Double checking some EuroNight (40457 & 407) booking horizons...

[jamesontheroad]

In late February I will undertake my most ambitious train trip yet, from Umeå in northern Sweden to Marrakesh.*

* Well, Athens actually. Then a cheap flight to Marrakesh.

I'll travel using a 2-month consecutive Interrail pass picked up during the 50th anniversary sale. Therefore I have a couple of questions about the booking horizons about two Euronight trains along the way. Any tips or updates regarding accurate booking horizons are appreciated, since I'm a terrible snorer and no-one should have to share a couchette with me.

• EN 40457 Wroclaw - Budapest. Interrail says it opens 60 days in advance. Is this accurate / approximate / correct?
• EN 407 'Corona’ (well, I guess I had to catch it at some point... ) Budapest - Brasov. Not yet showing up in the booking engine. Is it returning in 2023, and if so when are reservations open?

Many thanks for any tips.

 

[SeanG]

Try after December 13th, when the timetable changes - you should be able to see them then

 

[30907]

IC407 is shown in the DB timetable for 22-23, so will eventually be bookable. 60 days is fairly standard for Central European reservations, though I would have expected Berlin-Budapest to be sooner.

 

[The exile]

IC407 is shown in the DB timetable for 22-23, so will eventually be bookable. 60 days is fairly standard for Central European reservations, though I would have expected Berlin-Budapest to be sooner.

Back in 2018 when I used Corona it was being diverted and only appeared on the MAV booking engine for a very few days before disappearing again. Concerned that it wasn’t actually going to run, I booked a fallback option on one of the other overnights (I was actually going to Sibiu) - but it did. Unsurprisingly it left Budapest with more staff than passengers.
So do keep looking, even if it doesn’t appear when you expect!

 

[MarcVD]

Athens ? That might be difficult. As far as I know, there are no trains crossing any Greek border for the time being.

 

[dutchflyer]

From what I remember from the usual german sources/forums, there are works on the Hu-RO border crossing for a considerable time-but I dk if this involves Corona or not. But even IF not-as nearly half the trains are cancelled (but in ultra-low-season anyway) it may mean more demand for those that stay-via the other border. BTW-sound isolation between compartments also tend to be not that great.....
As always: seat61.com has best info for combo shortest bus-to bridge the gaps between rails outer ends-though if taken that strict it also may mean hour+hours more lost in waits in tiny villages with nothing to do-and in the cold too.
(like ex: bridge the gap from last stop in BG=KUlata, till first still served stop in GR (?)-the bus may simply be the through one Sofia_Thessaloniki used for just a short intermediate ride.
ONCFM=Morocco Railways have improved enormously the last yrs-with now also mandatory REServation in all long-dist. trains, easy to do on the machines. As could be expected-very much FRench lookalike/copy, though also a few belgian sets.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Athens ? That might be difficult. As far as I know, there are no trains crossing any Greek border for the time being.

From what I remember from the usual german sources/forums, there are works on the Hu-RO border crossing for a considerable time-but I dk if this involves Corona or not. But even IF not-as nearly half the trains are cancelled (but in ultra-low-season anyway) it may mean more demand for those that stay-via the other border. BTW-sound isolation between compartments also tend to be not that great.....

According to the information available right now, I'm expecting to take the afternoon train (15.00) from Sofia to Kulata, and then a bus to Strimon for an onward train to Thessaloniki.

A little addendum.

I was making a mistake in my search, and indeed IC407 Budapest - Brasov is now available. MÁV Start's website seems to let me buy a sleeper reservation with an Interrail pass (using the passenger discount "Bérlet (pl.InterRail)"). €60 for a single sleeper compartment on my chosen date, is a little more expensive than I was expecting, but still not bad value.

 

[Watershed]

According to the information available right now, I'm expecting to take the afternoon train (15.00) from Sofia to Kulata, and then a bus to Strimon for an onward train to Thessaloniki.

Yes, unfortunately there's no rail connection across any Greek border at the moment. I've heard rumours about the former daily through train between Sofia and Thessaloniki being reinstated, but I'll believe them when I see it!

For the best views in the scenic section south of Blagoevgrad, you want to be sitting on the western side (RHS in direction of travel) of the train. Also note that some of the trains have declassified first class (though this seems to simply be a matter of pot luck as to what coaches turn up).

I'd be surprised if you can find a bus that connects well with the twice-daily train between Strymonas and Thessaloniki!

 

[MarcVD]

I'd be surprised if you can find a bus that connects well with the twice-daily train between Strymonas and Thessaloniki!

I had the chance to do that trip entirely by train in 2015. The service still exists today, but a TrainOSE minibus does the Kulata to Strymonas part because :
1) there are so few passengers that a train does not really make sense (I was alone when I did it)
2) it is a very poor use of the loco - and driver, who are on short supply - only one return trip per day
As I'm a border crossing addicted train fan, I consider myself very lucky to have been able to do it. Now need to get the Greece-Turkey crossing in Pythio...

 

[rvdborgt]

I had the chance to do that trip entirely by train in 2015. The service still exists today, but a TrainOSE minibus does the Kulata to Strymonas part

If the service still exists, OSE are doing their best to hide it. hellenictrain.gr doesn't show any services to Kulata (spelled Koulata there).

