Arctic to Africa by Sleeper Train

Today I'm traveling by sleeper train for the next 160 hours from the snow of the Arctic Circle, three and a half thousand miles across Europe to Africa. I'll show you exactly what it's like to live on board, from economy to first class, to how you shower, what food you get and what it's like to sleep on board. There's even special viewing cars to enjoy one of the world's longest railway journeys. Let's pick up our story in the Arctic Circle. Well hello there and welcome back to the channel. You join me here in the Ice Hotel right up in the Arctic Circle where we begin our adventure all the way to Africa. Oh hello. Hi. Fancy seeing you here. It's very comfortable. How are you mum? I'm really well. Well as much as this is lovely you're gonna have to make your visit here short because we need to go and catch a train. Yeah we better hurry up. We're beginning our rail adventure at one of the world's northernmost railway stations, Karuna. From here we'll be boarding the daily Arctic Sleeper and heading south. It feels very much on brand to be dragging our luggage through the snow to start this trip. For this first segment we'll be in carriage 12 in a second class sleeper. Although I'm already getting the impression it might be a little more rustic than the marketing photos would have you believe. We're very happy to welcome you to our new home. Mum what do you reckon? It's very cosy, comfy. It's cosy, it feels comfy. I think this will be set up in a in a bed at some point. Should sleep well. Yeah absolutely. And with that we glide out of the station and begin our journey south. So what does this first segment look like? Over the next 15 hours we'll travel over 600 miles through Sweden arriving in the capital Stockholm tomorrow morning. And as expected our sleeper cabin looks rather different from the glossy marketing photos. We have a padded bench which will convert into mum's bed while my top bunk is already made up. Our single window provides some daylight for now and alongside it we have a small sink and the all-important temperature controls. Although it currently seems to be stuck on boiling hot. It's not long before day turns to night so let's head out in search of a nightcap. The cafe car is fairly basic with a serving hatch offering a limited selection of pre-made snacks and drinks. Alongside some comfy commuter train style seating. Mum and I have opted for a wine and a beer. The perfect way to round off our first evening on the rails. Back in our cabin we quickly realised that mum's bed isn't something that's turned down by the staff. Instead it's rolled up and somewhat hidden beneath the seat. Now to pull down the blind which unfortunately is rather heavily stained and head to the bathroom to change and brush my teeth. Although only one is currently operational. It uh does the job but isn't exactly clean. Back in our cabin mum is ready for sleep. For me however getting into bed is half the challenge and I'm telling you now on a moving train this feels a little sketchy. Morning. Wow what a terrible night's sleep. The heat in our cabin was just crazy which is rather ironic given how cold it is outside. Despite the poor night's sleep we're both in high spirits. Welcome to Stockholm. I only wish we had more time to explore but for us it's straight over to platform 10 for our next connection south. In contrast to our slower sleeper this is a much quicker X2000. The interior is absolutely screaming 90s but there's ample overhead space for our bags and comfy fabric seats. I'm not complaining. This next leg will take us through the rest of Sweden and onwards to Copenhagen, Denmark. Given how little sleep we both got last night it's naturally time for a much needed caffeine hit. Thankfully there's a far more substantial dining car on this train just a few carriages along. From sandwiches and drinks to fresh pastries there's plenty to choose from and even some much nicer lounge seating but I'll take this back to our seats to enjoy. The food is actually really good for a train. It tastes fresh and we're a long way from Amtrak's microwaved meatballs. And just like that we roll into Copenhagen's central station. Thankfully we have a little more time to explore Denmark and I've actually booked us a hotel for tonight. Bright and early we're about to be getting our next train but that's not for another hour or so so I thought we'd have a little walk down through Copenhagen in the brisk morning sunshine. Oh and of course grab an iconic Danish pastry. Back at the station which is starting to feel like a second home we need to catch yet another international train. And this is a brand new train set only recently introduced to the route. It's a massive improvement over the aging German carriages I travelled on this route a few years ago. The modern rolling stock features a fantastic first class carriage laid out in a spacious 2-1 configuration. The only catch is I couldn't reserve our seats so mum and I have had to scramble to find a decent spot. So where to next? This leg will take us around five hours and 180 miles to Hamburg, Germany where we have a rather special sleeper train waiting for us. The seat itself is comfy and not too dissimilar to short haul business class with an airline style fold-out tray table and even complimentary water and snacks. What's not so great is the cleanliness unfortunately. Welcome to Germany. This marks the third country of the trip. We have a few hours before our sleeper train so I think rather than hang around the station let's head out and explore a bit of the city. After a brief stop at Hamburg Rathaus. I don't know let me know if that's right down below does that sound right? Sounds right to me. Hopefully, fingers crossed. Before I