We actually have spent 11+hours on AmTrak in their regular seats because we couldn't afford a sleeper car lol. It was a 2 day train ride and horrible. Never again. I will say the food was pretty good though :)
Hello Tim 🙂 I Enjoy Watching Your RUclips Channel , You Should Wear More Winter Season Clothing For Warmth To Protect Yourself From Deep Freeze Temperatures . I Look Forward To Your New Episodes & Stay Warm 🙂
@@thevikingwarrior Same. I’m just outside of Chicago and we got down to minus 50 in 2019. I’m a mailman and the government decided it was too cold to do our job that day. Gloves or not!
😂😂 why did he do that. Standing outside excessively long, to show us the train station we had been looking at, and with that jacket open the whole time only to go inside and still record which he could've been doing.... Literally, this guy knows how to build the drama 😅😅
The only overnight train I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing was one from Moscow to Leningrad in 86. Even though it was the Soviet Union (so pretty basic set up) it was still the best sleep I’ve ever had. An extended train trip anywhere in the entire world is at the top of my wishlist.
"Can you imagine sitting in one of these seats for 12 hours!?!" mate those seats look pretty good, living in New Zealand, flights to almost anywhere other than Australia start at 12 hours. My flight to the USA was 19 hours so.. 12 hours in a large train seat with plenty of space to walk around wouldn't be a problem 😂😂😂
@jakes4164 I'm not OP but I've done flights like that at least 25 times. International economy seats are often bigger than domestic economy seats. This is immediately obvious if you have domestic connection after an international flight. Overall I find these long haul international flights to be fine. I generally try to sleep most of the way. Most airlines are very tolerant of people standing around the galley on long haul flights although I believe it's illegal on US carriers. A lot of carriers now leave snacks and water bottles in the galley you can just take when you want.
@@holoholopainen1627 Ways to interpret the BIBLE: 5 points of GOSPEL: - Figurative 1.) Christ died - Symbolical 2.) for our sins - Literal 3.) was buried - Devotional 4.) rose again - Historical 5.) According to the script. - Dispensational GOD`s expectations to us; - REPENT! - BORN AGAIN! - BE HOLY! - EXPOSE EVIL! - DO THE WILL OF YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER!
Hi.Always carry earplugs!!!🎉😂❤. Yes I would very much travell on that train. You don't need 2 showers a day??!!😅. Finland is really cool/nice.Thank you.
As a Lapland resident, I travel semi regularly from Rovaniemi to Helsinki and back, and always enjoy the train journey despite that as a student I often save money and just book a seat. With a good book, 12 hours in a day carriage is doable, but cabin is well worth the price tbh... I love sleeping in those trains, it feels like a cradle, being slowly lulled into sleep by the train swaying and making all those clank-clonk sounds. I'm sorry to hear that your journey didn't go according to plan, but you were travelling during the coldest week there has been for ages, -30 to -40'c in large parts of the country. Finnish railways were in chaos because the frost caused a lot of technical problems for both trains and railway infra - in milder weather Finnish trains are somewhat reliable and mostly in schedule. Cold water and low water pressure were undoubtedly related to frost issues as well. During the busiest tourist season you can sometimes see old sleeper cars being used among the new ones, and you managed to spot one of those! The three-bed cabin with orange basin etc. is one of the so called "blue stock sleepers", first built some 50 years ago! (Renovated several times since, obviously...) Still going strong despite its age, it seems. Other "blue stock" carriages were removed from the regular use in the early 2000's.
Russia gets way colder. I am Russian / Finnish currently living in Canada. I never understood the big deal about -20, it’s a pretty average winter temperature for me
@@JC-qb2qj I often find, that when people say they don't understand things about other people's statements, it is not the case. Understanding is clear, but some bizarre mechanic in our brain, insist on stating the opposite.
I took that very same train once. It was surreal, because you go to sleep, and you wake up in a different world. Culture, climate, people, buildings, everything is different. It’s like a secret gateway to Narnia really.
Tim this is incredible.. to think that you began this channel by recording a walk up the road! Your dedication & support from Gabby has taken you so far & it's such an honour & pleasure to see 🥂
Thank you for your honest opinions regarding the sleeper train. I am planning a trip to Rovaniemi with children in Nov and the video helped me in deciding whether I should fly in or take the train. Thanks.
In Finland we like to meme about the trains always being late, but actually by European standards they are quite well on time on average. Unfortunate that your trip didn't go exactly as planned, but you seemed to enjoy it well enough. Btw, those armrest buttons used to be for radio, not TV.
I think in Germany , we have much more delays than in finland😅 It’s so normal here to have minimum 30 mins delay for intercity or intercity express trains (no regional, they are (mostly) on time).
The delays in Germany have been crazy these past years. I used to never have issues like that before. Hopefully they can get it together in the next few years
In Germany I have never had a train that is 4 hours late. In Germany we like to complain a lot, but I have a Deutschlandticket and I don’t own a car so I only use public transport and I really don’t find it that bad.
Finnish sleeper trains are the best in europe in my opinion. Sure they aren't perfect, but they seem to work well most of the time and because Finland uses bigger rail gauge they have very good amount of space compared to other sleepers especially in europe. Finland uses 1524mm gauge while many other countries use the standard 1435mm. This makes a big difference especially when talking about sleeper trains.
You would have to admit you were not appropriately dressed for this trip. T Shirt, no gloves, scarf, hat, thin jacket. I understand the luggage restrictions but you’re dressed for Tenerife 🥶
Been a railway enthusiast myself, this is definably everybody's bucket list to do as it does look real impresses especially touring the winter times. I could see myself trying it out when I'm in Finland.
@@WalkWithMeTimyou need to let the water run for some time for the water to become warmer. It's very common on nordic sleeper trains. It's still going to be much colder compared to hotels ect because that's just the nature of sleeper trains and how the water system works. The water can also totally run out if many people are over using the water.
As a native it's always flattering to see something very regular to me described by someone else as "bucket list" lol, I hope you get to experience it and have a better experience than Tim did here!
I'm a Finn living in the south of Finland. I've done the same route maybe about 50 times on the same sleeper train. It's not ideal, but beats driving up north with little kids every time. Imagine spending 1000 km in a car with three fairly small children... no thanks. Also, with additional cost, you can take your car with you on the train and continue by car from Rovaniemi further up north. That's usually my best choice. A bit pricy, but saves basically one day of travel and your nerves. And you still have a car in Lapland, so you don't have to think about public transportation, which is basically non-existent.
I went to Rovaniemi in october 2023. The train was wonderful. Not so cold. I could see the lights my first night and went to Santa's Place the other day. Really snowy and with Christmas songs, it was all magic. The train got off in time.❤
Hi Tim, I liked the cabin and facilities. It all looked clean and you weren’t sharing. The food looked ok and you said it was the best. Glad the loo was working. These train journeys are right up my track. I watch with interest. Enjoy your sleep Tim and will watch breakfast before I quit here. :) how annoying someone trying your door. Your night a bit disrupted. Breakfast not my choice. Did they have full English 😆 I liked the whole trip Tim… thanks for sharing….
