This Overnight Train From Vienna to Venice Is Affordable and Charming — Here's My Full Review

The skies were cloudy and the air was cool as my husband, two daughters, and I arrived in Vienna. After spending several days in Austria and the Czech Republic, we were about to board a Nightjet sleeper train that would whisk us away to our next destination: Venice.

When Austrian railway company ÖBB launched Nightjet in 2016, it looked like a last-ditch effort to revive the popularity of sleeper trains. Since then, ÖBB has seen a surge in long-distance passengers. In 2022, the company announced it would spend €4.1 billion to modernize its current Nightjets and produce 33 brand-new ones.

Looking at Nightjet’s website before our trip, I was eager to experience the sleeper train’s cozy elegance. I envisioned charming towns and pristine landscapes rolling by as the train’s rhythmic clickety-clacks lulled me into a peaceful slumber. But as the hours ticked down to our scheduled 9:27 p.m. departure, my excitement morphed into wariness. Would the sleeper train be as pleasant as advertised? And would we actually sleep?

Knowing that food options on the train were limited, we stopped for dinner at Mezzaluna, an unfussy pizzeria near Vienna’s Central Train Station. At a table nearby, two people sipped wine while their Boston Terrier quietly sniffed around for bits of crust. 

Although passengers can buy tickets on the train in some instances, Nightjet requires reservations for trains to Italy and Germany. From least to most expensive, options include seats in a regular compartment, bunk bed-style couchettes that can sleep up to six people, and sleeper cabins for one, two, or three passengers. With a sleeper cabin reservation, travelers have access to ÖBB’s train station lounges on the days of their journey. All sleeper cabins include a sink; deluxe ones also have a toilet and shower. We wanted privacy — plus, testing out the shower sounded interesting — so we booked two deluxe sleeper cabins. 

On the platform, we joined a stream of passengers boarding the train. Our segment was helpfully labeled Schlafwagen (“sleeper car” in German). Inside, we found our cabins, each equipped with a bathroom and twin-sized bunk beds. My 12-year-old, who was my roommate for the night, chose the top bunk and began investigating the Wi-Fi situation. On our beds were breakfast order forms, along with amenity kits that included slippers, a washcloth, bottled water, and snacks. The dark chocolate-covered roasted chickpeas were a surprising hit.

After leaving Vienna’s main station, the train stopped for more passengers. One family’s cabin was inexplicably locked from the outside, prompting a quick response from the conductor. Then, a woman pushing a toddler in a stroller angled the wheels into our cabin to let people by, apologizing in German for the intrusion. Alles gut! (“All good!”) I assured her, as my daughter waved from her perch above. Our young visitor wore teal footie pajamas and looked at us with drowsy eyes. I smiled at the woman, and we exchanged hopeful wishes that the kids would get some sleep.

Soon, the conductor stopped by to check tickets and collect breakfast orders. He also offered the adults mini bottles of Champagne, an elegant touch. After saying goodnight to my husband and older daughter down the hall, I double-locked our door, and my youngest and I settled into our own private cocoon for the next several hours.

While the cabin was as clean and cozy as I expected, in some areas, Nightjet fell short. The pillow was thin and small, and much to my kids’ chagrin, there was no Wi-Fi. The only “towels” provided were the washcloths from our amenity kits, which made the idea of a shower unappealing. My daughter took one glance at the bathroom setup and opted to shower another day, but I decided to be adventurous.

The shower and sink shared a single faucet, adjustable in height and operated with a button. I discovered that the water stopped about every 20 seconds, so soaping up and rinsing off had to be quick and methodical. Some water pooled on the floor, and I had a few moments of mild panic before realizing the water was draining, just slowly. While the shower wasn’t luxurious, the water pressure and temperature were good and the included body wash was plentiful.

Our family got varying amounts of sleep on the night train. My older daughter reported that she slept great. But my younger daughter and I are night owls, and it was past 1 a.m. when we finally drifted off to a soundtrack of mechanical creaks and clanks mingled with muted Austrian dialect in the next cabin. My husband’s experience fell somewhere in the middle. Ultimately, we all ended up better-rested than after our red-eye flight to Europe.

Roughly an hour before our scheduled 8:24 a.m. arrival in Venice, the conductor knocked on our door to deliver breakfast: soft rolls with butter and Nutella, fruit and muesli yogurt, hot chocolate and coffee. As we glided over the causeway toward Santa Lucia Train Station, sunshine sparkled across the water and I sipped my coffee. In that moment I understood the sleeper train’s appeal: I’d closed my eyes in Austria and woken up in Italy, without having to deal with nightmarish traffic or the hassles of airplane travel. 

After disembarking, we wandered outside into the warm, saltwater-tinged air toward the vaporetto (water bus) docks. Even early on a Sunday morning, the city bustled with activity. Across the Grand Canal, tourists snapped photos of the Church of San Simeon Piccolo. Locals lingered over cappuccinos at sidewalk cafes. I felt my body swaying slightly, mimicking the train’s gentle rocking. A good night’s rest later, the sensation had dissipated. 

Would we ride the Nightjet again? While it won’t be an annual family tradition, we all agreed we would try it again. However, my youngest daughter did have this caveat: “Only if they have Wi-Fi and the shower doesn’t stop every 20 seconds.”

Nightjet tickets from Vienna to Venice start at €52, and you can book your trip here.