Austria’s national rail operator, ÖBB, a major player in Europe’s night rail renaissance, is set to roll out new trains featuring individual sleeping pods for its Nightjet services to Amsterdam. “We plan to introduce the new Nightjet to Amsterdam next year. We don’t have an exact date yet,” ÖBB spokesperson Bernhard Rieder told Dutch news outlet Treinreiziger.
Wheelchair access, privacy, more space and private pods
The New Generation Nightjet promises wheelchair-friendly access, increased comfort and intimacy in sleeping cars fitted with built-in beds (which will also be a feature of the new 4-berth couchette carriages), and private toilets and showers. In another change, ÖBB has transformed its former 6-person berths into what it calls a “seat car and multifunctional area” composed of a work-read-eat seating arrangement with bucket seats and head rests. Moreover, additional space has been created for bike storage, personal luggage and ski equipment.
But the news causing the biggest stir is that the freshly-configured trains will include 28 so-called “Mini Cabins” or “pods” for solo travellers, again with their own loo and shower and various comfort features, such as light control. Until now, solo travellers have been obliged to share sleeping or seated carriages with strangers, or pay a premium to have a 1-3 person berth to themselves so that the new private pod option could be a game-changer.

Technical innovations
The trains can reach up to 230 km/h and are already running on the Vienna-Bregenz, Vienna-Hamburg, Innsbruck-Hamburg, Vienna-Rome, and Munich-Rome routes. Although ÖBB has said it does “not have an exact date yet” for the Amsterdam launch, when the New Generation trains do make their appearance, passengers will not only benefit from the new style of accommodation and roominess but also from technical innovations.
Free on-board Wi-Fi and the ÖBB OnBoard-Portal Railnet, can be used for streaming as well as access to digital newspapers and magazines. Staying connected should be easier thanks to reception and stability gains thanks to new train windows. And staying charged will be easier than ever thanks to a variety of USB charging options and an inductive charging station that now complement the conventional plug sockets.
Smart card access, environmentally-smarter travel
A modern passenger information system will share the latest travel information, while staff can be called through a service control panel. When it comes to safety, smart card access will ensure only ticketholders can gain entry to the trains, which are all equipped with video surveillance.
The New Generation’s arrival on Amsterdam services, whenever it comes, will be a cause for celebration for ÖBB in a rail sector where a lack of new rolling stock availability is one of the big challenges. There seems to be no shortage of passengers though, as sustainability-focused consumers move towards greener travel options and recognise that trains emit about 30 times less than travel by aircraft.