Dream of skiing this winter? This night train will take you to the mountains

As I learned from previous night train experiences, there's nothing like going to sleep in one place and waking up in another – and when I woke up on the European Sleeper, I was treated to surreal views of snow-capped mountains under a bright blue sky as we approached Austria. Mark Smith, the passionate train expert behind the website The Man in Seat 61, perfectly summed it up during our conversation on the train: spending a day on the European Sleeper is “not a day wasted, it's a day travelling through some of Europe's best railway scenery.”  

Speaking of scenic views, Mark, Sebastian, and I all agreed: our favourite section of the latest European Sleeper route had to be the stretch from Innsbruck to Bolzano, which offers an up-close look at the ultra-scenic Brenner Pass. “You have no snow and then, 50 minutes later, you have plenty of snow up in Brenner,” Sebastian added.

On this trip, my colleagues and I were reminded why night trains are so important for Europe's rail network. They help connect skiers to the mountains, people from the Netherlands and Belgium to Austria and Italy and – most importantly – they connect travellers who share the same passion. The travellers board the trains as individuals or in groups, but they often arrive in their destination with a stronger sense of community.

The dining car on the European Sleeper — the beating heart of any train, where people gather to talk and enjoy their meals — had a cosy atmosphere, similar to that of a lively pub. “I thought the ambience was really nice in there,” said Monisha Rajesh, author of Around the World in 80 Trains. “Time just disappears.”

When we arrived in Innsbruck, we disembarked the European Sleeper and switched to a Railjet that took us from Innsbruck to Verona. From Verona, we took another regional train to Venice. This alteration from the European Sleeper's original schedule, which we had been informed of prior to boarding the train, presented my fellow passengers and I with the opportunity to stretch and breathe in the fresh mountain air at Innsbruck’s Haubtbahnof while chatting with other travellers.  

“Everyone seems to be having a good time, and that's really what travel should be about,” said Mark.

Although night trains in Europe are in a continuous state of improvement, this new route seems to reach a sweet spot for travellers who want to travel efficiently, saving on accommodation costs while enjoying a good night sleep. “I think European Sleeper has nailed the market of people that really want to take trains, and they can do it affordably,” said Monisha.

Particularly for families, the European Sleeper could be a fun and reasonable alternative to flying, especially because it provides plenty of ways to entertain the kids. “I think for me, having small children (7 and 5) ...it's just nicer to get a four-person couchette and do this trip with them,” said Monisha. “I wouldn't have really considered going to Italy [from Great Britain by train] before.”

At 16:48, one day after we departed from Brussels, our final train pulled into Venice. I was excited by the thought of exploring the city — in my opinion, Venice during the off-season, with fewer crowds, is the best version of the city you can experience. And our arrival in the city, just in time for sunset, was nothing short of breathtaking.

“There is nothing like rolling across the lagoon, approaching Venice with anticipation building,” said Mark. “Walking out of Santa Lucia station to see the Grand Canal, it's completely different from arriving at the airport.”  

For the latest information on schedules and timetable changes, please check the European Sleeper website.

Rachel Schnalzer, senior writer at Eurail, contributed to this story.