Nightjet Guide
Nightjet is the brand name of the sleeper trains operated by ÖBB, the Austrian Federal Railways.
It is the largest night train operator in Europe, with services to numerous destinations across Central, Western, and Southern Europe.
This guide provides all the essential information about Nightjet trains, including their routes and the various travel classes available on board.
Book your Nightjet tickets through NS International (Dutch Railways):
Nightjet routes
Since Nightjet trains are operated by ÖBB, the Austrian Federal Railways, it is unsurprising that Vienna serves as their main hub. From Vienna, several Nightjet routes run to destinations as varied as Amsterdam and Rome. However, there are also Nightjet routes that do not run to or from Austria.
These are all the routes currently operated by Nightjet:
- Brussels – Munich – Salzburg – Vienna
- Amsterdam – Dusseldorf – Cologne – Munich – Innsbruck
- Amsterdam – Dusseldorf – Cologne – Linz – Vienna
- Zurich – Basel – Cologne – Amsterdam
- Zurich – Basel – Freiburg – Bremen – Hamburg
- Hamburg – Hanover – Munich – Innsbruck
- Hamburg – Hanover – Linz – Vienna
- Vienna – Linz – Zurich
- Vienna – Bregenz – Feldkirch
- Graz – Bregenz – Feldkirch – Zurich
- Berlin – Leipzig – Freiburg – Basel – Zurich
- Berlin – Dresden – Vienna – Graz
- Vienna – Klagenfurt – Bologna – Milan
- Vienna – Linz – Treviso – Rome
- Stuttgart – Munich – Treviso – Rome
- Munich – Salzburg – Bologna – Florence – Rome
- Vienna – Klagenfurt – Bologna – Florence – Rome
All the routes listed above operate in both directions. However, not all of them run daily.
On board the Nightjet
There are two types of Nightjet trains: the classic Nightjet and the modern New Generation Nightjet. Each offers slightly different travel classes.
Classic Nightjet
On the classic Nightjet train, you will find standard seating cars, couchettes (available as 4-berth or 6-berth compartments), and sleeper compartments with one, two, or three beds. Berths are sold individually, so if you want a sleeper compartment to yourself, you must book it as a single when travelling alone, as a double when travelling together, or as a triple when there are three of you. Otherwise, you will share the compartment with other passengers of the same sex. The same applies to couchette compartments. For example, if there are five of you and you wish to have a 6-berth couchette compartment to yourselves, you need to book all six berths.
Sleeper compartments can be booked as standard sleepers with a washbasin only, or as deluxe compartments with an en-suite bathroom that includes a toilet and shower.
New Generation Nightjet
On the New Generation Nightjet, the travel classes are slightly different. This train still offers standard seats and 4-berth couchette compartments, called Couchettes Comfort, but the other travel options differ. The Mini Cabins are the most innovative feature of the New Generation Nightjet. They are essentially individual sleeping pods similar to those in a Japanese capsule hotel, and unlike couchettes they offer full privacy.
The sleeper compartments on the New Generation Nightjet are also different. The Comfort Sleeper features two berths and a compact en-suite bathroom with a toilet, washbasin, and a retractable shower hose. The Comfort Plus Sleeper also has two beds but offers more space, along with a larger en-suite bathroom equipped with a toilet and shower cubicle.
When making your booking, you can clearly see in the description what type of couchette or sleeper options are available. DiscoverByRail does not recommend taking a standard seat for overnight journeys – always choose at least a couchette or a Mini Cabin, or a proper sleeper if you can afford it.
Onboard facilities
Nightjet trains do not have a dining car, although you can order drinks and (microwaved) snacks and light meals from the train attendant. You are of course free to bring along your own supply of food and drinks with you on board.
When travelling in a couchette or Mini Cabin, a light breakfast is included in the fare, consisting of two bread rolls with jam and tea or coffee. In a sleeper, you can choose from a larger à la carte menu of continental breakfast items and decide when you want them delivered to your compartment. This is of course included in the price of your sleeper ticket as well.
Nightjet prices
Like flight pricing, Nightjet uses dynamic fares based on supply and demand. It is therefore impossible to say exactly when the best deal will be available. Sometimes booking far in advance is advantageous, but at other times the highest fares are put out first, with prices only falling if bookings do not meet expected demand. Booking as early as possible is therefore not always the best strategy for securing the lowest fare.
If you travel with an Interrail or Eurail pass, note that Nightjet passholder fares are now dynamically priced as well.
Conclusion
Nightjet is the leading night train operator in Europe, running sleeper services on routes across Central and Western Europe.
On Nightjet trains, you can find a range of travel classes, from standard seats and couchettes to Mini Cabins, which are similar to Japanese capsule hotels, and en-suite sleeper compartments.