Has anyone taken the Thello?

[onlyconnect]

I'm planning a fantasy holiday for when this is all over and am thinking about taking the train over night from Paris to Venice. We're a family of four so could get a compartment to ourselves. Has anyone traveled on the Thello and can tell me what it's like please?

I have been on it several times, although I believe the couchettes have been updated since I last travelled (Dec 2015). Have a look at seat61.com if you haven't already.

The sleeper cars (1, 2 or 3 bed) are much more comfortable than the couchettes. If you book a couchette for four people it is a normal 6-berth couchette with only four beds occupied. The last time we got it, the cotton sheets had been replaced with disposable paper ones which I didn't like at all and my (then) 7-year-old got a bit tangled! I presume the sleepers still have cotton sheets.

Happy to answer any questions you have, I love going on holiday by train!

We’ve done Milan to Paris overnight. I think it was Thello. I actually booked 2 sleeper compartments for the four of us as we are tall and have two very tall teens. Could stand the thought of all being crammed in one! When they were younger we’ve been ok in a four berth, though. I live train holidays and there’s something particularly exciting about sleeper trains! Agree with the seat61 recommendation.

Re what it’s like. It’s clean, reasonably comfy. Cotton sheets provided. Little bottles of Prosecco and water on each berth! I think there was a sink.

The sleeper car is much better than the couchettes.

I went by myself from Paris to Venice last November. My sleeper cabin was comfy. It had a sink in the corner which was covered by a cupboard.

Breakfast is included with the sleeper but not couchettes. But it's only a croissant, orange juice and coffee.

Take a picnic supper as the meals are microwaved and expensive. The buffet car is open 24 hours. It was lovely drinking my coffee at 6am as the countryside rattled past.

Allow plenty of time for your connection when you get back to Paris. We got delayed by 2 hours by the Swiss border guards actually coming into our cabins in the middle of the night to check everyone (going south, the train guard took all the passports to be checked whilst we were asleep).

Overall, I loved it.