Really great video from a real traveller just getting on with things without whining or complaining, despite the setbacks. I look forward to watching other videos.
When i was young many years ago in the late 60s i remember traveling in these trains with my parents, these bunk beds braught back some memories, thanks for the video
I always thought I would want to go on a train, but after watching this, my claustrophobia is getting me by just watching. Watching you go down narrow hall after narrow hall and not finding the restaurant I just can’t do that. Thanks for sharing because now I know.
Finnish trains have actually more space compared to other european trains since Finland uses larger train gauge (1524mm compared to the standard 1435mm). Finland's sleeper trains are very good and better than many other sleepers I know.
As a Finn, I got to say that we're really well prepared for cold weather, but the last week or so has been horrendous. So we're used to it, the transportation sector is used to it, but sometimes it gets too cold for even us. :)
@@jk7921I'm in eastern Finland. We just had a few days of around -35C (occasionally a bit colder, too) and the index, the "feels like" temperature got as low as -45C here. People's cars were freezing, even though we're prepared. We know how to act and what to do. Sometimes the weather just does something rare and... :D
We did this train just before Christmas there and back and had an amazing time with a totally faultless experience, so I guess it's a case of opinions 🙂
Helsinki railway station is an architectural icon, that is high on my bucket list of places I want to visit very soon. I love sleeper trains but I agree, sleeping on a sleeper train is difficult. The only time I managed it was from Chicago to New York after not sleeping on a train from Salt Lake City to Chicago in coach for about 35 hours. So exhaustion prior to trying to sleep on a sleeper might be the answer. The irony is that I fall asleep sitting up on a train during the day because of the motion of the train. Oh, and just as you said "you can't go wrong with a carbonara" my wife passed the TV and said "not if you get bad cream". But I'd do the trip for sure, probably wouldn't sleep, and I'd have the carbonara and risk the cream.
I m from Saint-Petersburg and was always suprised on seeing foreigners aesoecually from a wsrm countries withour a proper clothing and without a cap or hat in such a cold times. But Ive too heard that British people have a good tradition of not making themselves too warmly dressed, unlike us 😄
Traveling with you through vids is a great experience and i thank you so much for your hard work and determination. U are one of a kind youtuber Tim. Much appreciated
I was in Rovaniemi last week and it was extraordinarily cold. Minus 32 one day! The owner of the airbnb we stayed in even said that it was unusual to be that cold!
People may also take shorter trips whit that night train, e.g. late evening trip from Helsinki to Tampere or early morning trip from Oulu to Rovaniemi. Therefore it's great that there are also seats available.
i traveled in the States my home.. on Amtrack.. I went from NYC to Florida on the sleeper car and from Albany NY to Seattle on the sleeper.. great experience !! I love trains.. dislike flying,. Very beautiful train.. so nice a modern the one you were on.. Thanks interesting video
I have done the Helsinki to the North sleeper train about 10 times as I live in the North of Finland... I've never had a bad experience and I love sleeping on the train... last year my son and I overnighter to Helsinki from up north it was a great adventure.
35 years ago we took the sleeper train across America and it was awesome! I was 13. I did the sleeper euro train first class in 1996 and that was even better. Amazing food. We had a toilet in our cabin as well.
It's just a radio. As child I used to travel in that train a lot with my dad. It was memorable experience. These days I snore on a seat from Kuopio to the Helsinki and back.
I travelled on a sleeper from Northern Norway thru Swedish Lapland to Stockholm. It was a wonderful experience. Lying in bed and watching all the snowy landscape and houses and northern lights on route was magical. Having the privacy and the space in your own room and choice of beds is great. I did here the Italian ladies next door talking non stop for 19 hours but I just put in my ear plugs 😊😊
I from the USA and I really enjoyed this video. It’s so interesting to see sleeper trains from other parts of the world. I would love to see you ride and evaluate some of the long distance trains in the USA ❤
I live in the USA also! It would be great if Tim comes here to try one of our sleeper trains. I've been ever been on one..but I would like to try it ..
@@WalkWithMeTim If you wish to see America the most favorite route is the California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville (San Francisco Bay Area), a two nights and two days journey. But if you wish to see the best part of that route through the Rocky Mountains, save considerably and ride in coach during the day from Denver to Salt Lake City either westbound or eastbound... Amtrak has two types of sleeper trains, the single level Viewliner used for all sleeper trains serving New York City, and the double level Superliners used everywhere else. Both have the larger more expensive en suite standard bedrooms similar to European sleepers, and the smaller roomettes which are very popular and more affordable...
We took a train to Ca. It’s a long journey and rather expensive. We had a family room. Big plus a bed folds into a couch, private bathroom, meals included. We could go to site seeing car. The views in Colorado and Utah were awesome. Zephyr is hop on /hop off and you can get off in some city and catch a next train.
Excellent. Unlike so many travel’ experts’ , full of practical details such as time , temperature and the experience. Intelligent commentary and no self promoting guff.
No loos either on or off the trains, and sub zero temperatures? My worst nightmare, literally!😱😄What a confusing time and so late at night too! But I'm glad you finally got settled...sort of. Don't think I'll be going on that train any day soon, but I still enjoyed the experience through your eyes, Tim. Happy New Year to you and yours!
That was a very rare event. I've not heard of a similar lack of water ever. The cold delayed all trains for several days, they had to cancel some weekend trains in order to catch the timetables on the next Monday. Most Sleeper trains were running 1-2 hours late but the timetables are so loose that most of the would arrive in time to the destination.
I am Finn and I think our trains are reliable and always couzy. Nothing ever happens here. It sounds like the -20 degrees have affected them. I think the weather is an exception due to destabilizing climate. I always use ear plugs when I sleep
I've used sleeper trains all over the world and found a decent pair of noise cancelling ear plugs essential to get some sleep. Enjoying the vids. Keep up the good work! 👏
Being South African, I would recommend The Blue Train in SA. It's so expensive that the only way most South Africans get to see it, is when it passes by, but it's apparently worth it. And nowhere near so cold. Nice tropical weather.
Tim, the generators on those locomotives hauling your train must have been working to full capacity to cope with the absolute well below freezing conditions. Just think of the heating and lighting that is needed for a train that size, and even colder when running at speed. The train seems to be very clean and comfortable with a cafeteria part as well. A very enjoyable presentation, thank you. PS - shame about the delays you had at the beginning of your journey.
That's an electric train (you can see the pair of locomotives moving away at the end). There's an additional 1500 V coil in the main transformer for the head end power. All the power comes from the 25 kV overhead line. (A maximum of about 6000 kW or 8000 hp in this instance.)