grace you with any more of my questionable German pronunciation let's head across town for dinner and also a beer. Mum who is vegetarian goes for the mushroom soup and goat's cheese salad whereas I have to go for the schnitzel and fries. Okay it's time to head back to the station. We're departing from a different one this evening Hamburg Altona where our next generation nightjet begins its journey and it features one of the biggest innovations in sleeper train travel in decades. So I've booked us into the best room on board the comfort plus sleeper cabin. There are just two of these on the entire train. Mum this appears to be a little nicer than our last sleeper train. Ah 100%. Well mum's certainly a fan you can tell it's box fresh from the pristine beds and small seating area to modern touches like a digital control panel and wireless charging. We also have an amenity kit of sorts containing slippers, a face cloth, an eye mask, water and some sweets. Right on schedule we begin rolling out of Hamburg Altona but where exactly are we heading? We'll travel almost 600 miles south arriving in Innsbruck Austria tomorrow morning. Now that we're on the move I want to show you what makes this train so special. The sleeper pods or mini cabins as nightjet calls them. For solo travelers or anyone looking for a more affordable sleeper option these are revolutionary. Rather than sharing a traditional six berth couchette you get your own private space. Back in our comfort plus sleeper it's time to pre-order our breakfast which is done by ticking your preference here and leaving outside your door for your room attendant. For now I'll head into our ensuite to change into my PJs. This is another impressively modern space featuring a sink, toilet and a separate shower. Mum certainly looks comfy but for me it's time to tackle the ladder once again and climb into my upper bunk. It's a little tight up here and rather high which is why I'm securing this safety net. Okay night all I'll catch you in the morning. Morning from the Alps and breakfast has arrived. It's fairly basic but it does the job. And how did I sleep? Honestly just okay. There were lots of stops and starts throughout the night. Welcome to Austria. We've arrived in Innsbruck so let's hop off and explore. Thankfully we have a little more time here to regroup after a particularly grueling 24 hours. Mum and I both share a love of all things chocolate and one of Austria's most famous creations is the Sachertorte which happens to be served right here in this cafe. Aside from being a wonderfully cozy and atmospheric spot for a coffee it is the perfect place to indulge in this traditional chocolate sponge cake. Unfortunately this is where we say goodbye to And for the first time on this journey I've checked into a hotel alone which feels bizarre after spending so much time with mum but not for long because very shortly we're going to be having a special guest. Something tells me it may have snowed overnight but there's no time to hang around. We've overslept slightly and are currently running very late for our next train. While yesterday we took the night jet this is the rail jet, I guess the day version. As we glide out of Innsbruck let's stow our luggage and settle in but where to? Well firstly over the Swiss border where we'll connect onwards to the iconic St Moritz. Well now we're very much on the move again it's time to properly introduce Millie back to the channel. Hello I'm back. How are you enjoying the scenery? Yeah it's so great so nice to see snow we never see it at home. I must say it feels a little surreal to be back in the snow after leaving the Arctic behind just a few days ago and rather unceremoniously we've arrived in Switzerland. Mind you this is little more than a transfer stop down in the valley before we head straight back up into the mountains. It's not long before our connecting train arrives taking us even further south over the next couple of hours before finally reaching St Moritz. Known as the birthplace of winter tourism this glamorous alpine resort is the place to see and be seen and I've booked us into the famed Kempinski. Welcome to our room. Yes welcome it's lovely it's just been recently renovated and it's got a great view out over St Moritz which reminds me what are we going to do Millie? I think maybe go for a little explore and have some dinner what are you feeling? I think fondue is very much on the cards. Our exploring may have somehow ended up with us stumbling into a bar and drinking margaritas and yes we have eventually made it to the fondue restaurant. So the real reason we're in St Moritz is to board a very special train arguably one of the world's greatest rail journeys the Glacier Express and we'll be experiencing it in the most luxurious way possible excellence class. Whether I'm on board a train or on a luxury cruise being able to run my business on the move has been seamless thanks to Odoo an all-in-one management software from website creation to invoicing to project management and much more. Odoo's project application offers a comprehensive and flexible project management solution while collaborating in real time. Let me walk you through the features. Get a clear overview of your projects. Create projects and custom stages. Add tasks and assign a person in charge. Next you want to set priority tags and a deadline. Collaborate in real time with greater efficiency by centralizing and managing information in one place through the built-in chatter for better performance. Choose the view according to your needs. The Kanban view organizes tasks by stage. Move them like sticky notes and keep your pipeline well organized. The Gantt view is a timeline that gives an overview of your tasks their dependencies and