I Try The Arctic Sleeper Train - The Lapland Express 

I Stay On A Luxury Sleeper Train - Caledonian Sleeper 👉ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vZJKRCA7ANI.htmlsi=t3fV25Oa2GBxqoJ- My Backpack 👉 rb.gy/n5ztoy

“Frostbite is a real thing”. Especially when you’re gloveless when it is MINUS TWENTY.

"Can you imagine sitting in one of these seats for 12 hours!?!" mate those seats look pretty good, living in New Zealand, flights to almost anywhere other than Australia start at 12 hours. My flight to the USA was 19 hours so.. 12 hours in a large train seat with plenty of space to walk around wouldn't be a problem 😂😂😂

I love sleeper trains! The things that bother you, i.e., the noise and the motion from the train, are the things that lull me to sleep.

-20C..Tim where the hell is your hat and gloves?!

As a Lapland resident, I travel semi regularly from Rovaniemi to Helsinki and back, and always enjoy the train journey despite that as a student I often save money and just book a seat. With a good book, 12 hours in a day carriage is doable, but cabin is well worth the price tbh... I love sleeping in those trains, it feels like a cradle, being slowly lulled into sleep by the train swaying and making all those clank-clonk sounds. I'm sorry to hear that your journey didn't go according to plan, but you were travelling during the coldest week there has been for ages, -30 to -40'c in large parts of the country. Finnish railways were in chaos because the frost caused a lot of technical problems for both trains and railway infra - in milder weather Finnish trains are somewhat reliable and mostly in schedule. Cold water and low water pressure were undoubtedly related to frost issues as well. During the busiest tourist season you can sometimes see old sleeper cars being used among the new ones, and you managed to spot one of those! The three-bed cabin with orange basin etc. is one of the so called "blue stock sleepers", first built some 50 years ago! (Renovated several times since, obviously...) Still going strong despite its age, it seems. Other "blue stock" carriages were removed from the regular use in the early 2000's.

“Frostbite is definitely a thing, especially when it’s cold” 😂. Should put that on some merch

11 hours in those seats look more comfortable than 11 hours on a plane in economy!

Been a railway enthusiast myself, this is definably everybody's bucket list to do as it does look real impresses especially touring the winter times. I could see myself trying it out when I'm in Finland.

Complaining about the cold but your literally wearing the smallest jacket ever with no hat or gloves

Tim this is incredible.. to think that you began this channel by recording a walk up the road! Your dedication & support from Gabby has taken you so far & it's such an honour & pleasure to see 🥂

12 hours in those seats with that much leg room seems a lot better than some of my long haul economy flights.

In Finland we like to meme about the trains always being late, but actually by European standards they are quite well on time on average. Unfortunate that your trip didn't go exactly as planned, but you seemed to enjoy it well enough. Btw, those armrest buttons used to be for radio, not TV.

I took that very same train once. It was surreal, because you go to sleep, and you wake up in a different world. Culture, climate, people, buildings, everything is different. It’s like a secret gateway to Narnia really.

Bro the way you’re in -20 -30 weather with no hat, gloves, thin jacket open is insane

Helsinki railway station is an architectural icon, that is high on my bucket list of places I want to visit very soon. I love sleeper trains but I agree, sleeping on a sleeper train is difficult. The only time I managed it was from Chicago to New York after not sleeping on a train from Salt Lake City to Chicago in coach for about 35 hours. So exhaustion prior to trying to sleep on a sleeper might be the answer. The irony is that I fall asleep sitting up on a train during the day because of the motion of the train. Oh, and just as you said "you can't go wrong with a carbonara" my wife passed the TV and said "not if you get bad cream". But I'd do the trip for sure, probably wouldn't sleep, and I'd have the carbonara and risk the cream.

We did this train just before Christmas there and back and had an amazing time with a totally faultless experience, so I guess it's a case of opinions 🙂

Traveling with you through vids is a great experience and i thank you so much for your hard work and determination. U are one of a kind youtuber Tim. Much appreciated

I always thought I would want to go on a train, but after watching this, my claustrophobia is getting me by just watching. Watching you go down narrow hall after narrow hall and not finding the restaurant I just can’t do that. Thanks for sharing because now I know.

I'm a Finn living in the south of Finland. I've done the same route maybe about 50 times on the same sleeper train. It's not ideal, but beats driving up north with little kids every time. Imagine spending 1000 km in a car with three fairly small children... no thanks. Also, with additional cost, you can take your car with you on the train and continue by car from Rovaniemi further up north. That's usually my best choice. A bit pricy, but saves basically one day of travel and your nerves. And you still have a car in Lapland, so you don't have to think about public transportation, which is basically non-existent.

When i was young many years ago in the late 60s i remember traveling in these trains with my parents, these bunk beds braught back some memories, thanks for the video

We wear gloves or mittens in the winter, here in Toronto Canada. They work well.

