Karen8

My husband and I will be in Munich for a conference at the end of this month and we want to take the night train to Rome. Any tips? Should we wait until we get to Munich to buy our tickets, or buy them here? Has anyone reading this ever taken that train--if so, what is it like? I think it's called the Michelangelo Express. Are there sleepers, or just couchettes? Although we are very experienced travelers, we've never ridden a train in Italy or Germany. Thanks for all of your advice.

GAC

The Michelangelo Eurocity train (EC) is the DAY train between Munich and Rome, leaving at 9:30 and arriving at 20:02. You are thinking of the Capri EURONIGHT train (EN) which leaves Munich in the late evening and arrives in Rome at 8:17 the following morning. This EN train carries second class seats, second class couchettes, and first and second class sleeping compartments. If you want to have a sleeper, you should reserve at least several days in advance. Otherwise, you'll likely do no better than a couchette or a regular seat in second class (six per compartment). I think a sleeper is the way to go. You can see more details on the web site of the German Railways.

LED

I took this exact train 4 years ago. But, I was a student living in Munich without much concern for class or comfort in my travels. I believe on this trip we sprung for the couchette. I had thought we were on an italian train, which if memory serves are not quite on par with the deutsche bahn. Still completely comfortable though. I would agree with the above poster on reesrvations for the sleepers and if you have any doubts, that's probably the way you want to go.

ben_haines_london

In late March and early April you are ahead of the Easter rush, so can book on arrival in Munich. The Michaelangelo is the day train. The night trains are the Capri Express, from Munich at 2031 to Rome at 0817, and the Brenner Express, from Munich at 2339 (which I find a bit late) to Florence at 0910, where you change for a day express to Rome. Both trains have 1, 2 and 3 berth sleepers, crowded 6 berth couchettes, and a buffet car. Basic fares are 97 euros second class and 145 euros first class, and you add 45 euros for a second class berth in a triple compartment, where you are separated by sex, or 70 euros for a first class berth in a double compartment. There is a note on getting the best from sleepers and couchettes at http://www.twenj.com/tipsnighttrains.htm, and an illustrated note on http://www.seat61.com/, then Europe, then Italy.<BR><BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Europe.<BR><BR>[email protected]<BR>

Karen8

Thank you all for your help. Ben, I'm going to go those sites now.

SloPugs

I took a night train from Innsbruck to Venice. My friends who had lived in europe warned me ahead of time to always keep the windows cracked, because there have supposedly been incidents of thieves &quot;Gassing&quot; the compartments to make people sleep deeper so they could do their dirty business and rummage through peoples' things. I don't really know if this is real, or just an urban myth, but I didn't want to take any chances so I kept cracking the window. Then the second warning that my friend gave me REALLY came true: in your compartment there will always be a little old lady going to visit her grandkids that keeps putting the window back up for fear of &quot;Night air!&quot; In any event, the trains I have been on in europe have been quite variable. Some had couchettes, some not. If they have couchettes you should reserve in advance, because they always seem to sell out. I have also been in comaprtments with 6 seats, 3 facing 3. At night you somehow pull the seats out and it makes one big platform that you all sleep in like sardines, head to toe!