Austria rail operator OeBB unveils new night trains • Hacker News Board

Re: Austria rail operator OeBB unveils new night trains

#101

Post by geysersam » Sun, Oct 08, 2023, 4:53 PM UTC

Yacoby wrote: post #94

jdasdf wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>what could be more pleasant than being able to criss-cross Europe in night trains that are affordable, comfortable and sustainable? Doing it by plane at a fraction of the time and cost.

The interesting thing is that it that night trains can be quicker if you consider the waking. e.g. Zurich to Berlin - the train leaves at 8pm and gets in at 7am. So it is 2-3 waking hours spent. (Does of course depend on how well you sleep on trains)

Copenhagen to Berlin overnight. You go to bed in the train around midnight and wake up in Berlin around 8 or 9. Nothing can be more convenient.

Re: Austria rail operator OeBB unveils new night trains

#102

Post by rollcat » Sun, Oct 08, 2023, 4:56 PM UTC

jdasdf wrote: post #89

nologic01 wrote: post #72

train travel is almost always the most expensive option compared to car, bus or plane alternatives. from a sustainability perspective an insanely lobsided state of affairs, the result of a century long of distorted incentives and policies. what could be more pleasant than being able to criss-cross Europe in night trains that are affordable, comfortable and sustainable? makes sense both for business and tourism. you c…

>what could be more pleasant than being able to criss-cross Europe in night trains that are affordable, comfortable and sustainable? Doing it by plane at a fraction of the time and cost.

The cost of flying is externalized on the environment; time can vary depending on actual distance, after you consider getting to/from the airport, or the last 100km to your destination. I think the two options are fairly competitive with one another.

Re: Austria rail operator OeBB unveils new night trains

#103

Post by the_mitsuhiko » Sun, Oct 08, 2023, 4:59 PM UTC

nologic01 wrote: post #72

train travel is almost always the most expensive option compared to car, bus or plane alternatives. from a sustainability perspective an insanely lobsided state of affairs, the result of a century long of distorted incentives and policies. what could be more pleasant than being able to criss-cross Europe in night trains that are affordable, comfortable and sustainable? makes sense both for business and tourism. you c…

Given that I have yearly subscription for trains they are essentially free per use for me. Hard to beat.

Re: Austria rail operator OeBB unveils new night trains

#104

Post by la_fayette » Sun, Oct 08, 2023, 5:00 PM UTC

Xylakant wrote: post #86

la_fayette wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What you mean with expensive here? From the point of view of somebody who comutes daily, there is by far nothing cheaper than the 49 euro German ticket, similarly the Austrian climate ticket...

On commute distances with a monthly ticket, train has been competitive for a while, but longer distances are tough, especially if you’re multiple people.

As a student I used the Interrail ticket to travel all over europe on a shoestring budget.

Also there are plenty of offerings, which let you travel larger distances for a low price (e.g., ÖBB Sparschiene 29 eur vienna to amsterdam), you have to book it some time in advance though, similarly to flying...

Re: Austria rail operator OeBB unveils new night trains

#105

Post by bondarchuk » Sun, Oct 08, 2023, 5:01 PM UTC

WJW wrote: post #49

bondarchuk wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amsterdam Central Station already has this infrastructure for the train to the UK.

On exactly 1 platform out of 15 though, and it took several years to rework all the access routes to and from that platform. It is also already much too small for all the extra capacity it will need when Eurostar intends to start using longer trains.

>On exactly 1 platform out of 15 though

Given the relative frequencies of domestic trains vs. international sleeper trains I'm not sure this is a problem.

