Not sure how to feel about these! On one hand it's great to see SNCF/France take sleeper trains seriously again and very excited for the new rolling stock announced! On the other hand this refurbishment could be much better. ÖBB recently converted some old seated carriages into new sleeper coaches and they look amazing! Think SNCF has some learning to do from the Austrians but glad to see things are moving in the right direction!
Excellente nouvelle le retour des trains de nuit. Je serai cependant toujours nostalgique de l’époque des véritables couvertures en laine marron siglées SNCF. Elles grattaient beaucoup, mais elles tenaient chaud et le lit était vraiment plus confortable qu’avec ces tous léger sac de couchage… il y avait également des coussins plus épais ! C’était dans les années 90, quand je me rendais avec mes parents sur Perpignan pour les fêtes de fin d’année : toujours en train couchette avec l’arrivée sur Perpignan que le levé du jour sur les étangs de Leucate annonçait avec une poésie sans égale. Édit : après une brève recherche Google, les couettes n’étaient pas marron mais rouge/noir-vert.
As a retired railroad conductor I appreciate your coverage of the various rail systems in Europe and the USA. Tres bien, mon ami, Joyeux Noel, Thibault.
9 years ago Paris austerlitz station used to have Talgo Trenhotel Services to Spain Barcelona & Madrid using Gauge changers at Irun & Portbou. Oddly these SNCF Coaches used to go outside of France on International runs to West Germany & Austria usually combined with a West german Deutsche Bundesbahn coach & Austrian ÖBB
@@rdrogel Thanks for telling me about this and in the 1970s these French coaches are also used by the French military Paris Est Frankfurt Am Main Marburg Helmstedt where a Deutsche Reichsbahn DDR (French Republique Democratique Allemand) BR132 ( manufactured in Ukraine) 119 (Made in Romania) 118 is attached to the train to West Berlin Zoo Station from Helmstedt Marienborn Stations. Helmstedt to Saarbrücken DB BR110/103 where SNCF Dual Frequency BB20200 locomotive runs Saarbrücken Paris Est. Other version was Helmstedt to Metz DB BR181 then BB15000 Paris Est Metz Instead of BB20200 Saarbrücken Paris Est. Last version of this military train was BB20200 Paris Est Helmstedt If you actually look at the British Berlin Duty train there are comments in that video of US Servicemen taking About the French Corail train to West Berlin by riding it from Frankfurt am Main Hbf.
Very interesting makeover. I really like that it is focused just on the parts that actually benefit the costumer. The manual swinging doors for example may be viewed as quite dated, however they are perfectly fine for a night train and it would hence be pointlessly invested money to change them for new ones. Also great that they've kept the windows which can be opened, what could be better than smelling the fresh air of a completely different country or region after you've been travelling in your sleep.
Another great report from our favorite train expert. Unbelievable how quiet it is inside the train. SNCF has made great progress. Hopefully when COVID finally subsides, they will re-introduce food on these night trains.
Mais la SNCF ne pourra pas plus longtemps faire l'économie de construire de nouvelles voitures, non seulement couchettes, mais encore des voitures-lits pour segmenter l'offre, des voitures-bar/restaurant comme au bon vieux temps et des voitures de jour aussi (compartiments et à couloir central) et pourquoi pas des régionales dans la foulée un peu comme les USI d'antan.
I'm not sure how many people will be willing to pay first class prices to share a room with three other people. I think I'd probably take a day train instead and arrive in Lourdes in time for dinner.
SNCF let you pay a supplement to get an entire cabin to yourself or say you plus partner. This goes some way to addressing the sharing issue. But I agree, the market for these trains is pretty niche, the vast majority of people will just take TGV day trains.
Good report. I do think they have missed a trick with 'shared' couchettes (even in 1st) They should have looked at the CAF product used on the routes to Scotland from London or the AMTRAK products. However, with the lock-down, it will be interesting to see the loadings on these services. I would imagine the LOURDES service could be well patronised with pilgrim tours. Why no dinner or breakfast service - again a missed trick. However, at around £25 (is that one-way?) it is a very reasonable price
Looks exactly like the refurbished TrenItalia 2nd class couchettes that run between Milan and Sicily. A 6-person couchette is why people don’t take these trains and prefer to drive or fly. 2nd class should be for 4 and 1st class for two, with an en-suite bathroom. Meals aren’t necessary on a night train as it shouldn’t travel during the day, but… 1st class passengers should get free drinks and at least snacks at the departing lounge and coffee might be good on board.
Or a breakfast at the arrival station. SNCF used to provide this back in the early 2000s. Before that, in the 90s, there was night trains (hauled by the magnificent CC 6500s) with a full restaurant car in the middle…
Good point and for SNCF they should run a restaurant carriage with them then have that run like an Amtrak Restaurant carriage service hours on Sleeper trains.
27:20: Rubber, lot's of new rubber that covers the plates and it's really tight. Usually new cars have this but due to a lot of time in use, winter-summer-winter-summer, the rubber becomes flaccid and there are gaps. So it's actually just new rubber and reconstruction as the corridors were designer initially (most have a rubber tongue on the sides of the metal plates that come on top of each other - these fall with time from friction fatigue)
My only issue with the SNCF sleeper trains is that they feel like a low-cost product. The lack of sleeping cars and better onboard service is something that will scare potential customers away. Even with the new couchettes, SNCF has a long way to go.
@@simonholley4110 Back in the day, this cheap ‘n’ cheerful product flew. Sharing couchettes; tolerating strangers’ smells and snoring etc. There will still be people that use these trains, but we have bred a slightly more pampered generation of under-25s throughout the ‘rich’ western-world, and I’m not so sure they’ll turn that much of a profit. Always be Interrailers, though. Hopefully. Ain’t like it used to be, though.
Great video Benjamin. I fully agree with you about having single compartments. I prefer not to share with anyone, plus I snore :) The travellers to Latour de Carol drew the short straw with unrefurbished rolling stock. Let's hope this changes soon. Oh yes! I much prefer your videos without Thibault's on-screen introductions and epilogue. They are not necessary. Your descriptive sub-titles are sufficient. Looking forward to your next video.
I agree (about the single compartment, not so much about the on-screen appearances)...and I realize I'm being tres Americain here but, I just cannot get my head around the idea of being in a compartment with someone else, forget that it might be as many as 5 others!
The lack of decent rolling stock to Latour de Carol (French Pyrenees) is shameful: destinations that are underserved to begin with, where there's a time-benefit to night trains vs. car or coach (plane to Toulouse or Barcelona leaves you 3+hrs from destination). Is the SNCF indifferent or immobile or (who knows?) milking a cash cow? Meanwhile Perpignan has a TGV station and now freight night trains: great, but what about Latour de Carol ? An operator committed to night trains would invest accordingly.
Now as an American, my only rail experiences have been with Amtrak. They’ve all been long distance rides staying multiple nights in a roomette. When I see these “berths” that sleep up to 6 people, it is hard for me to wrap my mind around sleeping in such close quarters with folks I don’t know. I like being able to shut my bedroom door and lock it at night. Not saying those berths aren’t a good idea, it’s just an idea that is foreign to me.
