Among many rail enthusiasts, the consensus seems to be that night trains are the ultimate mode of transport. On paper, the concept sounds very appealing: board the train in the evening, get a night’s sleep, and arrive at your destination the next morning.
That’s the theory. I’ve given night trains multiple chances, but I’ve never really warmed up to them. Whether on the ÖBB’s sleeper car or a private sleeper compartment to Sicily, I’ve never been able to get a wink of sleep and have usually arrived more exhausted than refreshed. So, I prefer an extra hotel night and a daytime train ride.
Since then, I’ve wondered: If aeroplanes have such fantastic and comfortable lie-flat seats, why doesn’t anyone install them in trains? There are examples from Australia and China; finally, a European company has taken the plunge. On the night trains between Oslo and Bergen, the Norwegian railway Vy offers a PlusNight service. This was exactly what I had hoped for. But how does PlusNight perform in practice? I gave it a try.
Similar to a flight review, let’s first take a quick look at the travel details:
- Route: Oslo – Bergen (straight-line distance 305 km, route length 505 km)
- Seat: Car 1, Seat 18
- Scheduled Departure: 23:03
- Scheduled Arrival: 06:27
- Travel Time: 7h 24min
- Travel Date: October 2024
The Oslo-Bergen Rail Line
Since Norway’s rail reform, various railway companies have operated in the country. The Oslo-Stavanger line is operated by the British GoAhead, Oslo-Trondheim went to the Swedish state rail company’s subsidiary, SJ Norge. The famous Bergen Line from Oslo to Bergen remained with the former Norwegian state rail company, now known as Vy.
The entire route from Oslo to Bergen is about 500 km long. Travel time ranges from 6.5 to 7.5 hours per direction, so it’s hardly a high-speed line. That’s not a bad thing, though, as it’s considered one of the most scenic routes in the world—at least when travelling during the day when you can take in the views.
Travel Classes
Depending on whether you’re travelling by day or night, there are up to four travel classes on this route.
Daytime options include:
- Standard: 2nd class seats (2-2 configuration)
- Plus: 1st class seats (2-2 configuration but with more space)
- Compartment: Private compartment with up to 6 seats (apparently a day configuration sleeper car)
Night options include:
- Standard: 2nd class seats (2-2 configuration)
- PlusNight: Lie-flat seats in 1-1 configuration
- Rest: Sleeper car with 6 beds per compartment
- Sleep: Sleeper car with 2 beds and a washbasin per compartment
Starting in 2026, new trains from the Swiss manufacturer Stadler are expected to enter service. They will also feature sleeper and reclining cars, which could mean the end of PlusNight. The rendering images only show first-class seats that recline but don’t convert into a bed.
Booking
Enough on the background. When booking, it doesn’t matter which site you use: you can find tickets e.g. at vy.no or entur.no. The fare structure is a bit confusing. Only standard seats and sleeper cars are available at the lowest, non-changeable fare. To book a sleeper car or PlusNight, you need at least the Flex fare.
I needed to get from Oslo to Bergen for a short trip to Norway. An overnight journey sounded appealing, as it would save me a costly hotel night. About two weeks before departure, I was offered the following prices:
- Standard seat in the Non-Flex fare for around NOK 350 (~€30)
- Standard seat in the Flex fare for NOK 429 (~€37)
- PlusNight lie-flat seat in the Flex fare for NOK 1,129 (~€96)
- Sleeper car (2-bed compartment) with single occupancy for NOK 1,459 (~€125)
Admittedly, I’m usually frugal and would have just booked a regular seat since I can sleep fairly well sitting up. But the idea of trying a lie-flat business class seat on a train was too tempting, so I went with the PlusNight ticket for just under €100.
Booking well in advance pays off in Norway. Booking three months ahead, you could get a PlusNight ticket for as low as NOK 499 (~€43)! Even the sleeper car can be attractive at NOK 757 (~€65) —a real bargain given the usual price levels in Norway. Seat reservation is included with Vy, and you can choose your seat visually without extra charge.
