I'd wanted to do this for some time, as it's an overnight service with an early departure and late arrival, allowing for maximum enjoyment of the journey.
In this case, a Saturday departure meant an even later arrival at Copenhagen, 10.54 rather than 10.07 (presumably engineering works somewhere), allowing for an even more leisurely start to the day.
I opted for my usual choice on DB overnight, a single compartment. I have splashed out on a single+toilet/shower before, but it's not really necessary. The compartment contains a sink and an extraordinary array of choices of lighting. You can also assemble a fold-away table which snaps into place in the wall. The door locks automatically and is opened from the outside by means of a personal Ving card.
At EUR 139 advance I count the single compartment as great value, seeing as it is a long journey plus private room and breakfast. Naturally the full range of sleeping options are available - personally I wouldn't entertain a couchette for such a journey, unless I had it wholly with friends/family. To be stuffed into a compartment with 5 strangers I simply would not regard as fun, more like an ordeal.
The above is compounded by the main failing of this service - there is no restaurant/lounge car. There is on the Basel route and this joins the train somewhere in the depths of the night, by which time it is of no use. I heard several passengers asking if there was a bar/bistro, which presumably happens on every single trip, and I can't for the life of me think why there isn't one. Of course this means there is no area to socialise. Drinks and simple snacks are available from the attendant's room. Your best bet is to buy beer/wine/whatever you want at Amsterdam station, where you can buy a bottle of plonk for EU 3.50 or a decent tipple for EUR 6-8.
The attendant from Amsterdam seemed very stressed, which is hardly surprising, as he has to check all the tickets at the start, explain things to passengers, be train guard and supposedly man the kiosk as well.
It was great to leave Amsterdam in daylight and speed through Dutch towns and on into Germany. The line passes right through many town centres, and it's always fascinating to see people heading off for a night out as you speed through. The most fascinating sight, however, was a camel happily grazing in a field. The compartment windows afford a very good view, by the way.
At Emmerich the Dutch loco was uncoupled and replaced by the DB loco. Here German police were in attendance, which I assumed was just some random check, but in fact someone appeared to be removed from the train.
Not long after Cologne and now in pitch darkness I decided it was time for lights out and I slept extremely well in the comfortable bed. At some point somewhere (Hamburg?) in the night, there must be an extended stop with major shunting movements as the train splits for Prague and the Copenhagen section from Basel joins. You awake with the train travelling in the reverse direction from which you headed out.
Breakfast is orange juice (more like orange squash), tea or coffee, a croissant and bread roll with spread, jam and cheese spread, which is certainly fit for purpose.
In the morning the bed coverts to a compartment seat, even though it is a dedicated sleeper coach. All in all a recommended overnighter.
In this case, a Saturday departure meant an even later arrival at Copenhagen, 10.54 rather than 10.07 (presumably engineering works somewhere), allowing for an even more leisurely start to the day.
I opted for my usual choice on DB overnight, a single compartment. I have splashed out on a single+toilet/shower before, but it's not really necessary. The compartment contains a sink and an extraordinary array of choices of lighting. You can also assemble a fold-away table which snaps into place in the wall. The door locks automatically and is opened from the outside by means of a personal Ving card.
At EUR 139 advance I count the single compartment as great value, seeing as it is a long journey plus private room and breakfast. Naturally the full range of sleeping options are available - personally I wouldn't entertain a couchette for such a journey, unless I had it wholly with friends/family. To be stuffed into a compartment with 5 strangers I simply would not regard as fun, more like an ordeal.
The above is compounded by the main failing of this service - there is no restaurant/lounge car. There is on the Basel route and this joins the train somewhere in the depths of the night, by which time it is of no use. I heard several passengers asking if there was a bar/bistro, which presumably happens on every single trip, and I can't for the life of me think why there isn't one. Of course this means there is no area to socialise. Drinks and simple snacks are available from the attendant's room. Your best bet is to buy beer/wine/whatever you want at Amsterdam station, where you can buy a bottle of plonk for EU 3.50 or a decent tipple for EUR 6-8.
The attendant from Amsterdam seemed very stressed, which is hardly surprising, as he has to check all the tickets at the start, explain things to passengers, be train guard and supposedly man the kiosk as well.
It was great to leave Amsterdam in daylight and speed through Dutch towns and on into Germany. The line passes right through many town centres, and it's always fascinating to see people heading off for a night out as you speed through. The most fascinating sight, however, was a camel happily grazing in a field. The compartment windows afford a very good view, by the way.
At Emmerich the Dutch loco was uncoupled and replaced by the DB loco. Here German police were in attendance, which I assumed was just some random check, but in fact someone appeared to be removed from the train.
Not long after Cologne and now in pitch darkness I decided it was time for lights out and I slept extremely well in the comfortable bed. At some point somewhere (Hamburg?) in the night, there must be an extended stop with major shunting movements as the train splits for Prague and the Copenhagen section from Basel joins. You awake with the train travelling in the reverse direction from which you headed out.
Breakfast is orange juice (more like orange squash), tea or coffee, a croissant and bread roll with spread, jam and cheese spread, which is certainly fit for purpose.
In the morning the bed coverts to a compartment seat, even though it is a dedicated sleeper coach. All in all a recommended overnighter.