German guy here and I absolutely get that! It's actually the one thing I'd really dislike about sleeper trains. However in europe the span of possible accomodation options is HUGE. On the lower end you'll find berths like these, but there are also sleeper trains with either private compartments or the possibility to book single occupancy. The high end is probably the Caledonian Sleeper between London and Scotland. Also keep in mind european trains are usually somewhat smaller. With the bigger loading gauge west of Chicago there's just much more you can do to make a train comfy for sleeping.
As a French person, I wouldn't go inside these train. Don't want to share my room with strangers sorry. And I don't know any people who would... You'd better take the TGV for Paris to Bayonne and then go to Lourdes during the day. It's faster anyway
@@paseospormadrid1751Literally every sleeper train I’ve seen/been on has had couchettes (From France to Slovakia to Romania) it’s inherently a European thing
Thanks for a great video. I am soooo glad SNCF have finally reverted back to a grown up corporate livery, instead of the garish Lunea style livery that the couchette stock carried for years. It just looks so much smarter now. I live in hope that they relivery the remaining seating stock in the same way for the day trains on the network. Unlikely though if they are getting phased out.
You have brought back great memories from my time living in France. I remember taking the night train to Carcassonne on a field trip with the American School of Paris in the 1979... the cars must have been brand new!! I still have the model train of these units in green and the steadfast BB7306!!
I agree there should be private compartments available, maybe in twin beds with solo occupancy available. The 4-berth couchettes are really a train equivalent of “premium economy”, not first class - more space but you’re still next to strangers.
They are only strangers if you don’t make the effort; otherwise, they are very amiable travelling companions, and perhaps, a little more if you play your cards right.😍
Paris - Lourdes is a pilgrimage route, not a luxury travel market. Pilgrims will be looking for simplicity and a secure, low cost way to get there. This is a perfect fit. The Orient Express is a different market. :)
@@lours6993 I was just pointing out something that points up how primitive we are as a species. You are not obliged to agree with me. Lourdes, as it stands, is a tawdry, money-grubbing abomination, feeding on the vain hopes of desperate human beings. As I said, you don’t have to agree. The town itself, taken objectively, is quite unremarkable. The best recommendation I have for those not of a religious bent?: Lourdes is nicely nestled in the Pyrenean foothills. The town itself? Dodge.
Wouah alors déjà j’adore les trains mais là c'est incroyable le lit est super confortable encore il y a des choses incroyable dans le train et + le wifi magnifique le train de nuit validé à 100% c'est juste incroyable 10/10
Another excellent review, thanks. The item holder around the feet seems to be a possible cause of pain when turning and hitting in the middle of sleep. It’s a great idea instead of a net but would love to have have it higher. I also agree more privacy cabins as well as a dinning or even just a cafe car makes it more desirable to enjoy the night train.
Merci pour cet intéressant reportage. Je pourrais avoir besoin de prendre des trains de nuit en France dans les mois et années qui viennent, si bien qu'un reportage comme celui-ci est utile pour savoir à quoi ressemble réellement le "produit". Quant à féliciter la SNCF... oui et non. Disons surtout qu'ils sautent... dans le train en marche des ÖBB car, en Europe occidentale, la locomotive des trains de nuit est autrichienne. Il y a encore 2 ans à peine, la SNCF disait à qui voulait l'entendre que les liaisons de nuit étaient abandonnées parce qu'elles n'intéressaient plus personne etc. Seule la vague d'enthousiasme provoquée par l'audace des ÖBB dans l'Ouest du continent a convaincu la SNCF de changer son fusil d'épaule. Que cet organisme étatique pachydermique vienne maintenant s'en vanter comme si c'était une initiative spontanée de sa part, c'est à peine hypocrite...
Yeah, that's a big difference with ÖBB's nightjets. Fortunately, the Austrians are increasingly conquering the Western half of the continent, so you're having more and more lines operated with their great coaches.
I really enjoyed this video and I love night trains !!! Your comments about the food and private rooms are right on !!! I not sure if you have travelled on Canadian trains "Via" but roomettes would be perfect for this type of sleeper service now if we could only get a second bunk in there :):):) Thanks for sharing this video with us...:):):)
As a child we used sleepers to travel across France for our holidays from the UK , Glad to see that the the sleeper service being revived and I still love the rolling stock as it brings back fond memories .
I'm slightly horrified that I rode those coaches when they were new! The one thing that they missed in the refurbishment was to provide bunk curtains to give you some privacy and reduce noise and light spill. PS. Still have the SNCF branded sheet sleeping bag they gave out. Amazingly, it's survived very well. Another thing surprises me. There still seems to be only one toilet per coach! What's the point in just a washroom when you have a whole coachload of people desperate to return the hire of last night's beer!
Special being on an inaugural overnight train!! When I worked for American Airlines i had the privilege of taking a demonstration flight on the BAC111 jet which the airline was putting into service on shorter routes. It is a shame that politics plays a big role regarding trains. Glad the Minister's speech made some promises. I thoroughly enjoyed your review and thank you Thibault for sharing. Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a bright, happy New Year!!😀😀♥️♥️🎄🎄🎁🎁
I agree with you. It is very hard to find a hotel without a bathroom these days or restaurant. This should also be the case today with overnight train services. Great video.👍👍
It’s good to use and refurbish existing coaches, it saves energy and materials not having to scrap and build new. The nez cassé locomotives are wonderful and handsome beasts.
Good report and very good news. Basically, what they have done is to add a consist to Lourdes from Tolouse on the exciting night train París - Lator de Carole/Portbou. Very good SNCF.
Nice vid. Just traveled from Paris Austerlitz to Toulouse by couchette train last week. But was not refurbished and more expensive. But still, nice rest and the head full of memories from childhood..thanks
I have been a current user of La Palombe Blue since its beginning in the second part of the seventies. Three years ago, I wrote to our deputy (Macronist) why there where no more night train. That donkey (deputy of the Hautes Pyrénées, where are located Tarbes and Lourdes) replied that night train were old fashioned, with no passengers, and the airlines costed the same price…Last Monday, this guy was very proud of the new night train, due to this brillant government… My company started because a could have my premises in the Pyrenees in my customers in Paris. Without the night train, it should have been impossible…
It would be so cool if this train crossed the border to Spain through Canfranc, but since the tunnel has been closed for many years it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon
Yeah sorry to confirm this, but the train line is not going to happen anytime soon. I live in the "Région" (smaller version and less free than an American state if that makes sense) where the train to Canfranc should begin and nobody ask about it. The politicians are more interested in the TGV anyway. Well they better clean the existing lines first because this is a mess...
@@julosx Well it just need to be cleaned, maybe change the tracks... I don't know, but the path that the train used to take is still clearly visible from the road. That's infuriating to see that it's abandoned
great video, i'm happy they are bringing night trains back again and hopefully service will be better with time. Hope you will cover the new Vienna-Paris Nightjet soon !
Nice video and I agree to your conclusions at the end. Privacy and catering are important these days and SNCF is missing that. With 6 strangers in a amall compartment is out of time I think. SNCF must know the big succes of OBB-nightjet trains, In my opinion this first step is good but needs more inprovement. Besides that I am very anxious what the french initiative 'Midnight Trains' will effect to the French nighttrains. Their ambitsious plans for very high qualitiy nighttrains might be very compatitive!!!!
