Hi everyone, I wanted to take the Paris-Berlin overnight train with a sleeper berth, the new service operated by European Sleepers.
24/05/2026 17:45 Paris-Nord (actually 16:00 from Paris Bercy Seine) -> 25/05/2026 9:59 (actually 7:30 in Berlin)
05/06/2026 18:31 Berlin (actually 20:00) -> 06/06/2026 10:00 Paris Nord (actually 12:30)
Part of the journey was operated by bus instead of the promised overnight train.
For 2 people: 340 € round trip
A total disaster. Never again. I was really looking forward to taking the overnight train, but we faced last-minute changes and truly unpleasant travel conditions. Here are the details:
1) 2 days before departure: email announcing a change of departure station for the outbound trip—Bercy Seine bus station instead of Gare du Nord.
2) Change of schedule: 4:00 PM from Bercy instead of 5:45 PM from Gare du Nord.
3) Change of transport mode!! A bus from Paris to Brussels, then an overnight train from Brussels to Berlin. No functional toilets on the bus. No children under 4 allowed on the bus.
4) On the sleeper train at 9:30 PM: no functional toilets in our carriage, so we had to go to other carriages, even in the middle of the night, to find working ones.
5) The onboard staff, though very friendly, were as lost as we were. In particular, they didn’t know how to handle the lower berths, so people using them had less space (armrests and backrests). Berth numbers weren’t respected, so some passengers had to move. The staff also didn’t know who was supposed to join the compartment during the journey.
6) Arrival at 7:30 AM in Berlin instead of 10:00 AM. No arrival announcement. Passengers had to search for staff to get breakfast and ended up with just a coffee (breakfast = 15 €, not bad for just a coffee).
7) Return trip: drastic schedule change announced by email on 26/05/2026—departure at 7:30 PM instead of 6:30 PM, with arrival between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM in Paris instead of 10:00 AM. No change in transport mode announced.
8) Change in transport mode announced by email on the same day (05/06/2026)!! Overnight train from Brussels to Berlin, then a bus from Paris to Brussels. No functional toilets on the bus. Children under 4 banned from the bus, and families in this situation were asked to find another way—after being notified the same day.
9) The overnight train arrived at Berlin station with a 30-minute delay on top of its initial delay (scheduled for 6:31 PM, then 7:30 PM, finally arriving at 8:00 PM). The heating was blasting in the compartment with no way to turn it off. No functional toilets in the carriage. From that point on, customer service stopped responding to my messages.
10) Woken up at 5:00 AM with an announcement in all carriages about arrival in Liège.
11) Woken up again at 6:00 AM to be told we’d arrive in Brussels at 7:00 AM.
12) Arrival in Brussels at 7:00 AM and a one-hour wait for the bus to Paris. No functional toilets on the bus.
13) Arrival at Paris Nord at 12:30 PM, so 2.5 hours late compared to the originally scheduled time.
14) The overnight trains used are very old—I recognized the carriages from 20 years ago!! No functional power outlets, no Wi-Fi, no air conditioning. Five people per compartment is a bit cramped, but I consider these conditions expected (especially the air conditioning), so I’m not complaining about that. There’s already plenty to gripe about with the travel conditions.
I have little hope of getting even a partial refund. Customer service emails acknowledge the discomfort but only offer to reimburse the cost of a coffee on board if we send them the receipt... a bit weak.
I’m sharing this experience in the hope it might help others.
Hello,
We’re heading to Bavaria from May 13 to 23, with a side trip to Austria.
Here’s our itinerary:
Day 1: Brussels-Munich
Day 2: Munich
Day 3: Munich and departure for Salzburg
We’ll be staying three nights in Salzburg.
Then we’ll head to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, where we’ll stay for five nights.
Visiting Munich and Salzburg isn’t too tricky.
Once in Garmisch, we’re planning a day in Innsbruck, a day for Neuschwanstein Castle, and the rest is still up in the air.
What’s really got me stumped is that we’d love to see Königssee Lake—everyone says it’s a must-see.
We’d also like to visit the Eagle’s Nest (Kehlsteinhaus), where the landscapes are supposedly stunning.
