New network of European sleeper trains planned
theguardian.com
New network of European sleeper trains planned
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Re: New network of European sleeper trains planned
#2I'm sure it'll be at least 10x the cost of flights.
Train travel is just too expensive.
Re: New network of European sleeper trains planned
#3I'm sure it'll be at least 10x the cost of flights. Train travel is just too expensive.
It depends. I've just been looking for (non-sleeper) tickets from Germany to Prague and back, found some for a group of five adults for 149€ one-way, three months into the future.
The last sleeper train I took was Berlin-Budapest and that was 39€ in a six-bed room, which I personally prefer to economy flights, where the cheapest option is usually somewhere between 10pm and 7am. I can't wait to take another NightJet train.
Of course, just going from any place in Germany _to Berlin_ for that sleeper train can cost you upwards of 100€ if you don't book in advance.
Re: New network of European sleeper trains planned
#4I'm sure it'll be at least 10x the cost of flights. Train travel is just too expensive.
Trains compete with cars, not with airplanes.
Re: New network of European sleeper trains planned
#5Some information to put into perspective the articles which are now regularly published about the revival of sleeper trains.
First, if you look at Europe as a whole, you will see that sleeper trains were never really dead. There are plenty of them in Germany and Eastern Europe. Often they go from large cities to holiday destinations and therefore are mainly used by people travelling for leisure.
The novelty of these new lines (be it this company or the transeuropean effort to connect european capitals with sleeper trains) is that they mostly travel business travellers, people who would usually have taken a place. As plane journeys are often the largest item in a company carbon account, they are betting that some will push their employees towards the train.
It might not be easy however. Track capacity at night is often severly limited by maintenance work in France for example and these trains will have to compete with rail freight transport at a time when Europe wants to massively develop rail freight.
Re: New network of European sleeper trains planned
#6I'm sure it'll be at least 10x the cost of flights. Train travel is just too expensive.
If just you look at flight vs train then sure the flight will win. But the train goes from the city centre, and includes a night of accomodation.
If you look at taxi + flight + taxi + night at hotel - the train will be attractive.
If we correctly price externalities (i.e. environmental cost) then the train should win hands down!
Re: New network of European sleeper trains planned
#7I'm sure it'll be at least 10x the cost of flights. Train travel is just too expensive.
Flying is just too cheap ;)
It's easy to say, but if you look at the environmental impact, it really is too cheap. If airlines would pay the same tax on fuel as cars and were expected to compensate for their pollution, they'd be a lot less attractive.
Re: New network of European sleeper trains planned
#8I'm sure it'll be at least 10x the cost of flights. Train travel is just too expensive.
What about the cost to your children?
Air travel is just too cheap.
Re: New network of European sleeper trains planned
#9Re: New network of European sleeper trains planned
#10I'm sure it'll be at least 10x the cost of flights. Train travel is just too expensive.
If just you look at flight vs train then sure the flight will win. But the train goes from the city centre, and includes a night of accomodation. If you look at taxi + flight + taxi + night at hotel - the train will be attractive. If we correctly price externalities (i.e. environmental cost) then the train should win hands down!
I'm not sure how externalities should be priced, but it does seem like a good idea, especially in the age of climate change. It is likely politically and practically very difficult though.