6:27-I love that the band is playing the song 'Take The 'A' Train' (which is really about taking a certain-lettered _subway_ train to a certain part of New York City, specifically to Sugar Hill in Harlem.)
Such a great video. It brought back many memories dating back 20 years when I used the 6 prison couchettes from a very run down Austerlitz to Bourg St Maurice in winter for snowboarding. I started off preferring the top bunks as it was easier to sit upright and change. The downside was having to drop down during the night to go for a pee! Not helped by all the skis and luggage piled up against the fixed ladders! I then preferred the bottom bunks where i could also store my gear under the bunk and was it was darker and I was less disturbed by those who kept their lights on. You are spot on with the issue of only 4 and 6 person rooms. I wish there were at least some 2 or 3 person ones. Do you know if the overnight train to Bourg St Maurice is likely to be reinstated. It was a great loss when it stopped as it allowed me 2 extra full days on the slopes 🏂
Thanks for the report. You are right a food service and a possibility to have a private compartment is needed...Anyway great to see night trains services continue ( i have taken several times Rodez-Paris)
Waw I'm really impressed regarding the huge gap done regarding noise/sound/silent. Excellent new ! and I'm so happy that SNCF / french government seems to really want to re launch night train. France is too much Paris centric regarding TGV, and night train are by far the best way to travel in France for Province Province trip. For me now what is missing : - maybe a new class, more high end, with a restauration service - some different size compartments, like 2 beds for example, when you travel in couple - security system, like access card to enter the compartments.
@@gharwood1356 I hope but SNCF has always been a poor company regarding food and service. Even when I was young the services was bad (i remember the "quality" of the breakfast when they existed...), expensive for the quality (famous "sandwich SNCF") or inexistant.
Your concluding remarks were EXACTLY those that came to mind when politicians were involved!. “U” turns are to be expected when that category of folk are involved as we have seen recently here with the cancellation of the Eastern HS2 route!.
Amazing that they are still using the BB7200 locomotives. I love there design, it's not modern, but it has a peculiar charm which you can't find on modern locomotives. I hope they stay in service for many many more years!
Super ta vidéo, trop content de voir que les corail Normandie soient sur ces lignes la , la 1 et classe place assise c est une ancienne voiture Haute Normandie. 😊😊
I live in a restored old station on this route and noticed the return of a train/s late at night ........Now I know why. There used to be sleeper trains and some freight at night too and a TGV early morning and late evening until it became a 'ligne polt' or regional line, when they introduced the route around Poitiers. It was never busy but, after that, became very quiet. No TGV, no freight, and no sleeper trains. I must admit I like the sleeper trains passing by. Living here is so peaceful that the sound and lights of a train remind you that life still goes on.......Occasionally.
Nice video and nice refurbishment! Glad to see that Corail coaches will remain the backbone of sleeper trains in France for the next yeas but I've one little question : Can the windows be opened?
One can rightfully rejoice that some long-established patterns of the past are being "rediscovered", while wishing that a similar revival would one day occur in Canada where the rail passenger service has been decimated in the last 40 years. This includes the once-popular overnight train between Toronto and Montreal (500 km distance). France shows us what it is to have a "National Vision". 2021/12/30. Ontario, Canada.
Visited Lourdes in 1972 as a part of school trip, we flew British Caledonian (loved their uniforms) and then by coach. I would liked to have travelled on a train but in seat rather than a couchette unless it single occupancy at night.
Brings back memories... That said it was at a time where public service meant something. That refurbishment looks 50 years old and services from the SNCF today are shitty at best - when they aren't on strike - that is why I'm very glad competition is coming. Ready to pay double as long as it isn't SNCF trains. I was talking with a ticket controller the other day (in a train that was 2h30 late): trains used to go to the repair shop each month for checkups, now it is every 6 months or more..... That's one point among many others leading to a shit service and it will probably end up causing deaths.
Ça serait chouette que la SNCB aussi relance quelques trains de Nuit, comme le Schaerbeek Nice, le Bruxelles Milan ou le Bruxelles Zagreb(oui il a existe !)
Salut. Il y a des progrès, c'est incontestable. Mais, on revient de loin. Les matériaux et les couleurs font moderne et semblent être de qualité. Maintenant, il est sûr qu'il manque une 1/2 voiture service par tranche, avec distributeurs de boissons et de snacks/gâteaux/sandwiches. Et, j'espère que sur le nombre de voitures commandées par l'Etat, on pourra compter quelques wagons-lits modernes et bien équipés.Merci pour la vidéo.
I really hope we get the Luxembourg/Strasbourg to Nice/Port Bou train back. Took it in April 2015, I still remember the mighty CC 72000 between Belfort and Culmont-Chalindrey and the shunting of the train parts in Culmont.
I'm confused, are you french or not because at first I was thinking you were not but your french accent is just perfect so... Anyway thanks for the video, I have to take one of these in one month and I'm feeling very anxious about it, and I think it helped a bit
Et comme d'habitude très bonne vidéo. J'ai juste une petite question. Savez-vous si ils ont retiré l'amiante des voitures corail avec la rénovation? PD: très beaux les nouveaux fauteuils de première classe!
Great video! The Corail coaches you great! Are you also going to make a videoreview form the OuiGo Vitesse Classique when they enter service in the spring of next year?
Your videos are fantastic about these trains In South Africa we have a VERY VERY bad railway system as they steel the rail tracks and the copper cables for the signal system. The say it could take ten years to get the system working properly again
Thank you for interesting video about French overnight train to Lourdes. I need to notice that that roomette with 6 couchettes looked really cramped. OK, for kids or teenagers sleeping place like that would be fine, but for 6 adults being stuffed in that, it may appeal for someone who does not mind such close proximity to other person. The trains will only win if they offer comfort everything or high speed to beat the cars and air travel.
25:30 It is very nice to see SNCF and other European rail operator reinvesting back into night train. However, SNCF should definitely evolve over time with new travel standard in order to be attractive. Having 4/6 people berth as 1st/2nd class is the 70s/80s travel standard. Today, people want more space. I think SNCF could learn some of the OBB success factors by implementing more travel class that can accommodate every type of niche customer from the cheap berth to more fancy single/double occupancy room with private toilet (can be even with shower).
@@bernardbouzon5499 It is absolutely important to have new rolling stock for the future and an old car can't be refurbed forever. However, sometimes, you don't need a lot of new resources to improve the service just need to be creative. Without changing the current configuration of the Corail, SNCF could turn them into 2/4 ppl room instead of 4/6 ppl. From the booking side, a single travel could lock a 2ppl room just for himself by paying a bit of extra money. These are viable solutions and don't require a lot of resources.
Well, it's up to the 70'/80's standards because this model of trains is from the 70's. But strangely, it's the best model of trains ! The ones you can take during the day are so comfy and quite ! The Intercités between Toulouse and Biarritz that I often take, which is newer, could never compete with the Corail
It’s a shame they don’t have private rooms (I guess you could buy 6 or 4 tickets 😂), a dining car, and station lounges like the Caledonian sleeper train in the UK for example. Although that train is fair noisier than this. I do like that you can open the windows on these carriages. Not sure how the women traveling alone option works on this, but it’s nice that they have that option for safety. The price is good though for the distance. I was thinking about the Intercities de nuit from Austerlitz to Nice. I may take the plane 😅 Great review though! Thank you.