 

[Watershed]

I had the chance to do that trip entirely by train in 2015. The service still exists today, but a TrainOSE minibus does the Kulata to Strymonas part because :
1) there are so few passengers that a train does not really make sense (I was alone when I did it)
2) it is a very poor use of the loco - and driver, who are on short supply - only one return trip per day
As I'm a border crossing addicted train fan, I consider myself very lucky to have been able to do it. Now need to get the Greece-Turkey crossing in Pythio...

I'm very doubtful that the minibus still runs. I can see no indication of it anywhere online, and there certainly wasn't any evidence of a minibus when I did the trip around this time last year. Perhaps it's been reinstated since though.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Just bumping this thread to ask another question.

EN40457 (Berlin-Charlottenburg - Budapest-Nyugati) is unavailable for booking on my preferred travel date of Monday 20 January, between Wrocław Gł. and Budapest-N.

I'm checking on oebb.at and keep getting the responce "ticket not available". I've scrolled back well within the normal 30-day booking horizon and I can't find any availability at all.

Do you have any tips or suggestions? Is ÖBB the wrong place to be looking?

(EDIT: Neither ÖBB nor DB can sell just a reservation for this train)

Thanks in advance

 

[rvdborgt]

EN40457 (Berlin-Charlottenburg - Budapest-Nyugati) is unavailable for booking on my preferred travel date of Monday 20 January, between Wrocław Gł. and Budapest-N.

I'm checking on oebb.at and keep getting the responce "ticket not available". I've scrolled back well within the normal 30-day booking horizon and I can't find any availability at all.

Do you have any tips or suggestions? Is ÖBB the wrong place to be looking?

On the ÖBB website the Interrail discount works for Berlin-Budapest but apparently not from Wrocław. I'd call them to book: +43 5 1717. They should be able to send the reservation via email.
On the MÁV website the Interrail discount does not seem to work (yet?) for this train.

 

[Polrail]

If you still need this, drop me a PM. We have access to it here at Polrail Service.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Pulling this thread back to the top of the forum to give you some updates on these two night trains. Both were fascinating for different reasons.

EN40457 'Metropol' is a classic mixed night train with three different portions departing from Berlin-Charlottenburg and three different portions arriving in Budapest-N. When I boarded in Wrocław Gl. around 23.00, the train arrived with three MÁV carriages for Budapest, three ÖBB carriages for Graz and three PKP carriages for Bohumin. My cabin in the MÁV WLABmz was very comfortable but quite warm on departure. Also, it connected with the adjacent cabin via a folding partition which did not keep out either my neighbours' (romantic) activities or (probably) my snoring.

The complimentary Hungaria sparkling wine was fine but a little crunchy. The tray breakfast was basic but fine. A second cup of tea was available at no cost. On arrival in Budapest, the train had picked up two seat MÁV carriages from Břeclav and three ČD carriages from Prague in front of my portion, then behind us three PKP carriages from Warszawa.

Thanks to @Polrail aka Polrail Service, who sold me the solo sleeper reservation I wanted for EN 40457 Wrocław - Budapest-N. The paper reservation was waiting for me in a registered mail envelope at the post office in Wrocław, right outside the station. I collected it with a reference number and passport. You can Google them and see customer reviews.

IC407 'Corona' is fascinating for different reasons. Until I came to Hungary, I didn't appreciate that about 1 million Romanian citizens identify as (and speak) Hungarian. MÁV has a fairly comprehensive network of international daytime and nighttime routes into Romania (map here). These are generally loss-making. They are not operated on competitive terms, but as a political project to maintain connections between these minority-Hungarian Romanians and Hungary. An Interrail reservation for a solo sleeper cost €60 on MÁV's website.

Corona was a beautiful experience, because it's a 16hr+ night train journey with a full-service restaurant car. From front to back, my train had 3 x Bmz second-class compartment carriages (430, 431, 432), a WRmz restaurant car (433), a Bcmz couchette car (434) and my carriage, a gloriously old and unmodernised WLAB sleeper car (435). (VagonWeb consist) The WLAB was at least fifty years old, and noisy and rattly as hell, especially over the bad jointed track in western Romania. The attendant was really great, and the staff in the restaurant were also really hospitable. Three beers, plate of pickles (welcome to Hungary), a burger and fries came to about €11.

If you get the chance - please do catch Corona (ba-dum-tss). It's an incredible train and it's quite unlike the more cost-effective and profitable ÖBB NightJet style of night train.

 

[rvdborgt]

IC407 'Corona' is fascinating for different reasons. Until I came to Hungary, I didn't appreciate that about 1 million Romanian citizens identify as (and speak) Hungarian. MÁV has a fairly comprehensive network of international daytime and nighttime routes into Romania (map here). These are generally loss-making. They are not operated on competitive terms, but as a political project to maintain connections between these minority-Hungarian Romanians and Hungary. An Interrail reservation for a solo sleeper cost €60 on MÁV's website.

Interesting that Interrail reservations now work for this train on the MÁV website but not for other night trains to Romania. But at least they're making progress.