5 ms·

That’s where, theoretically at least, the “sleeper” part comes in. Travel great distances while you sleep and save the money on a hotel room. If the conditions

That’s where, theoretically at least, the “sleeper” part comes in. Travel great distances while you sleep and save the money on a hotel room. If the conditions were good enough I’d be perfectly happy to be on a train e.g. 6pm-6am rather than arriving at an airport at 6pm, doing security, baggage etc etc, taxiing to the center of a city then checking into a hotel late. But every time I look the pricing for that is way out of whack.

grues-dinner 1y ago
That's the one thing that's a little annoying about the gaotie in China. It doesn't run at night, so you are limited to about 1200km a night on the slower overnight D trains (Beijing Shanghai say). Otherwise you could hop on a train in Beijing in the evening and wake up in Hong Kong, Shenzhen or Guangzhou.
- chgs 1y ago
  Sleeper train G897 leaves Beijing Xi (West) at 20:13 Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday nights, arriving Hong Kong West Kowloon 07:12.
  - grues-dinner 1y ago
    Oh I see! I went midweek and didn't realise it is different around weekends. I was so disappointed to have to fly to get there for 9am, I really hate planes and shorthaul really hates me! Hopefully I can arrange a Monday or Tuesday next time!
ghaff 1y ago
It's unlikely that you come close to saving money with a long distance sleeper even if the additional time you spend isn't a factor. But this isn't even all that specific to US. As was just noted on a Facebook thread I was reading, the Caledonian Sleeper from London to Edinburgh isn't a particular bargain and I recall other European night trains I've taken didn't really save me money either.
- afavour 1y ago
  For sure. But I think it’s still worth pointing out that it would be an attractive option if the price were right. Governments looking to combat climate change could subsidise such things if they wanted to.
  - ghaff 1y ago
    Sure. It's one of the MANY climate change subsidies governments could make. Which may or may not make sense in this particular case. Personally, I like taking trains in a lot of situations, but they're usually not cheaper or often especially more convenient.
- anarticle 1y ago
  What you do save is the bedraggled feeling of dealing with air travel. When I get off the sleeper, after billing hours on the way of course, I arrive refreshed with a full stomach and right out into the city.
  - ghaff 1y ago
    Which assumes billing hours, a good meal, and that you're going to be working downtown in some city. Which isn't true of a lot of people.
    - anarticle 1y ago
      Them’s the breaks! No universals in travel. I’ll enjoy every train ride in your stead. More to the point, I don’t see myself getting meaningful work done on planes due to how much they suck total ass.

grues-dinner 1y ago

That's the one thing that's a little annoying about the gaotie in China. It doesn't run at night, so you are limited to about 1200km a night on the slower overnight D trains (Beijing Shanghai say). Otherwise you could hop on a train in Beijing in the evening and wake up in Hong Kong, Shenzhen or Guangzhou.

chgs 1y ago
Sleeper train G897 leaves Beijing Xi (West) at 20:13 Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday nights, arriving Hong Kong West Kowloon 07:12.
- grues-dinner 1y ago
  Oh I see! I went midweek and didn't realise it is different around weekends. I was so disappointed to have to fly to get there for 9am, I really hate planes and shorthaul really hates me! Hopefully I can arrange a Monday or Tuesday next time!

ghaff 1y ago

It's unlikely that you come close to saving money with a long distance sleeper even if the additional time you spend isn't a factor. But this isn't even all that specific to US. As was just noted on a Facebook thread I was reading, the Caledonian Sleeper from London to Edinburgh isn't a particular bargain and I recall other European night trains I've taken didn't really save me money either.

afavour 1y ago
For sure. But I think it’s still worth pointing out that it would be an attractive option if the price were right. Governments looking to combat climate change could subsidise such things if they wanted to.
- ghaff 1y ago
  Sure. It's one of the MANY climate change subsidies governments could make. Which may or may not make sense in this particular case. Personally, I like taking trains in a lot of situations, but they're usually not cheaper or often especially more convenient.
anarticle 1y ago
What you do save is the bedraggled feeling of dealing with air travel. When I get off the sleeper, after billing hours on the way of course, I arrive refreshed with a full stomach and right out into the city.
- ghaff 1y ago
  Which assumes billing hours, a good meal, and that you're going to be working downtown in some city. Which isn't true of a lot of people.
  - anarticle 1y ago
    Them’s the breaks! No universals in travel. I’ll enjoy every train ride in your stead. More to the point, I don’t see myself getting meaningful work done on planes due to how much they suck total ass.