As solo traveler I love to see options in between a seat and a room. I don’t need privacy, but it is lovely to lay flat. These would be great on ferries.
Agreed! I think this might be better in many circumstances better than travelling alone with a noisy group in a couchette:) As long as they turn off the lights, of course. I once travelled on a night ICE train and they refused to turn them off, even though I was the only one in the entire carriage.
@ the Deutsche Bahn night trains are literally trains that happen to be scheduled at night. No comfort at all!
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@@michaelabeijer675 That was a normal train, but I would still find it perfectly normal if the lights were off or at least dimmed. But no. It wasn't possible, I even asked the conductor. What was really frustrating was the fact that at every station all the connecting trains were announced. Twice. I don't understand why, it's normal to be asleep at 3am.
Inflating the pillow, you should have squeezed the nozzle while blowing air in. it's a device in there that stops losing air while you stop to breathe in more air to blow in afterwards
Perhaps there should be an explanation of that included with the pillow. Or perhaps there was, but it was only in Norwegian and he couldn't read it? I was going to say there should be a small air pump included, or a source of compressed air, but maybe they aren't needed if that valve device works well.
@@emilwandel Yeah, even here in Finland practically every inflatable water toy and such is with those valves. Since I was a kid I learned that you can kinda bite the nozzle while you blow in it so the air goes through.
In case anyone is wondering about the text on the overnight accessories bag, it clearly states(in Norwegian) that you are free to take them with you after the trip. They are included in the price, because cleaning and repacking would be just about as costly. While I wouldn't want to use that blanket afterwards, my sister's cats definitely love a blanket to sleep on, and occasionally need a new one. The pillow. I believe you have to squeeze the stem almost flat close to the end where it connects to the pillow itself. There's some sort of one-way valve in there. You also have to do that to deflate it.
Oh, I bought something online very similar to the blanket and pillow for under $10. Thanks for the tip about filling up the pillow. The blanket is very thin, but dense, and does a decent job of keeping the heat under it and to keep you up, recline quite a bit and are wide enough for me and I’m a big guy and 6 feet tall. Poor man’s café on Amtrak’s trains is pretty good if you know want to buy but they dining car is outstanding. I’m hoping to, make a train trip through a Norway next year and travel to the northern tip of the seacoast. Almost into Russia. I regularly travel long distance on Amtrak in coach basically for the value.
@@robertmcglinchey3347 you are very welcome to travel by train in Norway. But you don't get all the way north/east to the areas close to Russia by train. The Northernmost station is in Bodø, which lies just above the arctic circle, and South of the Lofoten islands. And it is the company SJ operating the track North of Trondheim. And not VY which operates the track Bergen - Oslo 😊
I’ve been annoying my friends for years by saying that this exact concept needs to happen, very happy to see it’s finally becoming real! Now for the convertible Eurostar sleeper to Madrid, functioning as a daytime all-premium return train (I’m certain it would sell out on both legs every single day and night)
@@samtrak1204 the national policy in Spain is to eliminate all night trains in favour of daytime high speed trains. We used to have many sleeper routes but they have been gradually removed as fast as the high speed lines were built
@@samtrak1204 there used to be a night train until 2020, but it was removed for the reasons I mentioned above. It's a tragedy, but not a surprise given how things are managed in this country.
My wife and I rode this route in the other direction in daylight about eight years ago. The scenery is truly outstanding. I would certainly try this sleeper concept if it where half the price of a regular sleeper.
What really interests me is simply the price. Considering there's less than 25 seats per carriage you'd expect it to be pretty expensive but I'm honestly baffled that they can offer a price thats nearly the exact same as a couchette bunk on Snälltågets Berlin Night Express, or any of the ÖBB Nightjets. That is astonishing and could be a game changer in the night train market if the price could be kept similarly low by other operators.
Surprised me as well. Considering, there are no couchette cars in Norway (or are there?) this seems like the next best option. Probably also is easier to cater and clean.
I'm from Norway and ngl our intercity trains are a tragedy and have been neglected since ww2, very slow and single tracked. there's a reason we fly a lot more than the average European
This is incredible. I've always wondered if there wasn't a way to make overnight trains more affordable but still comfortable enough to get some hours of decent sleep. Especially where high speed rail is either unavailable or just not that fast (looking at you, Germany), you can still do great distances without the discomfort of sitting on a train for half a day.
Couchettes are still the most economic way to travel lying down at night... a typical couchette sleeper carriage has nine compartments with six beds each. At 54 places, much more than the 23 recliners shown here, so theoretically cheaper for the provider. Agreed, six people sleeping in one compartment is stuffy and lacks any kind of privacy, but you were asking about economy. Depending on the provider, there may be higher priced options for 4, beds per compartment. Classic sleeper carriages offer compartments with options for 1, 2, or 3 occupants... but significantly pricier than couchette.
EU is looking into outlawing short flights, and increasing inter-country long distance trains, so we can expect only more sleeper trains in the future.
I used to work on the long-haul trains in Norway as a Rail Attendant, selling snacks and food in the bistro, drinks trolley service and complimentary meals in Premium class on the then-new Signatur trains (2000-2005). I also worked on these train sets you travelled on. Great job it was, and I'm happy to see that VY are trying to up the quality of the travel experience. As always, great trip report from you 🙂
In Indonesia, there's also intercity train with the same concept seat like this Norwegian overnight train and it's called "Luxury sleeper". Usually running on Jakarta-Yogyakarta and Jakarta-Surabaya routes
@@samtrak1204 there's a lot of the review about this train in UA-cam but most of the are in Indonesian. But maybe this English video one can help you to give what look Indonesian Luxury Sleeper looks like ua-cam.com/video/P7IkqZSFcXg/v-deo.html
Thanks for highlighting how bad our trains are here in Australia when you show us the awesome sets in Europe. Hope to see more of your Euro train vids.
May I suggest you to watch the Austrian national railcompany ÖBB ; and especially the cross Europe NightJet sleeper trainservice.... The latest, new wagons are imho the pinnacle of comfy, privat & complete equiped services. But, of course with a pticetag. Greetz from Holland
Great, clear video with wonderful English! I suppose the comparator ought to be ÖBB’s new mini suites. I wonder how many of those to a carriage compared with these single deck 1x1 seats?
As a Norwegian living in Bergen, it's weird how you take the train station for granted, it truly is a unique architecture. Was cool to see what you get in a PlussNatt seat, haven't gotten to try this out yet.
as a german, being in norway for longer times because of my girlfriend i can tell you i really appreciate your trainstations. They are always with great waitingrooms and warm. Alot better than most ones in germany. Even in little places like roros. greetings from gjovik
I really hope that ÖBB picks up that idea for it's NightJet trains too. Because it would be a really good choice for trips where you get off a night train early and booking a couchette isn't really worth it.
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I could see these on the railjet too, in business class.
