New sleeper train ventures plans to connect 100 European cities by 2035
A new sleeper rail company has proposed a network of night trains connecting over 100 European cities by 2035.
Berlin-based startup Nox aims to offer an affordable alternative to short-haul flights, operating overnight trains in Europe from 2027.
Thibault Constant, co-founder of Nox, said: 'Sleeping while a train gets you across Europe is a great concept. But today people have to share their cabins with strangers, beds are tight, and it's often more expensive than air travel.
'We want to change that and make night trains an essential part of European travel.'
Route plans currently include connections to Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Warsaw and Budapest.
According to the Nox website, rail passengers will board in the evening, sleep in their rooms and 'arrive well-rested at their destination in the morning'.
The sleeper trains plan to feature private rooms – single and double loft rooms and double vista rooms – for one or two people for the same price as a flight.
Single rooms will start from €79 (£67), with double rooms available from €149 (£127).
All three proposed room categories will be fitted with 2m long beds and separate seats with tables, luggage storage and window views.
Nox founder Janek Smalla said rooms will be designed to fit more people than traditional operators.
Mr Smalla added that a 'strict focus on standardisation and operational excellence will allow us to offer affordable fares on over 35 European routes'.
The company says it has already reserved train coaches and is finalising interior design plans.
Some are sceptical about the delivery of the proposed night train connections.
Simon Calder, travel correspondent of The Independent, said: 'I hope that Nox proves me wrong, but unless the business has a handy £1 billion to invest in new rolling stock, I cannot see much hope of a network of the proposed scale ever taking shape.
'It's 30 years since the no-frills revolution in the skies began – and sadly, since then, the railways of Europe have proved largely incapable of competing with the budget airlines.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Why didn't my travel agent warn me about the extra costs of hiring a car?
Q I booked a rental car in Salzburg through an online travel agent. On my confirmation, it clearly stated that I would only pay a €1 (85p) security deposit. At the rental office, I was compelled to agree to a deposit close to €2,000. The online agent said they have no say in the matter. Next, I was charged €29 for car cleaning – a charge applied to my credit card, not after returning the car, but on the very day I collected it. It was clearly pre-planned. Also, I was charged €12 for an Austrian driving tax – should I not have been told about that extra when making the booking? Roland T A How infuriating, though it looks as though you were relatively fortunate to end up only €40 or so out of pocket. I have heard of worse cases of hire companies taking customers for fools. Booking car rental online through intermediaries can deliver just what you need at an excellent price, with no further hassles. But some firms rely on sneaky charges as part of their business plan. I am afraid that after a few unfortunate incidents – such as being charged for an upgrade that I had explicitly declined – I now avoid online agents. If I am booking through British Airways or Trailfinders as part of a package, I will always get the car through them. Experience shows that the rental providers they use know better than to mess with their customers. Sometimes, if I want a vehicle only for a day or two during a holiday, I will arrange it locally: usually cheap and easy, and if you want a vehicle only for a morning you can often negotiate a decent rate. Otherwise, I take whichever of Avis or Hertz has the best deal. Yes, they are typically more expensive than the cheapest offers online, but I have always found both these companies to be straightforward and efficient, with no unpleasant surprises. On the particular issues you experienced: a security deposit running into the thousands should not be necessary; you might try a chargeback from your card firm for the €29 taken for cleaning; and taxes are often levied locally. Q Double-decker trains are common in Europe. Why does no one ever propose such trains for the UK in order to increase capacity? I appreciate that it would be necessary to modify some bridges and cuttings. Keith W A In railways, being first mover is not necessarily an advantage. Two hundred years after the world's first passenger railway opened in northeast England, the UK is still largely reliant on a Victorian rail network. While the British standard track gauge (the width between the rails) has been accepted across much of the world, the 'loading gauge' is a different matter. The loading gauge is the maximum height and width of locomotives, carriages and freight wagons. When the British rail network was being constructed, the dimensions of tunnels and heights of bridges were deliberately kept tight in order to minimise costs. As a result, there is currently no scope for the tall double-decker trains that are familiar almost everywhere on the continent, from regional services in Germany and the Netherlands to 'duplex' TGVs (high-speed trains) in France. Reconfiguring UK lines to allow such trains to run would be ruinously expensive. The one line on which it might have worked was the route from London Waterloo to Woking, Winchester and Southampton. For some years, demand was so strong at peak times that the idea of expanding the loading gauge and running a special fleet of rush-hour-only trains was actively considered. Since the Covid pandemic, and the change in commuting patterns that resulted, passenger numbers are down nationwide – with rush-hour journeys particularly reduced. The appeal of double-decker trains, capable of moving large numbers of commuters