Inspectoring Night Train Services: ADAC Uncovers Complexity and Occasionally High Costs
In skb, brln, or sttg, hop on a train and find yourself in bdt or prs the next day? Overnight train journeys can be quite enchanting - yet, recent evaluations show there's still work to be done. What's the challenge here?
For long-distance voyages, overnight trains are often the go-to option. You depart in the evening and awaken at your destination the next morning. Yet, even proponents of night trains and industry experts acknowledge that there's potential for advancement in these comparatively eco-friendly alternatives. A recent audit by the ADAC reaches a similar conclusion.
The association planned and reserved 21 noteworthy city connections via diverse online channels in May of this year, covering departures from seven German cities with a "user-friendly night train service": brln, hmb, mün, kln, sttg, drs, and hann. Destinations included a dozen captivating European cities, primarily in Central and Western Europe, such as prs, lndn, bar, rm, stk, and ams. The search focused on offers with sleeping quarters for a summer trip.
Mixed results
The findings: Alongside some excellent direct connections, like brln to wien in roughly 11 hours or sttg to bdt in less than 13 hours, there were also comfortable connections with a transfer - defined as trips with a prolonged overnight train segment and a transfer to another train not before 6:30 AM. Frequently, transfers were even later, after 8:00 AM, thus eliminating the need to get up at the crack of dawn. This included a mün to lndn connection with almost 10 hours of overnight train time and a total travel time of well over 12 hours.
Ultimately, the ADAC categorized two-thirds of the discovered connections as good or appealing in terms of travel time. Prices varied from around 55 to 250 euros. However, the association draws a mixed verdict from the sample: an insufficient number of direct connections from Germany, some trains relatively expensive, and particularly, a complicated and laborious process for searching connections on the internet.
Different results depending on the portal
The primary issue, according to the association, is the absence of a standard booking platform for cross-border tickets. The online research and comparison of travel times, prices, or comfort levels can be baffling and time-consuming. "We're still far from having a Europe-wide booking portal where one could easily accomplish everything," said rail expert Sebastian Wilken recently. The platforms don't all incorporate major rail companies.
For its audit, the ADAC utilized the booking portal of the German Railway (DB) in addition to platforms Trainline and Rail Europe. Conclusion:
The three points of contact offered distinct or excessively intricate connections for a journey from city A to city B. A successful search does not guarantee a booking, as tickets were frequently unavailable for selected connections - either the trains were fully booked or they were no longer displayed.
Another criticism: price indications on the platforms also varied. However, a positive aspect: with the DB, the least expensive offers were displayed for three-quarters of the queries, and with Rail Europe, for half. This suggests: comparing is valuable.
The initiative Back-on-track.eu provides an interactive map as a guide for night train offers in Europe, similar to a public transport route map, displaying existing connections between cities with details like frequency, stops, train number, and operating railway company.
The desire to travel by night train is indeed present, according to a survey ordered by the ADAC: 42 percent of the approximately 2000 respondents aged 18 and over stated they had not yet traveled by night train but could envision doing so. Among young people aged 18 to 39, this proportion was particularly high at 52 percent.
About three in ten respondents (29 percent) had traveled by night train previously - this proportion was significantly higher among those aged 40 and over. A plausible explanation is that the DB previously operated night trains, but discontinued this in 2016. Currently, night trains in Germany are primarily operated by the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). Furthermore, there are providers such as European Sleeper, Snälltåget, and auto-trains like Urlaubs-Express.
According to a survey by Nordlight Research, just under four percent of respondents had traveled by night train in the past twelve months, primarily younger people. The survey was conducted online between late March and early April.
ADAC calls for more night trains
The question remains: Why is a motoring club like the ADAC examining rail connections? A spokesman explained that the club supports its members in their overall mobility, which today transcends driving a car.
An ADAC request: The European night train offer should be "expanded with more additional and direct connections and equipped with more affordable sleeping facilities."
Despite the charming experience of overnight train journeys, recent evaluations reveal a need for improvement. The ADAC, in its audit, identified mixed results, noting an insufficient number of direct connections and a complex online searching process for tickets. The association calls for expanding the European night train offer with more direct connections and affordable sleeping facilities.