Unlikely, considering they just bought new NightJets that are finally to be delivered this summer. However, they have introduced the innovative concept of "sleeping capsules", basically like a couchette but with privacy. I don’t really see this business class plane style sleeper would be cheaper than that, space-wise. Anyhow: Having the option still would be nice. They could also be booked twice in a night, different to beds.
@@DerKatzeSonne The new sleepers are great, but every NightJet usually has one or two carriages that are seats only and reclining seats would be a great upgrade to them. Because at the moment everyone hates them with passion.
@@digitaleswerken sure. I hate them as well and still take them from time to time because everything else is booked out or too expensive. And yes the new NightJet sets also include seating cars. However, if I remember correctly, they haven’t shown them publicly, yet! Might there be some surprise waiting for us? 🙈 I hope so (at least make the seats a bit further reclinable), but I wouldn’t bet on it.
I was in Norway at the end of March. What I found odd was sitting outside in my shirtsleeves, drinking coffee and watching the snow around my table melt. It was the same at Myrdal when I changed trains. There was snow on the platform, it's surrounded by snow covered mountains but if anything, I was too hot in the sun.
In 4 - 7 years (with no delay) Brazil will open a high speed train between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo to make the journey "faster"(this is a very crowded route by plane and by car [by plane this route has 3 companies that serve this route]), in a straight line is 359km and between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and it will go through other 2 or 3 cities. I just imagine tou going here in Brazil to get on the ride. I love your videos.
I would happily go for the standard seat. I know I never sleep on overnight trains or buses so I don't even try. I am way too nosey. I like to see and hear everything that's going on around me on see anything there is to see out of the window. So rather than spending money on sleeping facilities that I know I won't need or be able to use would be a waste. I have regularly sat in standard seating overnight from London to Glasgow and love it.
Isnt this more expensive? Definitely less space efficient than a normal 4 bed rooms sleep train like OBB. Also for a 1h flight dont take a 8 hours train, just pay a bit extra for sustainable fuel or carbon compensation
@@hypernewlapse You underestimate how private Scandinavians are. You literally cannot book a shared compartment with a stranger on any Norwegian train. Unless you’re travelling with a friend it’s easily $150 for a journey way too short to get that much sleep anyway. Compare that to the $20-$30 coach tickets and its a terrible deal for anyone on a budget.
@@Felix-nz7lq seems like a Norwegian issue haha, on the SJ Jämtland-Stockholm/Göteborg night train that I take sometimes you can book: - Private 1st class sleeper/sovvagn (2 beds) with ensuite WC/shower & hotel breakfast (about $140) - Private 2nd class sleeper/sovvagn (3 beds) with WC/shower in the hallway (about $110) - Shared 2nd class sleeper/sovvagn (3 beds) with WC/shower in the hallway (about $50 per bed) - Shared 2nd class couchette/liggvagn (6 beds) with WC in the hallway (about $40 per bed) - Seated 2nd class (about $30 but mainly meant for people just going part of the way) The prices are if you book early though, they can rise quite significantly if you book close to departure (private compartments up to $200, shared compartments up to $100, seats up to $50)
@@Felix-nz7lq They used to have normal shared compartments, but the sleepers were leased from Sweden and returned back some 15 years ago (to save money :D ). However, these 1 class seats as an alternative to couchettes, is just an example of an ill-informed moronic move by someone in the ministry of infrastructures who have absolutely no idea of what a couchette car is. A nice example of typical Norwegian ignorance; ignorance combined with arrogance: say no to EU and re-invent the wheel, no need to see how the neighbours have found perfect solutions that could easily be implemented...
Ahhh I LOVE the new PlusNatt, I've been travelling on the night train for years and it really is a great upgrade from the normal seats, without breaking the bank with the coupe. I absolutely love the new electrical seats, I'm never going back to sleeping in the normal seats. I do miss the actual duvets from the coupes, but dang the electrical reclining chairs really lets you choose what position is best for you
How much does it cost now? The low price seats used to be 2 or 300 NOK, or 20-30$US when I was using the Bergensbanen a lot in the early 2000's. But it was torture for a tall, big man like myself to sit upright through the whole night, trying my best to fold myself into yoga-positions to try to sleep a few minutes at the time.
to hear someone refer to places like Arna and Voss as "nearby cities" ...made me spit my coffe in laughter..so, thanks....wanted a new keyboard I guess
i saw once the GWR sleeper train, after that, this looks the most relaxing night-sleeper train what i've ever seen. Not because the GWR are that luxiurius but it looks soo classic and elegant.
This layout is called the "Rail-Bed" service in Queensland Rail Travel as they utilise aircraft's first-class seats and provide first-class service to customers.
This is a brilliant no-brainer concept that I can't believe hasn't been done before. It could really help rail become competitive against air travel for longer journeys. Anything longer than about 5hrs could do really well offering this as a "business class" offering, with full sleeper cabins becoming like first class suites on planes.
Great idea . In QLD, Australia, there is similar reclining seat service between Cairns and Brisbane. Such should be offered in all long distance services globally. They are better than dedicated flat beds that are overpriced. The rooms are themselves claustrophobic which is totally against the ethos of train travels. The reclining seats overcome this. There is no need to have just one seat on each side of the aisle. Some could be double seats on one side and single seats on the other for single travellers. Amtrak services eg would see huge demand for this. Same with cross Canadian service. Trans-Siberia line too would see this very welcome for many. Of course traditional bedroom services will remain popular among many. I look forwards to this on the services between Sydney and Perth.
As mentioned Queensland Rail offer these "Rail Beds" on their Cairns service. However the staff bring your complimentary meals and drinks to your seat/bed and make your bed on demand with proper bedding. They were introduced in 2006 and like Singapore Airlines Business Class seats they actually flip over to a fully flat no seams bed.
Props to Vy for trying to do different on its night services out and in to Oslo. The PlusNight lie-flat product is very innovative and surprisingly affordable in a country that is super expensive and is the most developed country in the world. I'm not sure why they provide a small inflatable pillow to sleep on (sustainability and space considerations), but anyone taking on this train should have no problems having a good night's sleep (unless they prefer the seat). 😴 If you think THAT is innovative, wait till you see what OBB is cooking up for its Nightjet service, something involving capsule-style mini-suite compartments? Either way, it's nice to be back commenting after a few weeks, but I didn't miss a single report while on absence, so you're welcome. 😊
Thanks for the review. This is actually rebuilt from a 1980s seating carriage, revolutionary for the era but aging now so in a few years all locomotive hauled long distance trains will be replaced by new Stadler units that have regular seating, lie-flat seating and compartments for two or four passengers, which can be used both during the day and night. They hope for a more economic use of resources that way. I assume the bed can be comfortable (maybe I'd bring a pillow of my own). The main problems might be privacy (not everybody sleeps well in a room full of strangers) and noises (snoring passengers etc) so I'd definitely use earplugs. Can you choose a seat when making your reservation?