It’s a good review and glad to know SCNF is committed to more sleeper trains. That said, this is a NO from me. SCNF really didn’t think this through. No dining car. No private compartments. I’m not sure what the cache is for Lourdes other than pilgrimages for the ill in hopes of a miracle/cure. And those that are infirmed definitely aren’t climbing up to the top bed much less sharing a sleeping box with four or six other people … especially with Covid marching through Europe again. Those making a pilgrimage are mostly going to fly not take a 9.5 hour train. 🤨
The most handicapped of those doing the pilgrimage used to ride _ambulance cars_ that never had a chance to feature AC, despite the fact they were, technically, Corail cars.
sorry i loved travelling in a couchette when younger but now i'm not sure ,people have changed for the worse here ,already back in the later 90's when i worked on the winter line to briancon we had the Metz to Port Bou stop in valence nearly always coppers looking for rif raf that would of sneaked on in say lyon or dijon to steal anything they could same as the Paris Nice what i want to know is will they be safe
I have used this train in 2019, before they were refurbished, but I think they didn’t change the leg space or the length of the beds. If you are taller than 1,85m, then you probably should not book this seat. I am 1,96m and I had so many cramps when I rode on this train. But it’s a beautiful sight when you wake up and see the lakes right next to you, right as the sun goes up.
The top right berth is your favourite? I had it once and it was freaking hot since my compartment was completely full (6/6)… Getting some sleep there was really difficult.
It's a bit odd indeed these otherwise apparently excellently refurbished night trains without the option of more private accomodations. Sure it's a low cost product with a completely different price point than the couchettes that are often reviewed on this channel but a bit more differention e.g. by having coach class, bunk accomodations like the current 1st class ones, and then more private compartments would have introduced a bit more differentiation. Now it's almost like this train is purpose built for school classes taking a school trip with slightly more comfortable bunk accomodations for the teachers in 1st class... Otherwise, as always, thanks again for this trip report!
Sharing those crouchettes was common in the past and I went all over Europe in about 30 years ago;far north as Narvik,south as Naples,east as Istanbul,west as Oostende but people are more private now and aren't too keen on sharing .all well and good but it reduces the amount of passengers carried significantly with single occupancy and is reflected in the price.I think that I used the equivalent of that train to get Andorra under the belt with a bus from La Tour.
Ils disent avoir besoin de 300 voitures nouvelles pour ces services de nuit. Et pour les financer, ils vont les louer... Mais pourtant, des Corail, il y en a plein qui doivent être disponible, avec tous ces TER qui remplacent le matériel Corail par des automotrices. Plutôt que de les radier, faudrait les remettre à neuf.
The paint job looks up to-date, modern and really nice, but the French are very accommodating to agree to sleep with 5 strangers. As for 1st class and 4 sharing a cabin. Brits would never do that. It's like going back to boarding school.
Great video! I was hoping to do the same thing this December, but the booking sites show the night train only from Paris to Auterive, and requiring you to connect to a bus to get to Lourdes. This despite the SNCF site advertising this as "Fall asleep in Paris and wake up in Lourdes". Is there something I'm missing? Clearly your train went all the way to Lourdes.
Bonne initiative de la sncf pour les places assises en 1ere, par contre je préfère quand même les anciens sièges de 2de classe de nuit qui s'inclinaient vraiment à 45 degrés et avaient un grand repose-jambes. Aussi je remarque qu'ils ont enlevé le réglage du volume en compartiment et avoir les annonces de Toulouse lorsqu'on va à Port-Bou et qu'on peut encore dormir 2h c'est pas top, surtout que les compartiments étaient organisés par destination.
My French regrettably isn't great, however at the end of the speeches I heard England and Germany mentioned, is this hinting at looking at having sleeper services to and from those countries?
nice sleeper but i agree as a solo traveller i want a bit of privacy maybe a 1st class with just 2 bunks - and not even a cup of coffee in the morning. night attract the harden train traveller but the leisure market wants more. how hard would it be at the split stop to have a baker deliver fresh croissants to the train and the attendant to make a bag with juice, croissant and instant coffee.
It's good to see SNCF focusing on their sleeper train services again :D
Not sure how to feel about these! On one hand it's great to see SNCF/France take sleeper trains seriously again and very excited for the new rolling stock announced!
On the other hand this refurbishment could be much better. ÖBB recently converted some old seated carriages into new sleeper coaches and they look amazing! Think SNCF has some learning to do from the Austrians but glad to see things are moving in the right direction!
SNCF doesn't have any money and the French Government isn't particularly keen on giving them any either.
Excellente nouvelle le retour des trains de nuit.
Je serai cependant toujours nostalgique de l’époque des véritables couvertures en laine marron siglées SNCF. Elles grattaient beaucoup, mais elles tenaient chaud et le lit était vraiment plus confortable qu’avec ces tous léger sac de couchage… il y avait également des coussins plus épais !
C’était dans les années 90, quand je me rendais avec mes parents sur Perpignan pour les fêtes de fin d’année : toujours en train couchette avec l’arrivée sur Perpignan que le levé du jour sur les étangs de Leucate annonçait avec une poésie sans égale.
Édit : après une brève recherche Google, les couettes n’étaient pas marron mais rouge/noir-vert.
As a retired railroad conductor I appreciate your coverage of the various rail systems in Europe and the USA. Tres bien, mon ami, Joyeux Noel, Thibault.
9 years ago Paris austerlitz station used to have Talgo Trenhotel Services to Spain Barcelona & Madrid using Gauge changers at Irun & Portbou. Oddly these SNCF Coaches used to go outside of France on International runs to West Germany & Austria usually combined with a West german Deutsche Bundesbahn coach & Austrian ÖBB
And also to Italy with FS Trenitalia
And later with DB Bahn
@@rdrogel Thanks for telling me about this and in the 1970s these French coaches are also used by the French military Paris Est Frankfurt Am Main Marburg Helmstedt where a Deutsche Reichsbahn DDR (French Republique Democratique Allemand) BR132 ( manufactured in Ukraine) 119 (Made in Romania) 118 is attached to the train to West Berlin Zoo Station from Helmstedt Marienborn Stations. Helmstedt to Saarbrücken DB BR110/103 where SNCF Dual Frequency BB20200 locomotive runs Saarbrücken Paris Est. Other version was Helmstedt to Metz DB BR181 then BB15000 Paris Est Metz Instead of BB20200 Saarbrücken Paris Est. Last version of this military train was BB20200 Paris Est Helmstedt If you actually look at the British Berlin Duty train there are comments in that video of US Servicemen taking About the French Corail train to West Berlin by riding it from Frankfurt am Main Hbf.
Very interesting makeover. I really like that it is focused just on the parts that actually benefit the costumer. The manual swinging doors for example may be viewed as quite dated, however they are perfectly fine for a night train and it would hence be pointlessly invested money to change them for new ones.
