Review: Nightjet Train Feldkirch to Graz

In this review, we will travel in a private sleeper compartment on a Nightjet train from Feldkirch to Graz in Austria (NJ 465 Zurich to Graz via Feldkirch and Innsbruck).

Nightjet train

After my short but fun visit to the friendly little city of Feldkirch, it was time to move on and continue my trip towards the Balkans.

My next train on my journey would be an overnight Nightjet train from Feldkirch, located in the western Austrian state of Vorarlberg, to the city of Graz in the south-eastern state of Styria.

In case you might not know what Nightjet is: This is a brand of sleeper trains (night trains) which are operated by the Austrian Railways (ÖBB).

Although most Nightjet trains link cities in Austria with those in nearby countries such as Italy, Germany, France, Belgium and The Netherlands, there are also some Nightjet routes which run completely outside of Austria.

A good example of such a route is the Nightjet sleeper train which links Hamburg with Zurich in Switzerland.

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The cute little Austrian city of Feldkirch. ©Paliparan
feldkirch train station
Feldkirch train station. ©Paliparan

Feldkirch station

Despite it being a Saturday evening, Feldkirch seemed like a ghost town at this hour.

All shops, restaurants and cafés seemed to have closed already at 8pm or were in the progress of closing down for the evening – although this may have had something to do as well with Austria’s corona restrictions at the time.

This was also true for Feldkirch station, which felt completely deserted apart from a handful of other passengers waiting in the central hall.

Fortunately, the kebab shop outside at the adjacent bus station was open, so at least I managed to buy a beer for the journey.

Having waited for an hour, I went to the platform where my train was about to arrive at any moment.

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The central waiting hall of Feldkirch station. ©Paliparan
feldkirch station
Railway platforms at Feldkirch station. ©Paliparan

Booking my train

So before we board the train, let’s take a look at how I actually booked the ticket and how much you can expect to pay for it.

Although you can always buy a Nightjet ticket at the station before departure, you are highly advised to book it in advance, which is pretty straightforward to do on the website of the Austrian Railways.

Even though there might still be seats available in normal seating carriages, the couchettes and especially the beds in the sleeper wagon do sell out fast, especially around weekends and holidays.

Besides, you can also benefit from cheaper prices by booking as far out in advance as you can grab one of the cheaper saver deals which gives you a slight discount.

On my journey from Feldkirch to Graz, I travelled in a standard private sleeper, which costs around 150 euro.

If you have an Interrail or Eurail pass, you still have to reserve and pay for the couchette or sleeper supplement on Nightjet trains.

On this Nightjet route, you would pay 116 euro for a private sleeper if you have an Interrail or Eurail pass.

It is easy enough to do this online – although you need to know where to look for it.

At the online ticket booking tool of the Austrian Railways, you should click on the “change” button next to the field which reads “1 x adult”.

This not only allows you to select the amount of passengers you want to make a booking for, but you can also add discount cards here such as an Interrail or Eurail pass – which both give you free travel through Austria.

Type in “Interrail” or “Eurail”, and the option ‘Interrail / Eurail – Globalpass’ will come up.

Select this, click confirm, and all tickets which you will search now will have the pass discount included, which means that you will only have to pay for the couchette or sleeper supplement and reservation on the Nightjet.

austrian railways website
It’s pretty straightforward to buy a ticket online at the website of the Austrian Railways. ©Screenshot ÖBB
interrail austrian railways
If you want to make a reservation for a Nightjet journey and have an Interrail or Eurail pass, you should edit the passenger profile on the website and add ‘Interrail / Eurail – Globalpass’ as discount option. ©Screenshot ÖBB

Nightjet Train Feldkirch to Graz
Train NJ 465– Departure: 10.45pm – Arrival: 7.00am
Duration: 8h15m – Distance: 588 kilometres
Carriage 314, bed 62 – Costs: 116 EUR for a standard sleeper for private use

feldkirch graz nightjet train
The journey from Feldkirch to Graz would take me right across Austria from west to east. ©Rome2rio

Boarding my train

My Nightjet train to Graz arrived at Feldkirch on the dot at 10.20pm, having started its journey earlier that evening in Zurich, Switzerland.

This train, NJ 465, links Zurich with Feldkirch, Innsbruck and Graz in Austria.

Before commencing its journey to Graz at 10.45pm, the Nightjet halts for 25 minutes at Feldkirch, giving you plenty of time to board the train.

At the opposite side of the platform from my train stood another Nightjet train, namely NJ 447 which links Bregenz with Vienna.

So let’s have a look how my private sleeper on board the Nightjet train looks like!

nightjet graz review sleeper train
My Nightjet train to Graz arrives at the platform. ©Paliparan
nightjet train review feldkirch
The Nightjet trains to Vienna and Graz stand at opposite sides of the platform in Feldkirch. ©Paliparan
nightjet sleeper train wagon review
Nightjet sleeper wagon. ©Paliparan
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The sleeping car on a Nightjet train. ©Paliparan

Private sleeper

There are two kinds of sleeper compartments on board Nightjet trains: There are standard sleepers, as well as deluxe sleepers with an en-suite toilet and shower which can be booked for an extra premium.

As my overnight journey from Feldkirch to Graz was relatively short, I didn’t bother going for a deluxe sleeper and just settled for the standard sleeper.

Each Nightjet compartment can be booked as a private sleeper (single), which was exactly what I did.

You can also opt to just book a berth inside a 2 or 3-bed compartment, in which case you will share the compartment with 1 or 2 other passengers of the same sex.

If there are two of you, simply book a 2-bed compartment for double occupancy.

Inside the compartment

I was certainly impressed when I entered my Nightjet sleeper compartment, which looked neat, clean and well-equipped.

There is plenty of overhead storage space for your luggage, as well as a clothes rack where you can hang up your jacket.

Each standard sleeper compartment has a washbasin and mirror, although if you need to use the toilet you have to go out of your compartment and use one of the two shared toilets which you will find at both ends of the carriage.

The bed itself is certainly comfortable, although I do find the pillows on the Nightjet to be on the very small side.

Fortunately, I was travelling alone in my sleeper and thus could use the spare pillow from the other bed as well, which made finding a good position to rest my head a lot easier.

Each Nightjet compartment has two standard style European power sockets – one just below the bed and one at the washbasin.

nightjet train review standard sleeper
My standard sleeper on the Nightjet train from Feldkirch to Graz. ©Paliparan
window blinds
The window has blinds which can be closed. ©Paliparan
nightjet compartment review graz feldkirch train
Looking back towards the door of my compartment. There is a rack to hang up your jacket and clothes and plenty of overhead storage space for your bags, although you can also just leave them on the floor if you want. ©Paliparan
storage space
Storage space for personal items and a cupholder near the bed. ©Paliparan
washbasin nightjet train
Inside the compartment you have a small washbasin. ©Paliparan

Amenities

Each passenger travelling in a sleeper compartment on board a Nightjet train receives an amenity kit which is presented in a paper bag.

The Nightjet amenity bag contains a couple of items such as slippers, a towel, wet wipes, a pen and a couple of small snacks among others. Two small bottles of water are also provided.

Once you have settled in your compartment, the Nightjet sleeping car attendant will hand out a complimentary bottle of Prosecco as welcome drink, which is a nice touch.

amenity kit bag nightjet
The ÖBB Nightjet-branded amenity bag. ©Paliparan
amenity kit
The contents of the amenity bag. ©Paliparan
prosecco nightjet train review
Getting comfortable in my bed having just received my complimentary bottle of Prosecco. ©Paliparan

Food and drinks on board the Nightjet

A light European breakfast with coffee or tea is included for passengers travelling in a sleeper compartment on a Nightjet train.

In your compartment, you will find a breakfast card (written in both German and English) which lists all available food items.

From this menu, you can choose six options for free (any extra item will cost you an additional 1.2 EUR).

You simply fill in the breakfast card before you go to sleep and hand it over to the sleeping car attendant, who will bring your breakfast to your compartment the following morning.

On the menu you can find such breakfast foods such as bread rolls, cheeses and cold cuts, yoghurt, muesli and Nutella.

Inside your compartment, you will also find another menu, which lists food and drinks which can order from the train attendant.

This includes beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks, as well as snacks such as sandwiches and even light (microwaved) meals.

Of course, you are free to bring along any food of drinks yourself on board the train.

breakfast menu
Nightjet breakfast card. ©Paliparan
menu
Nightjet menu. ©Paliparan

WiFi internet

Before departure, the sleeper train attendant told me that they had just rolled out WiFi internet on the Nightjet train and asked whether I wanted to fill in a questionnaire about my experiences with it, to which I was happy to comply.

Although the WiFi worked like a charm, you should not forget that it uses the same mobile signal as you would when using 4G on your phone.

That means that in remote mountain areas or tunnels there is of course no WiFi signal – and in Austria that can be quite some parts of the line!

Safety and security on the Nightjet

If you go the toilet during the journey, make sure you take your keycard with you which will be given by the train attendant as you might need this to unlock your compartment door from the outside!

There are CCTV cameras in the aisle of the carriage and your sleeping car attendant will of course also keep an eye on everything, making sure that only ticketed passengers enter the wagon.

When you go to sleep, you should always lock the door of your compartment in order to safeguard your belongings.

If you follow these precautions and use common sense, travelling on the Nightjet is completely safe.

Departure

The actual departure of my train was rather uneventful as it was already dark and there wasn’t anything I could see from the window.

After finishing my drink, I therefore went straight to bed, hoping to get as much sleep as possible before waking up the following morning somewhere in Styria.

nightjet review sleeper train
All snug under the blanket. Nighty night! ©Paliparan

Breakfast

The following morning breakfast was brought to my compartment just after 6am.

From the breakfast card, I had ordered two bread rolls, cheese, ham, butter, a small package of orange juice and a coffee.

One thing I like about the Nightjet train is that they ensure you get freshly baked bread rolls in the morning – and my breakfast certainly tasted great.

Besides, eating breakfast in bed when you admire the views from your window is certainly a nice way to wake up!

nightjet breakfast
Nightjet breakfast. ©Paliparan
breakfast in bed nightjet train
Breakfast in bed is always a great idea. ©Paliparan

River valley

At the station of Bruck an der Mur, the Nightjet train reverses its direction and heads further south along the River Mur on its final stretch towards Graz.

Although its far from Austria’s prettiest view from a train, it’s still nice to watch the scenery of rolling hills and a verdant river valley.

austria sleeper train night
Scenery from the Nightjet train in the early morning. ©Paliparan
bruck mur station
Bruck an der Mur station. ©Paliparan

Service

One aspect which pleasantly surprised me during the journey was the quality of the service.

The sleeping car attendant, who spoke fluent English, was certainly welcoming and professional.

When I boarded the train, he asked me whether this was my first ever journey on Nightjet (which it actually was).

He then went to great lengths to explain me all details, such as the breakfast card and where I could find everything in my compartment.

Although most of these things were quite straightforward for me having travelled on hundreds of other night trains before, it was still appreciated and I can certainly see how it can help overseas visitors who might be new to train travel in Europe.

Graz

Three minutes before its scheduled arrival time of 7am, the Nightjet train pulled into the modern station of Graz.

Fortunately, I had a good night of sleep on board the Nightjet. As my connecting train to Slovenia wouldn’t depart for another three hours, I therefore felt rested enough to have a walk through the city of Graz.

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Getting ready to disembark the train. ©Paliparan
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My Nightjet train, having arrived on time in Graz. ©Paliparan
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Graz Hauptbahnhof (abbreviated Graz Hbf), which simply means Graz main railway station. ©Paliparan

Conclusion

I had a comfortable journey on the Nightjet sleeper train which links Zurich, Switzerland, with Feldkirch, Innsbruck and Graz in Austria.

My private sleeper compartment was neat and clean and had everything I could have possibly wanted on an overnight journey like this.