Yes you can choose seating when ordering. (Not always on economy i think.) And the sleeping quarters are great! The matresses are soft and the sheets are soft! Highly recommend. Unfortunly its quite expensive compared to economy but it will give you a really good sleep!
I suppose the relevant comparison here would be to the 6-bunk couchette compartments rather than to sleeper beds - I'm curious how these lie-flat chairs compare to couchettes, both in price, comfort, and passenger capacity.
This looks far more comfortable than 6 bunk couchette. Those are cramped and the older carriages get very sweaty in the inside. Only downside is that here you can hear the whole carriage. They ought to install some separator walls.
In Norwegen they dont have couchettes. You only can get a private twin sleeper. Wich is nice and affordable traveling as pair but quite expensive alone
a tip for that air pillow: bite that valve lightly with your teeth, and blow into it. that eases the airflow into the pillow and is much easier to inflate.
My wife and I, retired, took that round trip in the summer of 2017. We rode during the day both ways. So, you said to not miss the beautiful scenery-it’s our most beautiful trip on any train- I cannot understand the desire to travel this route overnight, unless for example , business travel. Or a travel writer to show the new way to travel at night.
No they are not. This is shit we've had for 20 years, and it's mass produced. Not that the train service works here anymore after it was privatized and the prices went insane.
Got really excited the first time I heard about Norway considering this setup a few years back. Must say that it looks brilliant and would make for a good alternative for a solo traveler on routes such as Stockholm Hamburg, or similar. Too bad that it’s only 23 seats per carriage, though. I don’t exactly know how that compares to sleepers or couchettes, but I think they’d have to squeeze in a few more seats to keep the price down. Having squad that, it was a pretty good price.
The scenery on this trip is amazing during daylight hours. Ive travelled a fair bit on public transport in Norway, both by train and by bus, and the online ticketing facilities for both are excellent, which probably accounts for the limited hours of the ticket office. This trip cost around the same that I paid for advanced tickets for the Trondheim to Bodo journey, in Premium.
Both Oslo and Bergen, and every part of the Bergensbanen route is well south of the polar circle. There is no day in the year where the sun will be up around the clock. Granted, there will be nights that are in twilight, or close to that, so not completely dark.
Yeah, that’s absolutely an airline lie-flat seat. I’m sure they’re made by the same companies because those interiors are installed by third parties. Great idea, and half the price of a bed in similar services in the UK. Makes sense because 23 seats is probably twice what you’d get from the 5-6 private cabins in those carriages
I would definitely try it. I tend not to sleep very soundly while traveling, even with a proper bed, so I would be happy to save the extra cost of a sleeper compartment. Haven't been to Bergen, only to Oslo, but would definitely like to visit Norway again and see more of the country.
I've been wondering when trains would get around to offering flat beds. Leave it to the creative Norwegians to do it right, unsurprising . I would prefer a private room but if I were traveling on a tight budget, this would be a perfect fit. I love the subdued night lighting and the exterior liveries and sleek lines of Norwegian trains. Thanks for sharing this unique experience.
it's an interesting design, seems more comfortable than a traditional couchette, but higher capacity than the more luxury cabins on the austrian nightjets. kinda prefer this to a couchette because sharing a small, closed off room with just a few strangers feels weirder to me than a spaced out hallway that's more like a regular train cabin, plus honestly i personally really don't need a shower on the train, feel it would be cheaper for the passenger and rail company to probably just provide a shower room at the train station itself (and honestly could do the same with serving food if the night journey is only 8 - 9.5 hours, would be nicer to arrive in the morning and get a proper cooked breakfast instead of the premade stuff you get on trains) but i think night trains as a whole require more drastic changes depending on the route honestly as they'll have different audience expectations whether it's people primarily people using it for vacation or business
There are at least two dozen flights a day from BGO to OSL. Block time under one hour, and you usually pay substantially less than what one of these fancy train seats will set you back. A no-brainer.
@@IdeI2StOnEd That's exactly the point: you pay more, it takes longer, and a bed on a rattling train is hardly conducive to a good night's sleep. Some people may love it, but most rational people don't. They'll only take a night train if there are no other options.
Very enjoyable video. The journey by day is fantastic as you pass through some stunning scenery & there is a little added bonus en route for fans of The Empire Strikes Back.
Honestly I'd prefer lie flat seats like these over couchettes, at least when travelling alone. With a little more optimisation I think they can get a good bit more space efficient, I hope more long distance operators consider these, even for daytime trains.
Norway is a incredible country with breathtaking views of the mountains including when it has snowed a lot. And Norway also has the best trains as well.
best trains? My experience was disappointing the last time. Uncomfortable day train and more than an hour's delay, and we had to catch a plane at Gardermoen. Poor service by the crew. On our way the other way we had to take a bus from Oslo S to a suburb. Getting to the bus stop and finding the right bus was a hassle. Hardly any help from the railway.
As a Norwegian I'm thankful for the compliment, but I don't think we have the best trains. Further south in Europe there's much better trains, and faster ones, and around the world bullet-trains and such, that wouldn't be able to run on our tracks. It's also very few tracks here, but that's only logical, since it require so much tunneling to make the tracks, they're mostly in the east, with the Oslo Airport train being the quickest I think.
@@PeterNGloor Yes, must be very confusing for someone not understanding Norwegian when there's bus-rides to other stations and elder bus-drivers that talk heavily accented English that don't have much patience to try to make themselves understood by foreigners. We should be better to provide English and perhaps also French and German translated explanations, but people here are very proud of their language, and many dislike the cultural influence from America via media.
These kind of seats have been common on planes in business class for years so it's nice to see them spread to trains now (I suppose Gran Class on the Shinkansen is similar although i'm not sure if they go totally flat).
On planes, business class seats are easily about €7.000 or 6 times the monkey-class fare. So, let's get this kind of nightrains between most european cities.
Very good thing you posted this innovation. But not all innovations are good ideas, lets wait to see what future holds for this concept. For myself I prefer a private cabin, so it's allways a sleeper for me. Young people have smaller budgets and often like to be together and party a bit, so they are probably better off with a couchette. Thanks for posting!!
Excellent video! Norwegian scenery doesn't hurt, though of course for the full impact I'll have to watch your daylight video of the route! thanks again.... :)
It's great that the option exists. But for me, it's either a fully private sleeper cabin, or I take the day train. I've done both for the Bergen-Oslo route, it's a beautiful trip in the daytime and I can sleep nearly the whole trip at night. The sleeper cabins do have curtains.
Saw the adds for theese chairs when they first came. I was serriously considered a trip to Oslo just to try them 😂😂 Night train to Oslo, then enjoy the day in Oslo, then take night train back to Bergen
I am sure that there would be a few kids on there, and you would only want one for everyones night to be ruined. Great, interesting, well-researched and narrated video. Thank you.
The Ulriken Tunnel was opened in 1964. What you drove through was the newly constructed second tunnel. Timewise its been the same since the 60s, but the second tunnel was constructed mainly for capacity and fire safety.
The Bergensbanen is my personal favourite railway of all time. Even though I have done all 5 railways in Alaska, and every line in Canada except Churchill. But it is best done by day, and in May / June. The only sleeper train I have done in Norway, was the overnight to Stavanger, in order to do the line loco hauled with an El 18. I have done every railway in Norway, except Narvik. I stayed in the Grand Hotel Terminus in Bergen, and I can recommend staying here. Nice video.
The reason maybe you couldn't inflate the bag is because you have to pinch it while inflating by mouth. The plastic opening device is constructed like that to prevent air from escaping ata fast rate and deflating too quick. So when you pinch you create a small opening and air flows in freely. Hope it helps next time! Comes from the years of experience inflating inflatable rings myself
Nice video. Honestly I think just a capsule is a lot more private and convenient than this swiss army knife looking place. Innovation is not always better
As a Norwegian I don’t get the negativity. It’s not much different than a standard seat except you can sleep better and looks more comfortable. And normally people sleep like this in general in regular seats so don’t get the issue with privacy. Then again views on privacy is also a matter of cultural differences. You’re clearly not Norwegian and for us it works just fine.
Great trip. The sleeper seating is remind me about same class in my country which branded as luxury class. But the difference is the first generation is using 1-2 seating configuration, and the latest version is using 1-1 seating configuration but between left and right seating they have different direction.
This is essentially business class on a plane applied to a train. Ive always wondered why trains havent done this sooner to be honest as it makes a more ost effective solution than a room and more comfortable than a solid chair.
Nice video! I was not aware of hotel in Bergen that offer discount and a place to wait. You said that some of the towns along the route are only acessable true train. Wich i don't think is true. And you will get a few hours of night time in the brightest times in summer. It's only way up north you get the daylight 24 hours.
FYI... KAI (Kereta Api Indonesia) or Indonesian Railway Company, operates very similar lay flat seat bed on their Luxury class train years ago, yet they have another different configuration of 2-2 lay flat seat bed, also similar with airline's business class seats
Well that’s certainly unique and innovative isn’t it. 🤔. Personally, I’d rather take the daylight train because of the gorgeous scenery enroute. Looking forward to your presentation on that 😉👍🏻
This is the first video of yours that I watched. I loved it. I hope that this is the future of railway travel. Yes, I would book it at least once to try and then if I could not afford the sleepers. I think it should be standard seating for overnight trains. My only puzzlement is why the window do not have sades, especially in an overnight route?!
As solo traveler I love to see options in between a seat and a room. I don’t need privacy, but it is lovely to lay flat. These would be great on ferries.
As he says, they seem very similar to what you'd find in business class on a plane!
Me too!
Agreed! I think this might be better in many circumstances better than travelling alone with a noisy group in a couchette:) As long as they turn off the lights, of course. I once travelled on a night ICE train and they refused to turn them off, even though I was the only one in the entire carriage.
@ the Deutsche Bahn night trains are literally trains that happen to be scheduled at night. No comfort at all!
@@michaelabeijer675 That was a normal train, but I would still find it perfectly normal if the lights were off or at least dimmed. But no. It wasn't possible, I even asked the conductor. What was really frustrating was the fact that at every station all the connecting trains were announced. Twice. I don't understand why, it's normal to be asleep at 3am.
Inflating the pillow, you should have squeezed the nozzle while blowing air in. it's a device in there that stops losing air while you stop to breathe in more air to blow in afterwards
Perhaps there should be an explanation of that included with the pillow. Or perhaps there was, but it was only in Norwegian and he couldn't read it? I was going to say there should be a small air pump included, or a source of compressed air, but maybe they aren't needed if that valve device works well.
Yeah lol, that should have been two breaths if you had pinched open the valve
@@bxdanny these valves are very common in Europe. You don't explain how to drink water.
@@emilwandel Yeah, even here in Finland practically every inflatable water toy and such is with those valves. Since I was a kid I learned that you can kinda bite the nozzle while you blow in it so the air goes through.
The sun does set in the summer in the southern parts of Norway. You have to go up north to see the midnight sun.
In case anyone is wondering about the text on the overnight accessories bag, it clearly states(in Norwegian) that you are free to take them with you after the trip. They are included in the price, because cleaning and repacking would be just about as costly. While I wouldn't want to use that blanket afterwards, my sister's cats definitely love a blanket to sleep on, and occasionally need a new one.
The pillow. I believe you have to squeeze the stem almost flat close to the end where it connects to the pillow itself. There's some sort of one-way valve in there. You also have to do that to deflate it.
Oh, I bought something online very similar to the blanket and pillow for under $10. Thanks for the tip about filling up the pillow. The blanket is very thin, but dense, and does a decent job of keeping the heat under it and to keep you up, recline quite a bit and are wide enough for me and I’m a big guy and 6 feet tall. Poor man’s café on Amtrak’s trains is pretty good if you know want to buy but they dining car is outstanding.
I’m hoping to, make a train trip through a Norway next year and travel to the northern tip of the seacoast. Almost into Russia.
I regularly travel long distance on Amtrak in coach basically for the value.
@@robertmcglinchey3347 you are very welcome to travel by train in Norway. But you don't get all the way north/east to the areas close to Russia by train. The Northernmost station is in Bodø, which lies just above the arctic circle, and South of the Lofoten islands. And it is the company SJ operating the track North of Trondheim. And not VY which operates the track Bergen - Oslo 😊
Also it says, if you do not take it home, it will be given to a Charity organisation.
Airline blankets make the best picnic rugs....just sayin..
@@TravellingTorunn how do you get to the Lafoten Islands?
such a great idea for a short 7 hour train. I would prefer the private cabins for longer but this is surprisingly affordable for a lay-flat bed!
I wonder if this design could be equipped with some kind of foldable doors for some privacy?
I’ve been annoying my friends for years by saying that this exact concept needs to happen, very happy to see it’s finally becoming real! Now for the convertible Eurostar sleeper to Madrid, functioning as a daytime all-premium return train (I’m certain it would sell out on both legs every single day and night)
As a spaniard I wish for such a thing to happen but unfortunately we won't be seeing any sleeping trains over here in many, many years to come.
@@osasunaitor Why?
@@samtrak1204 the national policy in Spain is to eliminate all night trains in favour of daytime high speed trains. We used to have many sleeper routes but they have been gradually removed as fast as the high speed lines were built
@@osasunaitor I still can’t believe there is no direct train service between Madrid and Lisbon😳
@@samtrak1204 there used to be a night train until 2020, but it was removed for the reasons I mentioned above. It's a tragedy, but not a surprise given how things are managed in this country.
