Arrived in Vienna with only a couple of minutes of delay. Verdict: the ComfortJet is a very good option, prefer it over RegioJet on the Prague-Vienna route if you value comfort.
The generous bicycle space was unused today at the arrival in Vienna, but I didn't check earlier in Czechia. #CyclingOnRails #KoloVeVlaku
Special mention to the children corner with on-board cinema, a classic of Czech railways.
With 3 hours to my night train, there was plenty of time for another train spotting session. Even the next generation of train spotters was there! 😄
ex-DB ex-WestBahn now ÖBB Stadler KISS.
New WestBahn Giruno, ready for the Koralmbahn railway.
Classic ÖBB carriages with 1 bicycle spot at each end. #CyclingOnRails #FahrradMitnahme
New Cityjet & old CityShuttle. #SuburbanTrain #CyclingOnRails #FahrradMitnahme
RegioJet Prague-Budapest in more detail but not too much, the platform was full of people and don't expect any bicycle spot nor large luggage space here.
The first night train of the evening is headed to Brussels. Apparently SNCF lobbied to keep their logos on there despite slashing the Paris-Vienna/Berlin services. 😤
I then went for bite across the street, with a departure board in the restaurant. Which of course told me I missed the night train to Kyiv. 😯 But I was too hungry anyway, so that'll be for another time.
With that, I boarded the Nightjet towards Rome, with an early 05:38 scheduled arrival in Bologna. A good excuse to finally try the new mini-cabin!
About the storage boxes: it took me a while to firgure out how to unlock them: you have to tap your card on the *main* (and only) reader next to the cabin entrance. Then all your lockers flash green and open.
The shoe box is just enough for regular shoes but you have to slide them sideways. My 40 liter duffel bag fit with a bit of margin in the front. #Nightjet #MiniCabin
As noted by @stefanlindbohm, you'll find generous luggage racks for larger items in the seating car just after the last mini-cabins.
Back to the cabin: I'll note that it's just large enough to fit myself lying, with shoulders and feet touching the walls. On the plus side it's well soundproof (at least in the middle of the car away from the wheels i.e. cabins 50s), except when talkative passengers board late. 🙄 Main downside is the lack of temperature control, it was on the hot side for me.
After a 4:40am wake-up knock on the door by the crew (around Padova), the train arrived with just 5 minutes of delay at 5:44 in Bologna. I was bracing for a dreadful 2h wait in an empty morning station, but Italy being a sensible country, there were already plenty of regional trains running, as well as coffee places opening around 6am. #NotFrance #NotSNCF
So the day started with another impromptu #TrainSpotting session!
Hitachi Rock, the latest generation of double-decker regional train in Italy, with generous bicycle areas right at the doors including European power plugs for e-bikes. #CyclingOnRails #MiaBiciNelTreno
Older regional train. Good these are getting replaced! #MiaBiciNelTreno
Regiolis, Italian edition. With more bicycle space than the equivalent in France (downside: it's vertical hooks). And power plugs for e-bikes. 💯 #CyclingOnRails #MiaBiciNelTreno
Lastly, this model from Stadler Rail. Can't get wrong. #MiaBiciNelTreno
With still more than an hour to spare, I had enough time to walk to Bologna's central square and back. Yes: a main station with night and high-speed connections less than 2km away from the center.
And pleasantly, the direct street was totally empty of cars, as it will host the new tramway once the electric wires are installed. #Bologna #tramway
Intercity Notte. #dawn
Tried business class for a change, direction Milano. #Trenitalia #Frecciarossa1000
Padano fog is real. 🌫️
Not much time to scout trains in Milano, but some outside pictures for completeness.
Oct 19, 2026, 8:18 AM@cycling_on_rails: LOL @ "Storage room for passengers" — Were passengers cramped into that storage room? (SCNR)
@cycling_on_rails too bad it seems like it isn't approved for Belgium yet
@cycling_on_rails Good to know is that if your luggage doesn’t fit, there are extra racks in the seating car with security wires that can be locked with any NFC thing (like a bank card). When I travel with bags, I just board straight onto the seating car and lock the big bag there and then move inside the train to the cabin. Same procedure when getting off, I get out via the seating car.
Additional benefit is that many times you can sit in a real seat there after they steal all the beddings :)
@stefanlindbohm You're getting ahead of the thread! 😄 (Sorry, sloppy connection in Italian tunnels)
@cycling_on_rails Oops spoiler alert 🤓
@cycling_on_rails Yeah, I don't get why they got rid of the Piano Ribassato coaches first before continuing with decommissioning the MDVC.
@cycling_on_rails j'ai eu l'occasion d'aller ces dernières années fréquenter le réseau ferré italien (nord) et j'avais halluciné sur les systèmes de stockage de vélos dans les trains. Je me souviens que sitôt arrivé au pouvoir, le poutinolâtre Salvini s'était empressé de supprimer tout ce qui ressemble à une aide nationale aux vélos. Il y a peut-être le rôle particulier des régions en Italie ?
@nassigny Je n'ai pas cherché en détail pourquoi tel ou tel pays a de bons ou mauvais emplacements vélos dans les trains. En principe le client (région) décide du nombre de places minimum, mais ça dépend de ce que le fabricant a conçu et en stock. Chaque pays a son fabricant préféré donc la culture accessibilité du fabricant joue. Et il y a des économies d'échelle à commander le même intérieur (toutes les régions d'Italie semblent avoir le même modèle), donc ça peut se jouer au plus demandant.
@cycling_on_rails thanks for sharing, i forwarded your post to r/drehscheibe - big up !
@paraliebe Haha I gave up on Reddit as (besides all the algorithmic doomscrolling) posting self-made stuff is banned in most communities as self-promotion regardless of quality. Thanks for forwarding!
@cycling_on_rails you're welcome :)
Oct 19, 2026, 9:34 AM@cycling_on_rails Top or bottom?
@oheso Bottom. I figured it'd be easier to go in and out. Although that sometimes means feet from the person above in front of your face. 😅
@cycling_on_rails The bike space is quite generous but for bikes I still prefer bit different trains just because of the fact that the rear derailleur digs in to the seat. It wasn't an issue when I took it 2 months ago but I was still bit scared when I noticed it.
If you want feel free to "borrow" my photos with more bikes and details of the hook.
For reference, please borrow @plactagonic 's pictures here :) https://f.cz/@plactagonic/117089542205304202