rapidly, has dwindled. What if passenger numbers rise to or above 2019 figures? Extra capacity is likely to be created by improved digital signalling – allowing more trains to run on the same stretch of track – or by the old analogue method of running longer trains. Q We are trying to plan a trip starting at Calgary in Canada. We want to rent a car from the airport and travel to Banff and surrounding national parks. From there we hope to travel down to the US and finish in Phoenix, Arizona. I am struggling to find a rental company that allows cross-border rentals. We did think about hiring one in Canada and then another in the US. But we are not sure how difficult that would be: to drop off a car on one side of the border, cross it, and then pick up another car. Do you have any ideas? Maria S A I applaud your choice of destinations, meandering south through North America from the Canadian Rockies to one of the world capitals of sunshine in the shape of Phoenix. But I recommend you reconsider your proposed trip. Forget about a one-way rental from western Canada to the southwestern US. In the unlikely event you could find a rental company that would allow you to pick up in Calgary and drop off in Phoenix, the drop-off fee would be astronomical – into the thousands of pounds. Instead I urge you to continue west – from Calgary via Banff and Jasper national park through southern British Columbia to Vancouver. Leave the car in that beautiful harbour city (with at most a small drop-off fee) and treat yourself to the best Canada-US cross-border experience, the Cascades train to Seattle. From here, you will be able to fly cheaply and easily to Las Vegas. Even if the idea of neon glitz in the desert does not appeal, you will be able to rent a car with a modest drop-off fee to take you to your final destination. I can guarantee an enthralling journey that could include the Hoover Dam, Lake Havasu City (home of London Bridge) and a wealth of state parks and national forests before you arrive in sunny Phoenix. Q My daughter (aged 31) and I will have two and a half days in the city of Bordeaux at the end of next week. What are the four or five key things to see or experience? Bill M A Bordeaux wraps around a bend of the Garonne River in southwestern France, 300 miles from Paris. It does not rate as highly as it should as a destination for a European city break. The standout cultural attraction is MusBA – the Musee des Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts Museum), founded in 1801. Matisse, Picasso, Rubens and Titian are all represented. The most spectacular tourist draw is Cite du Vin, a swirl of glass and metal rising from the waterside. Inside, you can follow the trail of the vine from its origins in the Caucasus six millennia ago to the Medoc region – the triangle of territory between Bordeaux, the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic. You can get a spectacular view of the city, along with a tasting of wine, on the eighth floor. Gastronomically, Bordeaux is outstanding; the tourist office claims it has more restaurants per capita than any other French city. Atlantic seafood, Basque and Perigord specialities are accompanied by some heavenly wines. Visit the Capucins market to be amazed by the raw materials. Unesco recognises the waterfront architecture in the city centre – and also the startling angles of the Cite Fruges housing development in the southwestern suburb of Pessac. Le Corbusier created this community of 51 houses to accommodate workers in the 1920s. The location means it's a good final stop on the way to the airport, if you are flying home. For a view of the city from the water, take a 90-minute boat tour with Burdigala Cruises. If you have any time for a trip out of town, I recommend Arcachon. In late June this resort will look lovely and be relatively uncrowded, and clambering through the sand of the vast Dune du Pilat, just to the south, is an uncommon joy.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Saturday's briefing: Liverpool agree club-record deal for Florian Wirtz
Liverpool agreed a club-record deal with Bayer Leverkusen for playmaker Florian Wirtz. The much-anticipated move could break the British record, with the Germany star set to join his former team-mate Jeremie Frimpong at Anfield. Elsewhere, Thomas Frank reacted to his move to Tottenham, while Matheus Cunha spoke of his desire to help turn around Manchester United's fortunes. Wirtz capture close Premier League champions Liverpool are set to pay up to £116million to sign Wirtz after Leverkusen finally settled on a fee. The Reds had two bids rejected, the last one of £113m, which would have seen £100m paid up front with performance-related add-ons, but have finally got the deal over the line. Liverpool will still pay an initial £100m – comfortably surpassing their own record outlay – but the performance-related add-ons, if achieved, would make it a potential British record. Liverpool's overall outlay could surpass the £115m Chelsea paid Brighton in 2023 for Moises Caicedo. Striker Darwin Nunez was the Reds' previous record signing in 2022, although they have not paid the full £85m as he has not met all the requirements for certain add-ons to be due. Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez is next on Liverpool's list, which could take their summer spending close to £200m. Frank gets to work Tottenham are prepared to rival Manchester United for Brentford attacker Bryan Mbeumo this summer after the appointment of Frank, the PA news agency understands. Spurs announced former Brentford boss Frank as their new head coach on Thursday night on a three-year deal. One of Frank's first moves in charge could be to try and tempt Mbeumo to follow him across London. The Dane declared 'a big piece of my heart' would always remain at Brentford in an emotional message posted on their official website. 