My wife and I rode this route in the other direction in daylight about eight years ago. The scenery is truly outstanding. I would certainly try this sleeper concept if it where half the price of a regular sleeper.
What really interests me is simply the price. Considering there's less than 25 seats per carriage you'd expect it to be pretty expensive but I'm honestly baffled that they can offer a price thats nearly the exact same as a couchette bunk on Snälltågets Berlin Night Express, or any of the ÖBB Nightjets. That is astonishing and could be a game changer in the night train market if the price could be kept similarly low by other operators.
Probably because 98% of the Norwegian electric grid is supplied through hydropower.
Surprised me as well. Considering, there are no couchette cars in Norway (or are there?) this seems like the next best option. Probably also is easier to cater and clean.
Yeah, and if we find it cheap it must be pocket change to the average Norwegian!
Dr De Wott
Trains are not expansive, subsidizing make these tickets cheaper.
If more people use the serice, it will get cheaper.
Sorry tickets are on a very high side . Don't you know the prices in iran or russia
Norway is one of my favorite countries, and the Railway are amazing in norway, so i really like this train!
I'm from Norway and ngl our intercity trains are a tragedy and have been neglected since ww2, very slow and single tracked. there's a reason we fly a lot more than the average European
@@espenlinjalour intercity is great for tourists but a straight tragedy for locals
Also they are talking about delaying the plans about a new Bergensbanen by 13 years!!
@@espenlinjal yeah fr i cant stand the delays and the daily problems on the railway
This is incredible. I've always wondered if there wasn't a way to make overnight trains more affordable but still comfortable enough to get some hours of decent sleep. Especially where high speed rail is either unavailable or just not that fast (looking at you, Germany), you can still do great distances without the discomfort of sitting on a train for half a day.
Couchettes are still the most economic way to travel lying down at night... a typical couchette sleeper carriage has nine compartments with six beds each. At 54 places, much more than the 23 recliners shown here, so theoretically cheaper for the provider. Agreed, six people sleeping in one compartment is stuffy and lacks any kind of privacy, but you were asking about economy. Depending on the provider, there may be higher priced options for 4, beds per compartment. Classic sleeper carriages offer compartments with options for 1, 2, or 3 occupants... but significantly pricier than couchette.
EU is looking into outlawing short flights, and increasing inter-country long distance trains, so we can expect only more sleeper trains in the future.
@@666Tomato666 The only journeys likely to ever see flights banned would be where regular train service runs with journey times of less than 3 hours.
I wish more european trains would offer this amazing seats. The price is awesome in comparison to other companies. Well done Norway!
I just wonder if this really can be more compact (and thus cheaper) than rooms where there's three beds stacked on top of each other on each side.
4:04 bro just dropped the coldest transition
great video as always, definitely reminded me of a business class seat on a plane!
I used to work on the long-haul trains in Norway as a Rail Attendant, selling snacks and food in the bistro, drinks trolley service and complimentary meals in Premium class on the then-new Signatur trains (2000-2005). I also worked on these train sets you travelled on. Great job it was, and I'm happy to see that VY are trying to up the quality of the travel experience. As always, great trip report from you 🙂
Awesome, glad you enjoyed it too! :)
In Indonesia, there's also intercity train with the same concept seat like this Norwegian overnight train and it's called "Luxury sleeper". Usually running on Jakarta-Yogyakarta and Jakarta-Surabaya routes
Is there a good UA-cam post on Indonesian "Luxury" sleeper?
@@samtrak1204 there's a lot of the review about this train in UA-cam but most of the are in Indonesian. But maybe this English video one can help you to give what look Indonesian Luxury Sleeper looks like ua-cam.com/video/P7IkqZSFcXg/v-deo.html
@@normieguy7037 Thanks👊🏾👴🏾
Thanks.
It's the first thing that came to my mind when I clicked on that video!
What a great idea. I would be happy with that for an overnight ride..it’s just like a business class seat in the air, as you say 👍
Thanks for highlighting how bad our trains are here in Australia when you show us the awesome sets in Europe. Hope to see more of your Euro train vids.
Thanks so much for your support! I've got a lot more to come from Europe, and hopefully I'll even get to try Australian trains one day... 😎
May I suggest you to watch the Austrian national railcompany ÖBB ; and especially the cross Europe NightJet sleeper trainservice....
The latest, new wagons are imho the pinnacle of comfy, privat & complete equiped services.
But, of course with a pticetag.
Greetz from Holland
Great, clear video with wonderful English! I suppose the comparator ought to be ÖBB’s new mini suites. I wonder how many of those to a carriage compared with these single deck 1x1 seats?
As a Norwegian living in Bergen, it's weird how you take the train station for granted, it truly is a unique architecture. Was cool to see what you get in a PlussNatt seat, haven't gotten to try this out yet.
as a german, being in norway for longer times because of my girlfriend i can tell you i really appreciate your trainstations. They are always with great waitingrooms and warm. Alot better than most ones in germany. Even in little places like roros. greetings from gjovik
He gave it strong praise in terms of architecture - "spectactular, grand, incredible construction." I agree, it looks like a wonderful place.
I really hope that ÖBB picks up that idea for it's NightJet trains too. Because it would be a really good choice for trips where you get off a night train early and booking a couchette isn't really worth it.
I could see these on the railjet too, in business class.
Unlikely, considering they just bought new NightJets that are finally to be delivered this summer. However, they have introduced the innovative concept of "sleeping capsules", basically like a couchette but with privacy. I don’t really see this business class plane style sleeper would be cheaper than that, space-wise. Anyhow: Having the option still would be nice. They could also be booked twice in a night, different to beds.
@@DerKatzeSonne The new sleepers are great, but every NightJet usually has one or two carriages that are seats only and reclining seats would be a great upgrade to them. Because at the moment everyone hates them with passion.
@@digitaleswerken sure. I hate them as well and still take them from time to time because everything else is booked out or too expensive. And yes the new NightJet sets also include seating cars. However, if I remember correctly, they haven’t shown them publicly, yet! Might there be some surprise waiting for us? 🙈 I hope so (at least make the seats a bit further reclinable), but I wouldn’t bet on it.
@@digitaleswerken OeBB is still struggling to become a good night travel company. We might have to wait and see what the new cars will bring.
it must be pretty calming to go from the cold outsides to a nice warm train
I was in Norway at the end of March. What I found odd was sitting outside in my shirtsleeves, drinking coffee and watching the snow around my table melt. It was the same at Myrdal when I changed trains. There was snow on the platform, it's surrounded by snow covered mountains but if anything, I was too hot in the sun.
Speaking of temperature, what was the temp in the train?
Not with the insane pricing.
@@maflonesHow much?
@@PeterApps we was up in around 20+ in March, but just a day or two ago, we got under minus temp, during night! Norwegian weather is fun...
