doc7austin
Member
Hello,
on Thursday, December 14, 2023 the first ÖBB Nightjet train has travelled from Brussels to Berlin, which was open for public use.
The train takes a pretty big detour to the South (Mannheim). But this is due to the fact that in Mannheim a total of 4 through car groups are being "recombined" through shunting.
1. NJ 425 Brussels - Berlin
2. NJ 40425 Brussels - Vienna
3. NJ 469 Paris - Vienna
4. NJ 40469 Paris - Berlin
The routing takes the train to Liege, Aachen, Cologne, Koblenz, Mannheim, Frankfurt/Main, Erfurt, and Halle.
Brussels-Midi (Bruxelles-Midi / Brussel Zuid), Belgium
Scheduled Departure Time from Brussels-Midi to Berlin (+ through car group to Vienna): 18:48 cet
An ex-Thalys high-speed trainset:
The SNCB/NMBS HL 18 (1805) electric locomotive will pull our train from Brussels to Aachen at the Belgium/Germany border:
One ÖBB Nightjet Sleeping Car Brussels - Vienna:
One Couchette Car to Vienna:
Some doors didn't even work at all.
Inside our Sleeping Car no. 333 Brussels - Berlin. Our through car group features 2 Sleeping Cars + 2 Couchette Cars + 1 Seating Car.
An Economy Sleeping Car compartment:
This is my compartment. The ticket for single-use costs me EUR 229.
Inside our Couchette Car:
Couchette compartment:
The doors of the Couchette cars are ancient. These cars had been built in the 1960s.
The doors of our Sleeping Car are a bit more modern. The Sleeping Cars were built in the mid-2000s.
Bathroom for mobility-impaired passengers:
Passing through Liège-Guillemins, Belgium.
We have arrived in Aachen - the border station of Germany.
Unfortunately, the Belgian HL 18 broke down here, while trying to push against the train.
In Aachen the voltage switches from Belgium 3 kV DC to the German 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC current.
That's why the HL 18 loco could not be unlocked from our trainset.
It was planned that the ELL 193 962 Siemens Vectron would take over here in Aachen.
So the new locomotive would try to "liberate" the Belgian HL 18 locomotive.
And it worked.
Isn't she a beauty ?
This Vectron loco was built by Siemens Mobility in 2020. ÖBB is currently leasing this loco from ELL.
The Sleeping Car Brussels - Vienna here in Aachen:
The Siemens Vectron loco has just towed away the HL 18 loco.
Not all cars had platform access here in Aachen.
So one must be careful not to fall onto the tracks, after opening the door.
We have managed to leave Aachen with a delay of 2 hours at 22:55.
Anyway, loco changes at the border are always risky - this is a major source of delays for the Nightjet trains.
We are reaching Mannheim at 03:25
The big shunting operation is about to start.
The ELL 193 962 will haul the through car groups from Paris and Brussels to Vienna.
And our through car group (NJ 425 Brussels - Berlin) is being left without a loco.
In Mannheim the 101 002-4 from DB Fernverkehr will take over.
This loco will carry the through car groups Brussels - Berlin and Paris - Berlin.
Our complementary breakfast.
We are arriving in Berlin Hauptbahnhof with a delay of slightly more than 2 hours. Thanks to EU legislation - I am now entitled to a ticket refund of 50% in cash.
Some cars feature a special livery - with the operators of this new Nightjet service: DB Fernverkehr, SNCF Voyageurs, SNCB, and ÖBB.
Between Mannheim and Berlin the train is operated by DB Fernverkehr. Moreover, DB Flexpreis tickets are valid on the section. Also railpass-holders do not have to purchase a reservation/surcharge for the Mannheim-Berlin section.
Thank you for reading my trip report !
This is my detailed trip report on Youtube:
on Thursday, December 14, 2023 the first ÖBB Nightjet train has travelled from Brussels to Berlin, which was open for public use.
The train takes a pretty big detour to the South (Mannheim). But this is due to the fact that in Mannheim a total of 4 through car groups are being "recombined" through shunting.
1. NJ 425 Brussels - Berlin
2. NJ 40425 Brussels - Vienna
3. NJ 469 Paris - Vienna
4. NJ 40469 Paris - Berlin
The routing takes the train to Liege, Aachen, Cologne, Koblenz, Mannheim, Frankfurt/Main, Erfurt, and Halle.
Brussels-Midi (Bruxelles-Midi / Brussel Zuid), Belgium
Scheduled Departure Time from Brussels-Midi to Berlin (+ through car group to Vienna): 18:48 cet
An ex-Thalys high-speed trainset:
The SNCB/NMBS HL 18 (1805) electric locomotive will pull our train from Brussels to Aachen at the Belgium/Germany border:
One ÖBB Nightjet Sleeping Car Brussels - Vienna:
One Couchette Car to Vienna:
Some doors didn't even work at all.
Inside our Sleeping Car no. 333 Brussels - Berlin. Our through car group features 2 Sleeping Cars + 2 Couchette Cars + 1 Seating Car.
An Economy Sleeping Car compartment:
This is my compartment. The ticket for single-use costs me EUR 229.
Inside our Couchette Car:
Couchette compartment:
The doors of the Couchette cars are ancient. These cars had been built in the 1960s.
The doors of our Sleeping Car are a bit more modern. The Sleeping Cars were built in the mid-2000s.
Bathroom for mobility-impaired passengers:
Passing through Liège-Guillemins, Belgium.
We have arrived in Aachen - the border station of Germany.
Unfortunately, the Belgian HL 18 broke down here, while trying to push against the train.
In Aachen the voltage switches from Belgium 3 kV DC to the German 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC current.
That's why the HL 18 loco could not be unlocked from our trainset.
It was planned that the ELL 193 962 Siemens Vectron would take over here in Aachen.
So the new locomotive would try to "liberate" the Belgian HL 18 locomotive.
And it worked.
Isn't she a beauty ?
This Vectron loco was built by Siemens Mobility in 2020. ÖBB is currently leasing this loco from ELL.
The Sleeping Car Brussels - Vienna here in Aachen:
The Siemens Vectron loco has just towed away the HL 18 loco.
Not all cars had platform access here in Aachen.
So one must be careful not to fall onto the tracks, after opening the door.
We have managed to leave Aachen with a delay of 2 hours at 22:55.
Anyway, loco changes at the border are always risky - this is a major source of delays for the Nightjet trains.
We are reaching Mannheim at 03:25
The big shunting operation is about to start.
The ELL 193 962 will haul the through car groups from Paris and Brussels to Vienna.
And our through car group (NJ 425 Brussels - Berlin) is being left without a loco.
In Mannheim the 101 002-4 from DB Fernverkehr will take over.
This loco will carry the through car groups Brussels - Berlin and Paris - Berlin.
Our complementary breakfast.
We are arriving in Berlin Hauptbahnhof with a delay of slightly more than 2 hours. Thanks to EU legislation - I am now entitled to a ticket refund of 50% in cash.
Some cars feature a special livery - with the operators of this new Nightjet service: DB Fernverkehr, SNCF Voyageurs, SNCB, and ÖBB.
Between Mannheim and Berlin the train is operated by DB Fernverkehr. Moreover, DB Flexpreis tickets are valid on the section. Also railpass-holders do not have to purchase a reservation/surcharge for the Mannheim-Berlin section.
Thank you for reading my trip report !
This is my detailed trip report on Youtube:
Last edited:
