Back After 20 Years: France’s Legendary Night Train - Aurillac to Paris with Intercités de Nuit!

[@JustinPearceThoughtsAndPhotos]

Last June I took the Intercité Nuit from Austerlitz to Latour de Carol. On the summer evening I noticed that concrete structure parallel to the railway and I had no idea what it was. Thank you for explaining Aérotrain!

[@robinpayne125]

If you'd asked me 15 years ago I would have said night trains in Western Europe were on their way out. While the likes of ÖBB have set the bar very high indeed, SNCF is better than many for at least keeping them running and apparently being on board with the idea of bringing new life to the old concept. Old school couchettes are not the best way to travel, and and the new NightJet concept is a game changer, but it's better than seats.

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

Is NightJet a bus or train?

[@hannodearing1366]

First! Congratulations from Linz, Austria! (We have a nice train station, by the way) 🙃

[@cindinathans7590]

I did love Linz and Linz's train station yes!

[@luisstransport]

Great trip report

[@janpelech2985]

Love France Train from Czech republika 🇨🇿❤️🇨🇵

[@gknkrnkjgjugjrgjrng]

no love to czech from France

[@AnnabelSmyth]

I first saw the aerotrain line in the early 1970s, when it was still a real possibility. Always love seeing it again!

[@trainjaune627]

Why? Aerotrain is too expensive That's why France switched to TGV after 1973 oil crisis! And inner rail maglev is bettter!

[@joannaberry2967]

Oh excellent! So glad this option is available!

[@MedjayofFaiyum]

Lovely train

[@florian2199]

Some fun facts: the 67400 is still used in daily services by TER Fluo in Strasbourg to Lauterbourg and to St Dié des Vosges, and also the reopening of this line allows from Paris to go to Le Lioran the only ski resort in France where you can go skiing without any car!

[@cindinathans7590]

Great video...I have been to France/Spain but I believe France and Spain will be my next adventure by TRAIN this time...thank you

[@gdrriley420]

Putting a head end power plug on platforms would be the easy way to keep the train cars powered. It also is a way to cut down on fuel usage so the trains don't need to idle at the station for 1-2 hours

[@czechmatebro]

6:20 that is quite interesting! I know they do the same thing with the night train Prague-Bratislava-Košice and EC Slovenská Strela, EN Metropol to the last Czech Ex3 line train, EN Prague-Zurich to the last Jižní Expres, and also EN Canopus. (Yeah it's quite common in Czechia) Great video as always, love it!

[@pedropggPP]

I took the Intercites de Nuit to Latour de Carol last month in a wednesday and I was also shocled because the second class car was completely full. Plenty of people on the first class and some people on the seated car. I loved it, the corail ride quality is excellent (better than the nightjet couchettes I tried). I would recomend it to anyone

[@barthiddema3594]

I don't get why SNCF is running their night trains as if they were some charter service. I bet that if they started running daily night trains from larger cities from the côte d'azur, Bordeaux, and maybe even Barcelona that they could make money with night trains. They could use the money to make the service better and introduce proper service to little towns like Aurillac. France, just like italy, is the right size for night trains. They need proper service and then they could start making money. I'd also be very much for competition on the night train network just like the high speed trains in france and spain. Perhaps ÖBB can run daily night trains from Perpignan - Marseille - Paris ;)

[@rolandharmer6402]

It was very common in years gone by. I remember sharing a compartment with five strangers on a run between Paris and Lausanne. It worked!

[@Kletterhaus]

Please don't let ÖBB do it, it will be even more expensive and unreliable.

[@AL5520]

ÖBB NightJet between Barcelona and Zurich is planned to start service in December. In Spring 2025 European Sleeper planes to offer their night train service between Amsterdam and Barcelona with stopes in Belgium and France. As for high speed train competition, France bearly has it. So far only Trenitalia manneged to get approval to the line to Milan that also serves Lyon and renfe bearly managed to lounch, after long delays by the French services to Lyon and Marseille while Paris was planned for June and was delayed again by thr French to after the Olymic (renfe planned to take the Spanish deligastion by train to Paris). So just a handful of options inside Framce. Italy was the firt with HSR with Italo competing with Trenitalia and Spain has the most competative HSR market with 3 companies and 2 more that might join in the future (Italo, especially after their parent company bought 50% of renfe freight) and a local Spanish comoany that's condsidering it).

