Everything wrong with Europe's new CAPSULE sleeper train | ÖBB Minicabin

I just tried out Austria's new, controversially priced night trains that have private sleeper pod. It's a slightly surreal experience being in a private capsule on a train: very cool that somebody invented it, but far from perfect right now.

By reviewing ÖBB's new Minicabin on this 14-hour journey between Hamburg and Austria, I'm covering what the new private version of the couchette is like, what food and facilities are included, and what I did and didn't like about the experience, as well as talking about the ticket prices. Nightjet have landed themselves in hot water with their new dynamic pricing algorithm for these sleeper trains, so hold on to your hats :)

I hope that you're doing well and staying safe.

[HarithBK]

honestly your complaint about the drunks in the shared cabin is totally valid in my eyes. it is beyond stupid to have single capsules next to shared cabin since you expect the capsule area to be quiet since everybody in there capsule is going to be alone by the very nature of the design.

[chasingtheclouds]

Thanks for the honest review. I've been wanting to check out the new nightjet trains, so this is very helpful. The pricing is too high in my opinion, especially for these little cubbies. And I agree, Leipzig main station is one of (if not the) best train station in Germany.

[melaniedrogr]

one thing to keep in mind with these prices. THanks to germany the nightjet is almost always 2 hours too late. And thanks to eu rules, they have to give 50% of the ticket price back (25% if they are more than one hour late (but less than 2)). And basically that means, that if your journey goes trough germany, you will almost always get 25% of the price back, and quite often 50%.
It reduced the price of a round trip on the nightjet from 240 down to 120 for me.

[Jan-bivr]

I'm actually glad you mentioned the staff! Of course it's right to be sympathetic towards stressed-out and underpaid workers, but a minimum of professionalism is still a reasonable expectation in any scenario. I personally feel rather uncomfortable being treated with American-style sycophancy, and I'm rarely offended by curt replies or an unfriendly tone, but there's never an excuse for rudeness or open hostility. Not taking your frustration out on other people is just common decency, whether these people are customers or not.

[chrisdoutre]

My wife and I had an unpleasant experience with a very unpleasant train attendant on Deutche Bahn some years ago. When we complained to the conductor, he listened to us, sympathized with us, bought us coffees, and then explained to us that, sadly, in Germany, it's easier to get new customers than new staff.

[clxudzYT]

Fun fact; Switzerland regularly denies entry from German trains due to their delay, as the Swiss railway (SBB) operates on a very tight schedule.

[Kletterhaus]

I traveled quite frequently on Nightjet, you're right about the staff. They just aren't that nice and often rude. They're literary the worst staff on any night train I've been on (except Romanian night trains).

I'm sure they are underpaid, but this is the fault of ÖBB.

[matteo]

I have used this train from Hamburg to Vienna just this night. As my last train on my Interrail Journey to Berlin, Stockholm, Luleå, Oslo, Bergen, Kopenhagen and Hamburg, i have to say from all the couchette cars on every night train i used (almost every night), this train was quite luxurious. I slept very very good, the stuff was nice and helpfull. We had a 3 hour delay because there was a medical emergency and some trackwork in germany. But the train experience was still a very good one.

Though i have to say. The staff, as you said, wanted to collect the duvets and stuff way to early (i did not let them :)) and the pillow was practically not existant. Also the washing rooms where way to small, you are better to take the toilets for washing your face and so on. A positive thing i have to mention, is the amazing quietness in tha cabs. Because compared to the all the other trains it was like if you had ear plugs in. I slept for 10h and i was in a very good mood.

So. I will take it again. Even with little flaws it is a good product for a (sometimes) reasonable price. Have a good day

[kevindennehy]

Thanks for that report, never been on the new one. I was on the Amsterdam-Basel sleeper last year. Load of very noisy drunks next door. They were warned by the staff a couple of times and kicked off in Duisburg. Police were waiting for them. That's the service that's needed. Have to say my experience of staff on those trains is mostly very good, sad to see there's a rogue train somewhere.

[JustinPearceThoughtsAndPhotos]

Tom, I've watched a few of your vids and you seem like the nicest, most patient guy ever - the way you managed to see the positive side of the Flixbus to Romania, and the Basel to Poland on local trains odyssey. You never actually complain - and I think this makes your warning about the capsule experience all the more credible.

[cecasander]

I find my Nightjet experience has been enhanced a thousandfold by bringing a pair of good ear plugs.

[plonss]

Good review! To be honest, being 6'2" and with a hernia, I was not looking forward to travelling in this capsule anyway, but your review confirmed some of my negative expectations about this capsule thing. I will stick to my cherished method of international train travel, which is to hop on and off local trains and sleep in a decent hotel at night.

[jarabaa]

You remind me of ... myself. In the 1970s and 80s, when I was a young man, I travelled back & forth across Europe (many times through the "DDR", the then location of Leipzig) in all sorts of night trains. This is such an excellent review, detailed, fair and finely-observed. Eloquent and entertaining. Thank you.

[inbydgq]

Thank you for your candor and especially for your positive attitudes and for not letting your disappointments ruin your journey.

[wynja]

I'm 100% here for the non-aesthetic linen situations, and I have felt those have been lacking lately, so I'm very happy about this update. Keep it up! ;)

[mikeschumacher]

Good review, and something I need to keep in the back of my mind when I try Nightjet. From an American perspective 140 euro for a moving hotel isn't terrible compared to Amtrak prices. I think I'd be more concerned about noise isolation from your neighbor and where to store larger luggage.

[lhommeaudacieux]

130 is actually an amazing price. I pay 150 just to go from Brussels to Frankfurt in a regular high speed train. For some people it replaces a hotel night as well which is need. I hope service is better at least in the premium cabin.

[madstrawberrypie]

I took the old-fashioned ÖBB night train a few times now and on my first two journeys, I remember the staff being super friendly and helpful, but then on my recent journey, especially on my trip back, they were /beyond/ unprofessional - one of them complained to me that he had earned much better at his previous job and he wanted to know what I make (!); my original train was cancelled and I was re-booked onto a train that not only departed on a different day but also from a different city, and then the couchette I was rebooked onto was missing and I had to do the 13+ hour ride in a seated carriage. Not even a "We are sorry" from the staff, instead they told me to "be happy with what God gave me because others have it much worse" and that I "was lucky" it wasn't a normal train at least but a nightjet seated carriage. The train also was 2 hours late and there was no coffee (no hot drinks at all) in the morning.

[constantinepenguamo]

Ear plugs are a travel must-have, I'm willing to bet this would have made the trip far more tolerable of an experience.

[Eurobazz]

Well said Tom. The craziest thing for me is the sliding door next to your head. It looks so flimsy and I'm sure you can hear the person speak on the phone, play videos and, worse of all, snore. Having seen your video I would give ÖBB 4.5 out of 10.