Germany challenges low-cost airlines. Luxury night trains to be launched from Poland

“Modern cabins, panoramic windows, prices from 79 euros – German start-up Nox Mobility is planning a revolution on the tracks.

 

A luxury night train is to connect Warsaw with Barcelona, ​​Berlin and Amsterdam, among other places.

 

For years, night trains have been considered a relic of the past in Europe – uncomfortable, loud, often more expensive than planes and lacking privacy. Nox Mobility wants to change this and convince travelers that the railway can be not only an ecological but also an attractive alternative to short-distance flights. Jan Smalla and Thibault Constant are behind the project. According to the founders of the start-up, previous experiences with night trains leave much to be desired.

What will Nox Mobility offer travelers?

 

– Today, night trains are uncomfortable, unreliable and often more expensive than flights. Private cabins are small or very expensive, and traveling in a tight compartment with strangers does not encourage choosing the railway – they say Smalla, quoted by The Next Web.

 

The Berlin company wants to eliminate these pain points. The new trains are to offer three types of cabins: single and double "Loft" with bunk beds and the luxurious "Double Vista" with a wide panoramic window and a bed positioned in the direction of travel. All cabins will be equipped with two-meter-long mattresses, and selected compartments will have soundproof doors that will allow adjacent cabins to be connected - a solution ideal for families or groups of friends. There are also plans for carriages accessible to people with disabilities, space for bicycles and catering on board.

Which cities will the luxury train connect?

 

Jan Smalla, who managed the German Bolt market, and also worked at Flix (known on the Vistula for its FlixBus bus connections) and co-created FlixTrain, is convinced that the first route will be launched as early as 2027. By 2036, the network is to cover a hundred connections throughout Europe. The list includes a dozen or so cities, including Warsaw. The plan assumes that from the capital of Poland it will be possible to go on such a luxurious overnight journey to Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris or Barcelona, ​​for example. Nox Mobility also wants to connect Stockholm, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Zurich, Milan and Rome with its network.

 

The Berlin start-up claims that the prices are to be competitive with low-cost airlines: for a single-person cabin, a passenger will pay from 79 euros, and a double cabin - from 149 euros. The rates will depend on demand and will be charged for the entire compartment, not per person. The company wants to be responsible for the entire business - from the booking platform and timetable, to its own modern, modular carriages, which it intends to construct in cooperation with experienced rolling stock manufacturers.

 

"We know that it will not be easy, but if we succeed, we will open a new chapter in traveling in Europe. We will convince people to switch from planes and cars," Smalla comments."