Get yourself a bulk pack of Howard Leight soft earplugs mate and carry them everywhere with you for peaceful sleep. Invaluable for travelling and getting proper rest. Cuts out the bulk of annoying noise but also lets through anything important like announcements or your sleep alarm etc.
It read on the Helsinki info screen that the train is standing still in maintenance rail. I bet what happened was that either they had some problems with the locomotive, or they had frozen brakes. That last one is the most common reason. There's a special tool in the locomotive for that so you can walk along and give the brakes some "percussive maintenance"
The last two weeks have been rather chaotic with VR's long distance trains... Hours of delays, buses replacing trains, and indeed frozen toilets. I just spent a week in Northern Finland and took night express sleeper trains both ways. The first trip went fine, but on the return trip the train was rather delayed due to other trains breaking down, and some of the toilets weren't working. However the train conductor told us to apply for a refund due to the toilets not working. I believe VR also promises 25% off if the train is more than an hour late, and 50% off if more than two hours late.
Good thing that VR still handled that situation well and offered the refunds. Finnish sleeper trains are very good compared to many other sleepers I know. Finnish sleeper trains have more space anyways because Finland uses 1524mm rail which is larger than the standard 1435mm gauge. This is why they are so huge and have naturally bigger space for passengers.
These trains vacuum toilets similiar to cruise ships, ferries, and airliners, don't like double ply toilet tissue which clog them up, but nitwits worldwide continue to use double ply toilet tissue because they are spoiled with the thicker, softer tissue... Single ply biodegradable tissue is what they stock in the rest rooms, don't use your double ply tissue...
@@WalkWithMeTim I'd contact their customer support to get that worked out. Their customer support has always done a great job when I've had any troubles, unlike the personnel that you had to deal with at the train station that weren't well trained to handle the situation it seems.
We all enjoyed this one. Travel by train in the US has never been something people rave about. And it is terribly expensive for making the trip so much longer. So idk if that’s what you want to do. Either way, we will be watching. Thank you again for getting us out and about in the world😎
I travel between Helsinki and Lapland around ten times a year, always on a sleeper train. Usually reliable, I don't remember when last had delays or something else. I guess you were a bit unlucky here. There seems to be more problems in the daytime connections than in the night trains in Finland. Those old sleeper carriers are not in frequent use. Usually only as a reserve or extras for the Christmas tourist season. This week was the coldest in Finland in around 15 years so I guess they had to replace some normal sleeper carriers to old ones due to "frostbite". And for the longer break when you were having your carbonara - that was the car carrier station, takes around 30 mins to add the wagons. It's common to take a car with you, especially if are heading somewhere else than Rovaniemi in Lapland. The staff should have handled the delay better at the station, hope they see this video.
Great video. This brought back interrailing across europe memories. I always took the top bunk. Good fun and always met some characters. The views looked spectacular though
Love this! I've ridden trains through parts of Canada and to commute. In my opinion the best way to travel. Now settled in the wild of Vancouver Island and miss traveling. Thanks for posting
"Can you imagine sitting for 12 hours in one of these seats?" *Looks at my computer chair that I sit in for 8 hours a day and would sit in for 14-16 hours when I was in my 20's playing MMO's* Yeah yeah I can.
Wonderful video. Thank you. The last time I took the train was about 1965 here in Minnesota. We had a line that ran from Minneapolis to the west of the state. Dad put mom, my brother and myself on the train to Alexandria, MN. Lake country and a resort mecca area of the time. Met at the station by an aunt and uncle. Dad drove up the next day. Miss the availability of a real rail service.
Wow well done for doing that Tim certainly wouldn’t have been for me! Coldness and lack of sleep would result in me being very cranky! 😂 But it’s great you show us these things ☺️
Long lasting frost, breakdowns, a cyber attack and an extensive system failure in Finntraffic’s and HSL’s information systems. Combined these have caused some pretty large disruption on Finnish rails. Luckily this doesn’t happen often.
The room key looks like what was called a "Ving Card" that hotels used back in the 80s and 90s before magnetic and RFID room locks. With the 32 or 36 or whatever number of positions on it, you could make billions of different combinations of punches. They lined up mechanically with a lock that set pins through to match and then open (why it has to be in the door for the door to open).
Yes it is a Ving Card. They begin in 1974 when lockmaker Tor Sørnes hears about a woman attacked by an intruder in her hotel room. The story inspires him to invent a better door opening system. The goal is to make hotel guests and travellers feel safe no matter where they are staying. Two years later, Sørnes introduced VingCard, the world’s first recordable keycard door lock. At the same time, Bjørn Lyng, constructs the world’s first electronic in-room safe, Elsafe. The two joined forces in 1994 to to better serve their customers and grow the company.. The modern version is smartphone operated giving self service check in possibilities in leading hotels.
Tim, I have never been on a sleeper train.... However back in the 90s there was a Lowestoft coach journey, to Malgrat de mar in Spain... The journey there, took 27hrs! We finally arrived at the Hotel Marapins, the worst hotel I've ever stayed at, & the journey from hell too! 😂 But.... It really was the best laugh I've ever had on a holiday! Luckily I was young & extremely enthusiastic lol.. & back then for £149 half board Inc travel, what do you expect 😂😂
Thank you for the video Tim. I actually want to give this night train route a go if I ever manage to convince my Finnish husband, who‘s sceptical about the noise. I travelled from Karlsruhe in Germany to Amsterdam in the past and it was great, but the long stops and the noise meant I didn’t get much sleep. By the way the enclosed „vip“ cabins for 2 or 4 people can be booked as an add on from the VR website.
So sorry you had bad luck. It seems to have been one of the coldest nights in Finland. We heard from the news that some trains were frozen because of the extreme cold. There were some sleeper trains where all the toilets/plumbing were frozen and out of order. Outdoor temperature was -29⁰C to -33⁰C and that's too extreme.
0:00 - Not the Smoothest Start: Issues with toilets due to freezing temperatures and frost on the train, causing delays and discomfort for passengers. 0:15 - Cold Consequences: Facing -20°C temperatures in Helsinki, the train's technical problems exacerbated due to extreme cold weather conditions. 0:43 - Derailed Plans: Initial confusion regarding the correct train, leading to a delayed start and uncertainty about cabin arrangements. 1:04 - Chilly Beer Moment: Grabbed a local Finnish beer at the station, pondering dinner plans due to train delays impacting the restaurant car's availability. 1:59 - Misleading Information: Challenges in obtaining accurate updates, conflicting information on the delay duration caused further confusion. 3:02 - Toilet Troubles: Toilets at the station and on the train out of order, posing a significant issue for passengers waiting for the delayed train departure. 5:23 - Frustration and Chaos: Tension and frustration rising among waiting passengers due to lack of clear communication and facilities. 6:52 - Cabin Exploration: Finally boarding the train, explored the sleeper cabin, noticing space, amenities, and potential noise concerns from neighboring rooms. 10:32 - Shower Mishap: Encountered problems with the shower and room, including cold water and malfunctioning equipment, impacting comfort during the journey. 13:00 - Dining Dilemma: Explored dining options on the train, found food not included in the ticket price, opting for a meal at an additional cost. 14:26 - Train Features and Oddities: Discovered unique features on the train, including older areas, audio controls in seats, and unusual room designs. 16:45 - Sleep Struggles: Challenges with noise, interruptions, and train movements affected the quality of sleep during the journey. 19:32 - Arrival Delay: Arrived significantly behind schedule, experiencing multiple disruptions and inconveniences throughout the journey. 20:55 - Mixed Experience: Despite challenges, acknowledged the uniqueness of the journey, prompting reflection on whether sleeper trains are personally suitable for future travels.
