The Nightjet, An OBB Train

Once upon a track, long before budget airlines ruled the skies and left us squished in middle seats with pretzels for dinner, Europe had a different kind of overnight magic: the sleeper train. The kind where you could fall asleep in Zurich and wake up in Vienna.

Let’s talk about Nightjet, OBB’s (Austrian Federal Railways) answer to a good old-fashioned travel glow-up. Launched in 2016, Nightjet took over what German operator Deutsche Bahn had abandoned: overnight rail travel. While DB turned off the lights on its City Night Line, OBB swooped in like a caffeinated conductor and said, “Nope, we’re not letting the romance of rail die in its sleep.”

Today, Nightjet connects over 25 cities in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium. In fact, routes to Paris, Barcelona and even Eastern Europe are being added or revived as part of ÖBB’s big bet that overnight trains are the future. Spoiler alert: they kind of are.

Nightjet Cars

If train travel were a slumber party, Nightjet would be the host that shows up with silk pajamas, mood lighting and a bottle of Austrian bubbly. This isn’t your grandpa’s overnight train. Welcome to the new-generation Nightjet cars, where sleeping your way across Europe has never been so stylish, smart or dare we say… seductive. Each Nightjet trainset is a sleek 7-car convoy of comfort and at the heart of it all are the sleeping cars: two per train, decked out like compact boutique hotels on rails.

Sleeping Cars

Let’s start at the top, literally. Each 7-car Nightjet set comes with two dedicated sleeping cars, and yes, they’re basically rolling hotel suites. There are 10 compartments per car: nine Comfort Sleepers and one extra-fancy Comfort Plus. Comfort Plus is your VIP rail experience. Think of it as the penthouse suite of sleepers: two fixed transverse beds, more floor space, a real en suite with a separate shower cubicle and a control panel that lets you dim the lights like you’re setting the mood in a Bond film. There’s a table and chair, complimentary sparkling wine, and a six-item à la carte breakfast served in your cabin. Meanwhile, the Comfort Sleepers (which make up the rest of the car) are no slouch. Two beds line the window, there’s a private toilet with a retractable shower and all the same goodies.

Couchette Cars

If you’re traveling with friends, family, or just enjoy cozy bunk camaraderie, the couchette cars are your jam. Each Nightjet train comes with three of them, and they’re cleverly designed to balance affordability with comfort. Inside, you’ll find three traditional 4-berth compartments which are perfect for groups, chatty night owls or anyone craving a little social sleepover energy. Solo travelers looking for a little more peace of mind can also opt for a women-only compartment. The overall vibe? Relaxed, social, and budget-friendly like a hostel, but without the snoring stranger six inches from your face.

Mini Cabins

This is where things get futuristic. The Mini Cabins on the new-generation Nightjet are like cozy little sleep pods for one. It is just like a Japanese capsule hotel on the rails. Designed for solo travelers who want privacy without splurging on a full sleeper compartment, these compact cocoons are fully enclosed, soundproofed and surprisingly feature-packed. Each mini cabin comes with fresh linens, a blanket, a reading light and a fold-out table that’s more than capable of supporting your laptop or late-night snack spread. Storage is cleverly built in, too: two personal lockers sit just outside your pod and unlock with your contactless key card, while lower mini cabins also feature a hidden luggage compartment beneath the mattress.

Nightjet Itineraries

Zurich to Berlin

When night falls in Zurich and the rest of the world is lining up toothbrushes and setting alarms, Nightjet is just getting started. The Zurich to Berlin route is the rail equivalent of a cinematic fade-to-black. Covering roughly 850 kilometers in about 11 hours, this overnight journey runs daily, offering one of Europe’s smoothest and snooziest ways to cross a continent.

Zurich

You board at Zurich HB, Switzerland’s largest and most punctual temple of transit. The station is a fusion of old-world arches and 21st-century escalators and as your Nightjet hums into platform position, it’s time to swap travel stress for slippers.