Re: Austria rail operator OeBB unveils new night trains

#106

Post by Freak_NL » Sun, Oct 08, 2023, 5:04 PM UTC

nologic01 wrote: post #72

train travel is almost always the most expensive option compared to car, bus or plane alternatives. from a sustainability perspective an insanely lobsided state of affairs, the result of a century long of distorted incentives and policies. what could be more pleasant than being able to criss-cross Europe in night trains that are affordable, comfortable and sustainable? makes sense both for business and tourism. you c…

Night trains are already competitively priced in parts of Europe if you factor in the hotel night you save. Take Amsterdam to Innsbruck:

Travel 1000 km by car, and you arrive late at night, exhausted, go to sleep at your accommodation, and get up in the morning for the start of your itinerary. Don't forget to factor in the costs of wear-and-tear on your car for those 1000 km.

Take a night train, and you get to leave much later in the day, but end up at the same point as the car example above, but the cost of the night's accommodation (the train) was already part of your ticket.

Same for the return journey.

The current market situation is not perfect — this only works for places within reach of the night train network by a few hours of additional transit at most — but night trains are gradually becoming an attractive option for more and more people in Europe. ÖBB took a gamble a decade or so ago by taking over the DB night train lines, and they are now the market leader with a fairly good track record.

Night trains form the backbone of my holidays further a field in Europe. It's only getting better.

Your shift-key is broken by the way.

Re: Austria rail operator OeBB unveils new night trains

#107

Post by ddejohn » Sun, Oct 08, 2023, 5:05 PM UTC

fullspectrumdev wrote: post #100

ddejohn wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there something specific about airport security you think could change to make you feel less like you're being treated like a criminal?

Get rid of half of it. Especially the liquid limits, unnecessary pat downs, shoe removal, etc.

The shoes and belts thing is ridiculous, I agree. But there's a legitimate reason for the liquid ban to which I'm not sure there's much of a solution, is there?

Re: Austria rail operator OeBB unveils new night trains

#108

Post by Freak_NL » Sun, Oct 08, 2023, 5:07 PM UTC

nologic01 wrote: post #90

la_fayette wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What you mean with expensive here? From the point of view of somebody who comutes daily, there is by far nothing cheaper than the 49 euro German ticket, similarly the Austrian climate ticket...

daily commute is a fairly different story. Night trains are about mid-range distances (say ~500 km) where you might also cross country borders.

Quite a bit further than 500 km; think 600 km (Amsterdam–Berlin) to 1000 km (Amsterdam–Wien). And that is leaving out the additional distance one might travel onwards or towards the night train's stations.

Re: Austria rail operator OeBB unveils new night trains

#109

Post by mariusor » Sun, Oct 08, 2023, 5:07 PM UTC

jdasdf wrote: post #89

nologic01 wrote: post #72

train travel is almost always the most expensive option compared to car, bus or plane alternatives. from a sustainability perspective an insanely lobsided state of affairs, the result of a century long of distorted incentives and policies. what could be more pleasant than being able to criss-cross Europe in night trains that are affordable, comfortable and sustainable? makes sense both for business and tourism. you c…

>what could be more pleasant than being able to criss-cross Europe in night trains that are affordable, comfortable and sustainable? Doing it by plane at a fraction of the time and cost.

For the distances where night trains are feasible "a fraction of time" is not really true if you take into account the time costs associated with air travel:

* airports are usually far at the outskirts of a capital (45m travel there)

* you need to get to the airport 2h before to checking-in/passport control, etc.

* you need to wait to pick up your baggage (30m)

* travel into the city again (45m)

Not to mention the stress and high friction of every step of this journey, opposite to going to the main train station, which usually is pretty central, getting in the train, and sleeping the full night in a decent cot.

Re: Austria rail operator OeBB unveils new night trains

#110

Post by mprovost » Sun, Oct 08, 2023, 5:10 PM UTC

rubicon33 wrote: post #74

Reason077 wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eurostar also has airport-style security between London and continental Europe.

Not quite as bad. Yes they scan your luggage but shoes stay on and it’s not some crazy full body X-Ray scan

And no liquid restrictions. They have special trays for the x-ray machines so you can bring in your coffee without spilling. And you can come back from France with a box of 12 wine bottles no problem.