Also great that they've kept the windows which can be opened, what could be better than smelling the fresh air of a completely different country or region after you've been travelling in your sleep.
Another great report from our favorite train expert. Unbelievable how quiet it is inside the train. SNCF has made great progress. Hopefully when COVID finally subsides, they will re-introduce food on these night trains.
Avec la rénovation des couchettes, il semble que Lourdes ait fait un nouveau miracle
Mais la SNCF ne pourra pas plus longtemps faire l'économie de construire de nouvelles voitures, non seulement couchettes, mais encore des voitures-lits pour segmenter l'offre, des voitures-bar/restaurant comme au bon vieux temps et des voitures de jour aussi (compartiments et à couloir central) et pourquoi pas des régionales dans la foulée un peu comme les USI d'antan.
There is a market of upper class passengers who ARE WILLING TO PAY first class... Why not a brand new Mistral comeback?
I'm not sure how many people will be willing to pay first class prices to share a room with three other people. I think I'd probably take a day train instead and arrive in Lourdes in time for dinner.
SNCF let you pay a supplement to get an entire cabin to yourself or say you plus partner. This goes some way to addressing the sharing issue. But I agree, the market for these trains is pretty niche, the vast majority of people will just take TGV day trains.
I think it’s a great product for tourists as this way you don’t lose the day traveling and you can also save on hotel 😂
Agreed. A two bunk room as first class with simple breakfast served at seat + proper dining car would be nice.
Good report. I do think they have missed a trick with 'shared' couchettes (even in 1st) They should have looked at the CAF product used on the routes to Scotland from London or the AMTRAK products. However, with the lock-down, it will be interesting to see the loadings on these services. I would imagine the LOURDES service could be well patronised with pilgrim tours. Why no dinner or breakfast service - again a missed trick. However, at around £25 (is that one-way?) it is a very reasonable price
I agree. I think that is why the price is low. I hope SNCF will renovate the old corail bar train cars to improve the catering services.
Looks exactly like the refurbished TrenItalia 2nd class couchettes that run between Milan and Sicily.
A 6-person couchette is why people don’t take these trains and prefer to drive or fly. 2nd class should be for 4 and 1st class for two, with an en-suite bathroom.
Meals aren’t necessary on a night train as it shouldn’t travel during the day, but… 1st class passengers should get free drinks and at least snacks at the departing lounge and coffee might be good on board.
Or a breakfast at the arrival station. SNCF used to provide this back in the early 2000s. Before that, in the 90s, there was night trains (hauled by the magnificent CC 6500s) with a full restaurant car in the middle…
Good point and for SNCF they should run a restaurant carriage with them then have that run like an Amtrak Restaurant carriage service hours on Sleeper trains.
27:20: Rubber, lot's of new rubber that covers the plates and it's really tight. Usually new cars have this but due to a lot of time in use, winter-summer-winter-summer, the rubber becomes flaccid and there are gaps. So it's actually just new rubber and reconstruction as the corridors were designer initially (most have a rubber tongue on the sides of the metal plates that come on top of each other - these fall with time from friction fatigue)
My only issue with the SNCF sleeper trains is that they feel like a low-cost product. The lack of sleeping cars and better onboard service is something that will scare potential customers away. Even with the new couchettes, SNCF has a long way to go.
The goal is to make them a “low-cost products” , the opposite of TGV that go faster and cost more.
Yeah, NerdX. Leave them for dossers like me and Aurelien. You stick to your fancy-pants TGVs.
Because it is a low cost product lmao ...
They are a low cost product, sleeper services in the UK are much more expensive for a similar length of journey.
@@simonholley4110 Back in the day, this cheap ‘n’ cheerful product flew. Sharing couchettes; tolerating strangers’ smells and snoring etc. There will still be people that use these trains, but we have bred a slightly more pampered generation of under-25s throughout the ‘rich’ western-world, and I’m not so sure they’ll turn that much of a profit. Always be Interrailers, though. Hopefully. Ain’t like it used to be, though.
Great video Benjamin. I fully agree with you about having single compartments. I prefer not to share with anyone, plus I snore :) The travellers to Latour de Carol drew the short straw with unrefurbished rolling stock. Let's hope this changes soon. Oh yes! I much prefer your videos without Thibault's on-screen introductions and epilogue. They are not necessary. Your descriptive sub-titles are sufficient. Looking forward to your next video.
I agree (about the single compartment, not so much about the on-screen appearances)...and I realize I'm being tres Americain here but, I just cannot get my head around the idea of being in a compartment with someone else, forget that it might be as many as 5 others!
The lack of decent rolling stock to Latour de Carol (French Pyrenees) is shameful: destinations that are underserved to begin with, where there's a time-benefit to night trains vs. car or coach (plane to Toulouse or Barcelona leaves you 3+hrs from destination). Is the SNCF indifferent or immobile or (who knows?) milking a cash cow? Meanwhile Perpignan has a TGV station and now freight night trains: great, but what about Latour de Carol ? An operator committed to night trains would invest accordingly.
Now as an American, my only rail experiences have been with Amtrak. They’ve all been long distance rides staying multiple nights in a roomette. When I see these “berths” that sleep up to 6 people, it is hard for me to wrap my mind around sleeping in such close quarters with folks I don’t know. I like being able to shut my bedroom door and lock it at night. Not saying those berths aren’t a good idea, it’s just an idea that is foreign to me.
German guy here and I absolutely get that! It's actually the one thing I'd really dislike about sleeper trains. However in europe the span of possible accomodation options is HUGE. On the lower end you'll find berths like these, but there are also sleeper trains with either private compartments or the possibility to book single occupancy. The high end is probably the Caledonian Sleeper between London and Scotland.
Also keep in mind european trains are usually somewhat smaller. With the bigger loading gauge west of Chicago there's just much more you can do to make a train comfy for sleeping.
@Paseos por Madrid I disagree the couchette is a European thing. For your information you can book a couchette with the OBB
@Paseos por Madrid Have you ever travelled in a T4 trenhotel compartment ?
As a French person, I wouldn't go inside these train. Don't want to share my room with strangers sorry. And I don't know any people who would... You'd better take the TGV for Paris to Bayonne and then go to Lourdes during the day. It's faster anyway
@@paseospormadrid1751Literally every sleeper train I’ve seen/been on has had couchettes (From France to Slovakia to Romania) it’s inherently a European thing
Thanks for a great video. I am soooo glad SNCF have finally reverted back to a grown up corporate livery, instead of the garish Lunea style livery that the couchette stock carried for years. It just looks so much smarter now.
I live in hope that they relivery the remaining seating stock in the same way for the day trains on the network. Unlikely though if they are getting phased out.
You have brought back great memories from my time living in France. I remember taking the night train to Carcassonne on a field trip with the American School of Paris in the 1979... the cars must have been brand new!! I still have the model train of these units in green and the steadfast BB7306!!
These Corail cars were delivered between 1978 and 1989, so you happened to know the very first ones (from the '75-'78 program of construction).
I agree there should be private compartments available, maybe in twin beds with solo occupancy available. The 4-berth couchettes are really a train equivalent of “premium economy”, not first class - more space but you’re still next to strangers.
