Here’s something you don’t see every day. There’s a train with the same style of seating as business class on an international airline flight. Who knew?
Usually overnight trains have sleeping berths, which consist of a bunk bed type deal. Single berths have a lower bunk while a double is the same space but with another bed dropping down from the wall. Not on this train though!
The Train With The Airline Style Flat Bed Seats
People going from Brisbane to Cairns in Australia by train on Spirit of Queensland can expect a 24 hour journey. Operating five times per week, it offers two classes of service, Premium Economy and RailBed.
RailBed features the lie flat seating, as well as a lot of other perks that mirror an airline’s business class. For example, you get two checked bags at 20 kilograms each, plus all inclusive meals served at your seat.
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- RailBed passengers receive their meals at their seat
In another eerie coincidence, passengers have an 18.5″ entertainment screen which features on demand entertainment. That, coupled with panoramic windows for views as well as shower facilities promise a very nice trip indeed.
Pillows and a mattress topper are also provided to add extra comfort. Only the best airlines offer mattress toppers to make their flat seats more comfortable, so this is a little bit of welcome luxury.
Buddy Seats and Different Seat Lengths
You will see from the picture at the top of this post that the beds are different lengths, with windows being 190cm and aisles being 170cm. The aisle seat beds are shorter to allow the person at the window to get out. Seats are 51.5cm wide or just over 20 inches, all of which is detailed in a brochure here.
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- There are even buddy seats, which are found in first class on some airlines
For people visiting for a chat who may not be sitting beside you, there is a buddy seat as well. Some airlines have this in their first class cabin, though it is becoming less common to find this. All seats also have USB charging, which is vital these days.
Overall Thoughts
I think travelling by train is a very civilised way of getting around. You can often get amazing views, such as on the Amtrak Cascades service from Seattle to Vancouver, plus there is no faffing around with airport security.
Advance Purchase RailBed sleepers are A$389.25 one way, with A$519.00 being the regular fare. This compares to $A221.40 and A$369.00 for Premium Economy, which isn’t too much extra. For all the information on the service, you can visit the Queensland Rail Travel web site.
Are these airline style seats the future for overnight train travel? Will sleeping berths become a thing of the past? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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All images via Queensland Rail Travel.
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If time wasnt an issue, would prefer a nice train over a flight in any case. Looking at the varying scenery, stopping and taking a walk at a station, are why trains will always beat planes for me. I love flying, but a flight is ususally about the destination. Train travel is about the journey. I still remember my last major train ride when our company sent us from BOM – BLR by train for a conference. We had 3 carriages occupied. Coincidentally the same mother daughter couple were somehow alloted seats in our section on both the outbound and… Read more »
True, there is nothing quite like taking a long distance train in any country, whether it be your own or when you’re abroad. You get to see a lot, plus it’s very comfortable. I prefer it to travelling by car in some ways, especially for longer distances. That BOM – BLR sounds like a fun trip – great that the mother and daughter joined in with you all on the return. I do love flying, and for me the flight is part of the journey. It’s why I try to use my points or find decent deals up front. I… Read more »
Trains especially the high speed ones in Europe and Asia are great for trips under 5 hours. The time it takes to get to the airport, check in and make sure you are there 60-120 minutes before hand plus having to go through sometimes multiple layers of security makes train travel preferable. Anything longer a flight is better unless it is a special scenic train with luxury sleeper configuration,
I completely agree, you certainly are better off taking the train over flying on journeys of five hours or less. It’s a shame certain countries have not adopted high speed trains, but I believe they will be the future for shorter journeys. Thanks for the comment!
What are the advantages of the train versus flying? The luggage weight restriction on a train wipes out the biggest obvious advantage. Is the scenery top notch? Are flights horribly expensive? Something else? Sorry, I’ve never been down under, so I lack reference.
You can get the flights cheaper, as the low-cost carrier Jetstar will fly from Brisbane to Cairns in about 2 hours 25 minutes and charge A$169, whereas Qantas on the same sector starts at A$240. The flights are also far quicker. All the train stops on the route – Mackay, Proserpine, Townsville – all have airports too. So I guess it’s the scenery and for people who don’t wish to fly.
Nice post. I am totally appreciate with this post because this post give information about airlines. Thanks for sharing this.
Thank you for your comment!