[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"exercise-982":3},{"payload":4,"id":45,"user":46,"level":52,"course":53,"activity":54,"activity_slug":55,"title":6,"topic":56,"tone":57,"stats":58,"created":61,"score":62,"is_favorite":63,"public":64,"is_external":63},{"text":5,"title":6,"answers":7,"questions":38},"When I told my friends I was taking a night train across Europe, they reacted as if I’d announced I was travelling by horse. In their minds, sleeper trains belonged to black-and-white films, along with paper tickets and smoking compartments. Yet on a wet Tuesday in April, I found myself stepping into a modern carriage at 9.45 p.m., holding a QR code and a small bag, ready to see whether the old idea still made sense.\n\nThe appeal is easy to understand. You go to sleep in one city and wake up in another, without losing a full day to airports, security queues and delays. For people who dislike flying, it sounds ideal. But the real question is whether it works in practice, especially when you’re not a luxury traveller with a private cabin and a generous budget.\n\nMy first surprise was how social the platform felt. A mix of commuters, tourists and business travellers were all waiting for the same train, and the mood was calmer than at most airports. On board, the staff moved quickly, checking tickets and pointing people towards their bunks. I’d booked a couchette—six beds in one compartment—because it was significantly cheaper than a sleeper cabin. I expected chaos, but there were clear rules: shoes off, lights out at a set time, and quiet conversations only.\n\nOf course, “quiet” is a relative term when you’re sharing a space with strangers. In my compartment there was a student who had packed crisps, a couple who spoke softly in Spanish, and a man who seemed to believe the corridor was his personal telephone booth. Still, once the train settled into its rhythm, the noises blended into something like background weather. I slept in short blocks, not deeply, but enough to feel human the next morning.\n\nIn the dining car, I met a railway engineer who said the recent return of night services was less about nostalgia and more about practical pressure. Some routes have become too busy for daytime trains alone, while airlines have faced growing criticism over emissions. Night trains, he argued, offer a middle option: slower than flying, but far less time-consuming than a full day on the rails. He also admitted that the system has weak points—limited capacity, complicated cross-border timetables, and a shortage of carriages that can be used on different networks.\n\nBy 7 a.m. we were pulling into our destination, and the station café was already serving coffee to people who looked as if they’d had a normal night’s sleep. I hadn’t, exactly. Yet I stepped onto the platform feeling oddly satisfied. The journey hadn’t been perfect, but it had been straightforward, and I’d arrived in the centre of the city instead of on its outskirts.\n\nNight trains won’t replace planes for everyone, and they won’t suit travellers who need silence and certainty. But for those willing to trade a little comfort for time saved—and for the sense that the trip itself is part of the experience—they are no longer just a romantic idea. They are, quietly, becoming a realistic choice again.","The Quiet Return of Night Trains",{"1":8,"2":13,"3":18,"4":23,"5":28,"6":33},[9,10,11,12],"They assumed it would be faster than flying.","They were jealous because they thought it would be luxurious.","They treated it as something outdated and unusual.","They warned the writer it was too dangerous to try.",[14,15,16,17],"Whether the writer will enjoy meeting new people while travelling.","Whether the practical experience matches the attractive idea, especially on a limited budget.","Whether sleeper trains are environmentally better than buses in every case.","Whether airports are becoming more efficient than they used to be.",[19,20,21,22],"Because it guaranteed complete silence during the night.","Because it cost much less than having a private cabin.","Because it included a hot breakfast in the price.","Because it was the only option available on that route.",[24,25,26,27],"It was only good once the staff told everyone to stop talking.","It was surprisingly deep and uninterrupted despite the strangers.","It was impossible because the compartment was too crowded.","It was not perfect, but it was sufficient to feel okay the next day.",[29,30,31,32],"A change in fashion among young travellers who dislike hotels.","Practical demand and environmental pressure, rather than simple nostalgia.","A major improvement in border controls that made travel quicker.","A sudden drop in ticket prices caused by government subsidies.",[34,35,36,37],"They are only worth it for people who can afford private cabins.","They are slower than planes and therefore not worth considering.","They are a workable option for some travellers, even if not ideal for everyone.","They are mainly a romantic trend that will probably disappear again.",{"1":39,"2":40,"3":41,"4":42,"5":43,"6":44},"How did the writer’s friends react to the idea of taking a night train?","What is the writer mainly questioning in the second paragraph?","Why did the writer choose a couchette?","What does the writer suggest about sleeping on the train?","According to the engineer, what has driven the return of night trains?","What is the writer’s overall view of night trains?",982,{"id":47,"username":48,"first_name":49,"last_name":50,"image":51},23948,"harley-davidson","Harley","Davidson","https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a/ACg8ocJD0KETXvAHpaISIfOtHmvNQSo2JhJOkmYOleW8KnChRvrtStjD=s96-c","B2","Reading","Long Text","long-text","Pick any topic and create a realistic exercise in the style of the Cambridge English exam. Improve the answers, which are too obvious.","Standard",{"times_played":59,"num_favorites":60},2,1,"2026-05-26T15:03:47",null,false,true]