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I Spent 11 Hours With 3 Strangers In A Shared Cabin On A Sleeper Train In Europe For $84. 6 Surprises Made Me Regret My Choice.
Insider's reporter tried out a sleeper cabin on a train in Europe traveling from Vienna to Venice, Italy.
Joey Hadden/Insider
- I booked a shared sleeper cabin on an overnight train while traveling from Austria to Italy.
- I thought a sleeper train would be the best way to maximize my days while exploring Europe.
- A few surprises along the way changed my mind, from a lack of privacy to a restless night.
When I decided to visit Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland for the first time in just two weeks back in 2022, I wanted to take trains and maximize my time exploring each country.
When I realized that my train ride from Vienna, Austria, to Venice, Italy, would be 11 hours long, I thought traveling through the night seemed like the best way to leave my days free, and sharing a sleeper cabin with strangers helped me do it on a budget.
For $84, my ticket included a bunk in a shared cabin and a light breakfast. I was excited to move through the night and free my days for adventure.
But a few surprises along the way made me think that, ultimately, this ride wasn't worth the time saved.
I traveled from Austria to Italy with OBB Nightjet, a train that operates overnight routes between Austria, Italy, France, and the Netherlands.![]()
A Nightjet sleeper car arrives in Venice, Italy, in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Insider
OBB Nightjet trains travel overnight to more than 25 European cities, from Rome to Amsterdam, and can go as fast as 143 miles per hour, according to the company's website.
I decided to book with OBB Nightjet because it's known for having some of Europe's newest and best sleeper routes, according to Lonely Planet.
Nightjet trains have seating carriages as well as sleeper cars with private cabins and bunks of three, four, or six. The latter is what I booked.
When I arrived at the Vienna train station, I paid $10 to access the OBB Lounge. I was surprised that it was completely empty aside from me — a stark contrast to the crowded station where I couldn't find a seat.![]()
An empty OBB Lounge at Wein Miedling Station in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Insider
My journey began in Austria's Wien Meidling train station. I arrived 90 minutes before my 9:35 p.m. train, and the waiting areas were so crowded that I couldn't find one empty seat. Then, I noticed a lounge for OBB guests.
The lounge is free for first-class OBB passengers traveling during the day and costs about $10 for all other OBB passengers who would like to pay to access it, which is what I did.
Since I thought the fee was inexpensive and the station was so packed, I was surprised to find no other travelers inside.
The lounge had plenty of tables and chairs, as well as complimentary refreshments from coffee to nuts and seeds. It was a smaller selection than I've seen at Amtrak's Metropolitan Lounge, which I've visited in New York, but I wasn't hungry, so I just got a water bottle and settled into a chair to wait until it was time to board my train.
When I went to the platform, I was surprised by how confusing it was to board the correct train.![]()
A platform where the train takes off in Austria (L). Car two on a Nightjet train stopped in Venice, Italy (R).
Joey Hadden/Insider
I went to the platform about 20 minutes before my train's scheduled 9:35 p.m. departure and was shocked to see a screen that said my train was going to Zürich. This made me worry that I booked the wrong sleeper train.
But at the information desk, I learned that the train's cars detach at various stations to go to different locations. I had to board my assigned train car in order to reach my ticketed final destination; each has a number.
When my train arrived, I didn't have time to check the train car number before boarding. I just went to the closest car and asked an attendant to guide me to my car and room.
I knew my cabin would be small, but once on board, I was still shocked when I saw it for the first time.![]()
Inside the author's shared Nightjet cabin.
Joey Hadden/Insider
According to OBB Nightjet, my cabin was built to fit six people inside a 74-square-foot space.
I expected it would be small, but seeing it in person made me realize that 74 square feet is smaller than I thought.
One traveler was already there when I boarded, and two others arrived within an hour. Two got off around 5 a.m., and the other stayed past my stop. We said hello to each other upon arrival, but other than that, the room was quiet. Some of us watched devices, while others went to sleep.