This would either be a round trip while we’re in Salzburg or on the way between Salzburg and Garmisch, but I’m guessing it’s impossible to do the drive from Salzburg to Garmisch, the Eagle’s Nest, *and* Königssee Lake all in one day.
Plus, the Alpine route between Salzburg and Garmisch seems prettier than the highway.
But honestly, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed with the planning.
We should’ve added a stop between Salzburg and Garmisch, but the hotels are already booked.
Thanks for any advice on the itinerary and visits!
Another question: How far in advance should we book Neuschwanstein, Königssee, and the Eagle’s Nest in May?
Thanks so much in advance for your tips and ideas!
Hi everyone.
A few days ago, I asked my 14-year-old son to pick a destination for a trip, and he chose Germany. So, we’re heading to Berlin for four days in February. The catch is that I don’t know this city (or this country) at all—I hadn’t even considered visiting just a month ago .
Could you please share some suggestions to make this first mother-son trip abroad a success? 🙂
Thanks for your tips and great deals.
Nanyne
I arrived in Berlin last night. In another discussion, I shared how much of a "nightmare" the flights from Nice were.
I’ll be posting some impressions here—what I liked and what I didn’t like as much.
This is my first time in Berlin. I’m staying for two weeks. For now, I’m alone, but I’ll be joined by someone in a few days.
Just to clarify, I won’t be posting any photos because my camera gave up the ghost the day before I left. It refused to read memory cards, and I don’t have a smartphone—just a tablet that I leave at the hotel.
Speaking of photos, a few years ago, at the Ducasse d’Ath in Belgium, I met a retired teacher who wasn’t taking any pictures of the festival. I asked her, "You’re not taking any photos?" She told me that during a trip to Nicaragua, she’d photographed howler monkeys and only noticed when looking at the pictures later that the males had huge testicles—something she hadn’t realized in person. She said, "Since then, I don’t bother with photos anymore!" I’ve thought about that often and wonder if I should do the same and stop taking pictures. Still, I’ll probably get a smartphone since it’s hard to go without one these days.
Hi there,
I’m flying from Marseille to Bali this year and have a 1h30 layover in Frankfurt, from Terminal 1 to Terminal 1. Do you think that’s enough time, considering I don’t know the airport or the language? Thanks. »
I’m planning a bike trip to cycle around the Baltic Sea (gravel). Starting from Rostock.
I’d love to hear from any cyclists who’ve ridden through the countries involved—especially tips on wild camping spots, must-see areas, and where to stock up on supplies, etc.
Day 1: Flight from Orly to Berlin. We had a bit of a struggle finding the train or RER to get to "Mitte". The Berliners were quite helpful in trying to guide us. Settled into our hotel, we took some time to explore the northern part of "Mitte". Dinner at a pizzeria and off to bed.
Day 2: A 3-hour guided tour of Berlin East’s must-see spots. Great idea—it helped us plan the rest of our stay. After a quick lunch at a kebab place, we set off on foot to check out the graffitied Berlin Wall, including the Swiss Army Knife mural. We stopped by some cool bars along the way (we love walking). Back by metro—we’re starting to figure out how it works.
Dinner near our hotel at a Chinese restaurant.
Day 3: We visited the Jewish quarter, walked to Charlottenburg, and then headed to the Memorial Museum, a must-see. Grabbed a snack with a slightly spicy Berlin sausage and made our way to the Jewish Museum. Since we’re not Jewish, we didn’t fully grasp its content, despite the richness of the exhibits. Walked back and had dinner at a traditional restaurant.
Day 4: Back in 1968, as a high school student, I stayed with a German family to improve my German—which I’ve since forgotten. I wanted to revisit Kurfürstendamm, but it was a mistake. This West Berlin neighborhood, with its bars, nightclubs, and luxury shops, has lost all its charm. It’s now just a residential area. We headed back through one of Berlin’s many beautiful parks.
Day 5: Our last day included a visit to Charlottenburg Palace—a mini Versailles—and a stroll around the Reichstag. The cherry on top of this trip was getting to visit the dome. Luckily, I’d read that you need to book in advance to access it.
Three weeks before our departure, I logged on and—surprise—I got two spots for the day before we left at 6:30 PM. I confirmed right away.