scheduled dates. The list view displays all the data you need and allows you to perform batch actions. Go check out Odoo today and manage your project for free with a lifetime free first app offer including unlimited hosting and support. Welcome on board the Glacier Express. It's what's known as Switzerland's most sought after train seat. As we trundle out of St. Moritz where are we heading? Well today's journey will take us high up into the Alps reaching over 6,000 feet before descending down into Milan. Let's start by taking a closer look at our seat. There are just 20 places in excellence class on the entire train. Each leather clad armchair offers a front row view through the panoramic windows and on the practical side there are power outlets, reading material and a personal tablet for following our journey. Though a key part of our experience will be culinary with a Swiss multi-course menu curated to last our entire journey. As I enjoy an espresso we enter a tunnel which signifies one of the most spectacular segments of our entire trip. The only way to follow that is with some champagne I think. To kick off we're served the smoked Swiss trout with oven roasted beetroot in cream cheese. So I've dropped out here to the vestibule and what I didn't realize is it's got windows that go down allowing me some of the best views. I mean look at this and what I fail to understand is no one else seems to care. I guess the champagne is still flowing. Now for the pea and mint soup course with dried alpine flower blossom. One unique feature to this carriage is the glacier bar. This takes up the rear section of excellence class though drinks here are at an additional cost which I find wild given the price point. What I particularly love is the fully operational gold-plated compass. It works alongside a second rotating bezel to show the direction of the surrounding alpine peaks. It's time for our main course, Swiss beef tenderloin served with mashed potatoes, carrots and a mountain herb gravy. It's at this point we reach the Oberalp pass, the highest point of the glacier express at around 6,700 feet above sea level. We even get the chance to step outside at the nearby station. It feels rather surreal to find ourselves standing beside a ski slope right on the platform. Back on the move we begin our descent, winding through the mountains towards Italy. But we have two more courses to enjoy, starting with the quintessential Swiss staple, cheese. And to conclude both our meal and our glacier express experience, we're served a warm chocolate cake with vanilla sauce and roasted almonds. We've now arrived in Brigg near the foot of the Simplon pass and not far from the Italian border. Sadly it's only a brief stop as our next train to Milan is arriving imminently. Luckily the train appears to be almost deserted. After a full day of mountain air and almost non-stop scenery, this should provide a rather chilled space for the next couple of hours. Welcome to central Milan. I've booked a rather special hotel for tonight, the iconic Park Hyatt. Unfortunately this is where Milly leaves the adventure behind, but for me it's full steam ahead, back to the station. And look who's joining us on the next leg of the journey. Morning. Welcome back to the channel dad. Yeah, good to be here. It is great to have you here. It's got a little warmer hasn't it? It's boiling, where are we off to? Well let's go in the station and find out. A quick moment to appreciate just how stunning Milan Centrale is. And thanks to our ticket we have access to the first class lounge, but honestly I'm most excited to find some strong coffee. All this non-stop travel is starting to take its toll. It's not all too long before we head back into the main concourse and make our way over to platform 16, where the brand new next generation Bracciarossa 1000 awaits. This high-speed train represents the pinnacle of Italian rail travel and naturally I've booked us into the very best class on board, Executive, with just 14 leather-clad throne seats. So where is this high-speed train taking us? Over the next few hours we'll travel around 300 miles south to Rome, reaching speeds of up to 186 miles per hour along the way. Service begins with lunch and the menu is both extensive and all-inclusive. Everything is served directly at your seat and plated on the fold-out tray table. To start I've chosen the Tuscan salami and cheese, while dad has gone for the mozzarella. Both are absolutely fabulous. For our main course we've both chosen the burrata ravioli and once again, delicious. While we're at Cesflubai, we've arrived into the Italian capital, Rome. Welcome to Rome. We've made it, Colosseum behind us of course. We've got a few hours here before our next leg of the journey, which is actually going to be on a sleeper train dad. I know, looking forward to that. But first, a well-deserved cold beer and wood-fired pizza. As darkness falls, it's our cue to make a move. Back at Rome's Termini station, our sleeper train is due to pull in at any moment. And this isn't just any sleeper train, it's one of the world's most unusual, because the entire train will roll onto a ferry. More on that shortly. I've booked us into a deluxe sleeper. Then it's at this point that the train lurches into life and we rumble out of Rome. But where exactly are we going? Over the next nine hours or so, we'll travel almost the entire remaining length of mainland Italy. Then at around 7am tomorrow morning, our carriages will be It's a little warm isn't it dad? It's a little bit warm and it's snug. It is snug, I'm hoping that the AC kicks in a little bit more. There's a tiny amount of air coming out there. AC struggles aside, the room offers overhead storage, a wardrobe and we've just discovered