What’s It Like Taking a Night Train in Europe?

Earlier this week, I talked about European train passes and whether or not they were worth the money. As part of the continuing train series, in this week’s video, I highlight my night train from Madrid to Paris, a long 12-hour ride on an old Renfe (Spanish) train. (Quick note to Renfe: upgrade your trains!)

Here’s the journey:

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While I had a good time and the journey was comfortable (and the food surprisingly good), as I said in Monday’s post, I don’t find overnight trains to be good value with their high costs. If you are traveling through Europe and want to save money on accommodation, a second-class seat will work out cheaper than a hostel or hotel. But avoid the cabins; they are too expensive.

Unless you are a train enthusiast, I’d save my money, take a cheap flight, and avoid 12 hours of travel. Unlike the famous Ghan in Australia, or the VIA rail in Canada, I don’t find anything special or unique about the overnight trains in Europe (I’ve taken three).

Editor’s note/disclosure: This post is the beginning of a series of blogs, videos, and giveaways revolving around train travel in Europe. As mentioned in the beginning of the post, Rail Europe gave me my pass for free and also paid the reservation fees. Rail Europe has been a site partner since 2009.