Basel

Roughly an hour into your journey, the train swings into Basel SBB, Switzerland’s international handshake with France and Germany. You’re still technically in Switzerland, but only just. This border-hugging stop is a passport-free portal into the EU rail maze. If you’re still awake, it's your last chance to wave goodbye to Swiss order before entering German punctuality.

Freiburg

Blink and you’ll miss it, but Freiburg is where Black Forest magic meets university-town cool. Known for its eco-conscious spirit and cobblestone streets that double as rainwater channels (seriously), this German gem marks your entry into Baden-Württemberg. You won’t be disembarking, but don’t worry, Nightjet’s panoramic windows are the next best thing to a walking tour.

Karlsruhe

Sometime before midnight, the train pauses in Karlsruhe, the city famous for its fan-shaped layout and love of engineering. It’s also home to Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court. Meanwhile, Nightjet quietly reloads with new passengers while you re-fluff your pillow and consider your snack options.

Frankfurt

Frankfurt by night is all business towers and riverfront quiet, but as you glide through Frankfurt South Station, it’s more lullaby than layover. You won’t see much at this hour unless you’re a night owl in need of Wi-Fi or a tea refill. Your Nightjet host has you covered either way. Consider this your midpoint check-in: halfway to Berlin.

Berlin

Just before the coffee hits your lips, you’ll be rolling into Berlin Hbf, the modern glass-and-steel cathedral of German rail travel. Congratulations, you’ve just spent the night productively unconscious and arrived in the capital of cool. You didn’t lose a day getting here. Your hotel check-in might still be hours away, but you already woke up winning.

Zurich to Hamburg

This one’s for the dreamers who like their travel scenic by day and snoozy by night. The Zurich to Hamburg Nightjet route is your overnight express to the north.

Zurich

You’ll start at the ever-reliable Zurich HB, where the clocks are accurate, the coffee strong, and the trains on time to the second. The Nightjet sidles in like a suave tuxedoed guest at a gala. Whether you’re stashed in a mini cabin with ambient lighting or stretched out in a Comfort Plus sleeper with an en suite shower (yes, an actual shower), you’re boarding a moving hotel with better views and no awkward lobby music.

Basel

About an hour into the ride, the train stops at Basel SBB, Switzerland’s cosmopolitan border town. From here, it’s a passport-free plunge into Germany. At this point, you’ve likely sipped your complimentary bottle of Austrian sparkling wine and changed into PJs.

Freiburg

Welcome to eco-paradise. Freiburg is Germany’s greenest city. And while the train doesn’t linger, it’s a reminder that even your travel choices can hug the planet. Nightjet, by the way, runs on 100% renewable energy in Austria, so yes, you’re practically saving the world while you sleep.

Karlsruhe

If you’re still awake when the train pulls into Karlsruhe, you’re either riding caffeinated or giddy about the onboard mood lighting. This fan-shaped city is famous for urban planning and legal brilliance. But on Nightjet, planning means selecting six items for your à la carte breakfast (order taken the night before).

Frankfurt

You’re now in the financial heart of Germany, though at this hour, most stock traders are asleep, and so should you be. Frankfurt South is one of those blink-and-you'll-miss-it stations unless you're a light sleeper or just really into trains.

Hanover

Around the time your body starts wondering if it’s morning, Nightjet pulls into Hanover. This is where the train does its magic trick: splitting, rejoining, rerouting. The Zurich–Berlin and Zurich–Hamburg services often travel together until here, Then diverge, Berliners to the east, Hamburgers to the north. You? You’re on the latter, lucky you.

Hamburg

Welcome to Hamburg-Altona, your final stop and the northernmost station on the Nightjet network. You’re now in Germany’s maritime capital, a city known for port cranes, red-brick warehouses and more bridges than Venice. Step off the train feeling fresher than anyone who flew here at 6 AM and fought their way through airport security.