It’s true that on-site, buses drop off tourists who could crowd the dome, so booking early is *totally* worth it.
Day 6: Heading home. If we’d gotten a 72-hour metro pass, we could’ve saved a day. Sure, we walked a lot, but like in Paris, being outside lets you appreciate the city’s architecture even more.
We’re planning this *very* last-minute—I know! But we’d love to spend 4 days soon (within the next 10–12 days) on a city getaway with our young adult kids. Ideally by train, and for this short trip, we’d prefer not to spend more than 4–6 hours in transit, leaving from Lausanne (Switzerland). We’ve been considering Milan, Strasbourg, or Freiburg im Breisgau, but I’ll admit I’m feeling a bit lost...
Venice was our original plan, but the connection changes in Domodossola or Milan are making the travel time longer this year.
It’s peak summer, so there’ll be tourists and it’ll likely be hot, but oh well...
Any suggestions? We love wandering around, taking photos, exploring cities on foot, trying out restaurants, and keeping things low-key.
Be careful if you're in Konstanz—your phone might connect to a Swiss carrier in certain spots (for me, it was a parking lot near Switzerland and on Mainau Island). You could be charged at least 30 € for roaming if your phone stays connected. I'm with Poste Mobile.
For those in France near the Swiss border, don’t stay in roaming mode. For those like me in Germany, turn off mobile data or get a Swiss plan for 15 €.
Excellent bike path almost entirely off-road, with a really scenic route. We joined it in Bad Tölz after coming from Strasbourg and left it 100 km before Venice to stay in the mountains and connect with the end of the Via Claudia, which is probably on next year’s program. The trail is often on packed gravel, but even though some short sections aren’t great, our 32C tires were enough—though wider would’ve been better. Mostly wild camping, often by a lake or river. The signage is top-notch. The only downside is the noise from cars in some valleys—out of sight but not out of earshot.
Sites that explain it better than I can: https://italy-cycling-guide.info/
An English site—check the INTERNATIONAL CYCLE ROUTES section.
It’s almost *too* detailed—a 1:200,000 map is plenty.
My family and I have decided to do a little 10-day road trip through Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia.
Practically all European countries require a vignette to drive on highways or in certain zones.
For Germany, an Eco vignette is required to drive in certain areas, like downtown Munich.
Would anyone know if this site: https://vignette-allemagne.fr/ is legit? It seems easy to use and quick, but it’s not referenced or mentioned anywhere.
Genuine site or scam?
Thanks for your feedback.
Best regards,
Hi there,
We’re heading to the Black Forest region in Germany this August.
Are there flea markets in Germany like we have in France?
Is there a site that lists them, similar to Brocabrac here?
Hi,
We're heading to Germany in August. Finally, after all this time I wanted to go back to Germany :)
I think I need an eco sticker for my car, but I'm not sure.
I found this info:
"Since June 1, 2022, it’s no longer necessary to buy the German eco sticker to drive in Freiburg-im-Breisgau’s Umweltzonen (low-emission zones).
The Crit'Air sticker, rated from 0 to 3, is recognized by the authorities."
Could you tell me the name of the website where I can find this info, please?
We’ll be staying in Brigachtal (Baden-Württemberg). We’ll visit Friedrichshafen, Triberg, and Hohenzollern Castle.
Faverges, Annecy, Geneva, Yverdon, Bienne, Bodensee, Danube sources, Ulm, Donauwörth, Augsburg, via Claudia Augusta, Innsbruck, Bolzano, Trento, Nervesa, Treviso, Mestre, Venice; Via AIDA (Alta Italia da attraversare / Padana) Padova, Vicenza, Verona, Brescia, Milan, Novara, Vercelli, Chivasso, Turin, Susa, Mont Cenis Pass, Maurienne, Albertville, Faverges.
A fantasy of Glaude’s for n+1 years
For 2025?
The story is already formatted
Good evening,
New to this forum, I’d love to explore these two routes mentioned in the title—train travel is a real pleasure for me. 🙂
Has anyone taken the EuroCity Zurich–Munich or the Railjet Express Zurich–Vienna? How are they in terms of crowding, delays, onboard services, and scenery along the way?