Train Cancellation & Rebooking
Things don’t always go smoothly on foreign train trips either. I’ve had worse luck than with Deutsche Bahn. Last year, a train from Trondheim to Bodø was partially replaced by buses. This time, I received an email a day before my scheduled departure:
The train you were supposed to travel with, 9.october, is unfortunately cancelled due to fire by the track, and it is not possible to provide alternative transportation.
We are very sorry that we can not offer you the trip you had booked.
Contact us at +47 61 05 19 10, or chat at vy.no, and we will help you to rebook your ticket to another train.
E-Mail from vy.no
Fortunately, I wasn’t in a rush and was able to wait to see how the situation developed. I just needed to reach Bergen by October 11. The line reopened on October 10, and once it was clear the train would run as planned, the English-speaking live chat rebooked me to the desired connection: the night train 24 hours later.
In the chat, I was also promised reimbursement for the following costs:
- Necessary hotel night in Oslo
- 50% of the ticket price as compensation (apparently no exclusions for exceptional circumstances)
Processing is expected to take 20-25 business days. So far, I have received the payout confirmation, though the transfer has not yet arrived a week later.
Departure from Oslo
The train departs directly from Oslo Central Station, a clear advantage for the trip to Bergen, as even a short train ride to the airport would otherwise cost over €10.
In the evening, the usual hustle and bustle at Sentralstasjon is less noticeable. Several commuter trains and night trains to Stavanger and Trondheim depart at the same time, but most shops are already closed. I arrived about half an hour before departure (around 22:30) and had to wait until 20 minutes before the train was ready for boarding.
So, let’s dive in:
Cabin
The initial wow factor was significant. Although I had seen photos of the cabin beforehand, it’s always different in person. Somehow, I find Vy’s hybrid product even more fascinating than Trenitalia’s luxurious Executive Class. Perhaps it’s because this product represents the long-desired fusion of aeroplane business class and rail travel.
The PlusNight cabin spans an entire car, with space for 23 passengers. In comparison, a standard car holds 68 passengers, so each PlusNight seat takes up about three times as much space as a regular seat. This ratio is similar to the difference between economy and business class on an aeroplane.
About half of the seats face forward, and the other half face backwards. I sat facing forward but didn’t notice much difference when lying down.
Luggage can be stored either above the seats or in the large luggage racks at the end of the car. According to Vy, two pieces of luggage per passenger are allowed. However, as with most rail companies, this rule is enforced quite loosely.
Although trains on this route had been cancelled on the previous two days, PlusNight on my trip was only about 50% full. In contrast to second class, however, this makes little difference. There’s no one in the way of your legs since each seat is essentially its pod.
Seats
The seat offers privacy but could be improved. There’s no particular visual barrier to the aisle, just a small “wing” that doesn’t do much. Fortunately, at night, other passengers are more focused on their rest, so it’s mostly a psychological feeling of being half in the aisle rather than in a cosy bed.
The manufacturer uses space liberally. If this were an aeroplane, there would likely be at least two or three additional rows with the same space. However, this isn’t a disadvantage, as the seat is unusually spacious. For instance, there’s enough room between the seat and the wall to store a backpack easily.
The seat’s footrest area is also quite roomy. The leg space narrows slightly downward, but my large feet fit comfortably with or without shoes—a clear comfort advantage over standard lie-flat seats in narrow-body jets.
There are parts where the seat design doesn’t seem entirely well thought out. For instance, the power outlet is positioned so that longer adapters stick into the seating area. It’s not a big deal since the space is wide enough, but it would have made more sense to place it between the seat and the window rather than between the seat and the aisle.
The same goes for the small fold-out table. It’s not like I planned to spend a whole seven-hour train ride working on my laptop, but if you’re going to install a table, why not make it a reasonable size?
Seat Comfort
As already mentioned, the space per seat is much larger than on an aeroplane. In planes, some business class seats are not much wider than those in economy class. Here, the seat itself is wider, and there are no uncomfortable barriers on either side.
The seat can be adjusted up or down using two large buttons. It works well, and the motors are strong enough that you don’t need to stand up. The seat is infinitely adjustable, offering thousands of levels for my preferred lounging position—somewhere between upright and reclining.
Although the seat has thick padding, it’s a bit on the firm side. I noticed it at first but quickly got used to it.
