why do sleeper trains still exist

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Anon07/25/25, 04:46No.2049560

Because when you're going on a sleeper train route, you're not doing it for cost (driving is cheaper) or speed (flying is faster), you're doing it because you want to, because there's something about rail travel that people still like and will pay money for (it's more of a "land cruise").

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Anon07/25/25, 08:09No.2049575

They exist because there are still massive countries where it is still way cheaper to travel by it than a plane. Look at ukraine, russia, china and whatnot. 90% of the population are still to poor to fly. Also lying in bed and travelling hundreds of miles while you sleep is pretty time efficient.

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Anon07/25/25, 08:12No.2049576

In modern sleeper trains you can book a private room. I travelled to Czechia with my wife on a sleeper, we had a private room. It cost about the same as flying, but it was comfy and no airport hassle, we just woke up and arrived in the main station.

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Anon07/25/25, 09:09No.2049577

first of all, it's only at all comparable when fuel is subsidized and relatively low volume. in japan, the plane is more expensive because the fuel is expensive. in russia, fuel is cheap but prices are still very similar. in india, planes are simply unfeasible. second, sleeper train's worth is not just transportation, it's also accomodation- in many cases the entire journey is cheaper than a hotel room for a night. third, talking with strangers is a part of the experience, and if you don't want that, you pay a bit more and take a coupe.

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Anon07/25/25, 12:23No.2049589

I'll be going from Prague to Budapest in a sleeper train. >cheaper than flight+accomdation >can sleep most of the trip >avoid airport hassle >well rested in the morning >sounds cool to sleep on a train It was an easy decision for me.

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Anon07/25/25, 19:45No.2049617

When you factor in getting to the airport, airport hassle, and getting from the airport into the city, you'll arrive in the evening even for moderate distances. Then you need a place to sleep. With a sleeper train you arrive well-rested in the morning and save a night of accomodation.

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Anon07/25/25, 21:12No.2049626

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=tSMRAEvsRE8What do you mean? You sleep private? There different tier of private cars and it's booked out through the year you can't get a ticket.

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Anon07/27/25, 07:23No.2049821

They're not expensive though? It's about the same price and same time as by car if you don't carpool (~15€/100km), but you don't have to drive and you can sleep. In a country like India (OP pic) it's the best option, it's more than ten times cheaper than going by car or plane, and doesn't take much more time. Would you rather sleep for 18 hours for less than 5 dollars with food vendors walking by or drive for 15 hours and spend at least 80 dollars on gas + the price of your rental + tolls ?

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Anon07/27/25, 11:13No.2049828

Imagine the odor.

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Anon07/27/25, 14:16No.2049838

All the euros in this thread would have a fucking aneurysm if they stepped foot into a private suite on Amtrak

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Anon07/28/25, 12:48No.2049942

You can usually book a private room or just (I know, a completely foreign concept) share it with your friends It can can be fun that way even if it is an old carriage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf-P14ms4sY>and cheaper to boot. Trains are often time a middle class thing outside like East Europe and a few other countries that heavily subsidize the ticket. ICE in Germany and the Shinkansen in Japan are almost never the cheapest option. People who are selling HSR as this ultra cheap alternative to flying are selling snake oil. Something that is more expensive than budget airline with a bit more convenience just do not sound as good

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Anon07/28/25, 19:18No.2049971

I went on a night train once, the biggest mistake of my life. Compartment over were some annoying loud teenagers. Didn't really get sleep, and the little I did left me tired in the morning.Sleeper trains made sense when the trip from Paris to Constantinople took 3 days.

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Anon07/28/25, 19:50No.2049977

Pay more and you get cattle class deluxe like a hotel room on rails. For train fans it's somewhat romantic I guess.

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Anon07/29/25, 05:28No.2050026

The route I took just yesterday was 2 hours longer than driving (out of 14). Flying's faster, but absolute hell (standing only, show up over an hour early, get screwed with by security). It was just my wife and I, and the food was a bit better. I read most of Dune and she got her knitting done with an audiobook (Orient Express).Definitely not a bad way to get around. Optimal? No. Ideally we'd have straightened the tracks out ages ago, but "Net Zero" means you lose your industry and ability to do anything like that. Was definitely like

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Anon07/29/25, 12:33No.2050044

Because they are comfy?

