DB (German Rail) will terminate their night train services at the end of next year because of nonprofitable business. The company is planning to convert night trains to night buses. Happily, if a compromise is reached, ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) may take over the night train service.
Needless to say, what is most attractive about night trains is that I can travel long distances while I sleep. In the morning I am in a different country and it is as if I am teleported. I’ve been woken up many times at the border, though. Well, it is a secondary reason why I can save money on accommodation. Of course, I understand that many people want to get to their destination quickly by plane or super-express. However, modern night trains, like the one I took from Warszawa to Köln in 2013, have new carriages, clean beds and, in many cases, shower rooms.
It is not an exaggeration to say that my travels were supported by night trains. I wish the night trains would still work, even if only during the tourist season.
¶DB says it has tried to “rescue” the night train network in recent years but it remains stubbornly unprofitable. DB has released figures showing its night trains were used by 1.3 million passengers over the last year (around 1% of all long distance passengers). […]. Full text is here. Referenced from International Railway Journal, 21 December, 2015
