Time flies when you’re having fun — or when you’re asleep. Luckily European Sleeper has launched a night train from Berlin to Brussels via Amsterdam, and the first journey on Thursday was reportedly a success.
Just think: gone are the neck and back aches after a train journey sitting stiffly upright for 10 hours, peering at suspicious stains on the seats beside you to kill time.
On a European Sleeper, you can collapse into a (short and stubby) starfish position on the carriage’s built-in beds and pretend you don’t exist for the journey’s duration.
Departing at 7:22 PM from Brussels, and arriving in Berlin at 6:48 AM, the train will make multiple stops in the Netherlands and run three times a week in both directions (on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays).
Opt for the Deluxe Sleeper Cabin? You can be a long and lanky starfish, as the beds will offer plenty of wiggle room.
A smooth start(-up)
Finally, travel to Berlin will become a simple matter of hitting the pillow and falling asleep — but getting to this point wasn’t so simple.
In an interview with NRC, Chris Engelsman and Elmer van Buuren, the initiators of this Dutch start-up, revealed that they encountered a few bumps in the road.
Originally planning to launch the first train in August 2022, an obstacle they faced was the “huge shortage” of train equipment.
READ MORE | A guide to night buses and night trains in the Netherlands
This was the primary cause of the year-long delay, but European Sleeper has since resolved the issue by renting their carriages from a German company, while also beginning the process of building their own.
A successful first trip
Now, the night train is in full swing, with Engelsman sharing that he is pleased with the outcome of the first trip — which was only two minutes late for its arrival in Brussels. 💪
Now, it’s just a matter of working on the finishing touches.
Not only that, but more night train lines across all of the EU (along with the improvement of pre-existing ones) are in the works.
READ MORE | Amsterdam is getting new night trains to Dresden and Prague (and we can’t wait!)
To our UK readers, you might want to take note: one such plan is to create a night train that runs between NL and London. Game changer.
Other night train additions will span from Berlin, to Prague, to cities in Italy — including a night train from Amsterdam to Barcelona, RTL Nieuws reports.
Flying is soo last year
Why not just book a flight, you might ask? Well, as pointed out by RTL Nieuws, maybe because flying is becoming less affordable, and simultaneously worse for the climate?
Booking a night train, say, six months in advance would cost you an average of around €160, while a plane ticket for the same journey? That will set you back €190.
Yep, plane ticket prices have skyrocketed (hah) within the last year, and the worst is yet to come, according to ABN AMRO’s economists’ projections.
READ MORE | You can now get a ferry between the Netherlands and Norway!
Plus, imagine just taking a night train, skipping the carnage that is queueing at Schiphol, and, I don’t know, not destroying the planet.
What could be better than passing out on crisp, clean bed sheets and waking up in a tropical (anywhere is better compared to here) city?
Seriously, though. What could be better? Let us know in the comments.
I took a night train from London to Edinburgh in the early 70’s by myself. Totally delightful experience! Highly recommend it!