[@marionarda2790]

Bordeaux reaches Paris in less than 3 hours ....

[@melaniedrogr951]

Obb is for a large part expensibe bevause they always have to give 50% of ticket price back after they get delayed for 2+ hours in germany (again and again )

[@blaythierry8722]

WOWW AMAZING VIDEO LOVE TRAIN DE NUIT 🥰🥰🥰 THANK YOU VIDEO VERY NICE BYE

[@theobrattinga500]

Great video !!

[@johnmehaffey9953]

Super report, sharing with strangers not for me, with friends or family no problem, but great to see night trains becoming popular again

[@varvarabarbievouva1295]

Πολύ καλή δουλειά!!!! Έχω δει πολλά βιντεο!!!! Μπράβο!!!! 👏👏

[@mateosc7]

with all the hype about the new nightjet and requests for more comfort and privacy in all nightrain videos, I come here to say that I want them to keep 6 couchette cabins in order to keep prices down. There should remain an affordable option to travel which can coexist with the pricy options.

[@trainjaune627]

Wonderful! Finally have this video, after 2 lo g months of waiting ! Simply Railway once said the video will be available in late 2023-12 but, delayed!

[@guyvannifterik]

The 4-hour wait without any air conditioning really is a shame. And how will they combine this train with the new trainsets planning to replace Corail pulled trains in the near future ? Anyway, great to see night trains again between Paris and Aurillac.

[@trainjaune627]

As Corail are hailed Hence SNCF ordered CAF Oxygene But all intercites automortice stock should use Butterfly Rail sear, so it can be changed from seat by day, and flatbed at night Then the train can be used whole day long, reducing daytime wastage

[@scottyerkes1867]

I would prefer a private sleeping accomodation for an overnight journey. The refurbishment of the 40 year old cars is good. Thanks Thibault 👍💚

[@sachatrin2981]

Je l’ai pris récemment, et c’était super de pouvoir faire l’aller-retour à Aurillac sur un week-end (même depuis plus loin que Paris, grâce au TGV - même si un départ plus tard de la capitale serait appréciable). Il y avait très peu de monde dans les trois voitures, et au retour j’ai même eu un compartiment de 2nde pour moi tout seul. Dans ce cas là, la voiture assise a servi de lieu où se poser avant et après dormir, ce que j’ai trouvé assez malin, si pas trop de monde n’est dedans. Par contre la voiture assise était une voiture de jour non rénovée, et les couchettes de 2nde étaient aussi non rénovées, ce qui change tout de suite le standing. Très sympa tout de même, surtout que j’ai fait l’aller-retour pour 40€.

[@kenklein6543]

Bonjour mon ami. I learn so much from watching your videos. Please come to Los Angeles, I will take you to Phillippe

[@Desi365]

Ça me rappelle lon enfance les trains couchette. On allait à ..m Lisbonne, depuis Austerlitz.

[@davidduxans]

Thank you for the vid. In mid November I will travel in the Intercity de Nuit from LA ztour de Carol to Paris and back in 1st class. Eager to travel

[@RobinBrowneeee]

You are passionate about issues surrounding trains, therefore it’s good to hear you speak. The passion comes across clearer. I think some people are making the mistake that this is just some vibe asmr video.

[@francisbtube]

This may sound Draconian but I think every night train reservation booking system should have a “Do you snore” 💤 mandatory question! Then the train companies, booking algorithms, assign all snorers to the same cabins. Thoughts 💭? Leave a comment.

[@andrewseo1891]

Thanks for the tip regarding showers in Toulouse Matabiau! I’m thinking of taking the Intercites de Nuit first class couchette from Paris to Toulouse to see the Airbus factory there. Good to know that they’ll will be showers on arrival.

[@Martin-on2pp]

The Tim Traveller did a nice video on the Aerotrain

[@nashorn9745]

These cars look pretty nice almost as new as the new ÖBB night train.

[@rezaalan3991]

Great trip.