'The time has come for me to move on. But, even as I leave, I know I have left a big piece of my heart at Brentford, not just at the football club but with the community and, of course, the incredible and loyal supporters,' said Frank. 'I want to extend my profound gratitude to the club for giving me the chance to pursue my dreams and for everyone involved who made the journey such a memorable one.' Dream move for Cunha Matheus Cunha is delighted to have joined his 'dream' team and determined to help Manchester United bounce back from their worst season in 51 years. The 20-time English champions are in the midst of a rebuild under Ruben Amorim, having limped home 15th in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final to fellow strugglers Tottenham. The Red Devils' issues did not deter Brazil international Cunha, who completed his eagerly-anticipated £62.5million switch from Wolves on Thursday. 'It is the most common phrase that you can say at this moment, but this is the dream come true,' he told MUTV. 'Maybe outside, I think maybe my decision, they don't understand. But when you have always dreamed to play here, it's easier to pick this decision. 'For me, no-one else is like United. Of course, I know it's been a hard season for everyone. I think my decision shows what this club is for me and what I believe this club can be.' Mikey eyes more silverware One player hoping to impress Frank is Spurs youngster Mikey Moore, but the teenager's immediate focus is ending an unforgettable breakthrough campaign with another European trophy. The highly-rated 17-year-old made 19 appearances in all competitions for his boyhood club, with five of those coming in the Europa League. The winger was on the bench for the final in Bilbao and three weeks on has more continental glory in his sights as England kick off their bid for Under-19 European Championship glory. 'It was a top experience – some of the best times of my life on that Wednesday night,' Moore told PA. 'Hopefully going on to win another medal and another trophy with these boys here would be a brilliant feeling and experience for everyone. 'There's some top players. We think we can go on and hopefully win the tournament. It's been a good little build-up but excited to get into the games now.' What's on today? The Club World Cup gets under way on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Stadium, with Inter Miami playing in their home city against Egyptians Al Ahly in Group A. Moore will hope to star when England Under-19s begin their Euro campaign against Norway in Romania.
Times
3 hours ago
- Times
Are you in need of a health reset? These spas can help
Sometimes a long weekend full of lazy lie-ins is all you need to feel well rested and rebooted. But, once in a while, treating yourself to a week-long health retreat, preferably with a picturesque backdrop and luxurious facilities, is required to feel truly reset. If you can spare the holiday, here are four that offer impressive results when it comes to sending you home feeling and looking a whole lot healthier. With all the best will in the world, it can be tricky to make big changes to your diet when you're surrounded by temptations at home, so taking yourself for a gut reset at a clinic is a great way to initiate true change. The Original Mayr Medical Resort opened in 1976 and for almost 50 years has treated visitors with the Mayr cure. This is a programme that involves alkaline foods, lots of chewing, lower calories and fasting, alongside medical appointments, treatments and movement. A week in the historic and luxurious Austrian clinic allows your digestive systems — and your brain — to relax, de-stress and reset. Recently it realigned one of its programmes to hone in on gut health. It provides stool, urine and breath testing, allergy testing and ultrasounds (you can add a colonoscopy if your doctor thinks it necessary). Your meals will be 'gut friendly' (with nothing inflammatory or tricky to digest) and treatments will be orientated towards gut issues, including colonic hydrotherapy and abdominal massages to move things along. There will also be a focus on stress (which is proven to slow digestion and disrupt gut bacteria), so wellbeing coaching with the in-house psychotherapist, plus soothing therapies such as shiatsu, are also recommended. A week at the clinic (or two if you're feeling brave) can facilitate an impressive amount of immediate change, and it can also be a useful fact-finding mission. The lead doctor, Dr Ursula Muntean-Rock, is trained in general medicine but also passionate about holistic healing (she spent many years training in traditional Chinese medicine in China). She is well placed to assess all of your results to form a lifestyle plan to keep up the good gut work and, hopefully, keep the bloating and blockages at bay. Original Mayr Medical Resort seven-day Detox and Gut Health programme, from £4043. Includes programme, meals and accommodation in single room. Situated at the northern point of the German island of Sylt (their version of the Hamptons, according to many) and in a building that looks like a Bond villain's lair, Lanserhof Sylt is a clinic synonymous with medical excellence. The medical programme here is not predetermined, but a bespoke itinerary is compiled — after diagnostics, examinations and lots and lots of questions. This makes it a great choice for those without specific ailments but who just want to feel (and look) better. 'People often come here who aren't ill by definition but have things they can't put their finger on,' says the chief marketing officer, Nils Behrens. 