“Why would I fly when I can sleep on a train and enjoy the journey?” asks Nora, a construction manager from Stuttgart, who is on her way to visit her family. Lying in our bunkbeds, we’re sharing a ladies-only compartment, or couchette, aboard the Lisinskitrain. We’re discussing the fun of travelling overnight, from meeting interesting people to the changing scenery outside our bedroom window. I’m travelling to understand how Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, can be reached in 20 hours from the UK, with brief and enjoyable stops in Paris and Stuttgart.
Our conversation slows as we’re rocked to sleep from the clickety-clack of the train while it snakes around the Swabian Alps. The night passes smoothly and carefree. These sleeping carriages are as comfortable and clean as any in western Europe, with the added hospitality of super-strong coffee, croissants and personal alarm calls. In a little over 11 hours, an eclectic mix of blurry-eyed families, business people and backpackers have travelled through Munich, Salzburg and Bled, to arrive in Ljubljana.
