Today’s snapshot of European night rail transport reveals a complex landscape where \u00d6sterreichische Bundesbahnen (\u00d6BB) emerges as a key player. While other national operators have yielded to low-cost flights, abandoning a sector with significant losses, \u00d6BB has actually expanded its network of cross-border connections, deciding some time ago to invest \u20ac500 million in 33 new generation Nightjet trains, developed with Siemens Mobility. This long-term strategy aims to consolidate the revitalisation of night trains as an alternative to air transport, aligning with the EU’s sustainability objectives.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![\"European](\"https:\/\/autodesignmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2025042902_Treni_design.jpg\")
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>The European offer<\/strong><\/span> Wrapped in a “cocoons”<\/strong><\/span> \u0160koda Sleep in Motion<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe new trains, which have been entering service since late 2023, serve international routes with a fixed composition of seven carriages capable of 230 km\/h, accommodating approximately 250 people distributed among seats, sleeping cars with single or double compartments, private toilets and showers, as well as revamped couchettes, neutral colours, and premium finishes and materials. But the significant innovation consists of individual mini-capsules, a solution that optimises space and operational costs. It recalls the basic Platzkart used by R\u017dD (Russian railways), a series of bunk beds without compartments, similar to the one of the very first American night trains.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\nHowever, unlike these, the beds of the new \u00d6BB carriages are wrapped in “cocoons” (Pods) that address the issue of privacy, whilst introducing potential concerns relating to claustrophobia. The rigidity of the spaces, not allowing reconfigurations for daytime use, limits the possibility of using the trains on multiple shifts, impacting the profitability of the service.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\nAnother noteworthy proposal, still in the prototype phase although already tested at the Universit\u00e4t f\u00fcr angewandte Kunst in Vienna, was presented by \u0160koda at InnoTrans 2024: the Sleep in Motion concept, created by Wilhelm Berbig together with some Austrian colleagues, developed from a thesis to a patented night train concept.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>