I was surprised by how little personal space I had even when it was still just one other passenger and me. I couldn't imagine six people squeezing in there, and I was grateful that we weren't booked to the max.
But I still felt cramped when there were four of us, especially with everyone's luggage around.
I expected each bunk to have a curtain for privacy, but the beds were completely exposed. This made me feel less comfortable.![]()
The author felt she had no privacy without curtains at each bunk.
Joey Hadden/Insider
Since the space was shared with strangers, I was expecting to find curtains at the front of each bunk to ensure privacy, but there was nothing to block the space between myself and other passengers.
This made me feel more uncomfortable than I expected. While another traveler changed their clothes in front of me inside the room, I preferred to change in private and chose to instead go to the shared bathroom at the end of the sleeper car.
I didn't think I'd have to wake up other passengers to use the bathroom. But the room's lock was only accessible from a top bunk where someone was sleeping.![]()
Lighting and lock controls in the sleeper cabin.
Joey Hadden/Insider
When I first entered the cabin, I learned the bunks were first-come, first-served. I opted for a bottom bunk since I'd previously found top bunks on other trains to feel bumpier through the night.
But I didn't realize that the person on the top bunk would be the unofficial controller of the door lock since it was only accessible from their bed.
When I went to the bathroom to wash up and change around 10:30 p.m., the top-bunk passenger had just arrived and was still awake. But at around 2 a.m., I found myself lying awake with a full bladder because I didn't want to disturb her. Eventually, I couldn't hold it anymore and reluctantly woke her up.
It was a little awkward, and I felt bad for disrupting her sleep. The whole experience made me think I may have preferred the top bunk anyway. I'd rather have someone wake me than wake someone else up.
I thought I'd get a decent amount of rest in the sleeper cabin with a lie-flat bed, but the ride was so bumpy and uncomfortable that I struggled to fall asleep.![]()
The author watches TV on an overnight train from Vienna to Venice, Italy, in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Insider
Since I had a lie-flat bed in the cabin, as well as bed sheets and a pillow provided by the train, I thought I'd get a decent amount of sleep.
But when bedtime came around, I was surprised to find the bed and bedding didn't matter much.
I only got a couple of hours of sleep and woke up several times during the night due to other travelers entering and exiting the room or the bumpiness of the train, and I found the bed to be uncomfortable. For most of the night, I watched TV on my iPad since I had such a hard time sleeping.
"Offering our passengers a high level of travel comfort is an important concern for us," a representative for OBB Nightjet told Business Insider.![]()
An OBB Nightjet train.
Nightjet - © ÖBB/Harald Eisenberger
The statement continued, "We are constantly working on improvements to our product and also take into account the requirements of our customers."
Next year, the rail line is upgrading its overnight trains with new, more spacious shared sleeper cabins that will include a seating area in addition to beds, according to a press release from OBB Nightjet.
When I got to Venice, I realized I was wrong about my expectations of a shared sleeper cabin. I didn't feel rested, which was the entire reason I booked it.![]()
The author before (L) and after (R) having coffee during her first morning in Venice.
Joey Hadden/Insider
When I got off the train in Venice, I was exhausted from the lack of sleep. I thought it made my first day in the city less enjoyable, which was perhaps the most surprising element of my ride since the entire reason I booked this train was to feel rested.
These surprises taught me that a shared cabin on an overnight train wasn't the right choice for me.
While sometimes it's about the journey, not the destination, in this case, I'd rather arrive feeling refreshed so I can enjoy where I'm going.
A year after my trip, I booked another overnight ride in a Nightjet private cabin. It was totally worth the upgrade.![]()
Inside a private cabin on a Nightjet train.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
I learned my lesson during that shared cabin ride. So when I went back to Europe in November 2023, I booked the train line's top-tier accommodation for an overnight trip from Venice to Vienna — a private cabin.
It was totally worth the $200 price tag for a private, 30-square-foot space with a vanity, wash basin, and storage space. I slept like a baby.
From now on, I'll only book private cabins for overnight train rides.
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