Train Over Plane: Why Slow Travel Is Making a Comeback

2. European Sleeper: The journey itself becomes the attraction

Some travelers want the trip to be part of the story, not just a way to arrive. Operators like European Sleeper promote the idea that sleeping on a train and waking up closer to your destination turns travel into a meaningful chapter of a trip. Travel writers echo this. Monisha Rajesh describes sleeper trains as an almost storybook experience, where shared dining cars and cabin conversations add texture. The slow-journey approach encourages people to engage with landscapes and fellow passengers in a way airports rarely allow. That social element also matters: dining cars and communal spaces create more chances to meet locals or long-distance travelers, which many find more rewarding than hours spent in airport terminals. For planners, a slow route can also fold overnight accommodation into transit: you arrive refreshed when the local morning begins, saving a hotel night and adding scenic value. The point isn’t that trains are always faster; they rarely are. It’s that the time on board offers distinct experiences — window-lit landscapes, unhurried service, and a clearer sense of place — that change how a trip feels and what travelers remember.