Why you should travel from London to Berlin by sleeper train

Travel overnight from Brussels to Berlin on the relaxed Good Night Train – a perfect option for those who love slow travel and waking up to new adventures. Photo / 123rf

Visit the German capital of Berlin on an overnight sleeper train from Brussels. Chris Morley jumps on board the new Good Night Train service to see what it’s like

If, like me, you’re a sucker for slow travel, then a new train service might be just the ticket. Launched last year, the Good Night Train leaves Brussels in the early evening, glides some 650km across the Netherlands and Germany, and rolls into central Berlin just as the city is starting its day.

It’s a no-frills service but a relaxed and sustainable option if you don’t want to fly. It can be pocket-friendly too, especially if you are travelling in a group and saving on overnight hotel costs. Sharing a five- or six-berth couchette costs from €99 ($180) while a sleeper compartment for three people starts at €189.There’s no dining car yet (one is scheduled to be in service from November) but the friendly sleeper attendants serve hot drinks, cold beers and snacks. Better still, load up on goodies from Carrefour supermarket in Brussels station for an on-board picnic.

Making tracks

I started my rail adventure at London’s St Pancras station, taking a Eurostar train that whizzed to Brussels in two hours. You can time your arrival for a seamless connection with the sleeper, but I left a window to squeeze in some sightseeing in the Belgian capital, stowing my luggage in a station locker and heading into central Brussels.

After a couple of hours meandering, and a satisfying late lunch of moules-frites and chocolate drizzled waffles, I was back on the platform at 6.30pm to pick up the Good Night train. On board, there was a real buzz of excitement – solo travellers, families and friends wandered the corridors to explore and strike up conversations. The carriages were basic (no shower, for instance) but washrooms and loos were clean and functional, there were dinky reading lights and air-con and a freshly laundered sleeping sheet, pillow and blanket laid out for each passenger.

Passengers prepare to board the Good Night Train Service. Photo / Getty Images

Sleep tight

I travelled in a women-only couchette, where the blue velveteen day seats flip into bunks, the top one reachable by a ladder. Although the bunks are comfy, it can be hard to nod off in a carriage full of folk you’ve only just met, or resist the urge to peep through the curtains every time the train stopped in the night. On the plus side, the journey is sociable and pleasingly old-school: people swap travel stories, read, play cards, and share snacks. Watching the scenery unfold through the huge windows is another joy – from fields of flowers glowing in the evening sun to the lights of urban flats flicking on like dominoes as dusk fell. I managed a fitful sleep before being woken before 6am by a cheery attendant knocking on the door. Miss this wake-up call, and you could end up in Prague, the train’s final destination.

A deluxe cabin of the Good Night Train service, operated by European Sleeper. Photo / Getty Images

Central Berlin

Berlin’s central station is in Mitte, a charming, central district. Base yourself here and you’re within easy distance of top sights, including Museum Island with five world-class art galleries, copper-domed Berlin Cathedral (Dom) and Schloss Palace. The latter houses Berlin’s newest gallery, the Humboldt Forum (free entry; humboldtforum.org) with astonishing artefacts from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, including a Japanese tea house and a Fijian boat (drua). After exploring, head up to the fourth-floor terrace for knockout skyline views.

Berlin’s Museum Island, near the train station, is a Unesco World Heritage site. Photo / 123rf

The Wall

Mitte is also home to the free Wall Memorial, a series of exhibitions strung along the former border strip that separated East and West Berlin. It features a section of the Berlin Wall as it looked at the end of the 1980s – actually, two walls with a “death zone” in between that would have been strewn with obstacles, like “Stalin’s grass”, six-inch nails protruding from the ground. The Wall was torn down on November 9, 1989, and this year the city celebrates the 35th anniversary of its fall. Expect tours, workshops and exhibitions to mark the occasion – see visitberlin.de for details.

Berlin’s Mitte district, where the train arrives, is home to the famous Berlin Wall Memorial. Photo / 123rf

Great outdoors

Despite – or because of – its turbulent history, Berlin is a fun and vibrant city. The broad streets are dotted with relaxing green spaces, like Beach Mitte where you can play beach volleyball, tackle a high ropes course or go salsa dancing. If the weather’s fine, hire a boat in Berlin’s largest park, Tiergarten. Originally a royal hunting ground, this leafy oasis is the place to hike, bike and hang out. Its lively beer garden serves up home-baked pizza and pretzels, alongside traditional brews like Berliner weisse (wheat beer).

Berlin’s Tiergarten park, close to Mitte, was once a royal hunting ground. Photo / 123rf

Nightlife

Berlin famously never closes, so there’s plenty here for party people. On warm evenings, the outdoor dancefloor next to the River Spree is jammed with locals practising their tango, samba and merengue to DJ tunes every night. Grab a table on the terrace at Monbijou Theatre and enjoy the free performance.

Another hot spot is Simon-Dach-Strasse in the hipster district of Friedrichshafen, the perfect place to bar-hop and people-watch. While you’re there, check out vintage cinema Intimes which shows films in their original language with German subtitles (€9), and has a cool bar.

In need of a chuckle? Laughing Spree showcases English-speaking comedy with a changing line-up of funsters (€8). It’s held twice a week on the Floating Lounge boat, near the famous East Side Gallery, where fragments of the Wall have been turned into funky paintings. And if you want to dip into Berlin’s edgier scene, swing by Raw Gelende, a graffitied industrial space housing clubs, bars, a skate park and Sunday flea market.

Cheap eats

You can dine well in Berlin without breaking the bank. Street food faves include currywurst, a filling dish of sausage (or vegan alternative) drenched in a spicy tomato sauce, Turkish kebabs and falafel-stuffed pitta bread. You’ll also find plenty of bargain Vietnamese eateries serving fragrant and filling dishes of curry and noodles.

Round off your day with sunset cocktails on the lofty terrace at Bar Clara above Fotografiska gallery, or in Sphere, the city’s highest bar, in the TV tower.

German currywurst sausage served with French fries. Photo / 123rf

Where to stay

Harry’s Home is a light-filled, modern hotel in Mitte, with useful facilities, like a laundry room. Doubles from €66.

Checklist

BERLIN, GERMANY

DETAILS

Eurostar St Pancras to Brussels Midi, from €39 one-way; Eurostar.com European Sleeper fares start at €79 one-way; europeansleeper.eu