Amtrak and Via have the same problems with pipes during very cold winter weather, both resorting to blow torching the pipes to unfreeze them numerous times on their journeys... For a one night journey use the rest rooms at the station before boarding the train and use the rest rooms at the station when you disembark the train, especially when it is very very cold outside... While the pipes in these polar areas may be buried several feet under the ground to serve basements, the pipes serving trains aren't buried under the ground... Duh...
Thank you Tim for all your hard work in making these videos. What an experience it must have been and documented so well with your eye for detail and realism. This video in particular was fascinating.
The Finnish track gauge is 1,524 mm compared to the standard gauge of 1,435 mm as found in the UK. This, together with the Finnish loading gauge being wider than the restrictive GB loading gauge should result in you having more space to move around in the breadth of the train and a more comfortable journey. It'll be interesting to hear your comments when you travel on the Caledonian Sleeper.
Hi Tim, There is a really good sleeper train from Ankara to Van in the far east of Turkey. The journey from Ankara to Van takes about 35 hours passing through all sorts of scenery. If you do the trip, you MUST get a first cabin. It's not exactly the Orient Express. If you have a good train conductor, he'll serve you tea in the evening and Turkish breakfast. The journey is so popular that you now have to book at least 2 or 3 months in advance. I did the trip three times when I worked in Ankara. Hope you get the chance to do the trip, you will undoubtedly love it. Phil.
Wow what an experience Tim, well done for taking it all in your stride! It looked a lot less claustrophobic once it got light & you could see the stunning scenery .. Love the new coat 👍🏻
This type of train is actually really good. They are not new, but the important parts are refurbished a while ago and are quite up to good standards. You had a miserable journey, normally trains don't go this bad in Finland. Cold is never good for any type of train, these trains should cope relatively well (but obviously didn't). The shower and toilets not working well is a shame... Those door locks are the originals: the lock design is really old fashioned but is very simple: keys are not easy to duplicate but are easy to replace, and the locks don't need power to operate.
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I Stay On A Luxury Sleeper Train - Caledonian Sleeper 👉ruclips.net/video/vZJKRCA7ANI/видео.htmlsi=t3fV25Oa2GBxqoJ-
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We actually have spent 11+hours on AmTrak in their regular seats because we couldn't afford a sleeper car lol. It was a 2 day train ride and horrible. Never again. I will say the food was pretty good though :)
Hello Tim 🙂
I Enjoy Watching Your RUclips Channel ,
You Should Wear More Winter Season Clothing For Warmth To Protect Yourself From Deep Freeze Temperatures . I Look Forward To Your New Episodes & Stay Warm 🙂
0´38-40´ i0v är pannk äyk Frömm pälm eylünD ^F^
1:23 vvätt se häl ärk v äFf öh -?-
2:30 eis neiß > >
4:44 äh jäzz $€ TRäFälläehrce cvrrß?v 2:44 237 ;$ 13:41 mehghikk is ön lööF -.- wellie vvell Fjäll v?v bä$.hD kärrbönnärrärrh vv v=pSHhpkSBQvo&ab_channel=roofman1969
jew dönütt kätt nhüüdell ! - .-
oh christ a burger king we are cursed with those too
How about you watch some videos on how to eat pasta like a civilized person?
“Frostbite is a real thing”. Especially when you’re gloveless when it is MINUS TWENTY.
I've been in minus 50. 🤣😂
@@thevikingwarrior Same. I’m just outside of Chicago and we got down to minus 50 in 2019. I’m a mailman and the government decided it was too cold to do our job that day. Gloves or not!
@@Strangwood Flippin' heck, you have earnt you wages then! I have been to Chicago as well, very very briefly.
@@thevikingwarrior you guys are talking about wind chill which is fake temp
😂😂 why did he do that. Standing outside excessively long, to show us the train station we had been looking at, and with that jacket open the whole time only to go inside and still record which he could've been doing.... Literally, this guy knows how to build the drama 😅😅
12 hours in those seats with that much leg room seems a lot better than some of my long haul economy flights.
I once spent ~16 hours on a coach bus down to the snow in Victoria. Honestly wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
Yes! Came to say the same. I have to take flights that long all the time. Misery 😪😂
trying spending 24+ hours on a Greyhound in the US.. You'll promise yourself "NEVER AGAIN!!" 🤣
Was thinking same thing
@@CopiousDoinksLLC What do you even do for 16 hours 😭
I love sleeper trains! The things that bother you, i.e., the noise and the motion from the train, are the things that lull me to sleep.
Me too,.
I'm the same, can't sleep in airplanes or cars & bus's, never been able to. As long as there's a window I'm happy 😊😁 ❤
same
The only overnight train I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing was one from Moscow to Leningrad in 86. Even though it was the Soviet Union (so pretty basic set up) it was still the best sleep I’ve ever had. An extended train trip anywhere in the entire world is at the top of my wishlist.
I have the best sleeps of my life on a sleeper train or on an overnight ferry. I love the movements, not so much the noise, but earplugs deal with it.
"Can you imagine sitting in one of these seats for 12 hours!?!" mate those seats look pretty good, living in New Zealand, flights to almost anywhere other than Australia start at 12 hours. My flight to the USA was 19 hours so.. 12 hours in a large train seat with plenty of space to walk around wouldn't be a problem 😂😂😂
@jakes4164 I'm not OP but I've done flights like that at least 25 times. International economy seats are often bigger than domestic economy seats. This is immediately obvious if you have domestic connection after an international flight. Overall I find these long haul international flights to be fine. I generally try to sleep most of the way. Most airlines are very tolerant of people standing around the galley on long haul flights although I believe it's illegal on US carriers. A lot of carriers now leave snacks and water bottles in the galley you can just take when you want.
I sat in a Trailways bus for weeks, with seats worse than that.
11 hours in those seats look more comfortable than 11 hours on a plane in economy!
But The thing IS - there are several Stops on The way ! Not everybody are forced to travel - end of The LINE !
