“Every kilometer on the train is a kilometer for climate protection”: a peek inside Austria’s new night train.
Austrian railway operator OeBB on Saturday unveiled a new generation of sleeper trains. This is in response to demand from travelers seeking less polluting alternatives to planes and petrol and diesel cars.
Night trains are starting to make a comeback in Europe because of their lower carbon footprint. After years of neglect, the operator is currently investing heavily to replace its aging fleet.
OeBB, the national rail operator with 20 rail lines across Europe, is a pioneer in bringing back these services.
The company has the largest fleet of vehicles in Europe. Sleeper train The company hopes to double the number of guests from 1.5 million to 3 million by 2030.
Austria’s new sleeper train is ‘pure luxury’
The new trains have a modern design, more privacy and more amenities. Each two-person compartment has its own toilet and shower.
There are also cabins for one person. Traveling alone People who want a little more privacy.
“I still remember the old sleeper cars. They were so dark: small windows, bunk beds, curtains,” said the 69-year-old retiree, as he inspected OeBB’s sleek new night trains on Saturday. said Rosemary.
compared to the past Sleeper train, “This is crazy, it’s total luxury,” she laughed.
The first of 33 units ordered from German conglomerate Siemens in 2018 at a total investment of 720 million euros could be commissioned as early as December.
Connects Austrian cities. vienna From Innsbruck to German ports hamburg.
Then, by 2028, the new sleeper trains will be phased in on other lines in Austria, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. Switzerland.
“France will have to wait a little bit as this requires new approval from the national rail authorities,” OeBB CEO Andreas Matte told AFP.
“Unfortunately, Europe is not yet unified in the railway sector.”
Austria’s sleeper trains run on renewable energy
“Every kilometer of railway is a kilometer of climate protection and…a contribution to a better future” of Austria. Minister of the Environment Leonor Gewessler he told AFP.
“You can board in Vienna in the evening and wake up refreshed the next morning in another European metropolis. This will become even easier and more comfortable in the future,” she added in a statement.
Since 2018, OeBB has confirmed that all trains “run on electricity generated exclusively from hydroelectric power. Sun And wind power…a milestone for climate protection in Austria. ”
Matte said the company will continue to play a “pioneering role” in the development of night train transport in Europe.
OeBB’s Night train service between Berlin and Paris It is scheduled to return on December 11th, nine years after it was cancelled.
advertisementThe first passenger services are planned for December this year on the Vienna-Hamburg and Innsbruck-Hamburg routes. Pre-sale of tickets will start from October 11th.
For an inside look at OeBB’s new night train carriages, watch the video above.
