Booking Private Nightjet compartment

[MoraMora]

Hello all,

Im new here, so greetings and thank you in advance for your collective wisdom! We are a family of train travel enthusiasts with many international train jaunts under our belts.
My boys are now men practically ( one is 18, one 17) but we ( and my husband) are planning a trip to Budapest around Easter. I had been looking at Brussels to Vienna, a couple of nights there, then onward to Budapest but compartments don't seem to be available yet on OBB, although they are for Amsterdam to Vienna. Anyway, I digress, my actual question is...is it possible to book a private compartment for the 4 of us? Everything states maximum 3 adults, but we'd obviously prefer to be in a compartment on our own, yet even the 17 year old now counts as an adult. Id rather not split the booking into 2 x 2 people, just in case availability disappears before I can book the second set, but if I keep it as a booking for 4, Im also not seeing how I might book one deluxe compartment with loo and shower for 2, plus one standard sleeper for 2...do we all have to travel in the same type of compartment ie 2 x deluxe or 2 x standard sleepers but not one of each?

Ive not used Nightjet before, and I appreciate its a long journey, but OUCH! The Prices!

Many thanks for any help,

Diana

 

[rvdborgt]

Brussels-Vienna from 10 December can't be booked yet. IIRC that should be possible from 17/10, so from tomorrow.
You can book a compartment for the 4 of you but that will then be a couchette. Sleeper compartments are available for a maximum of 3 people. You could also book 2 sleeper compartments for 2 people.

 

[Alfonso]

If you're willing to look at alternatives it's worth looking at Berlin or Zurich to Budapest onto the hungarian railways (MAV) website. Last summer we had a couchette for exclusive use for I think 219 euro when there was nothing available on nightjet

 

[popeter45]

if booking an entire one for 4 people look at couchettes, can fit 4-6 people and are cheaper that full cabins
downside is usually you share with others but if your booking a entire one for your family that isnt an issue

 

[DanielB]

Sleeper compartments are available for a maximum of 3 people. You could also book 2 sleeper compartments for 2 people.

AFAIK there are sleeper compartments with interconnecting doors as well (though a very limited number) which would avoid OPs family to be split in half.
Not sure how to book specifically those compartments however.

 

[StephenHunter]

AFAIK there are sleeper compartments with interconnecting doors as well (though a very limited number) which would avoid OPs family to be split in half.
Not sure how to book specifically those compartments however.

That's correct, although those ones don't have ensuite toilet facilities, just a washbasin.

 

[YorkshireBear]

AFAIK there are sleeper compartments with interconnecting doors as well (though a very limited number) which would avoid OPs family to be split in half.
Not sure how to book specifically those compartments however.

I was just about to suggest this. I think the man in seat 61 website might also give you some good pointers, it includes sleeper carriage layouts.

https://www.seat61.com/sleepers.htm

 

[SeanG]

You should be able to do this on OBB website, if you have any problems, I've emailed OBB in the past and they are usually prompt at replying, in English too. Failing that, maybe ask Mark Smith (Man at Seat 61) on Twitter if it doesn't specifically say on his website.

 

[BahrainLad]

That's correct, although those ones don't have ensuite toilet facilities, just a washbasin.

I thought the way the sleeping car was laid out, an en-suite connected to a non-en-suite? So if you got two compartments with a connecting door then in theory you could share the facilities.

I don’t however see any way to book this online, so do you have to call?

 

[JGurney]

I agree with those suggesting booking a four-berth couchette compartment. It should be the most cost-effective way, and OBB couchette is comfortable enough and includes a basic breakfast.

My wife and I have booked couchette compartments for just the two of us on the Amsterdam -Vienna route a few times. It is cheaper than a sleeper compartment and is bigger, even if slightly less luxurious and with fewer breakfast choices

 

[LowLevel]

I travelled with NJ recently from Vienna to Brussels. I booked my tickets using their standard booking line, a polite request in German (Guten morgen, sprechen Sie Englisch bitte?) on the phone being answered lead to a perfectly competent English speaker booking precisely what I'd asked for, a railway staff discounted 2 bed private sleeper berth.

I'd recommend at least having a go at phoning them.

 

[popeter45]

I thought the way the sleeping car was laid out, an en-suite connected to a non-en-suite? So if you got two compartments with a connecting door then in theory you could share the facilities.

I don’t however see any way to book this online, so do you have to call?

Don't seem to have released the booking yet for some reason, on website does say only expected to release them today so let see what happens

 

[StephenHunter]

I thought the way the sleeping car was laid out, an en-suite connected to a non-en-suite? So if you got two compartments with a connecting door then in theory you could share the facilities.

You're right, yes.

https://www.seat61.com/images/nightjet-comfortline-berth-numbering-large.jpg

 

[MoraMora]

Thank you all for your help. The layout details are good to know, plus I will check out the MAV alternative.
Am I to understand then that if I book 4 places in a couchette, they would automatically put us all together?...or might I as the only female actually end up in a different compartment, given that we can't secure a "private" couchette compartment for 4 adults, only 4 individual spaces?
Ill be brave and brush up on my German and phone them if I can't be sure.

Thank you again,

Diana

 

[popeter45]

Thank you all for your help. The layout details are good to know, plus I will check out the MAV alternative.
Am I to understand then that if I book 4 places in a couchette, they would automatically put us all together?...or might I as the only female actually end up in a different compartment, given that we can't secure a "private" couchette compartment for 4 adults, only 4 individual spaces?
Ill be brave and brush up on my German and phone them if I can't be sure.

Thank you again,

Diana

Don't worry about the German, the second they realise your English they will switch to fluent English immediately

Just to say you may not get a booking today, seems something is holding up releasing tickets and no word on when will go on sale

 

[rvdborgt]

Am I to understand then that if I book 4 places in a couchette, they would automatically put us all together?...or might I as the only female actually end up in a different compartment, given that we can't secure a "private" couchette compartment for 4 adults, only 4 individual spaces?

You'll all be put into one compartment if possible. If it's not possible, then you'll see a warning before payment. Couchettes are not gender-separated.

 

[30907]

There is a specific Nightjet website, which I only discovered yesterday, and that will give you the option of booking a whole compartment - I can't find out whether it will do interconnecting sleepers, as they book up so early,especially the ensuite ones.

https://www.nightjet.com/en/#/home

Worth noting that Brussels to Vienna will still only be 3x/weekly at Easter so it might be worth checking out the Amsterdam service which you can pick up in Cologne.

 

[rvdborgt]

There is a specific Nightjet website, which I only discovered yesterday, and that will give you the option of booking a whole compartment - I can't find out whether it will do interconnecting sleepers, as they book up so early,especially the ensuite ones.

The general ÖBB booking page (tickets.oeb.at) also has the option to book an entire couchette compartment.
However, I've never seen any option, on either website, to book 2 sleeper compartments with an interconnecting door.

 

[popeter45]

so trying to call OBB about this as better to get a anwser than trying to engage with their twitter and cant understand what the automessage is saying on repeat

 

[JGurney]

Thank you all for your help. The layout details are good to know, plus I will check out the MAV alternative.
Am I to understand then that if I book 4 places in a couchette, they would automatically put us all together?...or might I as the only female actually end up in a different compartment, given that we can't secure a "private" couchette compartment for 4 adults, only 4 individual spaces?
Ill be brave and brush up on my German and phone them if I can't be sure.

Thank you again,

Diana

On the Nightjet website you can specify that you are booking a private couchette compartment - I have done so there several times.

 

[bkhtele]

I found the nightjet website simple to use was able to print the tickets at home & use the helpful obb app for backup tickets. Be aware once you "print" the tickets they cannot normally be refunded. You will enjoy the night jet service

 

[DanielB]

Be aware once you "print" the tickets they cannot normally be refunded.

Actually the inability to refund starts one step before: you'll no longer be able to have them refunded after downloading the PDF file.