As a Finn, I got to say that we're really well prepared for cold weather, but the last week or so has been horrendous. So we're used to it, the transportation sector is used to it, but sometimes it gets too cold for even us. :)

This is why I enjoy your videos over all others You are so genuine, you check everything, and more importantly you won't hide things just for the sake of playing up the experience Thanks for being so great!

Glad the pasta was nice and you were able to eat. Being cold and tired is never improved by being hungry.

No loos either on or off the trains, and sub zero temperatures? My worst nightmare, literally!😱😄What a confusing time and so late at night too! But I'm glad you finally got settled...sort of. Don't think I'll be going on that train any day soon, but I still enjoyed the experience through your eyes, Tim. Happy New Year to you and yours!

People may also take shorter trips whit that night train, e.g. late evening trip from Helsinki to Tampere or early morning trip from Oulu to Rovaniemi. Therefore it's great that there are also seats available.

You have to wear a woolen cap and mittens in these freezing temperatures! And a woolen scarf! 😉

No hat, no gloves, no scarf. " Frostbite can be a problem..." Hmm...if only there was something people could do to stop that! :D

12 hours on a seat is pure torture that's for sure. The room looks comfy and private. Worth the euros!

i traveled in the States my home.. on Amtrack.. I went from NYC to Florida on the sleeper car and from Albany NY to Seattle on the sleeper.. great experience !! I love trains.. dislike flying,. Very beautiful train.. so nice a modern the one you were on.. Thanks interesting video

I from the USA and I really enjoyed this video. It’s so interesting to see sleeper trains from other parts of the world. I would love to see you ride and evaluate some of the long distance trains in the USA ❤

Being South African, I would recommend The Blue Train in SA. It's so expensive that the only way most South Africans get to see it, is when it passes by, but it's apparently worth it. And nowhere near so cold. Nice tropical weather.

I have done the Helsinki to the North sleeper train about 10 times as I live in the North of Finland... I've never had a bad experience and I love sleeping on the train... last year my son and I overnighter to Helsinki from up north it was a great adventure.

Your mother never taught you to zip up your jacket when it’s cold?

I was in Rovaniemi last week and it was extraordinarily cold. Minus 32 one day! The owner of the airbnb we stayed in even said that it was unusual to be that cold!

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Experience of a lifetime.

It's just a radio. As child I used to travel in that train a lot with my dad. It was memorable experience. These days I snore on a seat from Kuopio to the Helsinki and back.

What a beautiful country, I visited Rovaniemi in 1975 - wonderful place.

I love that all your videos are real and raw. Like in Vegas. Thank you for being honest.

"Can you imagine sitting for 12 hours in one of these seats?" *Looks at my computer chair that I sit in for 8 hours a day and would sit in for 14-16 hours when I was in my 20's playing MMO's* Yeah yeah I can.

The scenery is so beautiful!

The last two weeks have been rather chaotic with VR's long distance trains... Hours of delays, buses replacing trains, and indeed frozen toilets. I just spent a week in Northern Finland and took night express sleeper trains both ways. The first trip went fine, but on the return trip the train was rather delayed due to other trains breaking down, and some of the toilets weren't working. However the train conductor told us to apply for a refund due to the toilets not working. I believe VR also promises 25% off if the train is more than an hour late, and 50% off if more than two hours late.

Trains are the same everywhere…nothing but problems. It’s absolutely beautiful there …a true winter wonderland. I bet Christmas time is surreal there.

I've used sleeper trains all over the world and found a decent pair of noise cancelling ear plugs essential to get some sleep. Enjoying the vids. Keep up the good work! 👏

Mad respect for these videos Tim. Often so much work going into getting all the shots of you walking, as you're filming it all solo!

Tim blazing it up in the thumbnail 🔥

You would have to admit you were not appropriately dressed for this trip. T Shirt, no gloves, scarf, hat, thin jacket. I understand the luggage restrictions but you’re dressed for Tenerife 🥶

love the sleepertrain episodes Tim!

Hi Tim, I liked the cabin and facilities. It all looked clean and you weren’t sharing. The food looked ok and you said it was the best. Glad the loo was working. These train journeys are right up my track. I watch with interest. Enjoy your sleep Tim and will watch breakfast before I quit here. :) how annoying someone trying your door. Your night a bit disrupted. Breakfast not my choice. Did they have full English 😆 I liked the whole trip Tim… thanks for sharing….

I love sleeping in cold room and i love sleeping in moving trains/cars, i need to do this.

"Frost bite is a real thing, especially when out in the cold", lol that made me giggle.

Great video. This brought back interrailing across europe memories. I always took the top bunk. Good fun and always met some characters. The views looked spectacular though

The Finnish track gauge is 1,524 mm compared to the standard gauge of 1,435 mm as found in the UK. This, together with the Finnish loading gauge being wider than the restrictive GB loading gauge should result in you having more space to move around in the breadth of the train and a more comfortable journey. It'll be interesting to hear your comments when you travel on the Caledonian Sleeper.

