All aboard – a new sleeper train will link the Czech Republic and Switzerland via Germany.
The ‘Canopus’ service – announced by the Czech Republic’s national rail operator last week – will run from Prague to Zurich, stopping at Frankfurt and Basel en route.
Travellers will depart Prague at 6.25pm and arrive in Zurich, Switzerland at 9:05am, less than 14 hours after departure.
The return journey leaves slightly later, with the train departing Zurich at 7:59pm and arriving back in Prague at 9.25am.
The new route, a revival of a service that closed down in 2017, will launch on 11 December.
Travellers can already take a sleeper train between Zurich and Prague via Linz in Austria, but this train is often heavily subscribed.
The new Canopus service will expand overnight options by offering a German route, said ČD chairman and CEO, Michal Krapinec
“We want to give night traffic another boost,” Rail Journal reports.
“That is why we have prepared a new brand for services related to night travel.”
What will the Canopus night train be like?
The train will be jointly operated by the national rail providers of the Czech Republic, Austria (ÖBB), Switzerland (SBB) and Germany (DB).
Would-be travellers will have a number of different fare options, from six-bed couchettes to deluxe sleeper compartments with en-suite toilets and showers.
Ticket prices for a berth in a six-bed couchette start from €49.90. For a berth in a four-bed couchette, you’ll pay €59.90.
Regular sleepers are more expensive – prices start at €69.90 for a three-bed, €89.90 for a two-bed or €139.90 for a single-bed.. The most expensive option will be the deluxe sleeper. Trains can be booked on Czech railways’ website.
Why take the train rather than fly?
Flying is one of the most environmentally damaging forms of travel.
Aviation currently accounts for about two per cent of the world’s global carbon emissions.
An economy-class return flight from London to New York emits around 0.67 tonnes of CO2 per passenger – roughly the same amount the average person in Ghana produces in a year.
Increasingly, people are turning to flight-free transport to offset their carbon footprint. Trains are a great way to do this – one journey on the Eurostar from London to Paris, for example, produces 14 times less emissions than a flight for the same trip.