@@holoholopainen1627 Ways to interpret the BIBLE: 5 points of GOSPEL:
- Figurative 1.) Christ died
- Symbolical 2.) for our sins
- Literal 3.) was buried
- Devotional 4.) rose again
- Historical 5.) According to the script.
- Dispensational
GOD`s expectations to us;
- REPENT!
- BORN AGAIN!
- BE HOLY!
- EXPOSE EVIL!
- DO THE WILL OF YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER!
yea but 11 hours in a plane would take 20 000 hours on that train...
Hi.Always carry earplugs!!!🎉😂❤.
Yes I would very much travell on that train. You don't need 2 showers a day??!!😅.
Finland is really cool/nice.Thank you.
A 12 hour, major city to major city, train ride in Australia is a short one. Never considered a sleeper for such a short trip.
'when you're told you can't go, you need to go'. Ain't that the truth! Fantastic video mate
Lol thanks Steve
-20C..Tim where the hell is your hat and gloves?!
Exactly!!!! 😮💨🤦🏽♀️
People are vain. Put on a damn toque and cover your hands!
@@wrath231 I'm fairly certain that vanity is not the reason.
He's British, he's not used to weather that goes below zero.
He doesn’t even know what a bidet is…..
As a Lapland resident, I travel semi regularly from Rovaniemi to Helsinki and back, and always enjoy the train journey despite that as a student I often save money and just book a seat. With a good book, 12 hours in a day carriage is doable, but cabin is well worth the price tbh... I love sleeping in those trains, it feels like a cradle, being slowly lulled into sleep by the train swaying and making all those clank-clonk sounds. I'm sorry to hear that your journey didn't go according to plan, but you were travelling during the coldest week there has been for ages, -30 to -40'c in large parts of the country. Finnish railways were in chaos because the frost caused a lot of technical problems for both trains and railway infra - in milder weather Finnish trains are somewhat reliable and mostly in schedule. Cold water and low water pressure were undoubtedly related to frost issues as well. During the busiest tourist season you can sometimes see old sleeper cars being used among the new ones, and you managed to spot one of those! The three-bed cabin with orange basin etc. is one of the so called "blue stock sleepers", first built some 50 years ago! (Renovated several times since, obviously...) Still going strong despite its age, it seems. Other "blue stock" carriages were removed from the regular use in the early 2000's.
Russia gets way colder. I am Russian / Finnish currently living in Canada. I never understood the big deal about -20, it’s a pretty average winter temperature for me
@@JC-qb2qj I often find, that when people say they don't understand things about other people's statements, it is not the case. Understanding is clear, but some bizarre mechanic in our brain, insist on stating the opposite.
Old blue ones weren't late when its cold. These newer models produced somewhere south cannot stand really cold weather.
@@budgiefriend what are you smoking
Your English is impeccable for a foreigner.
I took that very same train once. It was surreal, because you go to sleep, and you wake up in a different world. Culture, climate, people, buildings, everything is different. It’s like a secret gateway to Narnia really.
“Frostbite is definitely a thing, especially when it’s cold” 😂. Should put that on some merch
lol saying that with opened jacked no snow hat nor gloves filming outside in - 20. Fun fun fun.
Yeah, frostbite in the tropics isn't that bad.
@@incremental_failure Those tropic frostbites are vicious.
Tim this is incredible.. to think that you began this channel by recording a walk up the road! Your dedication & support from Gabby has taken you so far & it's such an honour & pleasure to see 🥂
Thank you for your honest opinions regarding the sleeper train. I am planning a trip to Rovaniemi with children in Nov and the video helped me in deciding whether I should fly in or take the train. Thanks.
In Finland we like to meme about the trains always being late, but actually by European standards they are quite well on time on average. Unfortunate that your trip didn't go exactly as planned, but you seemed to enjoy it well enough. Btw, those armrest buttons used to be for radio, not TV.
I think in Germany , we have much more delays than in finland😅 It’s so normal here to have minimum 30 mins delay for intercity or intercity express trains (no regional, they are (mostly) on time).
The delays in Germany have been crazy these past years. I used to never have issues like that before. Hopefully they can get it together in the next few years
In Germany I have never had a train that is 4 hours late. In Germany we like to complain a lot, but I have a Deutschlandticket and I don’t own a car so I only use public transport and I really don’t find it that bad.
Finnish sleeper trains are the best in europe in my opinion. Sure they aren't perfect, but they seem to work well most of the time and because Finland uses bigger rail gauge they have very good amount of space compared to other sleepers especially in europe. Finland uses 1524mm gauge while many other countries use the standard 1435mm. This makes a big difference especially when talking about sleeper trains.
@@akuankka321876that 89mm must make all the difference......
You would have to admit you were not appropriately dressed for this trip. T Shirt, no gloves, scarf, hat, thin jacket. I understand the luggage restrictions but you’re dressed for Tenerife 🥶
Been a railway enthusiast myself, this is definably everybody's bucket list to do as it does look real impresses especially touring the winter times. I could see myself trying it out when I'm in Finland.
And it's not to expensive.. Shame the water was cold or it would have been the best I've done
@@WalkWithMeTimyou need to let the water run for some time for the water to become warmer. It's very common on nordic sleeper trains. It's still going to be much colder compared to hotels ect because that's just the nature of sleeper trains and how the water system works. The water can also totally run out if many people are over using the water.
As a native it's always flattering to see something very regular to me described by someone else as "bucket list" lol, I hope you get to experience it and have a better experience than Tim did here!
@@igrvks It looks like a nice little trip. Something locals take for granted for sure :)
You are a very good presenter and engaging to watch.
Glad the pasta was nice and you were able to eat. Being cold and tired is never improved by being hungry.
Complaining about the cold but your literally wearing the smallest jacket ever with no hat or gloves
He's dressed for a balmy UK Autumn.
For a travel writer he should have known to dress accordingly. Stupid I guess.
He's British !
@@nicholasmurphy8634 what’s that got to do with it??
@@Kurtis.wf11 Name checks out.
You have to wear a woolen cap and mittens in these freezing temperatures! And a woolen scarf! 😉
Thanks for the tip!
@@WalkWithMeTim 🤣
The little headphone hole in the seat is indeed for radios. I can remember listening to the radio while taking the train to visit my grandma
I'm a Finn living in the south of Finland. I've done the same route maybe about 50 times on the same sleeper train. It's not ideal, but beats driving up north with little kids every time. Imagine spending 1000 km in a car with three fairly small children... no thanks. Also, with additional cost, you can take your car with you on the train and continue by car from Rovaniemi further up north. That's usually my best choice. A bit pricy, but saves basically one day of travel and your nerves. And you still have a car in Lapland, so you don't have to think about public transportation, which is basically non-existent.
I went to Rovaniemi in october 2023. The train was wonderful. Not so cold. I could see the lights my first night and went to Santa's Place the other day. Really snowy and with Christmas songs, it was all magic. The train got off in time.❤
We wear gloves or mittens in the winter, here in Toronto Canada. They work well.
