I spent 11 hours with 3 strangers in a shared cabin on a sleeper train in Europe. 6 surprises made me regret it.

"When I decided to squeeze four countries into a two-week backpacking trip to Europe, traveling by overnight train seemed like the right move. It was my first time visiting Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland, so I wanted to have as many daylight hours in each place as possible. That's why I took an 11-hour train ride from Vienna to Venice, Italy."

"And sharing a sleeper cabin with strangers also helped me do it on a budget. My ticket, which cost $84, included a bunk in a shared cabin and a light breakfast. I was excited to move through the night and spend my days adventuring. But a few surprises along the way made me think that, ultimately, this ride wasn't worth the time saved."

A two-week backpacking route included Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland, with overnight trains used to maximize daylight hours. An 11-hour overnight ride ran from Vienna to Venice. The traveler booked a shared sleeper cabin ticket for $84 that included a bunk and a light breakfast. Sharing a cabin with strangers reduced costs but led to limited privacy. The night proved restless due to cabin arrangements and surprises during the journey. The lack of restful sleep and privacy reduced the perceived benefit of saved daytime travel hours. Ultimately the overnight train failed to deliver the expected efficiency.

Read at Business Insider