comfort in the capsules? I assume you'd like to sit at least while eating. To me, sitting looks like a nightmare, with square shapes all over and a tiny pillow.
It's not too bad really, but I'd rather sit on the little seats in the corridor.
For the first time ever, I watched the whole entire sponsorship. It looks rather cool compared to other youtuber’s sponsorships.
Crazy unfiltered PWM pulsation light.
Love to see ÖBB revolutionise the night train with introduction of capsule style cabin while retaining some tradional compartment for group travellers. Certainly this is good for privercy minded passengers, and all other night train operators especially SNCF should follow suit. It's very annoying having to share the room with 3 strangers in first class couchette or 5 strangers in 2nd class couchette when travelling in Intercités de nuit across France.
Having a train like this on SNCF overnight routes would be SO GOOD! 🥰
16:05 Imagine if that's the seat you were assigned when you bought your ticket last minute. The joy of being able to squeeze on the train would be short-lived to say the least.
Thankfully, I don't think that is actually an allocated seat. 😂
@@SuperalbsTravels I guessed as much but it would be funny if it were.
@@SirKenchalot yeah! 🤣
as someone who's disabled thank you for showing the disabled room on the night train.
Glad to help. :)
You can'rt turn the loudspeaker off or down? Did you email OBB about yournbeing disturbed by loud announcements during the night?
I went from Paris to Toulouse on the overnight train about 10 years ago in a sleeper carriage. The service was lousy but the train was quiet & smooth . I slept like a log , it was a fantastic way to get between the 2 cities .
Question: when not sleeping, are you entitled to a place in the seating section? Or are you confined to sitting on the bed?
Unfortunate of the breakdown, but luckily this doesn't happen often with the Siemens Taurus and Vectron locomotives which are on this service.
The lights and announcements coming on in the middle of the night might indeed be caused by the train head end power coming on again.
Maybe ÖBB can find a way in reprogramming the software so that this doesn't happen anymore and lights do only come on after an operator command.
Even at full price I think the value is very good, and when traveling alone I think these mini berths are an improvement over sharing a 4 berth compartment with strangers.
The train is very cleverly designed, and looks attractive too. When having a large backpack or suitcase you may to have it stored in the luggage racks in the seater coach as there is no room to take it with you inside the berth.
And when you are not that mobile I would always advise to reserve a lower berth.
Superbly done train vlog!
A reasonable price
Maiden trip
Weird midnight announcement
Being late for 3 hours and claiming the refund
It's very entertaining to watch the video as a train enthusiast😄
Haha, thanks! :)
Oh no. 3am announcements is a deal-killer for me. It looks lovely, but oh no. I do not want to be woken up at 3am.
18 minutes of video, and the damn tongue never shut up to allow you to enjoy the wonderful ambient sound of the train for a while.
Only if America's sleeper trains had capsule sleeper services...
Agreed! And hopefully it would make overpriced Amtrak cheaper too. 😅
Looks like something that would face serious safety (evacuation) and accessibility issues in the US regulatory environment. Higher capacity sleeping cars are a good idea but this pod business looks dystopian and very 1984. At one time in the US we had sleeping cars called Slumbercoaches that had the same capacity without the pod business and every room had a toilet and sink.
@@SuperalbsTravels LOL No Amtrak would charge what they currently charge for a single occupancy roomette for the pod and raise the price of roomettes even higher. I'll bet something like this happens in Europe as well. Mobility isn't in our future as planned by Davos, the WEF and Brussels.
Privacy and having a bed for sleeping are not dystopian to me. Dystopia is TSA at any US airport
@@fincarosa Amen.
The intros always keep me hooked! 💪
Superalbs: Is this the future?
Tom Thornton on pod train a month ago: This isn't the future.
We travelled in an overnight sleeper 4 weeks ago from Vienna to Venice. It was not the new coaches and we had a "4 person couchette" sharing with another couple. We boarded at night but the other couple boarded on route even later. We were on the 2 upper beds. It was a horrible night and we did not get any sleep. The other elderly couple were french and they would not stop eating junk food (crisps) and talking throughout the middle of the night. I told them to shut up but that did not work as they had no intention of actually sleeping. About 3.00am i had another go at them but that did not work. It was our worst experience travelling on a train and we would never book a couchette again unless it was a 2 person sleeper for couples. The pillows on that i would not even call a pillow as they were tiny with zero head support. The ladder to the top bunks (used for luggage storage only) rattled all night.
was thinking of booking something for the Christmas market. We both love trains with my wife. However, the price (800€ or so) would be enough for 2 tickets and 2 nights in a hotel, and we'd still have some spending money left. Not affordable yet. Hoping that this will change though.
Water all over toilet floor. Did you splash?
I think you used the wrong dimensions for the storage area. On the OEBB site it says: max. 40 x 55 x 23 cm. The dimensions "18x57x15" are for the shoe storage.
Thanks for the correction!
I really like the train. I wish we had them in the U. S.