Zurich to Prague

Zurich to Prague isn’t your typical one-track mind journey. Operated as a Nightjet through-car connection (aka the great train split), your sleeper starts out aboard NJ 40490, travels with the Vienna-bound train, then magically detaches in the middle of the Austrian night and glides off toward the Czech Republic like a well-coordinated plot twist. The full trip clocks in at around 13 hours.

Zurich

Once again, your journey begins at Zurich HB, where the trains are clean, the platforms are punctual and the pastries can pass as pre-trip fuel. Board your compartment, lower the blinds, maybe sneak a sip of sparkling wine and get comfy.

Buchs SG & Sargans

Early in the journey, the train glides through Buchs SG and Sargans, two postcard-worthy Swiss towns snuggled against the Austrian border. You’re still in the land of mountains and fondue, but not for long.

Innsbruck

Innsbruck, the home of ski jumps, snowflakes and now, your Nightjet’s next major milestone. If you peek outside, the alpine silhouettes might just still be visible. But inside your cabin, it’s warmth, Wi-Fi, and a gentle hum that could put anyone to sleep.

Wels & Linz

Next up: Wels and Linz, two underappreciated Austrian gems. These are the backstage doors to the Czech Republic, where your Prague-bound carriage parts ways with the Vienna service. Don’t worry, you don’t have to lift a finger. While you're dreaming of strudel, your train is doing all the choreography to get you into the right place, at the right time, with zero effort.

Ceské Budějovice

Crossing into the Czech Republic, your first notable stop is Ceské Budějovice, home of the original Budweiser beer and baroque beauty that’ll make your early-morning window view feel like a painting. The cobblestone streets are still asleep, but your train? It’s right on schedule.

Prague

Welcome to Prague hlavní nádraží, or “Praha hl.n.” if you want to sound like a local with insider intel. You’ve arrived in the heart of one of Europe’s most dazzling capitals. Step off the train, stretch and start practicing your “Dobrý den.”

Zurich to Graz

The Nightjet from Zurich to Graz is your no-fuss, all-comfort ticket. Operated as NJ 464, this overnight train takes you from Switzerland’s biggest city to Austria’s creative capital in just under 12 hours. No airports. No early morning transfers. Just board in Zurich in the evening and wake up in Graz, refreshed and ready to explore.

Zurich

You depart from the ever-iconic Zurich HB, a station so smooth it feels like it was designed by Swiss watchmakers. Settle in. Tonight, your train is your moving hotel and Zurich’s rush hour is someone else’s problem now.

Buchs SG & Sargans

As the sun dips behind the Alps, your train makes brief stops at Buchs SG and Sargans, bidding farewell to Switzerland’s eastern edge. These two charming towns are your last taste of Swiss serenity before the journey becomes definitively Austrian. It's a symbolic stretch, goodbye fondue, hello schnitzel.

Feldkirch

Welcome to Feldkirch, Austria’s westernmost outpost. While the train won’t stop for long, the change in ambiance is palpable. You’re now in Vorarlberg, land of wooden chalets, mountain traditions and a train system that hums like a lullaby. From here, the real night train magic kicks in.

Innsbruck

The train snakes into Innsbruck, Tyrol’s alpine darling and a frequent intermission point for many Nightjet services. It’s here that trains are joined, separated and reoriented in the dead of night. You, however, are probably deep in a dream, or browsing your control panel to adjust the ambient lighting to “sunset haze.”

Leoben

As dawn approaches, the train glides through Leoben, a charming Austrian city known for its universities, mining history and unexpectedly lovely riverside setting. At this point, it’s time to sit up, sip your coffee and mentally prepare to meet Graz in all its sunlit glory.

Graz

Good morning, Graz! You’ve officially arrived at the capital of Styria, Austria’s second-largest city and easily one of its most underrated. Known for its red rooftops, Renaissance arcades and a space-age art museum that looks like it crash-landed (in a cool way), Graz greets you with a little bit of everything: culture, charm and cappuccino. You left Zurich in dreamland and arrived at a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Not bad for one night’s rest.