In 4 - 7 years (with no delay) Brazil will open a high speed train between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo to make the journey "faster"(this is a very crowded route by plane and by car [by plane this route has 3 companies that serve this route]), in a straight line is 359km and between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and it will go through other 2 or 3 cities. I just imagine tou going here in Brazil to get on the ride. I love your videos.
4:02 Dear god that was a smooth transition.
I would happily go for the standard seat. I know I never sleep on overnight trains or buses so I don't even try. I am way too nosey. I like to see and hear everything that's going on around me on see anything there is to see out of the window. So rather than spending money on sleeping facilities that I know I won't need or be able to use would be a waste. I have regularly sat in standard seating overnight from London to Glasgow and love it.
I really wish they had these on the Oslo-Trondheim route. Proper beds are just way too expensive for a student like me to be worthwhile over flying
Isnt this more expensive? Definitely less space efficient than a normal 4 bed rooms sleep train like OBB. Also for a 1h flight dont take a 8 hours train, just pay a bit extra for sustainable fuel or carbon compensation
@@hypernewlapse You underestimate how private Scandinavians are. You literally cannot book a shared compartment with a stranger on any Norwegian train. Unless you’re travelling with a friend it’s easily $150 for a journey way too short to get that much sleep anyway. Compare that to the $20-$30 coach tickets and its a terrible deal for anyone on a budget.
you have something similar on both go-ahead trains and sj ones too, maybe not exact same ones as at bergensbanen but similar.
@@Felix-nz7lq seems like a Norwegian issue haha, on the SJ Jämtland-Stockholm/Göteborg night train that I take sometimes you can book:
- Private 1st class sleeper/sovvagn (2 beds) with ensuite WC/shower & hotel breakfast (about $140)
- Private 2nd class sleeper/sovvagn (3 beds) with WC/shower in the hallway (about $110)
- Shared 2nd class sleeper/sovvagn (3 beds) with WC/shower in the hallway (about $50 per bed)
- Shared 2nd class couchette/liggvagn (6 beds) with WC in the hallway (about $40 per bed)
- Seated 2nd class (about $30 but mainly meant for people just going part of the way)
The prices are if you book early though, they can rise quite significantly if you book close to departure (private compartments up to $200, shared compartments up to $100, seats up to $50)
@@Felix-nz7lq They used to have normal shared compartments, but the sleepers were leased from Sweden and returned back some 15 years ago (to save money :D ).
However, these 1 class seats as an alternative to couchettes, is just an example of an ill-informed moronic move by someone in the ministry of infrastructures who have absolutely no idea of what a couchette car is. A nice example of typical Norwegian ignorance; ignorance combined with arrogance: say no to EU and re-invent the wheel, no need to see how the neighbours have found perfect solutions that could easily be implemented...
I don't even know if anyone payed attention, but the cutting skills in 04:04 are insane. Hats off to you, my friend!
Ahhh I LOVE the new PlusNatt, I've been travelling on the night train for years and it really is a great upgrade from the normal seats, without breaking the bank with the coupe. I absolutely love the new electrical seats, I'm never going back to sleeping in the normal seats. I do miss the actual duvets from the coupes, but dang the electrical reclining chairs really lets you choose what position is best for you
How much does it cost now? The low price seats used to be 2 or 300 NOK, or 20-30$US when I was using the Bergensbanen a lot in the early 2000's. But it was torture for a tall, big man like myself to sit upright through the whole night, trying my best to fold myself into yoga-positions to try to sleep a few minutes at the time.
to hear someone refer to places like Arna and Voss as "nearby cities" ...made me spit my coffe in laughter..so, thanks....wanted a new keyboard I guess
i saw once the GWR sleeper train, after that, this looks the most relaxing night-sleeper train what i've ever seen.
Not because the GWR are that luxiurius but it looks soo classic and elegant.
This layout is called the "Rail-Bed" service in Queensland Rail Travel as they utilise aircraft's first-class seats and provide first-class service to customers.
Travelled Nambour to Cairns on a rail bed last Christmas. Really comfortable, and meals included
This is a brilliant no-brainer concept that I can't believe hasn't been done before. It could really help rail become competitive against air travel for longer journeys. Anything longer than about 5hrs could do really well offering this as a "business class" offering, with full sleeper cabins becoming like first class suites on planes.
It's the way it's been for 20 years, and it's noting unique.
@@maflones What's been like it for 20 years? Planes? Maybe, but I've never seen a train fitted out like this.
Great idea .
In QLD, Australia, there is similar reclining seat service between Cairns and Brisbane.
Such should be offered in all long distance services globally. They are better than dedicated flat beds that are overpriced. The rooms are themselves claustrophobic which is totally against the ethos of train travels. The reclining seats overcome this. There is no need to have just one seat on each side of the aisle. Some could be double seats on one side and single seats on the other for single travellers.
Amtrak services eg would see huge demand for this. Same with cross Canadian service. Trans-Siberia line too would see this very welcome for many.
Of course traditional bedroom services will remain popular among many.
I look forwards to this on the services between Sydney and Perth.
As mentioned Queensland Rail offer these "Rail Beds" on their Cairns service. However the staff bring your complimentary meals and drinks to your seat/bed and make your bed on demand with proper bedding. They were introduced in 2006 and like Singapore Airlines Business Class seats they actually flip over to a fully flat no seams bed.
Props to Vy for trying to do different on its night services out and in to Oslo. The PlusNight lie-flat product is very innovative and surprisingly affordable in a country that is super expensive and is the most developed country in the world. I'm not sure why they provide a small inflatable pillow to sleep on (sustainability and space considerations), but anyone taking on this train should have no problems having a good night's sleep (unless they prefer the seat). 😴
If you think THAT is innovative, wait till you see what OBB is cooking up for its Nightjet service, something involving capsule-style mini-suite compartments? Either way, it's nice to be back commenting after a few weeks, but I didn't miss a single report while on absence, so you're welcome. 😊
Why is Norway the most developed country in the world? No comprendo.
@@samtrak1204 Because google says so
Loved this video. Your narration, informative style and video editing is on point - have subscribed. Hello from warm Australia 😁
Thank you so much! :)
Bet your weather is quite different to what I had here in Norway! 🤣
Thanks for the review. This is actually rebuilt from a 1980s seating carriage, revolutionary for the era but aging now so in a few years all locomotive hauled long distance trains will be replaced by new Stadler units that have regular seating, lie-flat seating and compartments for two or four passengers, which can be used both during the day and night. They hope for a more economic use of resources that way.
I assume the bed can be comfortable (maybe I'd bring a pillow of my own). The main problems might be privacy (not everybody sleeps well in a room full of strangers) and noises (snoring passengers etc) so I'd definitely use earplugs. Can you choose a seat when making your reservation?