Hi Tim, I liked the cabin and facilities. It all looked clean and you weren’t sharing. The food looked ok and you said it was the best. Glad the loo was working. These train journeys are right up my track. I watch with interest. Enjoy your sleep Tim and will watch breakfast before I quit here. :) how annoying someone trying your door. Your night a bit disrupted. Breakfast not my choice. Did they have full English 😆 I liked the whole trip Tim… thanks for sharing….
Really great video from a real traveller just getting on with things without whining or complaining, despite the setbacks. I look forward to watching other videos.
I love to feel the motion of the train especially when I'm sleeping.
That is SO creepy that somebody was trying your door!
When i was young many years ago in the late 60s i remember traveling in these trains with my parents, these bunk beds braught back some memories, thanks for the video
I always thought I would want to go on a train, but after watching this, my claustrophobia is getting me by just watching. Watching you go down narrow hall after narrow hall and not finding the restaurant I just can’t do that. Thanks for sharing because now I know.
It's not for everyone
Finnish trains have actually more space compared to other european trains since Finland uses larger train gauge (1524mm compared to the standard 1435mm). Finland's sleeper trains are very good and better than many other sleepers I know.
You can order your food and drinks to be delivered to your room... Unless my sleeper car is adjacent to the diner, I have it delivered...
Thank you for your honest review. My wife and I would definitely not enjoy the train. You saved us from having a miserable time.
As a Finn, I got to say that we're really well prepared for cold weather, but the last week or so has been horrendous. So we're used to it, the transportation sector is used to it, but sometimes it gets too cold for even us. :)
Yeah, I’d like to see what would happen to the trains in central europe if they had -30c weather for 2 weeks straight 😂
@@jk7921I'm in eastern Finland. We just had a few days of around -35C (occasionally a bit colder, too) and the index, the "feels like" temperature got as low as -45C here. People's cars were freezing, even though we're prepared. We know how to act and what to do. Sometimes the weather just does something rare and... :D
Yes very true .. I did mention that later in video.. brutally cold
@@WalkWithMeTim Hi! You can submit refund request to VR (train company) if the train was over 4h late you get 50% refund.
@@WalkWithMeTim That's why you have to wear the right clothing in the Arctic, Tim. Hat, gloves, scarf, thermals, boots. No wonder you were frozen.
Bro the way you’re in -20 -30 weather with no hat, gloves, thin jacket open is insane
We did this train just before Christmas there and back and had an amazing time with a totally faultless experience, so I guess it's a case of opinions 🙂
Helsinki railway station is an architectural icon, that is high on my bucket list of places I want to visit very soon. I love sleeper trains but I agree, sleeping on a sleeper train is difficult. The only time I managed it was from Chicago to New York after not sleeping on a train from Salt Lake City to Chicago in coach for about 35 hours. So exhaustion prior to trying to sleep on a sleeper might be the answer. The irony is that I fall asleep sitting up on a train during the day because of the motion of the train. Oh, and just as you said "you can't go wrong with a carbonara" my wife passed the TV and said "not if you get bad cream". But I'd do the trip for sure, probably wouldn't sleep, and I'd have the carbonara and risk the cream.
Food in most finnish trains is better than many wannabe gourme restaurants. Every train in finland is the same company vr
Real carbonara has no cream 😵
Helsinki railway station, architect Eliel Saarinen, his son Eero was an active architect in USA
I m from Saint-Petersburg and was always suprised on seeing foreigners aesoecually from a wsrm countries withour a proper clothing and without a cap or hat in such a cold times. But Ive too heard that British people have a good tradition of not making themselves too warmly dressed, unlike us 😄
Traveling with you through vids is a great experience and i thank you so much for your hard work and determination.
U are one of a kind youtuber Tim.
Much appreciated
12 hours on a seat is pure torture that's for sure. The room looks comfy and private. Worth the euros!
I was in Rovaniemi last week and it was extraordinarily cold. Minus 32 one day! The owner of the airbnb we stayed in even said that it was unusual to be that cold!
People may also take shorter trips whit that night train, e.g. late evening trip from Helsinki to Tampere or early morning trip from Oulu to Rovaniemi. Therefore it's great that there are also seats available.
i traveled in the States my home.. on Amtrack.. I went from NYC to Florida on the sleeper car and from Albany NY to Seattle on the sleeper.. great experience !! I love trains.. dislike flying,. Very beautiful train.. so nice a modern the one you were on.. Thanks interesting video
I have done the Helsinki to the North sleeper train about 10 times as I live in the North of Finland... I've never had a bad experience and I love sleeping on the train... last year my son and I overnighter to Helsinki from up north it was a great adventure.
35 years ago we took the sleeper train across America and it was awesome! I was 13. I did the sleeper euro train first class in 1996 and that was even better. Amazing food. We had a toilet in our cabin as well.
It's just a radio. As child I used to travel in that train a lot with my dad. It was memorable experience. These days I snore on a seat from Kuopio to the Helsinki and back.
I travelled on a sleeper from Northern Norway thru Swedish Lapland to Stockholm. It was a wonderful experience. Lying in bed and watching all the snowy landscape and houses and northern lights on route was magical. Having the privacy and the space in your own room and choice of beds is great. I did here the Italian ladies next door talking non stop for 19 hours but I just put in my ear plugs 😊😊
Hear
I never travel without ear plugs... they are the solution for many a noisy annoyance.
I from the USA and I really enjoyed this video. It’s so interesting to see sleeper trains from other parts of the world. I would love to see you ride and evaluate some of the long distance trains in the USA ❤
I live in the USA also! It would be great if Tim comes here to try one of our sleeper trains. I've been ever been on one..but I would like to try it ..
Which is best in the USA?
@@WalkWithMeTim If you wish to see America the most favorite route is the California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville (San Francisco Bay Area), a two nights and two days journey. But if you wish to see the best part of that route through the Rocky Mountains, save considerably and ride in coach during the day from Denver to Salt Lake City either westbound or eastbound... Amtrak has two types of sleeper trains, the single level Viewliner used for all sleeper trains serving New York City, and the double level Superliners used everywhere else. Both have the larger more expensive en suite standard bedrooms similar to European sleepers, and the smaller roomettes which are very popular and more affordable...
We took a train to Ca. It’s a long journey and rather expensive. We had a family room. Big plus a bed folds into a couch, private bathroom, meals included. We could go to site seeing car. The views in Colorado and Utah were awesome. Zephyr is hop on /hop off and you can get off in some city and catch a next train.
California Zephyr from Denver to Californiia (San Fran ?).
Excellent. Unlike so many travel’ experts’ , full of practical details such as time , temperature and the experience. Intelligent commentary and no self promoting guff.
Trains are the same everywhere…nothing but problems. It’s absolutely beautiful there …a true winter wonderland. I bet Christmas time is surreal there.