[@LMays-cu2hp]

Thank you for sharing this trip. 😂 Hahaha! Yes I hear the other persons snoring!! Geezzz!!😮😮 oh boy!!!😮 Well, again that you for riding in First Class over night on this train. But for me, if there are the day trips with this schedule then I would take the day trip instead. So, I guess in Premium Class on the day train with the same schedule!!!😅 I could not sleep with other people that I do not know!! No!!😮 Not me. But again, thank you! I hope you were safe in this cabin with these two.😊

[@LMays-cu2hp]

The shower being offered for First Class passengers is a nice amenity gor tge overnight passengers. So, still, the day train schedule is what I would look for. And then if there is the day trip then I would do that day train.😊

[@jfmezei]

They really need to plug the cars in at Brive to get power for 4 hours. What I had heard was that the success of Nightjet forced France to re-occupy the market ASAP otherwise ÖBB would enter France and offer the services. So they are scrambling to renovate their old sleeping cars as fast as they can and will eventually plan an order for new cars. I guess they have to wait for Alstom to develop sleeping cars 🙂

[@stewartrivers4208]

SNCF have no business acumen. They do not know what service is and now, due to incessant strikes, are totally unreliable. They should leave it to the professionals(eg Nightjet).

[@Kletterhaus]

@@stewartrivers4208 You mean the Nightjets with four-hour delays and missing sleeper carriages?

[@amtrakharry]

That was a great video !!! Certainly would like my own room though...it's just my preference... not being snobby ... Having no power for 3 or 4 hours is not good !!! :(:(:( The train looked very busy...:):):) Thanks for sharing this with us...:):):)

[@SimonWhalley-fx2rk]

Caledonian Sleeper has similar shower arrangements as well.

[@albawutz]

There was a night train service by SNCF from Luxembourg to the Spanish border, I think until 2015.

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

Four to five hours on a train WITHOUT power?! That's crazy! Here in Canada, the VIA passenger trains have power at the stations. High voltage too, about 300 VDC. Stepped down to 120 VAC for use inside the train itself.

[@CMSAmontagne]

Je ressors d'un aller-retour Paris-Aurillac avec ce fameux arrêt de 3h/4h selon les jours et le sens. Je ne sais pas si c'est lié à la canicule mais les rames sont désormais branchées pour le maintien de la clim dans le sens Paris-Aurillac (en attendant l'attelage des BB75300). dans l'autre sens (Aurillac-Paris), la rame est sans courant jusqu'à l'arrivée de la rame provenant de Rodez. Les 2 rames sont ensuite jumelées au plus vite avec la rame de jour Brive-Paris et de fait le courant provient de la locomotive du Brive-Paris. Je dirai qu'il y a désormais seulement 15min d'interruption de clim sur Paris > Aurillac et 45min dans l'autre sens.

[@Abnerbandanovotempoinscrito1mi]

Boa viagem simplys Boa tarde ai

[@abdulsattar45463]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@boggeorge]

Hopefully they start plugging the cars into power at the station when stopped. Simple fix that would improve the service a lot.

[@stephanedajtlich]

I've just booked a night Bratislava to Kosice train journey. The whole couchette compartment for my sole use costs me €55!

[@thierrypauwels]

Showers in Paris-Austerlitz, yes. But I could not take a shower, because I could not find a safe place for my luggage.

[@williammckinney4090]

If the train is parked in a station for 4 hours couldn't they hook it up to shore power?

[@justpf]

What train companies still do not get is that they can't offer a mediocre service like this (I refer to the a/c situation and snoring/soundproofing) or be several times more expensive than the lowcosters (ÖBB) and expect people to choose them instead of flying. It might work where there's no alternative but forget about it for the services between any European capitals and more or less big cities/towns with airports. After the initial hype about the Nightjets fades out most of people will be back on lowcosters and flixbuses.

[@buzzukfiftythree]

Snoring - one of the many reasons why I would never book a couchette. It's either a single compartment or I fly (or travel by rail in the daytime). Might have been fine when I was young and adventurous, but I'm now old and Mr Grumpy😃😃

[@ethancampbell6076]

7:39 That’s my dad every night snoring in bed 😂

[@XTREAMER5423]

At least in Romania, it is possible with sleeping cars😂😂

[@vraptor2610]

Hey there, as you have often been trainriding in the balkans, i would like to ask you which route you personally find more beautifull/interesting? Im going to go on a interrail trip from my home bavaria to greece and there would be two routes: 1. Salzburg -> Trieste->Belgrade->Sofia->Istanbul 2. Salzburg->Budapest->Bucharest->Sofia->Istanbul Thank you😊

[@guntherqm1816]

With the new Oxygène trains on POLT line this mix may no longer exist and train operations can cost more to SNCF. But SNCF wants EMUs so here we are.

