Overnight trains tips and suggestions thread

[not-bono-ever]

So, after finding out that Sudan may/may not have a functioning rail service and a few other things going on that i probabably want no part of, this is a thread for O/N rail journeys outside the UK. I may delve in for any tips or interesting stuff that may pop up.

Anything of interest- pics all the better...

 

[Mrs Miggins]

If you're going to be in a carriage with other people, make sure you take earplugs as there is always someone snoring.

 

[Yu_Gi_Oh]

Me and Mr Yu tend to incorporate a sleeper train into our summer holidays in China. Our most notable ones are from here to Urumqi, and from here to Sanya. The Sanya trip involved our train getting put on a boat, which seemed like it would be exciting, but was actually very slow and boring.

We always go hard sleeper, if available, because it feels less intense than being stuck in a small cabin with two strangers for however many days.

I like to plots the routes on rail maps before we go, because I'm exciting like that.

 

[Yu_Gi_Oh]

It's kind of cramped inside the carriage, so I never get many good pictures.
These are from the journey back from Hainan island (when we went to Sanya).


This is our train to Urumqi.

This is the view of the desert on the final day of our journey to Urumqi.


I love trains.

 

[Supine]

Bangkok to southern Thailand. Will be ace as long as you avoid groups of drunken travellers

 

[not-bono-ever]

Tht is a

Me and Mr Yu tend to incorporate a sleeper train into our summer holidays in China. Our most notable ones are from here to Urumqi, and from here to Sanya. The Sanya trip involved our train getting put on a boat, which seemed like it would be exciting, but was actually very slow and boring.

We always go hard sleeper, if available, because it feels less intense than being stuck in a small cabin with two strangers for however many days.

I like to plots the routes on rail maps before we go, because I'm exciting like that.

View attachment 100894 View attachment 100895

Now that looks an interesting one - I have a Chinese business visa for an other couple of years IIRC and an onward train to Almaty would be doable as it is Visa on arrival ....

 

[not-bono-ever]

Bangkok to southern Thailand. Will be ace as long as you avoid groups of drunken travellers

Done that one down to Singapore

 

[innit]

We've done many... top tip that stands out is that the overnight train we took in Thailand (Bangkok > nong khai) didn't turn down the lights so the bottom bunk would be a smart move. I was really looking forward to that nice clean train after lots of grungy o/n trains in India but was awake all night with a bright light inches from my face.

 

[Manter]

I loved the Yerevan > Tbilisi train, for lots of reasons. But you've probably done it?

 

[Manter]

10 of the best overnight sleeper trains

Look what the Internet threw up. Istanbul to Lake Van looks amazing

 

[not-bono-ever]

Kars was on a sorta no mans land involving buses to the Georgian border last time - not particularly pleasant or convenient. That looks to be a wonderful route when it is completed

 

[colacubes]

Istanbul to Belgrade was fun. Incredibly basic train (standing up over a hole toilet type scenario), but the sleeper carriages had a porter who was a great character and we made friends with him through his rudimentary English and my rudimentary Turkish . Absolutely stunning countryside as you go through Bulgaria. Takes about 24 hours and you get to start from the Orient Express platform in Istanbul. You also get the fun experience of stroppy border guards waving torches in your face in the middle of the night

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

We've done many... top tip that stands out is that the overnight train we took in Thailand (Bangkok > nong khai) didn't turn down the lights so the bottom bunk would be a smart move. I was really looking forward to that nice clean train after lots of grungy o/n trains in India but was awake all night with a bright light inches from my face.

You lucky, lucky bastard. What I'd have given for a bright light keeping me awake all night

Track flooded, replacement bus service Surat Thani to Bangkok, overnight, coach had 5 seats across and the driver stopped every hour to nip to the garage to stock up on amphetamine drinks...

 

[miss direct]

Istanbul to Belgrade was fun. Incredibly basic train (standing up over a hole toilet type scenario), but the sleeper carriages had a porter who was a great character and we made friends with him through his rudimentary English and my rudimentary Turkish . Absolutely stunning countryside as you go through Bulgaria. Takes about 24 hours and you get to start from the Orient Express platform in Istanbul. You also get the fun experience of stroppy border guards waving torches in your face in the middle of the night

Sadly, Sirkeci station in Istanbul hasn't been operating as a mainline train station for a few years. To get the train to other countries you have to go to Halkali, about 30km West.