They are only strangers if you don’t make the effort; otherwise, they are very amiable travelling companions, and perhaps, a little more if you play your cards right.😍
Paris - Lourdes is a pilgrimage route, not a luxury travel market. Pilgrims will be looking for simplicity and a secure, low cost way to get there. This is a perfect fit. The Orient Express is a different market. :)
@@lours6993 Lourdes: the most unremarkable town in all France but for one grand delusion.
@@titteryenot4524 No-one’s asking you to go as a pilgrim. :) Go somewhere that suits you.
@@lours6993 I was just pointing out something that points up how primitive we are as a species. You are not obliged to agree with me. Lourdes, as it stands, is a tawdry, money-grubbing abomination, feeding on the vain hopes of desperate human beings. As I said, you don’t have to agree. The town itself, taken objectively, is quite unremarkable. The best recommendation I have for those not of a religious bent?: Lourdes is nicely nestled in the Pyrenean foothills. The town itself? Dodge.
Wouah alors déjà j’adore les trains mais là c'est incroyable le lit est super confortable encore il y a des choses incroyable dans le train et + le wifi magnifique le train de nuit validé à 100% c'est juste incroyable 10/10
Another excellent review, thanks. The item holder around the feet seems to be a possible cause of pain when turning and hitting in the middle of sleep. It’s a great idea instead of a net but would love to have have it higher. I also agree more privacy cabins as well as a dinning or even just a cafe car makes it more desirable to enjoy the night train.
We always used to use this service for our annual pilgrimage to Lourdes - good to see it back!
Merci pour cet intéressant reportage. Je pourrais avoir besoin de prendre des trains de nuit en France dans les mois et années qui viennent, si bien qu'un reportage comme celui-ci est utile pour savoir à quoi ressemble réellement le "produit". Quant à féliciter la SNCF... oui et non. Disons surtout qu'ils sautent... dans le train en marche des ÖBB car, en Europe occidentale, la locomotive des trains de nuit est autrichienne. Il y a encore 2 ans à peine, la SNCF disait à qui voulait l'entendre que les liaisons de nuit étaient abandonnées parce qu'elles n'intéressaient plus personne etc. Seule la vague d'enthousiasme provoquée par l'audace des ÖBB dans l'Ouest du continent a convaincu la SNCF de changer son fusil d'épaule. Que cet organisme étatique pachydermique vienne maintenant s'en vanter comme si c'était une initiative spontanée de sa part, c'est à peine hypocrite...
Yep, no private compartments is a deal-breaker for me, especially when travelling with family.
Yeah, that's a big difference with ÖBB's nightjets. Fortunately, the Austrians are increasingly conquering the Western half of the continent, so you're having more and more lines operated with their great coaches.
Well you xan book a private compartment. Perhaps expensive if you are only one, but very doable if you are with more.
@@jessegusman2964 I think that option disappeared when SNCF changed to their latest website a couple of months ago.
I really enjoyed this video and I love night trains !!! Your comments about the food and private rooms are right on !!!
I not sure if you have travelled on Canadian trains "Via" but roomettes would be perfect for this type of sleeper service now if we could only get a second bunk in there :):):)
Thanks for sharing this video with us...:):):)
As a child we used sleepers to travel across France for our holidays from the UK , Glad to see that the the sleeper service being revived and I still love the rolling stock as it brings back fond memories .
I'm slightly horrified that I rode those coaches when they were new! The one thing that they missed in the refurbishment was to provide bunk curtains to give you some privacy and reduce noise and light spill. PS. Still have the SNCF branded sheet sleeping bag they gave out. Amazingly, it's survived very well. Another thing surprises me. There still seems to be only one toilet per coach! What's the point in just a washroom when you have a whole coachload of people desperate to return the hire of last night's beer!
Isn't that what the window is for? :D
@@ignoblesurfer6281 Not with 5 other people watching!
Le moment du toilette time 😀
Special being on an inaugural overnight train!! When I worked for American Airlines i had the privilege of taking a demonstration flight on the BAC111 jet which the airline was putting into service on shorter routes. It is a shame that politics plays a big role regarding trains. Glad the Minister's speech made some promises.
I thoroughly enjoyed your review and thank you Thibault for sharing.
Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a bright, happy New Year!!😀😀♥️♥️🎄🎄🎁🎁
Ces nouvelles voitures sont magnifiques !! Quel plaisir
I agree with you. It is very hard to find a hotel without a bathroom these days or restaurant. This should also be the case today with overnight train services. Great video.👍👍
Merci Benjamin, joyeuses fêtes à toi et Thibault!
It’s good to use and refurbish existing coaches, it saves energy and materials not having to scrap and build new. The nez cassé locomotives are wonderful and handsome beasts.
Old metal and plastics get recycled, and modern ones are far more energy and space efficient. The new ones also attract more travelers..
Totally agree with you.... a proper sleeper option and some sort of food service are definitely needed ......
Good report and very good news. Basically, what they have done is to add a consist to Lourdes from Tolouse on the exciting night train París - Lator de Carole/Portbou.
Very good SNCF.
Génial ! Quand j’ai entendue qu’ils relançaient les trains de nuit, j’ai direct pensé à toi pour me faire une idées sur t’es vidéos.
Nice vid. Just traveled from Paris Austerlitz to Toulouse by couchette train last week. But was not refurbished and more expensive. But still, nice rest and the head full of memories from childhood..thanks
I have been a current user of La Palombe Blue since its beginning in the second part of the seventies. Three years ago, I wrote to our deputy (Macronist) why there where no more night train. That donkey (deputy of the Hautes Pyrénées, where are located Tarbes and Lourdes) replied that night train were old fashioned, with no passengers, and the airlines costed the same price…Last Monday, this guy was very proud of the new night train, due to this brillant government…
My company started because a could have my premises in the Pyrenees in my customers in Paris. Without the night train, it should have been impossible…
It would be so cool if this train crossed the border to Spain through Canfranc, but since the tunnel has been closed for many years it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon
Yeah sorry to confirm this, but the train line is not going to happen anytime soon. I live in the "Région" (smaller version and less free than an American state if that makes sense) where the train to Canfranc should begin and nobody ask about it. The politicians are more interested in the TGV anyway. Well they better clean the existing lines first because this is a mess...
The Bedous-Canfranc section of the line is still missing since '69...
@@julosx Well it just need to be cleaned, maybe change the tracks... I don't know, but the path that the train used to take is still clearly visible from the road. That's infuriating to see that it's abandoned
Merci du partage! Jolie vidéos! Stéph.
Muy buen reportaje. Estupendo cambio de SNCF en la recuperación de los trenes nocturnos.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
great video, i'm happy they are bringing night trains back again and hopefully service will be better with time. Hope you will cover the new Vienna-Paris Nightjet soon !
Nice video and I agree to your conclusions at the end. Privacy and catering are important these days and SNCF is missing that. With 6 strangers in a amall compartment is out of time I think.
SNCF must know the big succes of OBB-nightjet trains, In my opinion this first step is good but needs more inprovement. Besides that I am very anxious what the french initiative 'Midnight Trains' will effect to the French nighttrains. Their ambitsious plans for very high qualitiy nighttrains might be very compatitive!!!!
