travel by night!
 

Is it safe to travel by train during the night? I was just wondering if its comfortable, recommended and what not, or if we should avoid it on our trip.

Thanks!!

Where from? Where to? What kind of compartment?

Personally, I would not take an overnight train unless I had a sleeper or private compartment. Or planned to stay awake.

we are backpacking through france,germany,italy,netherlands,spain,belgium and the likes so we don't know exactly when we'd be sleeping or where the trains would be departing from or headed too. Just in general if they are a good idea or not, were just looking for some input!

Thanks!

I think it's fine to take a night train. Be prudent and don't place anything near the door on the floor or on hooks. If booking a couchette take the upper berth and wear a money belt.

I would only take a night train myself in a couchette (shared compartment with bunks) or a private cabin (beds for two people).

I would not be interested in doing it in normal seats. But certainly people do.

And I would only do an overnight once a week because I really don't sleep very well on a train, even in a private cabin.

Since you say <<we don't know exactly when we'd be sleeping or where the trains would be departing from or headed too>> there is truly no way of answering your question.

The occasional overnight train os fine. get the best sleeping arrangements/compartment you can afford. Just don't plan on multiple sleeper trips, night after night after night.

That gets pretty old pretty fast. Plus, if you learn you don't sleep well on trains you don't want to spend half your trip sleepless.

If you can sleep on a train or not is a very individual thing. Some people can and some can't. But - low cost airlines often cost less than a compartment on a train.

If you mean sitting up all night in a seat

First, many overnight trains don;t have this option - they ONLY have compartments

Even if the train has that option it is NOT SAFE. Your person will most probably be safe, but the risk of theft of valuables (camera, cash, passport) is very high - unless you plan on staying awake all night.