an opening window. There's also an in-room sink, but alas no ensuite. For that you'll need to head down to the end of the carriage, where there are two lavatories, with a questionable cleanliness. Now all that's left is to make our beds, which is certainly unusual given it's just the process of putting the pillowcase on. Then it's time to change into our PJs and settle in for the night. I do think I'm becoming far more accustomed to the precarious task of climbing a ladder on a moving train. Good morning and how did I sleep? Oh terribly. Ah well, we're just about to be shunted onto the ferry, which feels incredibly strange. This is Europe's last remaining passenger train ferry and one of only two such routes left anywhere in the world. We're free to stay on the train, but I for one are going to get some fresh sea air. You don't see this every day. Should we go check out what this bizarre train ferry has to offer? It's at this point we begin to drift slowly out to sea, leaving mainland Europe behind. So facilities on board are sparse with just this seating area, but the real magic is out on deck. The crossing itself should take around 45 minutes, but it's a welcome break from that hot compartment. Let's get back on board our train on board the ferry. Well that was quite the experience, but now it's official. Welcome to Sicily and more specifically the port of Messina. We're scheduled to stop here for around an hour and given that neither the train nor the ferry provided us with any coffee, let's head off in search of some. Now Messina may not be Sicily's biggest tourist hotspot, but if there's one thing I know about Italy, it's that a decent espresso is never far away. Back on platform 9, a new Sicilian locomotive is being attached to our train. This will haul us across Sicily over the next few hours all the way to Palermo. Funnily enough after we just found some, an espresso and snack breakfast appear in our compartment. I'm not complaining though. Welcome to Palermo, our gateway to Africa. More on that shortly. For now it's time to freshen up before yet another overnight journey. I've booked us into Villa Agia, a legendary five-star Art Nouveau palazzo. It'll be our base for the evening, perhaps for a quick nap, but most certainly a shower. Feeling a million dollars, let's head downstairs to the bar which was featured in the White Lotus, followed by a swift beer. We'll grab some dinner out on the terrace. Now behind me you might see or just make out the port of Palermo and that is a massive hint as to how we're going to be getting to Africa. Let's begin the final step of this incredible adventure. I think this rather gives the game away. Here we need to collect our tickets for tonight's voyage. After check-in and we're directed into the foot passenger holding area where we'll wait with everyone else for our ferry to arrive. Here she is, the MV Catania, bound for the African continent. To be perfectly honest, boarding is nothing short of mayhem with plenty of pushing and shoving. Eventually we make it to the front and walk up onto the car deck. There's a real sense of anticipation and excitement. There's so little information online that I genuinely have no idea what to expect. I suppose not knowing was probably a good thing. What I hadn't realised is that the ferry carries far more passengers than it has cabin berths. Many therefore spend the night wherever they can find space, throughout the public areas. Having booked many months in advance, we're fortunate enough to have secured one of the cabins. Now we just need to find it. We've made it to deck six and our two berth cabin is located on the port side of the vessel. We're actually rather pleasantly surprised. It's basic but clean. There's also an ensuite bathroom which is more than welcome after going without such a luxury last night. It's cosy. It certainly is. Quite an experience boarding, that's got to be said, hasn't it? Yeah, quite hectic. Quite hectic. I can hear a bit of a commotion out in the corridor. All part of the experience. Let's get some rest and onwards to the continent of Africa. Fantastic. Good morning. Well, I tell you now, that was possibly the best night's sleep of the entire trip. Although I'm not sure how much of that was simply down to just how tired we were. Let's explore more of the ship. Walking through the public areas this morning certainly makes me feel incredibly grateful that we managed to secure a cabin. First order of business, you guessed it, a coffee. As for the rest of the inside space, it's just a lot of seating and rather oddly a closed up-charged restaurant. It's a shame really that could have been quite good to try. And how about the outer decks? Well, there's plenty of open space but not much in the way of facilities. Then again, what do I expect? It's a ferry, not a cruise ship. So just behind me, you can start to make out the coastline of North Africa. I can't quite believe how far we've come and with just a few miles to go. It's time to get off, though easier said than done, with similar mayhem ensuing to when we got on board. Oh, and the country in question, Tunisia. My pre-arranged driver is waiting to take us to our hotel. But how much did this all cost? Well, aside from being incredibly complex to plan, the grand total came to $11,503. Welcome to Africa. Yes, we have arrived. This has been perhaps one of the most ambitious journeys I think I've ever made. How are you feeling, Dad? Yeah, it feels like one of the most ambitious journeys you've ever made. It does indeed, doesn't it? It's quite crazy to think we've gone all the way from the Ice Hotel in the far Arctic north all the way down here to Africa. But anyway, thank you so much for watching and we'll catch you all again next time.