Amsterdam to Zurich: City Night Line service

Has anyone recently used this overnight train from Amsterdam into Zurich. I want to ask some questions :

1) Is the couchette option convenient for a family of 4 ( 2 A + 2 C ) ?

I was hoping to book a 4 berth couchette but it looks like they are going to remove this option from December onward,In that case I will have to book 5 berths in a 6 berth couchette, since I am traveling in July 2016.

From what I have read from Mark Smith's website Seat 61: ( Sorry, not sure whether we can publish this kind of stuff from another website, apologies if not,and please remove. )

"From 13 December 2015 City Night Line will no longer offer 4-berth couchettes, only 6-berth. But they say they will only ever book 5 people into a 6-berth, to give extra room. So a family of 4 will need to book 5 berths in a 6-berth to get a 4-berth.

2) Is it safe ?

3) Is it too noisy to sleep ? I mean are the train coaches really old or modern ?

Thanks for your reply in advance.

Kind Regards

Vineet

Hi Veneet,

1) I don't have a lot of details about this train, but if you have a private compartment for just your family it should be fine I think.

2) Yes it is. Standard precautions do apply of course: lock the door, don't leave your luggage unattended, etc.

3) I've only done this twice, a long time ago. The trains were comfortable, but it really is a personal thing whether or not you can sleep while moving. I don't recall it being extremely noisy (for a train) and it was fun to travel like this. Headphones or ear plugs might be helpful.

There's information on www.bahn.com too (search for "city night line").

Hi Veneet-

No personal experience and no experience with Amsterdam/Zürich on the City Night Line.

Good friends in Zürich use the City Night Line to/from Hamburg routinely. They are quite happy with it.

They do note that sometime in the past year or so the management has changed from Swiss to German. The extra friendliness has been replaced by efficiency.

They still use it.

Slowpoke.

Thanks Annika.

Thanks Slowpoke.