[Removed user]

11 June 2018 at 17:51:31 #816582

Has anyone had experience with the through overnight sleeper from Basel to Berlin? Is this a true 1st-class sleeping car or just a couchette?

In ticketing from Basel to Berlin, does having a Swiss railpass provide any advantage? (We would make this trip in late September and also plan to return from Berlin to Basel via the same service.)

Thanks for your thoughts.

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[Removed user]

11 June 2018 at 20:01:08 #888057

Hi Bhoerger,

There is no sleeper train service between Basel and Berlin – just a normal train IC/ICE overnight (in a seat).

Austrian railways (ÖBB) does offer a sleep train from Vienna to Berlin stopping at Zurich. Here you can get either a Couchette or a private compartment.

I used this train between Zurich and Vienna and quite enjoyed it.

[Removed user]

11 June 2018 at 21:06:21 #888058

Hi Lucas, Thanks for responding.

But when I go to >http://www.sbb.ch/en/buying&l t; for September 29 (2018), the 21:13 departure from Basel SBB to Berlin Hbf shows both “WL” (sleeping car) and “CC” (couchette car) under the column “Information”. Am I mis-interpreting this?

Bill

[Removed user]

12 June 2018 at 4:40:14 #888059

Ah no you’re not. The train from Zurich goes via Basel to Berlin. Didn’t realize that! 🙂

It would be the same overnight train I took to Vienna with OBB. It was quite nice in the sleeper car. Very tight though so I hope you don’t have too much luggage! The Swiss Travel Pass wouldn’t give you any discount as you leave Switzerland and are into Germany right away.

[Removed user]

12 June 2018 at 4:49:26 #888060

Thanks so much, Lucas, for getting back.

Have you any thoughts about how far in advance one ought to attempt reservations for a Saturday night in late September, especially since we’d be boarding at an intermediate station.

Bill

[Removed user]

12 June 2018 at 5:29:52 #888061

I’d book as soon as you can commit to a date. In Germany there are only a few sleeper trains operating and with Austrian railways only (Vienna – Zurich – Berlin/Hamburg). So it is always fairly busy. It is a popular service. Everyone was pretty disappointed when German railways (DB) cancelled their sleeper trains a couple years ago.

Do be careful on luggage.I’d say 2 carry-on’s and 1 large suitcase is all you could fit in the 2 person sleeper car!

[Removed user]

12 June 2018 at 17:59:29 #888062

Thanks again, Lucas.