'On a scale of one to ten for 'health', most people arrive saying they feel around five to seven. We want them to leave feeling as close to ten as possible.' Inside the 50,000 sq ft medical clinic are ten full-time doctors, with 32 further specialists (from physiotherapists and hypnotherapists to facialists and acupuncturists). There's even a cardiologist and gastrologist, for more serious medical complaints that might come up via testing. The testing itself could include a full-body scan using 96 cameras and AI, a liver fat scan, or a more familiar ECG. Your programme will likely combine medical treatments with natural or alternative practices such as craniosacral therapy. The food is also tailored to your plan and goals. It can be a measly 400 calories per day if called for (which might mean a cup of nut milk and rice cake to start your day) or bulked up with lots of in season fruit, vegetables and meat to create nutritious and filling meals. Walking or cycling around the shores of the island feels like it's doing good things for you too, especially in the spring and early summer, when wild roses grow bountifully in hedgerows, their heady scent mingling with sea salt. It's just one of the many resources you can tap at Lanserhof to work your way to better health, and hopefully have you heading home feeling ten out of ten. Seven to eight nights at Lanserhof Sylt in theLanserhof Cure Classic exclusive accommodation starts from 2,980 EUR, Being such a buzzword in wellness, most clinics will now have a programme dedicated to 'longevity'. But at SHA it's the reason it exists. The founder, Alfredo Bataller Parietti, opened his first SHA property in rural Spain as a place for guests to experience the integrative medicine and healing nutrition that helped with his own health issues (including a cancer diagnosis). More than 15 years later he — and SHA — are still going strong. Cancun — the Mexican city famous for its vibrant party scene — might not seem the obvious choice for the group's second property, opened in 2024. But just a short drive from the airport down the Riviera Maya you'll find the most zen beachfront, Costa Mujeres, where the impressive SHA Wellness building (designed by local architects, the design is based on the shape of a DNA strand) ripples elegantly along the shoreline, with ocean views on one side and green fields of mangroves on the other. Against the backdrop of rolling waves and tropical birds, longevity takes centre stage via diet and treatments focused on living a healthier, happier life for longer. There are lessons in a more sustainable way of healthy living, with an emphasis on your emotional wellbeing alongside the physical. Leaving SHA you should feel refocused, relaxed and re-energised. Your first few appointments will be focussed on fact-finding: biometric readings of your body composition, blood tests, doctor-led consultations, a cognitive assessment and stress-level measurement, for example. The results of these will be used to personalise your programme. There's a seemingly endless range of ways your time could be filled: body therapies such as targeted massages and detox wraps, personal training sessions, medical treatments, cosmetic appointments such as facials, exercise classes or guided meditation. There are also cooking classes on offer, alternative therapies like shiatsu, reflexology and acupuncture, or just wallowing and reviving in the hydrotherapy area or outdoor pools… The list goes on. However, the people you'll perhaps be most thankful for during your stay are the team of chefs, led by the charming Lixi Lineas from France. The food at SHA is famously delicious, which might come as a surprise if you've ever been to a detox retreat that is more broth-and-potato focused. From baked polenta with mushrooms and tom yum sauce to vegan 'tuna' (made from chickpeas and cleverly deployed seaweed). There's even puddings, some of which include chocolate. Rates at SHA Mexico start from $2,700 for a four-day Recover & Energise programme. For more information, please visit The little sister of the grand Bürgenstock hotel — a glamorous, brutalist showstopper — Waldhotel is, by contrast, quiet, refined and discreet. Part private medical centre, part five-star spa hotel, everything about the building welcomes in the surroundings. These include the structure's larch-latticed exterior and the decks where guests lie, soaking in the mountain scenery and inhaling the scents of rosemary, forests and farmyards. Inside it's all Swiss efficiency and charm. Conceived as Switzerland's leading private medi-spa, where ill or injured patients check in for rehabilitation or recovery, it has a medical facility with 23 specially equipped bedrooms for postoperative recovery and gyms fitted with high-tech rehabilitation and fitness equipment. Above this centre are 137 hotel rooms and suites, an enormous, light-filled stone-and-wood spa, plus a dentist and aesthetics area, should you want a top-up of your injectables while you're there. Though you could check in for a bog-standard health retreat, this is really built for initiating significant improvements. In one day you could have (deep breath…) three blood tests, a consultation with a doctor, an abdominal ultrasound, a session with a nutritionist, a head-to-toe examination and precancerous cell removal by a dermatologist, and a mobility test and PT session. All before lights out at 7.30pm. What really stands out here is high-spec technology. If you have lung or breathing issues, for example, there is a contraption that involves you standing in a glass box, connected to monitors that measure not only the power of your lungs but the concentration of gases you're exhaling. There's an ECG test connected to an exercise bike and a Dexa machine that scans your body for the exact make-up of (healthy) bones, (good) muscle and (excess) fat. Essentially, if there is an ailment hidden somewhere, it's going to have trouble staying hidden here. Treatments will be personalised to help get you back to peak health. They could equally be high-tech or may simply harness the serene surroundings, such as breathing exercises to the backdrop of tinkling cowbells or mindful mountain treks. The team of doctors and therapists will do their best to put you right in the time they have, sending you home more knowledgeable, well rested and healed — or at least on the right track. POA,