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Anon10/05/25, 23:23No.2055356

>sleeping in a tiny room with total strangers this must be a russia thing because I have literally never slept with strangers in a sleeper

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Anon10/07/25, 20:16No.2055531

Are we pretending that at least 30% of any population in a country isn't cattle class? I like sleepers because you can just book a private room, not worry about hotel checkins, airport hassle and end up from city center to city center. Plus the food on some of these are quite ok, better than airplane meals unless you book business class. Not to mention that you can always find some people to talk to while you look out of the window at the passing scenery.

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Anon10/12/25, 01:15No.2055870

Because you are highly likely to survive your trip.

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Anon10/14/25, 23:19No.2056163

>AIEEE WHY DO PEOPLE WANT TO BE COMFY ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT, PACK THEM IN TIGHTER AND INCREASE THE FARES OR NUMBER WILL GO DOWN!!! go get stabbed on an amtrak nigger op

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Anon10/27/25, 18:38No.2057269

The rationale is its cheaper and more convenient than driving/flying + getting a hotel room e.g. >Option 1: take redeye train- trip takes 8 hours - arrive at destination refreshed and ready to head to your meeting >Option 2: Late flight takes you there in 2 hours but now youre sleeping at the airport hilton for the other 6 hours >Option 3: Leave early instead, have to get up at the ass crack of dawn for first AM flight to make the same itinerary, arrive at destination already depleted

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Anon10/27/25, 20:18No.2057277

So you can sleep?

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Anon11/10/25, 19:01No.2058450

I honestly think that the majority of people who prefer trains over flying are just retards who can't understand percentages and feel unsafe in an airplane.

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Anon11/11/25, 17:30No.2058577

>train is late >get to see more of the city How's college?

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Anon11/22/25, 01:51No.2059379

Are you supposed to tip your sleeper car attendant guy on amtrak?

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Anon11/23/25, 03:49No.2059496

>low-cost airline I hate flying and i'm not in a hurry. Besides, I can't help but think that the reason it's cheap means the airline is cutting corners somewhere... usually maintenance. Modern business practices means CEO's never take a fucking pay cut. Ever. Revenue down...? Make cuts because a CEO can't live on less than $7 million* a year.Besides, the clickity-clack of the wheels over the rails is comfy as you doze off.(* random obscene salary picked as an example. CEO salaries vary by region. Your experience may differ than this post.)

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Anon11/29/25, 04:42No.2059941

Do other countries put the toilet next to the seat or is it just an American thing?

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Anon01/31/26, 18:40No.2064698

How can that be when freight is a 1$ a ton?.

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Anon03/31/26, 21:06No.2069214

I traveled by night train last week. About 10 hour journey (daytime trains make around 8 hours), flight would be about an hour and a half. Had a private compartment with my wife, without shower (there was a public shower at the end of the car). Cost pretty much exactly the same as flying (maybe a little less because air fare always ends up having some extra costs) You can book shared couchette compartments which are cheaper, nice option if you're young and want to travel on a budget in reasonable comfort. I used to do this in the past, but now I prefer a private compartment.Main advantage is we had the entire day we arrived. If you fly you either leave in the afternoon, arrive at night and pay another hotel night, or leave early, arrive at noon and lose the first half of the day. So with three hotel nights we had four full days.Train was reasonably comfy, compartments aren't too spacious ofc but the beds are fine (positioned as bunk beds one above the other). We got a smol breakfast in the morning. Doesn't feel cattle-like at all. I'd even say that flying feels much more cattle-y than the train: having to stand in line all the time (at check-in, security and boarding), then sitting in an uncomfortable cramped plane next to plebs and third worldere. The train felt like a tiny hotel on wheels. Definitely more dignified than flying. Also more practical if you can spare the overnight time, since the trip was the ideal length for the train to leave late (after dinner) and arrived early.Pic related the morning view from my bed.

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Anon03/31/26, 23:01No.2069223

Most countries still have intact infrastructure rail networks

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Anon06/14/26, 12:00No.2075867

I know a guy who, along with his friends, got robbed on train via sleeping gas and that apparently thieves were coordinating with conductors. Had to go a pretty long way home with just light clothes on his back. Not sure how it is nowadays, but I would be too paranoid to sleep on train.

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Anon07/04/26, 22:50No.2077352

there are actually good sleeper tho

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Anon08/14/26, 05:10No.2079563

In Canada with the Via rail service, I think another anon mentioned it, it is a luxury cross country service. It is not meant to be fast or efficient, it is just for the vibes.

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