Night train (sleeper) to Venice from mainland Europe
 

Hello all, I have been searching the internet for a good train connection by night train from e.g. Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris to Venice. I realize that this requires some careful planning but I cannot seem to find a good, comfortable sleeper train with private cabin and possibly breakfast on board.
In the past we would take the night train from Brussels to Avignon or from Düsseldorf to Bologna without any problem but that all changed when airfares became so cheap. Does anyone on this forum have experience taking an overnight train to Venice? Thanks!

Where would you be coming from in "mainland" Europe to accomplish this? It is not exactly clear to me - if you are actually coming from Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam to Venice. Or you are exploring those? I cannot decipher. Btw, technically, Venice might also still be considered part of "mainland" Europe...

There is the Nightjet option, but again, not sure where you are looking to come from. https://www.nightjet.com/en/reiseziele/italien/venedig

Check www.seat61.com. Some night trains have been reduced so maybe that is what you are seeing but Mark tends to keep up to date with them. Otherwise, you might just have to alter your starting point.

Or, you could make a simpler itinerary unless the night train IS what you are intending to experience.

if the destination has to be Venice, indeed it boils down to the Nightjet from Stuttgart, Munich or Vienna (or a domestic Italian nighttrain from Rome). details and options at https://www.seat61.com/Italy.htm#lon...ice-by-sleeper

if you want an oversight of nighttrain options in general, there are nowadays several decent (mostly privately run) maps around, e.g. https://back-on-track.eu/de/nachtzugkarte/ or Europe : Night Trains (more stylish, less overseeable, better click on a destination to get connections displayed). the one I probably like best is https://nachtzugkarte.de/ - if you mouse over a destination, the map will reduce to displaying the routes available.

The problem is the French landslide last decade. At least it feels like it happened last decade. That has basically put a stop to the direct trains from Paris to Italy. I don't remember any going directly to Venice but they would have gotten you to Turin or Milan. An easy connection to Venice.

That leaves the German or Austrian options.

ah, look what's fresh on seat61

"Brussels-Venice sleeper in Feb & March 2025In February & March 2025. open-access train operator European Sleeper (www.europeansleeper.eu) will run a twice-weekly sleeper train linking Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Utrecht with Munich, Innsbruck, Verona & Venice via the scenic Brenner Pass. You'll be able to travel from London to Venice with one easy same-station change in Brussels. Details are now on a new European Sleeper to Venice page, more info will be added when known. Booking will open this month."
https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-ro...-to-venice.htm

https://www.europeansleeper.eu

but really just Feb & March?

alternative could be nighttrain Amsterdam -> Innsbruck + daytrain via Brenner to Venice

Thanks Travel-nurd, Nautiker and Traveler Nick for your replies.
Sorry for not mentioning my departure city: Amsterdam. I live in the Netherlands but have lived for some time in the USA hence my connection with the Fodors community, which I find invaluable when it comes to sharing travel advice.

I prefer train travel to airlines any time but the European train network can sometimes be a bit of a challenge as the different systems don't always connect well. A couple of years ago my husband and I travelled by train from Amsterdam via Germany to Bregenz in Austria (Bregenzer Festspiele). The journey down was a breeze but the return journey was a nightmare. As we are now both in our seventies we don't want that kind of hassle.

Thanks also for mentioning the website of the Traveller in seat 61. I had heard of him and his organization/website but it slipped my mind! I will give all your advice a good thought. Thanks again y'all!

thanks for the feedback!

one more thought: don't forget that Stuttgart is an awful place to change trains as long as the construction works continue...

Hello again Nautiker, I tried and tried again but there is something strange going on with this link you sent me: https://www.europeansleeper.eu

When I go to this link: one the homepage Venice is mentioned but when I actually try to make a booking I am only given a choice between Belgium, Germany and the Czech Republic, Initially Amsterdam Central Station is mentioned as a departure station and the next thing it's gone. I will try and spend some more time figuring this out coming weekend when I'll have more time.

Thanks for the information about Stuttgart. I am so motivated to travel by train but it's surely not made easy when compared to an airline reservation is it?

Leaving Amsterdam, I would probably take a day train to Stuttgart and then board the Nightjet to Venice. My wife and I have done the Nightjet from Vienna to Venice twice and loved it. Here's the link to the NightJet from Stuttgart on the OBB website: https://www.nightjet.com/en/reiseziele/italien/venedig

hmm, seems the Venice sleeper is now actually routed (from Brussels) via Breda and Eindhoven, bypassing Amsterdam and Rotterdam for whatever reason. you can see a sketched map here: https://www.europeansleeper.eu/venice - this is very different from the wording of the press release, but then I doubt it was intentionally misleading, rather some spur-of-the-moment change, likely due to track works or else... *shrug*

"Thanks for the information about Stuttgart. I am so motivated to travel by train but it's surely not made easy when compared to an airline reservation is it?" - I consider myself an adamant rail traveller, alas, sometimes indeed it does wear yourself out. *grimace* ;)