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Austria rail operator ÖBB unveils new night trains

Austrian rail operator ÖBB on Saturday unveiled its new generation of sleeper trains -- a response to demands from travellers for less pollutant alternatives to planes and petrol or diesel cars.

Austria rail operator ÖBB unveils new night trains
Beds inside the compartment of a sleeping car of a train of the new generation of the Nightjet sleeper trains. Photo: Alex HALADA/AFP.

Night trains are starting to make a comeback in Europe thanks to their low-carbon footprint and after years of neglect, operators are now investing heavily to replace their ageing rolling stock.

State-owned ÖBB, which operates 20 rail routes across Europe, has been a pioneer in reviving such services.

The company has Europe’s largest fleet of sleeper trains and hopes to double the number of its overnight passengers from 1.5 million to three million by 2030.

The new trains feature a modern design, more privacy and more shower facilities.

The first of 33 – ordered from German conglomerate Siemens in 2018 for a total investment of 720 million euros ($760 million at current value) – will come into service on December 10.

It will connect the Austrian cities of Vienna and Innsbruck to the German port of Hamburg.

Between then and 2028, it will be phased in on other routes in Austria, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

“France will have to wait a bit because this requires new approvals from the national railroad authority,” ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthae told AFP. “Unfortunately, we are not yet a unified Europe in the railroad sector.”

Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler told AFP: “Every kilometre (mile) by train is a kilometre for climate protection and… a contribution to a better future.”

Since 2018 ÖBB said all its trains “run on electricity generated exclusively by hydropower, solar and wind power… a milestone for climate protection in Austria”

“I still remember the old sleeping coaches, which were so dark — the small window, the bunk beds and a curtain,” said 69-year-old retiree Rosemarie, who declined to give her full name, as she examined ÖBB’s sleek new night train on Saturday.

Compared to the old sleeper trains, “this is crazy – pure luxury”, she laughed.

ÖBB’s Berlin-Paris night train service is to return on December 11th, nine years after it was cancelled.

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TRAVEL NEWS

What are the cheapest holiday destinations from Austria this summer?

If you are planning on a summer vacation, certain countries are cheaper than others, especially compared to Austria.

What are the cheapest holiday destinations from Austria this summer?

Travellers from Austria will enjoy the most affordable holidays in Eastern Europe and classic Mediterranean holiday destinations, according to calculations by Statistik Austria on the price levels of tourism products and services.

The calculations considered the purchasing power of people in Austria abroad for May 2024. 

“Inflation has reduced the holiday budgets of many people, but the most popular foreign destinations in summer, Italy and Croatia, still have a slightly lower price level than Austria”, Statistik Austria director Tobias Thomas said in a press release.

READ ALSO: Will my Austrian health insurance pay for medical expenses abroad?

He added: “The cheapest holiday destinations are Turkey and Bulgaria, where holidaymakers from Austria get almost twice as much for their money as in their own country.

“In Iceland, on the other hand, they have to dig deepest into their pockets: Tourist products and services, including overnight stays and restaurant visits, cost on average 51 percent more there than in Austria”.

Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean are the cheapest destinations

According to Statistik Austria, the purchasing power of €100 earned in Austria is significantly higher in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. In Bulgaria, it’s €187, in Romania, it’s €161, and in Hungary, it’s €149. For Mediterranean destinations, Turkey offers the best value at €198, followed by Portugal (€132), Greece (€126), Croatia (€124), Spain (€124), Cyprus (€115), and Italy (€109). 

Switzerland (€68) and countries in the north of Europe, such as Iceland (€66), Denmark (€76), and Norway (€76), continue to be the most expensive destinations by far. 

Most of the changes compared to the previous year were very small, except for Turkey and Poland. The recent strength of the zloty against the euro led to a 5 percent decline in purchasing power to €130 euros in Poland. 

In Turkey, a significant devaluation of the Turkish lira contrasts with even higher inflation, resulting in a 4 percent decline in the purchasing power of tourists, although it remains at a high level. 

READ ALSO: What are your rights if your trip is delayed or cancelled in Austria?

Overseas destinations

Differing developments in the euro exchange rates are causing changes in both directions for overseas destinations. 

For travellers to the United States, the equivalent value of €96 (May 2023: €95) in goods and services remains constant. Holidaymakers in Mexico are experiencing a loss of purchasing power (−7  percent; euro equivalent now €120 compared to €129 in the previous year) due to a stronger Mexican peso.

In Japan, on the other hand, low inflation coupled with a weak Japanese yen resulted in an increase of 14 percent to €129 (May 2023: €113). 

Holidays in Australia are still expensive, with €100 in Austria buying goods and services worth €82 (previous year: €83). In the UK, prices are close to Austrian ones, with €100 in Austria buying goods and services worth €102 there.

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