Yes you can choose seating when ordering. (Not always on economy i think.) And the sleeping quarters are great! The matresses are soft and the sheets are soft! Highly recommend. Unfortunly its quite expensive compared to economy but it will give you a really good sleep!
I find a business-class lie-flat seat to be incredibly comfortable for a long flight. This seems like a great option.
I suppose the relevant comparison here would be to the 6-bunk couchette compartments rather than to sleeper beds - I'm curious how these lie-flat chairs compare to couchettes, both in price, comfort, and passenger capacity.
This looks far more comfortable than 6 bunk couchette. Those are cramped and the older carriages get very sweaty in the inside. Only downside is that here you can hear the whole carriage. They ought to install some separator walls.
In Norwegen they dont have couchettes. You only can get a private twin sleeper. Wich is nice and affordable traveling as pair but quite expensive alone
You can also get a private 6 bed couchette. Wich is nice value for a group
a tip for that air pillow: bite that valve lightly with your teeth, and blow into it. that eases the airflow into the pillow and is much easier to inflate.
My wife and I, retired, took that round trip in the summer of 2017. We rode during the day both ways. So, you said to not miss the beautiful scenery-it’s our most beautiful trip on any train- I cannot understand the desire to travel this route overnight, unless for example , business travel. Or a travel writer to show the new way to travel at night.
Norway's Overnight Trains are very unique!
Unique*. Very unique doesn't exist.
@@dannyalexys5562 in colloquial English unique doesn't mean exclusive 😊
No they are not. This is shit we've had for 20 years, and it's mass produced.
Not that the train service works here anymore after it was privatized and the prices went insane.
@@maflones Norwegian trains are far superior to anything we have in the USA.
@@samtrak1204 Sure, but nobody thinks of third world countries like that here. They are pathetic.
Got really excited the first time I heard about Norway considering this setup a few years back.
Must say that it looks brilliant and would make for a good alternative for a solo traveler on routes such as Stockholm Hamburg, or similar.
Too bad that it’s only 23 seats per carriage, though. I don’t exactly know how that compares to sleepers or couchettes, but I think they’d have to squeeze in a few more seats to keep the price down. Having squad that, it was a pretty good price.
Not good price . Very costly
Possibly, this design could work in double decker cars
I took the train from Stockholm to Oslo once, was so excited to see the countryside but it was winter and total darkness during my 3-8:30pm train
Because im a Norwegian train enthusiast i think its fun that you are in norway
The scenery on this trip is amazing during daylight hours. Ive travelled a fair bit on public transport in Norway, both by train and by bus, and the online ticketing facilities for both are excellent, which probably accounts for the limited hours of the ticket office. This trip cost around the same that I paid for advanced tickets for the Trondheim to Bodo journey, in Premium.
Both Oslo and Bergen, and every part of the Bergensbanen route is well south of the polar circle. There is no day in the year where the sun will be up around the clock. Granted, there will be nights that are in twilight, or close to that, so not completely dark.
love Norway, my fav country. really wanna ride the Bergenbanen but by day, to enjoy the scenery
Yeah, that’s absolutely an airline lie-flat seat. I’m sure they’re made by the same companies because those interiors are installed by third parties. Great idea, and half the price of a bed in similar services in the UK. Makes sense because 23 seats is probably twice what you’d get from the 5-6 private cabins in those carriages
Super smart idea to install airline style lay flat beds in a train! Obvious and clever option amazing noone has thought of it before!
KAI Indonesia did it first in 2018..
The question is durability: all those servos and gearing would require maintenance and might break down. Would prefer a fully mechanical solution
May I just point out the transition at 4:03 ?!?! I was like "WAITTTT" and then had to play that back again. I looove smooth transitions like that!
I would definitely try it. I tend not to sleep very soundly while traveling, even with a proper bed, so I would be happy to save the extra cost of a sleeper compartment. Haven't been to Bergen, only to Oslo, but would definitely like to visit Norway again and see more of the country.
Please do a video of the LNER London to Inverness. My brother said it's really good.
FYI: There are no midnight sun in southern Norway. You must go north of Mo i Rana to see it. Ie, Bodø. on the Nordland railway.
I've been wondering when trains would get around to offering flat beds. Leave it to the creative Norwegians to do it right, unsurprising . I would prefer a private room but if I were traveling on a tight budget, this would be a perfect fit. I love the subdued night lighting and the exterior liveries and sleek lines of Norwegian trains. Thanks for sharing this unique experience.
Except they've been available on the Spirit of Queensland between Brisbane and Cairns since 2013.
@@arokh72 Is there a video?
@@samtrak1204 you bet ua-cam.com/video/D1hRL_xiYXI/v-deo.html
I believe Queensland Rail was the 1st in the world to introduce this type of seating on a train.
it's an interesting design, seems more comfortable than a traditional couchette, but higher capacity than the more luxury cabins on the austrian nightjets. kinda prefer this to a couchette because sharing a small, closed off room with just a few strangers feels weirder to me than a spaced out hallway that's more like a regular train cabin, plus honestly i personally really don't need a shower on the train, feel it would be cheaper for the passenger and rail company to probably just provide a shower room at the train station itself (and honestly could do the same with serving food if the night journey is only 8 - 9.5 hours, would be nicer to arrive in the morning and get a proper cooked breakfast instead of the premade stuff you get on trains) but i think night trains as a whole require more drastic changes depending on the route honestly as they'll have different audience expectations whether it's people primarily people using it for vacation or business
There are at least two dozen flights a day from BGO to OSL. Block time under one hour, and you usually pay substantially less than what one of these fancy train seats will set you back. A no-brainer.
That's the problem about sleeper trains. Most times there's a cheaper flight. You have to really love it.
@@IdeI2StOnEd That's exactly the point: you pay more, it takes longer, and a bed on a rattling train is hardly conducive to a good night's sleep. Some people may love it, but most rational people don't. They'll only take a night train if there are no other options.
Very enjoyable video. The journey by day is fantastic as you pass through some stunning scenery & there is a little added bonus en route for fans of The Empire Strikes Back.
Honestly I'd prefer lie flat seats like these over couchettes, at least when travelling alone. With a little more optimisation I think they can get a good bit more space efficient, I hope more long distance operators consider these, even for daytime trains.
Norway is a incredible country with breathtaking views of the mountains including when it has snowed a lot. And Norway also has the best trains as well.
best trains? My experience was disappointing the last time. Uncomfortable day train and more than an hour's delay, and we had to catch a plane at Gardermoen. Poor service by the crew. On our way the other way we had to take a bus from Oslo S to a suburb. Getting to the bus stop and finding the right bus was a hassle. Hardly any help from the railway.
As a Norwegian I'm thankful for the compliment, but I don't think we have the best trains. Further south in Europe there's much better trains, and faster ones, and around the world bullet-trains and such, that wouldn't be able to run on our tracks. It's also very few tracks here, but that's only logical, since it require so much tunneling to make the tracks, they're mostly in the east, with the Oslo Airport train being the quickest I think.