Nightjet trains are operated in a smooth and professional manner, which you can see from small details like the amenity bag and bottle of Prosecco as welcome drink.

The service from the sleeping car attendant on my train was impeccable as well as he went to great lengths to explain all details and to make sure I had a smooth journey.

My only real complaint was the rather small pillow – something which should be easy enough to improve on! Everything else during my journey on the Nightjet was simply great.

Travelling overnight on a Nightjet sleeper train is a comfortable, time-effective way to cover large distances in Europe – and I can certainly recommend it to others.

Trip report index

This article is part of the ‘Across Europe by Train: Interrail in the Age of Corona‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:

1. Review: LOT Polish Airlines Economy Class Bucharest to Warsaw (Embraer ERJ-175)
2. Walking Through an Empty Warsaw in Corona Lockdown
3. Review: Four Points by Sheraton Warsaw Mokotow
4. Review: LOT Polish Airlines Economy Class Warsaw to Zurich (Boeing 737 MAX)
5. A Stopover Walk Through the Old Town of Zurich
6. Review: Railjet Train Zurich to Feldkirch
7. An Evening in Friendly Little Feldkirch
8. Review: Nightjet Train Feldkirch to Graz (current chapter)
9. A Short Walk Along the Sights of Graz
10. Review: Emona EuroCity Train Vienna – Ljubljana – Trieste
11. Zidani Most: Europe’s Most Picturesque Train Station
12. Review: Ljubljana to Zagreb by EuroCity Train EC 1211 ‘Sava’
13. Flying With Trade Air on a Let L-410 Turbolet Across Croatia
14. Review: Palace Derossi, Trogir, Croatia
15. A Visit to the Tranquil Island City of Trogir, Croatia
16. Cycling on Ciovo: A Trogir Day Trip by Bike
17. Split: Croatia’s Bustling Seaside City Full of History
18. Review: Croatian Railways ICN Train Split to Zagreb
19. Review: Esplanade Hotel, Zagreb, Croatia
20. Zagreb: A Guide to Croatia’s Underrated Capital City
21. Review: EuroCity Train “Croatia” Zagreb to Vienna
22. Review: Dacia Night Train Vienna to Bucharest

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Koen

Koen works as a freelance journalist covering south-eastern Europe and is the founding father and editor-in-chief of Paliparan. As a contributor to some major Fleet Street newspapers and some lesser known publications in the Balkans, he travels thousands of miles each year for work as well as on his personal holidays. Whether it is horse riding in Kyrgyzstan’s Tian Shan mountains, exploring the backstreets of Bogotá, or sipping a glass of moschofilero in a Greek beachside taverna, Koen loves to immerse himself into the local culture, explore new places and eat and drink himself around the world. You can follow Koen on his travels on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

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One thought on “Review: Nightjet Train Feldkirch to Graz

  • May 25, 2023 at 9:47 pm
    Permalink

    Unfortunately our nightjet experience was quite disturbing. We booked as a family tickets for two adults and 1 child a private compartment from Amsterdam centraal to Basel. On our ticket the wagon number was 181. When the train arrived we looked for our wagon and it was not there so we tried to find some official to ask. A staff pointed an old lady as being the train responsible and she would be able to sort our problem. A lot of other people were in same situation like us. The lady said there is no wagon 181 and she would try to see if there is a free compartment in another wagon and we should for the time being sit in regular seats. Trusting her we took some seats and tried to find the lady again to see if she could find a solution for us. After maybe 3-4 hours each time we asked the lady started being aggressive and started shouting at everyone who tried to sort their problems. Finally we also got our share of the bullying and we were told that there is no solution and we either keep our seats and travel like that for the whole way to Basel or otherwise we should get down the train in Koln. I have made a lot of arrangements and hotel bookings prepaid. We had to travel without a drop of sleep even our child was in terrible condition and our whole switzerland vacation was ruined. I think OBB should be banned to operate anything. we were only offered a partial refund and no compensation was offered. Please do not promote Nightjet or OBB.

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