The reporters, I presume "post college, pre life", do not appear to be fans, but rather two folks who wanted to "do Europe on the cheap". The trains were simply the means to the end.
However, here is an ominous Fair Use quotation for anyone, especially a fan, who might be contemplating such a marathon:
Such delights are dwindling. There is no longer a sleeper train between Paris and Madrid. Amsterdam has lost a direct overnight route to Warsaw. The Paris-to-Rome sleeper John took in July 2013 was discontinued the following winter.
One reason is that high-speed trains have eliminated the need for overnight travel on routes such as Paris to Zurich. And yet Mark Smith — whose website, the Man in Seat Sixty-One, is an indispensable guide to train travel — points out that there remain routes with no good daytime high-speed service, including Nice to Rome (more than eight hours) and Paris to Madrid (about nine hours).
Smart marketing, Mr. Smith said, could bolster demand for sleepers as an alternative to low-cost airlines. Instead of spending four hours to take a one-hour flight, he said, travelers could leave in the evening and wake up refreshed at their destination, having saved the price of a hotel room.
“Why should you have to go to an airport as if you were flying to the States just to go a few hundred miles down the road? I think the market is there.â€
George Harris Member # 2077
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What were the ridership figures and ridership trends?
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Mr. Harris, I can only conclude that, away from some select routes, especially on Great Britain, where there really is not any HSR, that the European overnight train is today in the same state as was it over here circa 1960. Still there on select routes, but the Pullman consists were rapidly declining.
Back in the days when I did marathons overseas (Econoclass flights but First Class Eurailpass, eat, sleep, drink, trains), I can recall 1971 seeing overnight trains such as Blue Train Paris Lyon-Nice stretching "out of sight"; same for Paris-Rome Palatino. I recall a 1960 ride on the Orient Express behind steam Paris Est to Stuttgart (pick up the Bennie for the rest of the family trip), even if I did not note any kind of Luxotrain.
On the 71 marathon, I did Nice to Rome - an overnight that The Times noted is now gone, I don't think there is any HSR -certainly not along the Italian West Coast, where there were beautiful views.
But today, now that after a 24 year hiatus, I am giving overseas travel another crack, 0 dark 30 is in a Four (not Five) Star hotel - not down at the Bahnhof watching and/or riding EuroNight Trains.
I can recall on my 1990 trip, which really wasn't a marathon, being "homeless in Berlin" for twelve some hours after getting kicked out of the hotel at Noon and when the TEN (Tren Euro Nacht, Trn Euro Nuit) left for Paris at Midnight.
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: Mr. Harris, I can only conclude that, away from some select routes, especially on Great Britain, where there really is not any HSR
Really?! 725 miles of 125mph and another 60 of 186mph not good enough for you? (HS1 runs out of land by the 70 mile mark, hence its apparent shortness).
But yes, undoubtedly high speed rail across Europe is shortening journey times. Sleeper trains tend to use the classic lines and are often limited in speed (restricted to 80mph in the UK) simply to avoid arriving too early the following morning. Crew costs for night runs are more expensive than daytime, and daily vehicle utilisation is low - typically less than 50% which is much lower than the 60-70% desired by most operators. An idle train earns no money.
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