Berlin - Frankfurt - Zurich (City Night Line Sleeper Train)

Posted by Ed
Last updated on Fri, 08/04/2011 - 4:38pm
CC Image by taquai
Introduction

There is one service per day in either direction between Berlin and Zurich on the City Night Line service named 'Sirius'. City Night Line services are affordable alternatives to day trains, allowing you to arrive at your destination refreshed and having saved on hotel bills.

City Night Line

City Night Line services operate between a variety of European cities, allowing passengers to make the most of their travels, whilst saving on hotel bills. There are two fare classes; economy and deluxe, and three classes of comfort on-board the City Night Line service:

Sleeper Car
Counchette Car
Seated Car

Sleeper Car

Sleeper cabins are the most comfortable way to travel (although also the most expensive). You can choose to take a bed in a shared cabin (single sex double, triple or quad berths), or pay for a private cabin (for one, two, three or four people). 

Included in the price of your sleeper car ticket is bedding (incl. duvets and pillows), air conditioning, breakfast, washing facilities (shared toilet per carriage), toiletries, towels, and drinking water. Passengers travelling in deluxe class also benefit from a free drink on arrival, as well as a private en-suite shower/toilet.

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Couchettes

Four and six berth couchettes are available, both privately or shared. Single sex and wheelchair accessible cabins are also available. Each couchette features bunk-bed style beds, a lockable door for the room, luggage storage, pillows, blankets, sheets, shared washing facilities and toilets in each carriage, and temperature controls in each room.

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Seats

The cheapest travel option on-board the City Night Line service is in the seating car. Two seating types are offered: open-plan reclining seats, and six-seat compartments. Shared washrooms and toilets are available in each coach, and blankets are available upon request. 

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Timetable

There is only one direct sleeper service between Berlin and Zurich each day. Between Zurich and Frankfurt, this service is shared with CNL 459 between Zurich and Prague. Connecting services are available to Amsterdam and Milan.

Station 1258 Station 1259
Berlin Hbf 22.14 Zurich HB 19.42
Weimar 00.33 Basel SBB 21.07p
Erfurt Hbf 01.21 Basel Bad Bf 21.21p
Frankfurt (Main) 03.59d Freiburg Hbf 21.58p
Mannheim 04.43d Karlsruhe 23.05p
Karlsruhe 05.40d Mannheim 23.59p
Freiburg Hbf 07.00d Frankfurt (Main) 00.54p
Basel Bad Bf 07.37d Erfurt Hbf 04.07
Basel SBB 07.47d Weimar 04.58
Zurich HB 09.17 Berlin Hbf 07.20

b: Stops to pick up passengers only.
d: Stops to drop off passengers only.

Pricing

Two fare classes are available; economy and deluxe. Children up to and including the age of 5 are permitted to travel for free. Children over the age of 5 can take advantage of lower than adult fares, although promotional/special fares are only slightly cheaper for children than for adults, and around 60% cheaper for normal fares. 

City Night Line services are very affordable, with a range of fare classes and accommodation options available. Upgrades are available to ticket-only reservations (most likely to be applied to InterRail/EuroRail tickets). Fares will vary depending on your origin and destination station, so check the exact fare using the link at the bottom of the page.

Class  Car Category Upgrade Europa Special
(ticket + upgrade)
Normal Price
(ticket + upgrade)
 1st  Sleeping  Deluxe 3 berth
(shower, w/c)
 40 €  89 €  212 €
 1st  Sleeping  Deluxe 2 berth
(shower, w/c)
 60 €  109 €  232 €
 1st  Sleeping  Deluxe 1 berth
(shower, w/c)
 100 €  149 €  272 €
 2nd  Sleeping  Economy 4 berth  40 €  69 €  155 €
 2nd  Sleeping  Economy 3 berth  40 €  69 €  155 €
 2nd  Sleeping  Economy 2 berth  60 €  89 €  175 €
 2nd  Sleeping  Economy 1 berth  100 €  129 €  215 €
 2nd  Couchette  6 berth  20 €  59 €  135 €
 2nd  Couchette  4 berth  30 €  69 €  145 €
 2nd  Seating  Compartment  4 €  33 €  125 €
 2nd  Seating  Standard  10 €  39 €  119 €

All fares are one-way, return prices are twice the single fare.

Rail Pass Fares:

If you are planning to travel on the City Night Line with your rail pass (InterRail or Eurail), you must pay a surcharge/reservation fee to book a seat/couchette/bed. You must also hold a valid pass for all the countries that the train is passing through, not simply the origin and destination countries. Rail pass passengers may only book a deluxe sleeper room if they hold a first class rail pass.