No loos either on or off the trains, and sub zero temperatures? My worst nightmare, literally!😱😄What a confusing time and so late at night too! But I'm glad you finally got settled...sort of. Don't think I'll be going on that train any day soon, but I still enjoyed the experience through your eyes, Tim. Happy New Year to you and yours!
That was a very rare event. I've not heard of a similar lack of water ever. The cold delayed all trains for several days, they had to cancel some weekend trains in order to catch the timetables on the next Monday. Most Sleeper trains were running 1-2 hours late but the timetables are so loose that most of the would arrive in time to the destination.
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Experience of a lifetime.
I am Finn and I think our trains are reliable and always couzy. Nothing ever happens here. It sounds like the -20 degrees have affected them. I think the weather is an exception due to destabilizing climate. I always use ear plugs when I sleep
I love how you see the positives in all situations. It rounds everything out. ❤
I love sleeping in cold room and i love sleeping in moving trains/cars, i need to do this.
I've used sleeper trains all over the world and found a decent pair of noise cancelling ear plugs essential to get some sleep. Enjoying the vids. Keep up the good work! 👏
Good tip!
Being South African, I would recommend The Blue Train in SA. It's so expensive that the only way most South Africans get to see it, is when it passes by, but it's apparently worth it. And nowhere near so cold. Nice tropical weather.
Tim, the generators on those locomotives hauling your train must have been working to full capacity to cope with the absolute well below freezing conditions. Just think of the heating and lighting that is needed for a train that size, and even colder when running at speed. The train seems to be very clean and comfortable with a cafeteria part as well. A very enjoyable presentation, thank you. PS - shame about the delays you had at the beginning of your journey.
That's an electric train (you can see the pair of locomotives moving away at the end). There's an additional 1500 V coil in the main transformer for the head end power. All the power comes from the 25 kV overhead line. (A maximum of about 6000 kW or 8000 hp in this instance.)
The scenery is so beautiful!
Mad respect for these videos Tim. Often so much work going into getting all the shots of you walking, as you're filming it all solo!
Appreciate that , thank you
I love that all your videos are real and raw. Like in Vegas. Thank you for being honest.
When you’re told that you can’t go you need to go 😂. Truer words have never been spoken.
I bet the toilet on the train was used before it was reviewed in the video!
Agree with difficulty sleeping on sleeper train, between the jolting start, stops, changing cars etc. Room itself was nice
Get yourself a bulk pack of Howard Leight soft earplugs mate and carry them everywhere with you for peaceful sleep. Invaluable for travelling and getting proper rest. Cuts out the bulk of annoying noise but also lets through anything important like announcements or your sleep alarm etc.
Tim blazing it up in the thumbnail 🔥
ha ha i know i need to re-look at this
It read on the Helsinki info screen that the train is standing still in maintenance rail. I bet what happened was that either they had some problems with the locomotive, or they had frozen brakes. That last one is the most common reason. There's a special tool in the locomotive for that so you can walk along and give the brakes some "percussive maintenance"
That train looks even better than most Hotels I've been in! 😳
Those seat belt buckles are probably for when you fold the top bunk up and buckle so it dont fall back down
The last two weeks have been rather chaotic with VR's long distance trains... Hours of delays, buses replacing trains, and indeed frozen toilets. I just spent a week in Northern Finland and took night express sleeper trains both ways. The first trip went fine, but on the return trip the train was rather delayed due to other trains breaking down, and some of the toilets weren't working. However the train conductor told us to apply for a refund due to the toilets not working. I believe VR also promises 25% off if the train is more than an hour late, and 50% off if more than two hours late.
Yes I tried but won't expect my uk bank details lol
Good thing that VR still handled that situation well and offered the refunds. Finnish sleeper trains are very good compared to many other sleepers I know. Finnish sleeper trains have more space anyways because Finland uses 1524mm rail which is larger than the standard 1435mm gauge. This is why they are so huge and have naturally bigger space for passengers.
These trains vacuum toilets similiar to cruise ships, ferries, and airliners, don't like double ply toilet tissue which clog them up, but nitwits worldwide continue to use double ply toilet tissue because they are spoiled with the thicker, softer tissue... Single ply biodegradable tissue is what they stock in the rest rooms, don't use your double ply tissue...
@@WalkWithMeTim I'd contact their customer support to get that worked out. Their customer support has always done a great job when I've had any troubles, unlike the personnel that you had to deal with at the train station that weren't well trained to handle the situation it seems.
@@akuankka321876its very claustrophobic. I would prefer to pay more and have the private bedroom like in USA.
We all enjoyed this one. Travel by train in the US has never been something people rave about. And it is terribly expensive for making the trip so much longer. So idk if that’s what you want to do. Either way, we will be watching. Thank you again for getting us out and about in the world😎
I travel between Helsinki and Lapland around ten times a year, always on a sleeper train. Usually reliable, I don't remember when last had delays or something else. I guess you were a bit unlucky here. There seems to be more problems in the daytime connections than in the night trains in Finland.
Those old sleeper carriers are not in frequent use. Usually only as a reserve or extras for the Christmas tourist season. This week was the coldest in Finland in around 15 years so I guess they had to replace some normal sleeper carriers to old ones due to "frostbite".
And for the longer break when you were having your carbonara - that was the car carrier station, takes around 30 mins to add the wagons. It's common to take a car with you, especially if are heading somewhere else than Rovaniemi in Lapland.
The staff should have handled the delay better at the station, hope they see this video.
Thanks Nick, yes it's typical that I never have much luck with sleeper trains
I've been to that station a dozen times. It's very elegant.
Great video. This brought back interrailing across europe memories. I always took the top bunk. Good fun and always met some characters. The views looked spectacular though
Love this! I've ridden trains through parts of Canada and to commute. In my opinion the best way to travel. Now settled in the wild of Vancouver Island and miss traveling. Thanks for posting
Great video as always. Looked freezing outside!! 🥶
Troppo carino,tutti i passeggeri parlano tra di loro,ma lui parla con noi❤️
"Can you imagine sitting for 12 hours in one of these seats?" *Looks at my computer chair that I sit in for 8 hours a day and would sit in for 14-16 hours when I was in my 20's playing MMO's* Yeah yeah I can.
Wonderful video. Thank you. The last time I took the train was about 1965 here in Minnesota. We had a line that ran from Minneapolis to the west of the state. Dad put mom, my brother and myself on the train to Alexandria, MN. Lake country and a resort mecca area of the time. Met at the station by an aunt and uncle. Dad drove up the next day. Miss the availability of a real rail service.
Another great video, despite your Helsinki sleeper train adventure not being the best experience. At least the view from the train was breathtaking.
Very true!
That phone call booth is glorious. The sticker outside and the whole aesthetic gives me 2000-2004 vibes!