This ride was perfect, SNCF refurbish couchette are amazing. I hope to see one day this coaches on international night train 😍
6:27-I love that the band is playing the song 'Take The 'A' Train' (which is really about taking a certain-lettered _subway_ train to a certain part of New York City, specifically to Sugar Hill in Harlem.)
Such a great video. It brought back many memories dating back 20 years when I used the 6 prison couchettes from a very run down Austerlitz to Bourg St Maurice in winter for snowboarding. I started off preferring the top bunks as it was easier to sit upright and change. The downside was having to drop down during the night to go for a pee! Not helped by all the skis and luggage piled up against the fixed ladders! I then preferred the bottom bunks where i could also store my gear under the bunk and was it was darker and I was less disturbed by those who kept their lights on. You are spot on with the issue of only 4 and 6 person rooms. I wish there were at least some 2 or 3 person ones. Do you know if the overnight train to Bourg St Maurice is likely to be reinstated. It was a great loss when it stopped as it allowed me 2 extra full days on the slopes 🏂
Lourdes, always nice and good to be there. Avé Maria !!
Thanks for the report. You are right a food service and a possibility to have a private compartment is needed...Anyway great to see night trains services continue ( i have taken several times Rodez-Paris)
Wonderful video! Good to see the night trains back in France. Greetings from Holland, Hans
Waw I'm really impressed regarding the huge gap done regarding noise/sound/silent. Excellent new ! and I'm so happy that SNCF / french government seems to really want to re launch night train. France is too much Paris centric regarding TGV, and night train are by far the best way to travel in France for Province Province trip. For me now what is missing :
- maybe a new class, more high end, with a restauration service
- some different size compartments, like 2 beds for example, when you travel in couple
- security system, like access card to enter the compartments.
Apparently, the bar car on the UK's Scottish sleepers does an excellent trade, so probably would be the same, if they didn't charge stupid prices.
@@gharwood1356 I hope but SNCF has always been a poor company regarding food and service. Even when I was young the services was bad (i remember the "quality" of the breakfast when they existed...), expensive for the quality (famous "sandwich SNCF") or inexistant.
Your concluding remarks were EXACTLY those that came to mind when politicians were involved!.
“U” turns are to be expected when that category of folk are involved as we have seen recently here with the cancellation of the Eastern HS2 route!.
I agree with you on the lack of private cabins... perhaps the full-on sleepers will be different?
Amazing that they are still using the BB7200 locomotives. I love there design, it's not modern, but it has a peculiar charm which you can't find on modern locomotives. I hope they stay in service for many many more years!
BB 7200s and 22200s if necessary (for instance to go to the Riviera).
@@julosx yeah you are right I forgot about the 22200
Super ta vidéo, trop content de voir que les corail Normandie soient sur ces lignes la , la 1 et classe place assise c est une ancienne voiture Haute Normandie. 😊😊
Nice train. It looks better than 25 or 30 years ago when I traveled by couchette cars between Paris and Modane.
Six bunks like Chinese hard sleeper, but in closed compartments and more headroom for the top bunk. Good. Except that the beds are not made for you.
Great video, I agree with what you said they did to do. Privacy and food are a very important thing to people. Thanks for sharing.
Nine hours in a compartment with four strangers and no food is not my idea of first class travel! France deserves better.
3 or 5, and was it completely full???
Its quite good for $32 trip for 9 hours
@@brianweber4154❤❤❤❤❤❤
I live in a restored old station on this route and noticed the return of a train/s late at night ........Now I know why. There used to be sleeper trains and some freight at night too and a TGV early morning and late evening until it became a 'ligne polt' or regional line, when they introduced the route around Poitiers. It was never busy but, after that, became very quiet. No TGV, no freight, and no sleeper trains. I must admit I like the sleeper trains passing by. Living here is so peaceful that the sound and lights of a train remind you that life still goes on.......Occasionally.
Nice video and nice refurbishment! Glad to see that Corail coaches will remain the backbone of sleeper trains in France for the next yeas but I've one little question : Can the windows be opened?
One can rightfully rejoice that some long-established patterns of the past are being "rediscovered", while wishing that a similar revival would one day occur in Canada where the rail passenger service has been decimated in the last 40 years. This includes the once-popular overnight train between Toronto and Montreal (500 km distance). France shows us what it is to have a "National Vision". 2021/12/30. Ontario, Canada.
SNCF did a really fine job of refurbishment!
Wonderfully stable video. Great commentary as well. (Subscribed)
Wonderful Coverage and a Detailed Report
Will there be a video about nightjet Paris-Vienna?
Visited Lourdes in 1972 as a part of school trip, we flew British Caledonian (loved their uniforms) and then by coach. I would liked to have travelled on a train but in seat rather than a couchette unless it single occupancy at night.
Wow! This is simply incredible, it will no doubt really help the relaunch of night trains in France!
Brings back memories... That said it was at a time where public service meant something. That refurbishment looks 50 years old and services from the SNCF today are shitty at best - when they aren't on strike - that is why I'm very glad competition is coming. Ready to pay double as long as it isn't SNCF trains. I was talking with a ticket controller the other day (in a train that was 2h30 late): trains used to go to the repair shop each month for checkups, now it is every 6 months or more..... That's one point among many others leading to a shit service and it will probably end up causing deaths.
Ça serait chouette que la SNCB aussi relance quelques trains de Nuit, comme le Schaerbeek Nice, le Bruxelles Milan ou le Bruxelles Zagreb(oui il a existe !)
Would be great to see night trains from the Benelux to the French Riviera or Italy once again, especially if they were auto trains.
Salut. Il y a des progrès, c'est incontestable. Mais, on revient de loin. Les matériaux et les couleurs font moderne et semblent être de qualité. Maintenant, il est sûr qu'il manque une 1/2 voiture service par tranche, avec distributeurs de boissons et de snacks/gâteaux/sandwiches. Et, j'espère que sur le nombre de voitures commandées par l'Etat, on pourra compter quelques wagons-lits modernes et bien équipés.Merci pour la vidéo.
So glad to hear overnight trains are back to France. Paris to Vienna by night train is my dream. Amtrak suck it
Bring them up to Scotland. I’d use it to get to Paris.
Awesome and I agree with your views.
I really hope we get the Luxembourg/Strasbourg to Nice/Port Bou train back. Took it in April 2015, I still remember the mighty CC 72000 between Belfort and Culmont-Chalindrey and the shunting of the train parts in Culmont.
And imagine the Maine-Ocean train : from Nice to Brest, a mere 1 200 km journey, or the Flandres-Riviera : Lille-Nice !
I'm confused, are you french or not because at first I was thinking you were not but your french accent is just perfect so...
Anyway thanks for the video, I have to take one of these in one month and I'm feeling very anxious about it, and I think it helped a bit
Et comme d'habitude très bonne vidéo. J'ai juste une petite question. Savez-vous si ils ont retiré l'amiante des voitures corail avec la rénovation?
PD: très beaux les nouveaux fauteuils de première classe!
507 miles for just 29euros? Wow.
Glad to see the night trains being brought back....
