Have you stayed overnight on a train?

[Delaney]

Years ago, I took overnight trains all over Africa. I went to Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Dar Es Salaam and a few other places by train---always in sleeper compartments. The trains are slow, but beautiful and cheap. Even today, it is just $12 US for a first class sleeper compartment to Victoria Falls. http://www.seat61.com/Zimbabwe.htm

If you plan a trip to Africa, you may consider including a train trip in your plans.

[Dreamer]

Yes, I traveled as a young child with my mom and four other siblings from PA to CA. We were poor and slept in the chairs. It was a great adventure though. I would like to do a long train trip again.

[Gumby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delaney Years ago, I took overnight trains all over Africa. I went to Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Dar Es Salaam and a few other places by train---always in sleeper compartments. The trains are slow, but beautiful and cheap. Even today, it is just $12 US for a first class sleeper compartment to Victoria Falls. http://www.seat61.com/Zimbabwe.htm If you plan a trip to Africa, you may consider including a train trip in your plans.

Welcome, Delaney. Why don't you start a "Hi I am" thread and introduce yourself? We already know you like to travel. Tell us a little more.

[LOL!]

Overnight trains in Europe are easy and convenient. The ones we used boarded late in the evening, say 10 pm and arrived in the morning. On a couple of trips, our compartment mates invited us to their family home for dinner in our destination city.

As I recall, we gave our passports to the porter, so that we would not be woken up at border crossings.

Of course, you are doing overnight trains because they are cheaper. They are not the fast intercity trains that take only a few hours, but instead are the mail-trains that go slow and stop to pick up mail and freight. Since you are sleeping, who cares?

[Coolius]

In May, DW & I will be taking the Amtrak Coast Starlight from Northern California to Seattle, then via bus up to Vancouver.

This will be an overnight ( 24 hour ) journey, but because the seats are about the same width as a business class transpacific flight ( that I was so used to in my working years ), I know it'll be OK.

We'll make sure we are fully equipped with food/snacks/drinks at the beginning of the journey. I checked the menu online, and it was not particularly great or cheap, so we'll bag our own.

First time on this route, and looking forward to it. Cost for the round trip: just under US$200 per person, after applying AAA discounts.

[sengsational]

I took the train from Winnepeg to Banff. Winter. Rockies in the daytime....awesome. But the train stops and starts all night long, and you wake up every time they stop or start. Chugging along, with the clickety clack, no problem...off to sleep. But then they side track and stop, waking you up. About the time you get back to sleep, they start up again! repeat every half hour all night long.

[yakers]

Just got back from a trip to Cambodia & Viet Nam. In VN took three night trains, cheap way to go. One trip would be a 'cultural experience' three was just too much. Hard to sleep and you don't want to hear about the restrooms. Good thing there is no way to make an olfactory attachment file to email.

[Dancer373]

Took an overnight train trip in China. Had a room with 2 beds on either side of a small table. Pull down beds above each bed (empty). Had plenty of blankets. Western toilet down the hall (non too clean) and a separate little wash room also down the hall for face washing and tooth brushing. I slept well but awoke before dawn, and was glad I did. The scenery was just amazing. Well worth any discomfort!

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Best source for all things train travel is seat61.com. Here is the Canada page: Train travel across Canada | Train schedules, routes, fares & information

Done 4 overnight train trips in Thailand and Malaysia. Sure beats a bus even though it's slower and more expensive because I can get up and walk around whenever I want. Also night buses in Thailand don't have the best safety record in the world.