@@PeterNGloor Yes, must be very confusing for someone not understanding Norwegian when there's bus-rides to other stations and elder bus-drivers that talk heavily accented English that don't have much patience to try to make themselves understood by foreigners. We should be better to provide English and perhaps also French and German translated explanations, but people here are very proud of their language, and many dislike the cultural influence from America via media.
Very well done - Congratulatons. such a great and professional made movie. Wow. I really enjoyed the way you told the story.
These kind of seats have been common on planes in business class for years so it's nice to see them spread to trains now (I suppose Gran Class on the Shinkansen is similar although i'm not sure if they go totally flat).
The Gran Class seats don’t go fully flat; they only recline.
On planes, business class seats are easily about €7.000 or 6 times the monkey-class fare. So, let's get this kind of nightrains between most european cities.
Queensland rail has this arrangement on one of its long services out of Brisbane!
The old Trains and cars/cabins from the early 60's were elegant & the station then was fitted with cafes and a resturant.
What a great product this could be! A train full of business class airline seats running all over Europe... Something like the La Compagnie airline.
Very good thing you posted this innovation. But not all innovations are good ideas, lets wait to see what future holds for this concept. For myself I prefer a private cabin, so it's allways a sleeper for me. Young people have smaller budgets and often like to be together and party a bit, so they are probably better off with a couchette. Thanks for posting!!
I wouldn't mind booking this at all. Seems to be a perfect viable option to me.
Matter of opinion.
Really interesting videos. I've watched quite a few of yours over the past few weeks.
Excellent video! Norwegian scenery doesn't hurt, though of course for the full impact I'll have to watch your daylight video of the route! thanks again.... :)
Vert nice option in a clean country with superb people!
Oh yes I would give it a trie.
Greetings from 🇳🇱
I love the idea of a business seat invention on a train. I can't wait until Via Rail moves forward from the 1960s and starts using this.
It would be very interesting to see!
Very interesting travel option. Thx for highlighting it!
It's great that the option exists. But for me, it's either a fully private sleeper cabin, or I take the day train. I've done both for the Bergen-Oslo route, it's a beautiful trip in the daytime and I can sleep nearly the whole trip at night. The sleeper cabins do have curtains.
Saw the adds for theese chairs when they first came. I was serriously considered a trip to Oslo just to try them 😂😂
Night train to Oslo, then enjoy the day in Oslo, then take night train back to Bergen
7:50 down there the sun definetly sets also during the summer ... late, but it does
This is a brilliant idea for a sleeping car. Or more like a first class/sleeper. It’s a wonder why someone didn’t think of this sooner.
Thank you so much for this video. I am about to book the same type of seat on this train and you have shown everything I wanted to know.
Have a great trip!
amazing as always
The route is so beautiful, i recommend to go by day if you have the time to spare.
I am sure that there would be a few kids on there, and you would only want one for everyones night to be ruined. Great, interesting, well-researched and narrated video. Thank you.
Thanks, that would be awful... ☹️
This is an excellent "middle ground" between "cattle class" (which is still light years ahead of the same in planes) and proper sleeper cabin.
Watching you blow up the pillow was so entertaining! 🤣 Fantastic video as usual.
Impressive trip and video 😍 first time I see a REAL business class product on a train!
The Ulriken Tunnel was opened in 1964. What you drove through was the newly constructed second tunnel. Timewise its been the same since the 60s, but the second tunnel was constructed mainly for capacity and fire safety.
Understood, thanks for the information! :)
This seems like an excellent idea to me. I'd be willing to give it a try.
For comparison it would have been nice to have the prices of the standard seats and the sleeping car.
The Bergensbanen is my personal favourite railway of all time. Even though I have done all 5 railways in Alaska, and every line in Canada except Churchill.
But it is best done by day, and in May / June. The only sleeper train I have done in Norway, was the overnight to Stavanger, in order to do the line loco hauled with an El 18. I have done every railway in Norway, except Narvik.
I stayed in the Grand Hotel Terminus in Bergen, and I can recommend staying here.
Nice video.
Thanks! I've also done it during the day, that video will be coming soon. :)
The reason maybe you couldn't inflate the bag is because you have to pinch it while inflating by mouth.
The plastic opening device is constructed like that to prevent air from escaping ata fast rate and deflating too quick.
So when you pinch you create a small opening and air flows in freely. Hope it helps next time!
Comes from the years of experience inflating inflatable rings myself
Nice video. Honestly I think just a capsule is a lot more private and convenient than this swiss army knife looking place. Innovation is not always better
As a Norwegian I don’t get the negativity. It’s not much different than a standard seat except you can sleep better and looks more comfortable. And normally people sleep like this in general in regular seats so don’t get the issue with privacy. Then again views on privacy is also a matter of cultural differences. You’re clearly not Norwegian and for us it works just fine.
Hopefully Via and Amtrak see this video.!!! Well done...
Thank you, that would be cool! :)
You should have been awake when you passed Drammen Stasjon. It is really beautiful!
Great trip. The sleeper seating is remind me about same class in my country which branded as luxury class. But the difference is the first generation is using 1-2 seating configuration, and the latest version is using 1-1 seating configuration but between left and right seating they have different direction.
This is essentially business class on a plane applied to a train. Ive always wondered why trains havent done this sooner to be honest as it makes a more ost effective solution than a room and more comfortable than a solid chair.
It's the inflatable pillow for me lol That was a funny detail to put in the video.
It took so long! 🤣
Very cool not taking night train in Norway for many years, great to see how things are improved, great video!
An even better option for breakfast is EGON at Scandic Byporten, with really nice views from its first- and second-floor tables.
Nice video! I was not aware of hotel in Bergen that offer discount and a place to wait. You said that some of the towns along the route are only acessable true train. Wich i don't think is true. And you will get a few hours of night time in the brightest times in summer. It's only way up north you get the daylight 24 hours.
That looks awesome and affordable! Thanks for the tip of where to eat as well :)
FYI... KAI (Kereta Api Indonesia) or Indonesian Railway Company, operates very similar lay flat seat bed on their Luxury class train years ago, yet they have another different configuration of 2-2 lay flat seat bed, also similar with airline's business class seats
Well that’s certainly unique and innovative isn’t it. 🤔. Personally, I’d rather take the daylight train because of the gorgeous scenery enroute. Looking forward to your presentation on that 😉👍🏻
This is the first video of yours that I watched. I loved it. I hope that this is the future of railway travel. Yes, I would book it at least once to try and then if I could not afford the sleepers. I think it should be standard seating for overnight trains. My only puzzlement is why the window do not have sades, especially in an overnight route?!
I would definitely choose this option! Really affordable!
@4:05 is such aa smooth edit!
Glad you noticed! ;)
Bring these to the UK! Great video :)