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| The Night Riviera? 23/02/2014 at 20:07 #56099 | |
Peter Bennet
5402 posts |
" said:" said:That's more or less what I did, Moscow to Irkutsk, few days there and then on to Peking via Mongolia (no break). The Trans-Canadian but was fun, somehow I'd managed to book (on reflection the price should have been the give-away) the "luxury" end of the train with the observation car back end and dome. Silver service, hors d'oeuvres etc: luckily I'd packed my tie.Many years ago I went round the world via Ostend-> Moscow -> Trans-Siberian -> Peking -> Hong Kong then Vancouver -> Toronto -> Halifax and experiences many weird and wonderful sleeper trains.One of the Trans Siberian options is definitely worth considering for an adventurous trip. I did the Trans Mongolian route - Moscow to Beijing via Mongolia - with breaks in Siberia (Irkutsk) and Ulan Bator (Mongolia). The first leg on the Baikal train was 5 nights, circa 5k kilometres and numerous time zone changes, although the train runs to Moscow time. Can't day the 7 hour wait at the Russia/Mongolia border was much fun and food was variable. You can also do the traditional Trans Siberian to Vladivostock or the the Trans Manchurian to Beijing (but missing Mongolia). Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 26/02/2014 at 07:06 #56233 | |
John 23
176 posts |
I use the Night Riviera to go up to London overnight from Newton Abbot at 0033. I've never had to share joining the train there, even when someone else was. It's a lot smoother than the Caledonian Sleeper, although that may have been that my trip on the Lowland Sleeper to Edinburgh was my first time using a sleeping car. Since then my wife and I have travelled by train on the Continent using the sleeper service from Cologne to Munich (with full en-suite facilities  ) and this autumn we're going to be crossing the USA by train - three nights, with all meals thrown in as we're in a "room" as Amtrak call it.For those that wish to contemplate wandering the world, I recommend http://www.seat61.com/ Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 26/02/2014 at 22:47 #56273 | |
GeoffM
6376 posts |
" said:...this autumn we're going to be crossing the USA by train - three nights, with all meals thrown in as we're in a "room" as Amtrak call it.A roomette? Just be warned, they're pretty small for two people. The Superliner top bunk can be a little claustrophobic as there is no window and little headroom. Meals are ok - not much prepared fresh onboard anymore alas, but edible. Expect to be late. Which routes are you taking? SimSig Boss Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 27/02/2014 at 00:12 #56275 | |
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Pinza
106 posts |
Back in December 1999, I was ready to fly back to the UK after six months studying at University of Queensland, Brisbane. Wanted to see some of the country before I flew back - so went to Brisbane station to enquire about possibility of travelling on the Queenslander Sleeper from Brisbane to Cairns. Initially told "No chance, mate, gets booked up weeks in advance, especially at this time of year" "Well can you check anyway, please"! Hmm - First Class single berth still available, actually, sir - with an accompanying smug look that suggested he thought I was unlikely to be able to afford it! "Do I get a discount as a student?" "I doubt it mate" No I'm not your mate and v/v and you doubted I'd get a berth initially, so just check if I can get a discount on the berth that you told me was unlikely to be available five minutes ago, please" Queue building up behind me at this point but obstreperous ticket clerk insisted on wading through his ticketing manual to find any possible excuse to prevent him selling the berth to me at discount... I had smallprint that claimed that all students in Queenslamd entitled to 50% discount on train travel - even if I was British and didn't have a Student Union card. He was obsessed with finding the smallprint that over-ruled mine! His supervisor eventually intervened as rush hour queue got ever-longer - just sell the bl...y man a ticket, mate! Hey, Ho - got the 1st class sleeper ticket at half price and was brilliant journey! Narrow gauge system. Weird to wake up in the middle of the night thinking it was daylight - no - just flames from a rather too close for comfort rainforest fire. Piano bar was a bit like a land-locked cruise ship and food (freshly taken on board en-route) was superb. I was a bit old for the backpacking scene at destination of Cairns - but diving on the Great Barrier Reef was the possibly the best experience of my life! This post slightly off subject, but I think it deviated from Night Riviera a long time ago!   
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| The Night Riviera? 28/02/2014 at 18:23 #56361 | |
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John 23
176 posts |
" said:[quote="John 23" post=56233]...Bedroom, not a roomette; I've just checked the booking. They're en-suite and I've heard to beware the bog. Routes: Lakeshore Ltd NY to Chicago. California Zephyr Chicago - San Francisco; albeit with a bus connection across the Oakland Bay Bridge into San Francisco. Finally San Francisco - Seattle on the Coast starlight. We stop riding on trains after that and do relatives!! I've heard horror stories about missing paths on the Zephyr and the Starlight having to relive crews after a spad. Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 28/02/2014 at 19:16 #56366 | |
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GeoffM
6376 posts |
" said:" said:Ah, bedrooms are better. They take up most of the width of the car with the corridor on one side (roomettes are either side of a central corridor). Means you can look out both sides if you leave the door or curtains open....Bedroom, not a roomette; I've just checked the booking. They're en-suite and I've heard to beware the bog. The Lake Shore Ltd's nickname is the "Late for sure Ltd". It's ok, a single decker train. If you're coming from NY then the Hudson river will be on your left within minutes of leaving NY, and for quite a while after that. The California Zaphyr is a Superliner, a double deck train and you'll be on the upper deck. On day 2, after leaving Denver, you'll climb the front range of the Rockies, a 2% (1 in 50) grade for 50 miles with 270 degree turns, tunnels, and view of Denver below on your right. Then through the long Moffat tunnel and after that with river views on your left. Day 3 is pretty good too but not as spectacular. The bus waits for the train passengers only, so don't worry about missing connections. The Starlight is also scenic but I've only been on it southbound so I don't know what the timings are like for scenery northbound. There's an S-curve series of tracks, albeit several miles in each direction, to lose elevation. I think it's somewhere near Klamath Falls. Don't worry about the delays and I'm sure you'll enjoy it! SimSig Boss Last edited: 28/02/2014 at 19:17 by GeoffM Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 02/03/2014 at 09:48 #56428 | |
BarryM
2158 posts |
" said:Back in December 1999, ey, Ho - got the 1st class sleeper ticket at half price and was brilliant journey!Not a rainforest but a sugar cane plantation. The fire is the first process in harvesting sugar cane. The leaves of the cane and undergrowth containing vermon are removed by fire over night. It is quite spectacular. Barry Barry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Last edited: 02/03/2014 at 09:49 by BarryM Log in to reply |