[@Drago1995]

hot in December lol and uughh it would take me ages to fall asleep with that snoring i have misophonia on top of that it would be torture, in the morning it would have been on those peoples best interest to not piss me off 😂😂

[@PaulCashman]

Was the engine that "died" an electric or a diesel? I'm wondering how they could address the overnight power issue. Probably easiest to tie into the local utility, if they can work it out.

[@AndreiTupolev]

10:52There's nothing more fun than being able to lower a window and look along the length of a long train as it speeds through the early morning. They're going to have to do something seriously about the timings though; abandoning you in the middle of the night for hours with no power? What if there was an emergency? Were there any staff in attendance?

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

It really is time couchettes were a thing of the past......

[@anthonywarrener1881]

Sharing a compartment at night with strangers is crazy !

[@XTREAMER5423]

It isn't. At least, in Romania. 😂

[@fridericusrex9812]

@@XTREAMER5423 Neither in Canada. 5 to a room is normal 💀

[@XTREAMER5423]

@@fridericusrex9812 6 in Romania 🤣🤣

[@alph5230]

It’s normal

[@AndreiTupolev]

Was there no buffet/lounge car? Was there in fact any on-board refreshments at all?

[@andrewbutler6477]

The locomotive looks almost identical to a British class 67 diesel

[@AndreiTupolev]

3:53Charge 26%? I hope there are power sockets on board the train 😢

[@peter_smyth]

If the train is going to sit for hours without a locomotive for power, there should be a way of connecting it to mains power for running climate control etc.

[@sandyneedham6499]

I see that some of the "sitting" section was in a 1+2 layout - is this sitting first class as opposed to the 2+2 which I suppose is sitting second class? I think I would prefer to be in sitting first class rather than couchette first class. In the big reclining seat I could sleep well (I am told I snore - not sure if it is true!). This would be a bit like the nice old Caledonian (Euston to Glasgow) sitting section - lots of space and easy access, unlike sharing with three others in a couchette. Yes, they need to attach a basic engine to provide power - what is the point of air con if it does not work for half the time - and what about the toilets - perhaps I should not ask?

[@ralphzechendorf1644]

Prices have gone up due to success too, I guess ? Looked up the same trip PAris-Nice as last year... last year our little family of 3 traveled 1st class for 180 euro (and on another day it could have been 120). Now i could barely find a night train available, and it costs more than 500 euro. Even 2nd class is more expensive than last year's first class...

[@kowalskidiazdegeras9190]

I hope with time more cars are renovated, so they can add more to these routes. If I recall properly, there were extra-long international sleeper trains of more than 400m, so there might be some platforms able to handle that

[@paullaurent9771]

perfect english ! : D

[@deltic1964]

Was there no BUFFET CAR ??

[@cyberi4a]

Can't they run a combination of passenger and freight cars together to help generate revenue for night trains?

[@Kletterhaus]

I think making private compartments that expensive is the right way to go. At least with the existing rolling stock. You want to transport as many people as possible. Otherwise it's not beneficial to the environment and the operator.

[@AndreiTupolev]

15:05I like those pictograms. Do they urge you to cut some moves 🕺 while in the shower, or perhaps it's a yoga 🧘‍♀️ pose they recommend

[@dorianbt3708]

40€ en 1 ère classe comment avez vous fait ?

[@SimplyRailway]

En reservant en avance

[@dkbz911]

looks like some 1980s train, very old and not modern. I like Japanese more

[@sgt.eclair]

fun fact things dont have to be manufactured 30 seconds ago to still work. also, another fun fact, japan also still uses trains from the 80s

[@ringo7561]

I've got no sound

[@ringo7561]

Got it now

[@jovada]

It should be forbidden to cut the power of a train. Hours without ventilation is unhealthy and may be dangerous. We need oxygen...

[@tjittekamminga5170]

horrible in comfort!

[@linesided]

This is a disaster train! Nobody wants to sleep 2nd world style anymore (unless you're in the second world) - how about some new designs dear train makers? Its not very hard. Just go to Japan and see how easy it is to have pod-style and inexpensive sleeper tickets. 500Euros for what? Make a real nice sleeper section and maybe a couple vending machines and a coffee machine in the car. I mean come on, we're trying to save the world from our own stupidity and this is the best we can do???

[@bRUdAr_kARIus25]

Only with cc is better

[@sylvainguidi]

my frenglish is definitely better

[@hostxing4153]

哈哈 老兄下次戴副耳塞吧