stbmom

I am hoping to take the long train ride from Munich to Florence overnight. Would you suggest a reclining seat or a bed in a 6-bed cabin if I am only traveling with one other person? Any tips on overnight trains? Thanks!!

stbmom

Or do you have any other economical ideas to get from Munich to Florence?

Christina

How do you like sleeping in a reclining seat? It's up to you. I hate it and would never do such a thing if I could avoid it. How do you like sleeping on a plane?

RonZ

Low cost, non-stop flights:

www.skyscanner.com

janisj

flying is faster, easier, and most likely cheaper

Dukey1

Is there some reason you feel you have to do this at night? There are at least some scenic areas along this route, particularly before and after the Brenner Pass crossing.

However, I agree that a flight might be better and as far as I know, Air Dolomiti is the only airline which flies non-stop between these two cities and does not require a change.

RonZ

Yes, Air Dolomiti is what comes up on skyscanner.

PalenQ

flying is faster, easier, and most likely cheaper>

Wrong on all three counts - stike out!- overnight trains save time - thus are faster than flying which takes up half of a sightseeing day;

fares on www.bahn.de/en can be as low as $50 with a reclining seat or maybe lower and you save on the cost of a night in a hotel or hostel - thus much cheaper than any cheap airline

and easier - you get on the train in the center of Munich, get off in the center of Termini - flying costs must take into account the cost of getting to and from airports.

To get a fix on European night trains and various sleeping options - from reclining seat to multi-person 6-person couchette - unisex usually or 4-person ones perhaps to private singles, doubles and triples - check these informative sites: www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.com - the latter having good info on getting discounted tickets which to guarantee getting must be booked weeks at times in advance.

I've taken this train several times and always have a couchette and meet nice folks - some great conversations - that too is part of travel - go for the overnight train it makes total sense if you want to.

bvlenci

I agree; you get on the train in the evening and get off in the morning. Basically you lose no time at all. A flight might be cheaper, but a flight + a night in a hotel probably wouldn't be cheaper. Some people can't sleep on a moving train, and maybe those people should consider flying.

I myself would choose a couchette, but my husband and I have also traveled in double cabins. If you're both women, you can choose to travel in an women-only couchette. I'm a woman and I've traveled in mixed couchettes, with no problems.

Dukey1

Pal, are you AWARE of the time it takes for a train trip from Munich to Florence? The shortest trip right now is almost 7.5 hours and it requires a change at least once.

Even with a ride out to the Munich airport taking 45 minutes and check in and security and the 1 hr 15 minute flight and then the trip into Florence there is no way that is going to take 7.5 hours.

And a flight could easily be cheaper depending on when the tickets were bought.

You need to do some research and cut the BS.

asps

A night train may be cheaper than a flight + an hotel; but the night train from Munich leaves you at Florence station at 6.07am. Maybe you can leave luggage at your hotel, but you are not going to have a room before late morning or afternoon. I would find spending a very long morning after a night train ride extremely tiresome, but maybe you have a different opinion.

Jean

The 9-hour (fastest) journey has ten stops which means ten times hearing screeching brakes, platform announcements, doors opening and closing. I'm tired just thinking about it.

Christina

Night trains are cheaper because they aren't a hotel. The comfort isn't remotely comparable. Sleeping on a park bench is cheaper, also, if the criteria is to find the cheapest place you can sleep or how to save the cost of one night in a hotel. Hostels are cheaper than hotels, also.

janisj

>>Wrong on all three counts - stike out!- overnight trains save time - thus are faster than flying which takes up half of a sightseeing day;<<

Not wrong on any count actually.

And the OP would be trying to sleep w/ 5 strangers on a train that stops every hour or two.

You can sleep like that because of the flat emulsion.

historytraveler

I almost always prefer trains to planes but, in this case, there is no way I'd take the train.

PalenQ

Not wrong on any count actually.>

Oh really - please explain. I have taken hundreds of overnight trains and rarely had any problem sleeping as zillions of Europeans do - in couchettes - you are simply flat-out wrong on all three - for the reasons I gave and I guess you failed to comprehend.

Just because you, who have probably never taken a continental overnight - obviously with those comments, does NOT mean others will find them so awful - again zillions do for some weird reason - like the three I gave.

Quit putting traits on other people that do not comport to your own - IME many many most get a good night's sleep.

historytraveler

Well, I have taken a continental overnight train ( Paris to Zurich). I was much younger and had no problems with sleeping as I do now, but it was not a pleasant journey for the reasons janisj and others have mentioned. Arrived very early morning, exhausted and had to wait to check into my hotel. Not impossible to sleep but think it likely to be very difficult for most.

" Zillions" ? I do believe you've dealing in a bit of hyperbole here. Let the OP decide but also let them know the positives and negatives of both options. I've done it, and I wouldn't do it again.

RonZ

I took one from Nice to Venice and wouldn't do that again if you gave it to me. That is not to say this is a perfectly fine alternative to flying for lots of people. As long as one can fall asleep easily [I couldn't], It is certainly saves all the effort spent navigating airports. Bring some ear plugs.

RonZ

By the way, flying is not cheaper.

thursdaysd

See: http://www.seat61.com/international-...m#Munich-Italy

See the same site for tips on night trains, day trains, and buying tickets.

To answer the OP's actual questIon... A couchette is much better than a reclining seat, both for security (non-existent in a seat) and comfort.

I have taken quite a lot of night trains, in both Europe and Asia (am currently considering the night train from London to Cornwall for my next trip). Mostly I sleep well, my only problems with sleeping on trains in Europe related to the temperature on s Spanish train, and to state of the rails in Portugal.

I don't see that the issue of arriving in the next town early in the morning off a train is any worse than arriving off a night flight (which is how virtually all US travelers arrive in Europe), and unless you are flying business class usually much better. At least you get horizontal in a couchette!