Wow well done for doing that Tim certainly wouldn’t have been for me! Coldness and lack of sleep would result in me being very cranky! 😂 But it’s great you show us these things ☺️
Our pleasure!
Congrats for braving our cold winters!
Long lasting frost, breakdowns, a cyber attack and an extensive system failure in Finntraffic’s and HSL’s information systems.
Combined these have caused some pretty large disruption on Finnish rails. Luckily this doesn’t happen often.
Tim you lucky get!! That cabin looks soooo cozy. I'd love to travel overnight in one of those. (Never go anywhere without earplugs lol)
The room key looks like what was called a "Ving Card" that hotels used back in the 80s and 90s before magnetic and RFID room locks. With the 32 or 36 or whatever number of positions on it, you could make billions of different combinations of punches. They lined up mechanically with a lock that set pins through to match and then open (why it has to be in the door for the door to open).
Yes it is a Ving Card. They begin in 1974 when lockmaker Tor Sørnes hears about a woman attacked by an intruder in her hotel room. The story inspires him to invent a better door opening system. The goal is to make hotel guests and travellers feel safe no matter where they are staying. Two years later, Sørnes introduced VingCard, the world’s first recordable keycard door lock. At the same time, Bjørn Lyng, constructs the world’s first electronic in-room safe, Elsafe. The two joined forces in 1994 to to better serve their customers and grow the company.. The modern version is smartphone operated giving self service check in possibilities in leading hotels.
The sight and the decor of the train is just so wonderful! Youre so lucky to be able to do these things! So jealous!
Tim,
I have never been on a sleeper train.... However back in the 90s there was a Lowestoft coach journey, to Malgrat de mar in Spain... The journey there, took 27hrs! We finally arrived at the Hotel Marapins, the worst hotel I've ever stayed at, & the journey from hell too! 😂 But.... It really was the best laugh I've ever had on a holiday! Luckily I was young & extremely enthusiastic lol.. & back then for £149 half board Inc travel, what do you expect 😂😂
Lol
We used to drive to a campsite in Spain and all the way there kept passing or being passed by the coaches of waving people going on holiday by bus!
Thank you for the video Tim. I actually want to give this night train route a go if I ever manage to convince my Finnish husband, who‘s sceptical about the noise. I travelled from Karlsruhe in Germany to Amsterdam in the past and it was great, but the long stops and the noise meant I didn’t get much sleep. By the way the enclosed „vip“ cabins for 2 or 4 people can be booked as an add on from the VR website.
Tell him he should it's a great experience
So sorry you had bad luck. It seems to have been one of the coldest nights in Finland. We heard from the news that some trains were frozen because of the extreme cold. There were some sleeper trains where all the toilets/plumbing were frozen and out of order. Outdoor temperature was -29⁰C to -33⁰C and that's too extreme.
Your mother never taught you to zip up your jacket when it’s cold?
Snow and trains - magic
0:00 - Not the Smoothest Start: Issues with toilets due to freezing temperatures and frost on the train, causing delays and discomfort for passengers.
0:15 - Cold Consequences: Facing -20°C temperatures in Helsinki, the train's technical problems exacerbated due to extreme cold weather conditions.
0:43 - Derailed Plans: Initial confusion regarding the correct train, leading to a delayed start and uncertainty about cabin arrangements.
1:04 - Chilly Beer Moment: Grabbed a local Finnish beer at the station, pondering dinner plans due to train delays impacting the restaurant car's availability.
1:59 - Misleading Information: Challenges in obtaining accurate updates, conflicting information on the delay duration caused further confusion.
3:02 - Toilet Troubles: Toilets at the station and on the train out of order, posing a significant issue for passengers waiting for the delayed train departure.
5:23 - Frustration and Chaos: Tension and frustration rising among waiting passengers due to lack of clear communication and facilities.
6:52 - Cabin Exploration: Finally boarding the train, explored the sleeper cabin, noticing space, amenities, and potential noise concerns from neighboring rooms.
10:32 - Shower Mishap: Encountered problems with the shower and room, including cold water and malfunctioning equipment, impacting comfort during the journey.
13:00 - Dining Dilemma: Explored dining options on the train, found food not included in the ticket price, opting for a meal at an additional cost.
14:26 - Train Features and Oddities: Discovered unique features on the train, including older areas, audio controls in seats, and unusual room designs.
16:45 - Sleep Struggles: Challenges with noise, interruptions, and train movements affected the quality of sleep during the journey.
19:32 - Arrival Delay: Arrived significantly behind schedule, experiencing multiple disruptions and inconveniences throughout the journey.
20:55 - Mixed Experience: Despite challenges, acknowledged the uniqueness of the journey, prompting reflection on whether sleeper trains are personally suitable for future travels.
Amtrak and Via have the same problems with pipes during very cold winter weather, both resorting to blow torching the pipes to unfreeze them numerous times on their journeys... For a one night journey use the rest rooms at the station before boarding the train and use the rest rooms at the station when you disembark the train, especially when it is very very cold outside... While the pipes in these polar areas may be buried several feet under the ground to serve basements, the pipes serving trains aren't buried under the ground... Duh...
Thank you Tim for all your hard work in making these videos. What an experience it must have been and documented so well with your eye for detail and realism. This video in particular was fascinating.
Great sleeper train vlog tim
That suction on the toilet is very impressive haven't even got the at home😂
The Finnish track gauge is 1,524 mm compared to the standard gauge of 1,435 mm as found in the UK. This, together with the Finnish loading gauge being wider than the restrictive GB loading gauge should result in you having more space to move around in the breadth of the train and a more comfortable journey. It'll be interesting to hear your comments when you travel on the Caledonian Sleeper.
I already have.. link at the end
Hi Tim, There is a really good sleeper train from Ankara to Van in the far east of Turkey. The journey from Ankara to Van takes about 35 hours passing through all sorts of scenery. If you do the trip, you MUST get a first cabin. It's not exactly the Orient Express. If you have a good train conductor, he'll serve you tea in the evening and Turkish breakfast. The journey is so popular that you now have to book at least 2 or 3 months in advance. I did the trip three times when I worked in Ankara. Hope you get the chance to do the trip, you will undoubtedly love it. Phil.
love the sleepertrain episodes Tim!
Beautiful snowy pictures from the train
Wow what an experience Tim, well done for taking it all in your stride! It looked a lot less claustrophobic once it got light & you could see the stunning scenery .. Love the new coat 👍🏻
Thanks 👍
"Frost bite is a real thing, especially when out in the cold", lol that made me giggle.
This type of train is actually really good. They are not new, but the important parts are refurbished a while ago and are quite up to good standards. You had a miserable journey, normally trains don't go this bad in Finland. Cold is never good for any type of train, these trains should cope relatively well (but obviously didn't). The shower and toilets not working well is a shame...
Those door locks are the originals: the lock design is really old fashioned but is very simple: keys are not easy to duplicate but are easy to replace, and the locks don't need power to operate.