Go everywhere, Do everything

I had completely romanticised taking an overnight sleeper train, I had visions of the Orient Express and European Grand Tours, so I was very prepared to be disappointed and have an uncomfortable and sleepless night. I am pleased to say that I was proved wrong, and we had a great night on the new European Sleeper route between Amsterdam and Prague. 

Originally, we had planned to get the sleeper to Berlin and then take a train to Prague but just before we booked, they announced that they were extending the route to finish in Prague so we were able to do it as a direct journey. 

The European Sleeper is a fairly new company in sleeper train travel and has been running since 2021. They are already expanding their routes and looking to add a dining car to their trains. The carriages are repurposed so not new, but we had no complaints. 

The Train

The train is made up of sleeper compartments, couchettes and seats.  Sleeper cabins can be booked as 1, 2 or 3 bunk cabins. These are the most comfortable cabins and include breakfast, bedding and towels. Cabins have a small sink and there are toilets in each carriage. Couchettes sleep either 5 or 6 passengers and come with sheets, pillows and blankets. The most economical way to travel is in the seat carriages which seat 6. 

We booked in to a 3-bed sleeper compartment so that we had our own space. This was 3 bunks on top of each other, a sink and a table and chair. 

Our Journey

We boarded the train at 22:30 at Amsterdam Central station (the train left Brussels at 19:20) ad were shown to compartment by the nicest attendant ever. As it was very late at this point she put our bunks down for us, noted down what time we wanted breakfast and then left us to it. 

We got ready for bed and then settled in tour bunks. I wouldn’t say I slept soundly but I did sleep, only briefly waking as we stopped during the night. The beds were really comfortable and we were all well rested by the time we got to Prague. 

The top bunk is very high, Pip was thrilled to have her own space out of the way of everyone but you would need to have the mobility to get up there and it may not be great for younger children. 

Breakfast was served in our cabin and consisted of croissants, yogurt and granola and a hot drink and orange juice. We arrived in Prague at 11:00 the next morning ready to explore Prague. 

Luggage storage is minimal so you do need to pack as lightly as possible. There are luggage storage above the window and the cupboard that contains the sink but they are overhead so you do need some muscles in order to get your bags up there. We had planned ahead and had everything we needed in an overnight bag so that we could put our main bags out of the way. 

Water was provided and you could purchase additional refreshments on board. 

Plug sockets are minimal so a portable charger is a good idea. 

Toilets were at the end of the carriage and shared with the other compartments. 

An announcement was made just after we left Amsterdam that they wouldn’t be making any more stop announcements until the morning to enable passengers to sleep. 

Booking Tickets

We used our Interrail pass for tickets.

Tickets can also be booked directly on the European Sleeper website. 

Logistics

• You only need to be at the station about 15 minutes before the train is due or just give yourself plenty of time to navigate the train station and find your platform. The train stops for a reasonable amount of time at each station so there is time to find your carriage and board. 
• Hot drinks are available onboard but if you want a meal or more comprehensive snacks then bring them with you. 
• We found the train warm enough, but you may want comfortable clothes and layers to travel in especially if you end up going to the toilet in the middle of the night. 

Our Thoughts

We really enjoyed this experience and would definitely do it again. I am keeping an eye on European Sleeper for the new routes they are hoping to start up soon as this is such a great way to travel, way less stressful than airports and air travel. 

We travelled in April 2024 when Pip was 11.