Trop frustré de projets avortés et en manque de raids au long cours à cause de cette saloperie de virus, j'ai décidé de partir quand même. Ce sera donc la suite de ma transeuropéenne démarrée il y a un an à Oslo. Voir carnet Oslo - Hambourg.
Bonjour,
J'ai regardé les différents types de tickets pour les transports berlinois mais je m'y perds un peu.
J'y serai 5 jours. Je pensais prendre le Forfait 5 jours - WelcomeCard: 36,50 Euro .
Qu'en pensez-vous?
Et est-ce qu'il y a un système de carte magnétique rechargeable (comme la Oyster à Londres ou la Suica au Japon)?
Enfin, je me demandais comment était les pistes cyclables? Le vélo me tente bien mais je suis assez peureuse niveau circulation. Est-ce qu'il y a beaucoup de "routes" dédiés au cyclistes?
Êtes-vous allés à Berlin très récemment?
les clubs et autres lieux confinés sont bien-sûr fermés mais quid des musées?
Est-ce que malgré les mesures sanitaires, on les visite facilement/sans réservation préalable, du fait de la baisse de fréquentation?
Vu la situation sanitaire actuelle, je n'avais pas prévu de partir ce été mais finalement, j'en ressens quand même le besoin et prévois donc d'organiser "à la dernière minute" un voyage en Autriche (+ un peu de la Bavière).
Pourquoi l'Autriche ? Car je suis à la recherche de paysages grandioses, sauvages et que c'est un pays qui m'a toujours attiré. La Suisse étant plus chère, l'Autriche m'ira très bien ! 😎
Je compte donc partir 1 semaine-10 jours en Autriche, en axant mon voyage sur les paysages et la nature plutôt que les villes.
J'habite la Belgique et je m'y rendrai avec mon véhicule.
Ne connaissant encore rien à ce pays, je viens vers vous pour des conseils d'itinéraires. J'ai déjà une vague idée après mes quelques recherches mais vos conseils seront les bienvenus.
Grosso modo, je diviserais le voyage en trois parties : 1) Innsbruk et ses alentours, 2) Grossglockner/Route 107 et alentours, 3) Salzbourg et alentours.
Pour rendre le trajet aller moins pénible, j'envisage de m'arrêter à Munich et d'y dormir.
J1 : trajet Belgique-Munich (nuit à Munich) - visite de la ville
J2 : de Munich au château de Neuschwanstein - visite du château - nuit dans la région
J3 : de Munich à Alpspitze : visite de Alpspitze et Zugspitze - nuit dans la région
J4 : de Alpspitze à Innsbruk : passage à Blindsee et autres points d'intérêt, viste d'Innsbruk - nuit à Innsbruk
J5 : de Innsbruk à Solden : passage à Piburgersee, visite Solden - nuit à ?
J6 : journée supplémentaire dans la région d'Innsbruk et alentours (est-ce nécessaire ?)
J7 : de Innsbruk à Zemm am See - nuit à Zemm am See (ou autre)
J8 : Grossglockner / Route 107 - nuit à Zemm am See (ou autre)
J9 : de Zemm am See à Hallstatt - nuit à Hallstat (ou autre)
J10 : de Hallstatt à Salzbourg - nuit à Salzbourg
J11 : de Salzbourg à Berchtesgaden - visite du nid d'aigle - nuit à Berchtesgaden
J12 : retour en Belgique
Est-ce que cet itinéraire vous paraît cohérent et faisable ? Le but étant encore une fois de profiter un maximum des paysages, de voir pas mal de choses sans pour autant courir non stop. On adore la photo donc on aimerait pouvoir profiter de chaque endroit, dans la mesure du possible.
Je ne connais rien au pays donc n'hésitez pas à me dire si je dois prévoir plus ou moins de temps à tel ou tel endroit.
Bonjour la populasse ! Je compte faire un voyage à pieds en partance de Savoie jusqu'en Allemagne du Nord dans la petite ville de Cremlingen,
J'aimerais savoir si vous auriez des renseignements sur le type de matériel ainsi que certains sentiers de randonné pour réaliser ce voyage.