VIELEN LIEBEN DANK...FRIEDEN und FREIHEIT...
Great video! The Corail coaches you great! Are you also going to make a videoreview form the OuiGo Vitesse Classique when they enter service in the spring of next year?
Your videos are fantastic about these trains
In South Africa we have a VERY VERY bad railway system as they steel the rail tracks and the copper cables for the signal system.
The say it could take ten years to get the system working properly again
Oh boy there it is 🤩
Thank you for interesting video about French overnight train to Lourdes. I need to notice that that roomette with 6 couchettes looked really cramped. OK, for kids or teenagers sleeping place like that would be fine, but for 6 adults being stuffed in that, it may appeal for someone who does not mind such close proximity to other person. The trains will only win if they offer comfort everything or high speed to beat the cars and air travel.
25:30 It is very nice to see SNCF and other European rail operator reinvesting back into night train. However, SNCF should definitely evolve over time with new travel standard in order to be attractive. Having 4/6 people berth as 1st/2nd class is the 70s/80s travel standard.
Today, people want more space. I think SNCF could learn some of the OBB success factors by implementing more travel class that can accommodate every type of niche customer from the cheap berth to more fancy single/double occupancy room with private toilet (can be even with shower).
Ok but there's a problem : there are no more sleeping cars in France. OBB bought sleeping cars from DB back in 2016
@@bernardbouzon5499 It is absolutely important to have new rolling stock for the future and an old car can't be refurbed forever. However, sometimes, you don't need a lot of new resources to improve the service just need to be creative. Without changing the current configuration of the Corail, SNCF could turn them into 2/4 ppl room instead of 4/6 ppl. From the booking side, a single travel could lock a 2ppl room just for himself by paying a bit of extra money. These are viable solutions and don't require a lot of resources.
Well, it's up to the 70'/80's standards because this model of trains is from the 70's. But strangely, it's the best model of trains ! The ones you can take during the day are so comfy and quite ! The Intercités between Toulouse and Biarritz that I often take, which is newer, could never compete with the Corail
It’s a shame they don’t have private rooms (I guess you could buy 6 or 4 tickets 😂), a dining car, and station lounges like the Caledonian sleeper train in the UK for example. Although that train is fair noisier than this. I do like that you can open the windows on these carriages. Not sure how the women traveling alone option works on this, but it’s nice that they have that option for safety. The price is good though for the distance. I was thinking about the Intercities de nuit from Austerlitz to Nice. I may take the plane 😅 Great review though! Thank you.
I'd love to take a Paris to Vienna train!
It’s a good review and glad to know SCNF is committed to more sleeper trains. That said, this is a NO from me. SCNF really didn’t think this through. No dining car. No private compartments. I’m not sure what the cache is for Lourdes other than pilgrimages for the ill in hopes of a miracle/cure. And those that are infirmed definitely aren’t climbing up to the top bed much less sharing a sleeping box with four or six other people … especially with Covid marching through Europe again. Those making a pilgrimage are mostly going to fly not take a 9.5 hour train. 🤨
The most handicapped of those doing the pilgrimage used to ride _ambulance cars_ that never had a chance to feature AC, despite the fact they were, technically, Corail cars.
sorry i loved travelling in a couchette when younger but now i'm not sure ,people have changed for the worse here ,already back in the later 90's when i worked on the winter line to briancon we had the Metz to Port Bou stop in valence nearly always coppers looking for rif raf that would of sneaked on in say lyon or dijon to steal anything they could same as the Paris Nice what i want to know is will they be safe
I have used this train in 2019, before they were refurbished, but I think they didn’t change the leg space or the length of the beds. If you are taller than 1,85m, then you probably should not book this seat. I am 1,96m and I had so many cramps when I rode on this train. But it’s a beautiful sight when you wake up and see the lakes right next to you, right as the sun goes up.
Outstanding job! Subscribed! Next the Paris-Vienna, please? 😋
Did Paris to Lourdes return in couchettes,on a school trip from England,1972.
30 or more boys running wild.
The top right berth is your favourite? I had it once and it was freaking hot since my compartment was completely full (6/6)… Getting some sleep there was really difficult.
It's a bit odd indeed these otherwise apparently excellently refurbished night trains without the option of more private accomodations. Sure it's a low cost product with a completely different price point than the couchettes that are often reviewed on this channel but a bit more differention e.g. by having coach class, bunk accomodations like the current 1st class ones, and then more private compartments would have introduced a bit more differentiation. Now it's almost like this train is purpose built for school classes taking a school trip with slightly more comfortable bunk accomodations for the teachers in 1st class... Otherwise, as always, thanks again for this trip report!
Sharing those crouchettes was common in the past and I went all over Europe in about 30 years ago;far north as Narvik,south as Naples,east as Istanbul,west as Oostende but people are more private now and aren't too keen on sharing .all well and good but it reduces the amount of passengers carried significantly with single occupancy and is reflected in the price.I think that I used the equivalent of that train to get Andorra under the belt with a bus from La Tour.
Ils disent avoir besoin de 300 voitures nouvelles pour ces services de nuit. Et pour les financer, ils vont les louer... Mais pourtant, des Corail, il y en a plein qui doivent être disponible, avec tous ces TER qui remplacent le matériel Corail par des automotrices. Plutôt que de les radier, faudrait les remettre à neuf.
The paint job looks up to-date, modern and really nice, but the French are very accommodating to agree to sleep with 5 strangers. As for 1st class and 4 sharing a cabin. Brits would never do that. It's like going back to boarding school.
Actually no, most French don’t like it and most French don’t take these.
Perhaps but remember we made the Revolution, nous Monsieur 😋
@@bbiwyou You mean you copied the revolution from the United States…
Great video! I was hoping to do the same thing this December, but the booking sites show the night train only from Paris to Auterive, and requiring you to connect to a bus to get to Lourdes. This despite the SNCF site advertising this as "Fall asleep in Paris and wake up in Lourdes". Is there something I'm missing? Clearly your train went all the way to Lourdes.
Good service and a few private rooms would make this train far more attractive.
Bonne initiative de la sncf pour les places assises en 1ere, par contre je préfère quand même les anciens sièges de 2de classe de nuit qui s'inclinaient vraiment à 45 degrés et avaient un grand repose-jambes. Aussi je remarque qu'ils ont enlevé le réglage du volume en compartiment et avoir les annonces de Toulouse lorsqu'on va à Port-Bou et qu'on peut encore dormir 2h c'est pas top, surtout que les compartiments étaient organisés par destination.
My French regrettably isn't great, however at the end of the speeches I heard England and Germany mentioned, is this hinting at looking at having sleeper services to and from those countries?
he says: because they (SNCF) will need a lot of cars/locomotives, they want to deal with rental companies, like they do in UK and Germany.
@@docteurgreene Merçi beaucoup!
nice sleeper but i agree as a solo traveller i want a bit of privacy maybe a 1st class with just 2 bunks - and not even a cup of coffee in the morning. night attract the harden train traveller but the leisure market wants more. how hard would it be at the split stop to have a baker deliver fresh croissants to the train and the attendant to make a bag with juice, croissant and instant coffee.
What does vestuous mean?