I've just applied for my FIP Card so I will be looking forward to finally getting to go and experience these wonderful night trains myself. Thanks for all the wonderful videos that have kept me entertained during my ongoing battle with discitis 🙂
Awesome, hope you enjoy the experience! 😍
Nice video. Keep up the good work.
these cabins seems to awaken my claustrophobia by just watching the video. I don't think I can ever travel in one.
2:30 dont forget passengers with Railteam status!
Is this compartment also comfortable for sitting in? Once you wake up and you don't want to be lying down anymore. To me it looks kinda low for that?
As shown, I found the headroom while sat to be quite decent.
I'm pretty sure the measurements at 7:15 are those for the shoe compartment.
Oops, thanks for that correction! 👍
@@AutismTakesOn arrival is at roughly 17 mins into the video, and when i checked the timestamp was correct, must have been a glitch of some sorts
I’m trying to book this exact journey in September albeit in reverse. I can’t see that the minicabins are available though. Anyone know why? Yes I am using the OEBB website.
I’ve done the jet train between Munich and Vienna, it was a fine comfortable ride. I would find that room you had to be small, cramped, and uncomfortable. Most importantly, I don’t wanna hear anybody else’s banging, talking or clanking . Given the general low price, I would opt for a full private cabin.
That little cabin is my idea of hell!! 😁
We need this couchette car model here in North America (on both Amtrak & Via Rail.)
Doubt Americans will ever go for the couchette room occupied by 4 strangers. In the long run I doubt Europeans will either for reasons that don't need to be mentioned but the news shows every day. The pods are another matter. I can see some Europeans buy into the idea but Americans never. There are ways to build higher capacity sleeping cars with out those pods.
@@emilkarposhow what? You are falling for sensationalism when crime rates arent rising
@@emilkarpo, there's *_nothing_* wrong with these pods other than you watch too much news on TV and think that everything's bad when it isn't. These couchettes are great and will work for people in North America as much as they do in Europe.
wien and paris should have direct trains to every european capital
I'd be really uncomfortable on those coffin sleepers. It looks like the japanese capsule hotels, on rails. They even have the announcements in the middle of the night :-P
Something that would be good for the London-Scotland trains I think if it brought the prices down. Was looking at taking the Caledonian Sleeper but the prices even booked months in advance are hard to justify when flights are £30 return. As much as I'm not too keen on flying and don't like the idea of polluting, it would be ~5 hour total trip for me for a fraction of the price. £540 for two of us in bunk beds, it's just insane, you can fork out for an airport lounge, multiple snacks on Ryanair, the flights and a 5 star hotel for less.
we've had the same dilemma- i would suggest doing it as a daytime journey seated. we haven't done it yet but we're planning to- st P to edinburgh is only 4.5 hr and you can get returns on lumo for this june for 2 adults under £300 without a railcard. If you're travelling as a pair you can use a two together railcard, worth it just for one journey as this makes it £200 return. safe travels!
@@rosieupton9924 Yeah I was just looking at that, we both have 26-30 railcards and you're right it comes out about £200 (with a local train into London from Essex). Still though, we can take a £2 bus to Stansted (so £8 total for 2 people) plus £60 for the two of us on the cheapest flights and total journey time would be similar. Buses also run through the night, so we could in theory take the early flight and be in Edinburgh at 8am.
It's just frustrating that flying can be so cheap when there are direct trains available running all day. We pack light too, so not even the cases would make a difference.
New night services are starting up all across Europe but this is probably the first that's offering a product that is better than the majority of new overnights that are ordering the same product, couchettes, and ancient non-airconditioned sleepers that helped kill overnight trains decades ago.
It's great to see such investment into overnight trains! :)
Glad to have participated in forming a new world record, but I still think we can fit more than 5 people in a minicabin.
We need more people willing enough to be a little bit daft for science! 😂
Japan had this for a while called "shindaitokyu" in the late 1900s said not practical and moved on from it
My impression is that new nightjet has a lot less capacity than the old night jet carriages, but I'm curious how it actually compares
I suppose it depends on the exact formation. The old sets were flexible, but these are not.
My understanding is that four mini cabins occupy the same space as a couchette compartment. But the couchette compartments could have four or six beds. At least for pricing, the ÖBB prices the mini cabins the same as a bed in a four bed couchette (which has a premium compared to the six bed couchette).
That makes sense; my primary observation is that they got rid of all 3-tier bedding layouts. Maybe the train is just overall longer, but in terms of pricing/profitability I have to imagine it has some impact
Super nice Video! I like it!
For a ‘contemporary’ station, Vienna hbf is indeed one of the best in Europe.
Was interested to see your video as it referred to a new train. Aside from the first time bugs, I must admit that as an older person, the overall effect/look was very cold and the couchettes would be difficult and uncomfortable unless you were younger and fairly spry.
...but are you able to sit and look out the window in the mini cabins?
You can sit in the corridor and look out that window, or lie down and look out of your own window in the cabin.
LeviNZ ( Levin ,town ,,NZ) thoroughly approves and recommends this video. 130NZ$ I suppose is value for money.. what would air or car costs be in comparison?
