The overnight train pitch sells itself: board in the evening, wake up in a different country, skip a hotel night, and arrive in time for a full day. On paper it's efficient and romantic. In practice, it depends almost entirely on the route, your ticket class, and whether you can sleep in a moving box.

Here's the honest version.

The Real Pros

You save a hotel night. This is the strongest argument. A couchette (shared sleeping berth) on a Nightjet train costs £60-120 per person. A decent hotel in Vienna or Venice costs £100-200. The overnight train is often the cheaper option once you account for accommodation.

You arrive at dawn. Most overnight services arrive between 6am and 9am. That means you're in the city and ready before the crowds arrive at major attractions. A morning at the Uffizi in Florence after an overnight from Vienna, with no one in the queue, is genuinely special.

The experience itself has value. If you've never taken a sleeper train, the ritual of it, boarding, finding your berth, watching the lights of a city disappear, is worth something. It's one of the genuinely distinctive travel experiences left in Europe.

No airports. City centre to city centre, no security theatre, no 2am taxi to Stansted.

The Real Cons

Sleep quality is variable. A private compartment (2-berth or single) delivers reasonable sleep if you're not sensitive to noise and motion. A six-berth couchette in economy class is a lottery. You may share with people who snore, stay up late, or get on and off at intermediate stops at 3am. Earplugs and an eye mask are mandatory, not optional.

Compartment luck. The difference between a pleasant night and a miserable one often comes down to who else is in your couchette. This is genuinely random. Solo travellers, particularly women, should consider booking a same-gender compartment where available or paying up for a private berth.

Arrival times and logistics. Arriving at 7am with luggage before your hotel check-in is 3pm requires a plan. Most major stations have left-luggage facilities. Build this into the day rather than being surprised by it.

Route availability has shrunk and expanded simultaneously. Classic routes like Paris-Barcelona are currently suspended. New Nightjet routes have launched, including Vienna-Paris and Amsterdam-Vienna (with changes). The network is in active development. Routes you read about in 2022 may have changed.

The Best Routes Currently Running

Vienna to Venice (Nightjet): One of the great overnight train journeys in Europe. Around 12 hours, arrives Venice Santa Lucia at a civilised morning hour. Book a couchette or private compartment. Available direct.

Amsterdam to Vienna (Nightjet): Long journey, one or two changes depending on the ticket, but combines two major destinations in a single efficient move.

Brussels to Vienna via the new Nightjet network: The expansion of Austrian Federal Railways' Nightjet services has opened up a range of Western to Central European city combinations.

Domestic UK overnight: The Caledonian Sleeper (London to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Highland routes) counts. Scotrail's service is reliable and the private cabins are comfortable by sleeper standards.

The Verdict

Worth it if: you're connecting two cities where the daytime train takes 8+ hours, you have flexibility on accommodation timing, or you're travelling as a couple and can book a private two-berth compartment.

Not worth it if: you're a light sleeper, you need a full working day the next day, or you're travelling in a group and the logistics of arrivals and luggage become complex.

Book directly through the rail operator or Raileurope. Check Nightjet's network map before assuming your route is available.