Sleep Comfort
The usual routine on a night train is to board, freshen up, and go to sleep. So, comfort in the reclining position is much more important than whether the table could use a few extra square inches. This also fits with the fact that tickets were checked within three minutes of departure, so you can sleep without interruptions.
This is a tricky area for me. On one hand, the seat delivers exactly what’s promised. On the other, I didn’t find the sleep particularly restful. I dozed for three or four hours but kept waking up every 20 to 30 minutes.
But let’s start with the essentials. Each PlusNight passenger (even in economy class?) receives a small amenity kit containing:
- an inflatable pillow (Tip: squeeze the valve to inflate it),
- a surprisingly useful blanket (similar to premium economy on a plane),
- a sleep mask,
- and a pair of earplugs.
The cabin was quite warm at first, but it cooled down over time. Together with the blanket, this created a comfortable sleeping temperature.
There are curtains for privacy, but they’re mostly cosmetic. While they may offer a little privacy, they’re not very effective. The curtain on my seat was partly broken and hardly darkened the cabin. Since I was travelling in winter, it was dark outside anyway, but during the midnight sun in summer, a blackout curtain would be more appropriate.
The lights on the train were completely turned off at night, so I preferred looking toward the aisle rather than outside, where station lights could disturb sleep. Personally, I’m not a fan of sleep masks, so I didn’t use one.
The lights in the car were slowly turned on 10 minutes before arriving in Bergen. I was grateful the train had accumulated a 20-minute delay by then—I wouldn’t have minded if the journey lasted another hour.
Compared to sleeper cars and couchettes, one major advantage is the seat arrangement. I’ve had very poor experiences in trains where you lie across the direction of travel (see introduction). In PlusNight, you lie slightly angled but generally facing the direction of travel, which feels much better for my body.
Ultimately, everyone needs to decide for themselves whether they can sleep on a train. A reclining seat helps—and PlusNight delivers on that promise.
Food & Drink
PlusNight may offer a business-class “hard product”, but there’s nothing more included. Aside from the water bottle (or two, if you take the one from an empty neighbouring seat), no meals are provided.
There’s a bistro car that stays open all night. I didn’t check it out, but the prices are quite high, even by Norwegian standards. You’re better off having a hearty breakfast upon arrival in Bergen.
Extras
The trains offer free WiFi but don’t expect too much from it. When I took this route in the summer, my mobile hotspot was faster than the train’s WiFi. There are also occasional dead zones where neither WiFi nor cell service works.
Toilets are available. However, when I wanted to use one shortly before arriving in Bergen, both were occupied, so I had to pay NOK 10 (~€1) at the station.
PlusNight, as well as sleeper and couchette passengers, can get discounted breakfast and showers in Oslo and Bergen:
- Oslo:
- Breakfast + shower for NOK 290 (~€25) at Thon Hotel Opera
- Breakfast for NOK 195 (~€17) at Thon Hotel Opera
- Bergen:
- Breakfast for NOK 195 (~€17) at Grand Hotel Terminus
- Breakfast for NOK 195 (~€17) at Hotel Zander K
This may not be the best deal. At various Strawberry Hotels, breakfast starts at NOK 190 (~€16) per person. If travelling as a pair and having breakfast on a Monday, it’s only NOK 95 (~€8) per person. No ticket is required, just a free account with the hotel chain. So, these special prices for rail passengers aren’t particularly impressive, but the shower in Oslo might be handy.
- Sleeping comfort
- Sitting comfort
- Extras
In my view, the PlusNight product met expectations exactly: for the short journey between Oslo and Bergen, Vy offers an affordable option that’s a step up from second class and couchettes. As a train enthusiast and aviation geek, it’s simply cool to see these two types of products combine. Just don’t expect service, entertainment, or other amenities.
For many travellers, the sleeper car might be a better—and not much more expensive—alternative. I’m very grateful PlusNight exists and would love to see a similar product from other rail companies across Europe—even for daytime trips!
Starting at NOK 499 (~€43), I think it’s a fantastic deal for what you get. Since I can sleep reasonably well in a sitting position, PlusNight might not have been worth the extra 60€ for me—but it was a great experience.
Translated by Ditmar