Night train sets off for Brussels

A dust cloud billows over a street in Dubbo, Australia. Wind gusts of 107 km/hour were recorded as the dust storm descended on the town

Vienna, Jan. 20: The first night train to set off for Belgium in 16 years departed from Vienna Sunday, carrying Austrian and European politicians who hope the new route can set an example as the continent tries to meet its climate targets.

The carriages of the ‘OBB Nightjet’ pulled out of Vienna’s main station punctually at 8:38 pm to the strains of a live band playing the EU anthem Ode to Joy, the slogan #loveyourplanet emblazoned along their sides.

Scheduled to arrive in Brussels at 10:55 am on Monday, the rail journey emits less than a tenth of the CO2 per passenger than the equivalent flight.

Austrian state railway company OeBB has for several years been a pioneer in the revival of night trains, and OeBB board chairman Andreas

Matthae said he was “proud” of the new route.

Joining a clutch of Austrian MEPs was Martin Selmayr, previously the powerful chief of staff to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and now the EU’s representative in Vienna.

For British holidaymaker Daniel, 35, the train was the clear choice -- not for environmental reasons but for comfort. “No airport routine, it's nice and easy... it’s relaxing,” he said.

Liesbet Vandebroek, who lives in Austria but works for the tourism authority of Belgium's Flanders region, said it was important for her to make the frequent journey to Brussels with “as small a footprint as possible” but also waxed lyrical about the romance of the night train.