J'ai regarder sur maps mais le trajet qu'il me propose me fait passer par des routes départementales et nationales ce que j'aimerais beaucoup éviter ^^ merci beaucoup des vos infos à venir et bonne route à tous ! 🙏
bonjour
est ce une bonne idée de passer qq jours a Munich mi aout?
j’envisage d'aller un peu a salzbourg et peut être a la montagne si ce n'est pas loin de Munich
fait il beau? est ce anime
merci !
J'ai effectué aujourd'hui une réservation d'hôtel à Münich via le site / agence de voyage " Hotels. De " .
J'aimerais savoir si ce site est fiable et si ma réservation est bien garantie.
Avez vous déjà réservé un hébergement en passant par cette plate-forme ? Si oui, est ce que tout s'est bien passé ?
Je suis nouveau sur le forum, mais je voulais vous partager mon dernier voyage à vélo entre Cologne et Dieulefit (près de Montélimar) en Pino. J‘ai eu deux stocker différents, le premier, un ami de Cologne à Strasbourg et la seconde ma compagne pour le reste du trajet.
Sachant que nous préparons un voyage en Amérique Centrale et du Sud d’un an pour 2021 en famille, nous voulions profiter des vacances pour tester les limites du Pino.
Concernant l’itinéraire il est loin d’être direct. En partant de Cologne nous sommes passés par les Ardenne Belges et Françaises, puis par les Vosges pour rejoindre Strasbourg. Nous avons suivi le canal avant de rejoindre le Doux, de franchir le Col de L’aiguillon et de redescendre sur Lausanne. Après avoir traversé le lac, nous sommes montés à Chatel par Monthey, puis Abondance, le col du Corbier, Morzine, les Gets, Cluses, Megève par Combloux, Albertville (avec la jolie montée dUgine), Grenoble et Chabeuil. Un peu moins de 1300 km en 18 jours.
Je devais aller à Munich au mois de mai, voyage qui n'a pas été possible en raison du confinement. Nous avons donc des avoirs à la Lufthansa et pour l'hôtel.
Nous pensions donc y aller au mois d'août. A ce jour, quelle est la situation à Munich? Les musées sont-ils ouverts? Les activités touristiques sont-elles possibles?
Par ailleurs, est-ce que quelqu'un sait comment nous pouvons réserver sur le site de la Lufthansa lorsque notre vol a été annulé à cause du confinement et du coronavirus? Sur le site d'Air France c'est très simple on nous donne un code pour l'avoir et on rentre le code lors de la réservation. Sur la Lufthansa on a rien eu de tout ça. Comment ceux qui ont des avoirs de la Lufthansa ont-ils fait?
Dans mon esprit la vignette environnementale allemande relève des villes, et donc ne concerne pas les traversées strictement sur autoroute, dans la Rhur en particulier.
Est-ce que je m'égare ?
Merci d'avance.
Je relance une discussion un peu ancienne. Quelqu'un connait-il les possbilités de parking pour laisser la voiture une semaine afin de faire le tour du lac en vélo ?
Merci par avance.
Sophie
Bonjour,
je veux étudier un voyage vers Helsinki et je veux savoir s'il existe des ferries entre la Pologne ou l'Allemagne vers ce pays. Mais je ne trouve rien. Est ce que quelqu'un peut me renseigner?
Merci d'avance.
Sur le site de la Deutsche Bahn, je n'arrive plus à obtenir des propositions trajets incluant les vélos. Il me semblait que le site parvenait toujours à mettre en valeur les enchaînement de TER ou Intercités pour proposer des trajets vélo-compatibles.
Voilà la page qui apparaît systématiquement. Là, j'ai cherché entre Morlaix et Paris. Ça m'est arrivé pour d'autres trajets récemment.
Ou il n'y a vraiment aucun TER qui arrive à Paris depuis l'ouest ? Ou j'utilise peut-être mal le site. Ou il a perdu de sa superbe.
Trop frustré de projets avortés et en manque de raids au long cours à cause de cette saloperie de virus, j'ai décidé de partir quand même. Ce sera donc la suite de ma transeuropéenne démarrée il y a un an à Oslo. Voir carnet Oslo - Hambourg.