If you have travelled overnight from Germany to Itally via Villach you would be very grateful for the beds parallel to the tracks I can assure you. The curves thorugh the mountains are not kind to you when laying across the carriage and usually resulting in little or no sleep.
If you like Vienna main station, might be worth checking out the new Stuttgart main station (S21 project) - still a long way from being finished, but on their open days you can see the architect's (ridiculously expensive) vision taking shape . . .
Thank you
the mini-cabin divider, do you have to unlock both sides to open?
Yes, both sides must be unlocked.
3 hours delay is not too bad. My wife and I had to travel with ICE half of the way from Berlin to Paris because ÖBB partially cancelled our Nightjet a day before departure and insisted we changed in Mannheim at 3 am... Turns out our sleeper actually never left Mannheim that night. Luckily DB warned us about this and paid for a hotel for the night, despite ÖBB claiming that the cancellation was a lie...
How annoying, glad you got a hotel in the end though...
у меня в Беларуси никто, конечно, не возмещал бы 50% за опоздание поезда))
I was thrilled about the new cabins, it seemed to be such a cool concept.
But… lights and announcements randomly go on in the middle of the night, dynamic pricing, huge unreliability.
And last, but not least, those tiny luggage lockers… how are you supposed to carry your luggage? Even a normal sized suitcase doesn't fit, you are forced to travel very light!
The alternative? The "classic" couchette compartment: a little more space, but at cost of no privacy and risk of snoring travel mates. Sleeping cars? Just unaffordable for the most people!
Pretty disappointed, I'm fed up with Nightjet: Since the old sleeping cars are ridiculously padded, you barely get a chance to sleep well.
Such a shame!
Great trip. I don't know how to say it, but why brand new carriage of Nightjet having so many problems compared to the predecessor, and the Taurus breakdown is a rare moment to see.
To be fair, it's new. Let's hope they can fix the problems. :)
Stunning livery. If this is the future I like what I see
Good to know, well made video. Still would fly it only takes around 3:30h hours from city center Vienna to city center Hamburg with a bit of headroom, pun intended.
what was the price range from seat to state room?
Nice video but not for me Albs as I prefer daytime train journeys. The interrupted sleep is awful plus I'm sure that most other passengers are not as considerate as you regarding light switch noises from your cabin. I think ÖBB should have spent more on soundproofing.
Pretty good option, saving one night of accommodation which is rather expansive in both Vienna and Hamburg - and a few technical issues should be solved soon, remembering this was the very first journey of this particular train //
On my trip to Hamburg I got almost frozen in the minicaps. My smartphone told me the temperature in the cabin was about 15 degrees during the night. My girlfriend and I were ill after the trip and we had a serious cold. 🥶
What, that's far too cold! 😭
What phone do you have that has an ambient temperature sensor?
Reminds me of hospital in UK where the nurses never tired of waking me up to try and make me take painkillers and sleeping pills.
It looks like a Japanese capsule hotel 😂
Yeah, height might be an issue. I'm roughly 191 cm tall and I have a problem in my 2-metre bed. This would probably be uncomfortable.
But I really love the concept! If I really had to go on a journey like this, this looks to be a great way to do it. Might recommend this to someone.
OBB night ride is my list
Have just travelled on the Nightjet from Feldkirch to Vienna in one of the new compact sleeper compartments. Great to have on suite bathroom but the beds were so hard and narrow. Good breakfast. Car travelled as well as it was a motor rail service. Why oh why are there not more of these services? It saves on pollution and takes vehicles off the road. The EU Parliament should be encouraging motor rail services. then advertise them well and people will use them.
Looks excellent and good value.
Small flaws I am sure will be sorted soon.
However, your current world record on how many people could cram into one of the cabins (5) likely will be broken by others. It's a challenge for many now...
Thanks
Yes, I can't wait to hear how many people can fit in! 🤣
3:46 the moment i saw that i was like : vpn sponsor
could you do a video on the Portuguese Aveiro to sernada do Vouga narrow gauge branch?
I wonder if the light/announcement at night had to do with connecting a new locomotive to the train?
Most likely. It looked like a "reboot" to me. But they also couple / de-couple other Nightjet services as part of the regular plan (e.g. there is an Innsbruck -> Hamburg Nightjet which is coupled to this train), so they need to be able to do this without disturbing everyone's sleep.
@@GaryCresswell-k4u those double nightjets already have a second loco in the middle, no?
@@lordeisschrank Yes, but when I did the trip I also had the lights come on unexpectedly. It seems to be a problem that this happens with every kind of reset / reconfiguration.
the idea of this brand new train look like the Sunrise Express in japan, active from 1996.....
amazing vid, shame about the loc. Will we get a new railjet vid as well???
Coming soon! 👀
Huge delay? That's just the normal delay. And the journey sounds great compared to my 2 trips in the pots now since their introduction
Oh dear, what happened? 🤣
The view of the minicabin makes me claustrophobic
Fair enough! 😩