Love this! I've ridden trains through parts of Canada and to commute. In my opinion the best way to travel. Now settled in the wild of Vancouver Island and miss traveling. Thanks for posting

Great video as always. Looked freezing outside!! 🥶

Thank you for your honest opinions regarding the sleeper train. I am planning a trip to Rovaniemi with children in Nov and the video helped me in deciding whether I should fly in or take the train. Thanks.

0:00 - Not the Smoothest Start: Issues with toilets due to freezing temperatures and frost on the train, causing delays and discomfort for passengers. 0:15 - Cold Consequences: Facing -20°C temperatures in Helsinki, the train's technical problems exacerbated due to extreme cold weather conditions. 0:43 - Derailed Plans: Initial confusion regarding the correct train, leading to a delayed start and uncertainty about cabin arrangements. 1:04 - Chilly Beer Moment: Grabbed a local Finnish beer at the station, pondering dinner plans due to train delays impacting the restaurant car's availability. 1:59 - Misleading Information: Challenges in obtaining accurate updates, conflicting information on the delay duration caused further confusion. 3:02 - Toilet Troubles: Toilets at the station and on the train out of order, posing a significant issue for passengers waiting for the delayed train departure. 5:23 - Frustration and Chaos: Tension and frustration rising among waiting passengers due to lack of clear communication and facilities. 6:52 - Cabin Exploration: Finally boarding the train, explored the sleeper cabin, noticing space, amenities, and potential noise concerns from neighboring rooms. 10:32 - Shower Mishap: Encountered problems with the shower and room, including cold water and malfunctioning equipment, impacting comfort during the journey. 13:00 - Dining Dilemma: Explored dining options on the train, found food not included in the ticket price, opting for a meal at an additional cost. 14:26 - Train Features and Oddities: Discovered unique features on the train, including older areas, audio controls in seats, and unusual room designs. 16:45 - Sleep Struggles: Challenges with noise, interruptions, and train movements affected the quality of sleep during the journey. 19:32 - Arrival Delay: Arrived significantly behind schedule, experiencing multiple disruptions and inconveniences throughout the journey. 20:55 - Mixed Experience: Despite challenges, acknowledged the uniqueness of the journey, prompting reflection on whether sleeper trains are personally suitable for future travels.

Greetings from Maine, USA! Thank you for sharing your trip with us!

Great sleeper train vlog tim

Thank you Tim for all your hard work in making these videos. What an experience it must have been and documented so well with your eye for detail and realism. This video in particular was fascinating.

Tim, the generators on those locomotives hauling your train must have been working to full capacity to cope with the absolute well below freezing conditions. Just think of the heating and lighting that is needed for a train that size, and even colder when running at speed. The train seems to be very clean and comfortable with a cafeteria part as well. A very enjoyable presentation, thank you. PS - shame about the delays you had at the beginning of your journey.

Loved watching your experience. Thank you.

Wow well done for doing that Tim certainly wouldn’t have been for me! Coldness and lack of sleep would result in me being very cranky! 😂 But it’s great you show us these things ☺️

The sight and the decor of the train is just so wonderful! Youre so lucky to be able to do these things! So jealous!

I am Finn and I think our trains are reliable and always couzy. Nothing ever happens here. It sounds like the -20 degrees have affected them. I think the weather is an exception due to destabilizing climate. I always use ear plugs when I sleep

"Can you imagine sitting in one of these seats for 12 hours" -laughs in American- I can't even count how many car trips I've taken that were over 10 hours! Usually with my car crammed full of luggage and belongings

That is SO creepy that somebody was trying your door!

I m from Saint-Petersburg and was always suprised on seeing foreigners aesoecually from a wsrm countries withour a proper clothing and without a cap or hat in such a cold times. But Ive too heard that British people have a good tradition of not making themselves too warmly dressed, unlike us 😄

I travel between Helsinki and Lapland around ten times a year, always on a sleeper train. Usually reliable, I don't remember when last had delays or something else. I guess you were a bit unlucky here. There seems to be more problems in the daytime connections than in the night trains in Finland. Those old sleeper carriers are not in frequent use. Usually only as a reserve or extras for the Christmas tourist season. This week was the coldest in Finland in around 15 years so I guess they had to replace some normal sleeper carriers to old ones due to "frostbite". And for the longer break when you were having your carbonara - that was the car carrier station, takes around 30 mins to add the wagons. It's common to take a car with you, especially if are heading somewhere else than Rovaniemi in Lapland. The staff should have handled the delay better at the station, hope they see this video.

Really great video from a real traveller just getting on with things without whining or complaining, despite the setbacks. I look forward to watching other videos.

Long lasting frost, breakdowns, a cyber attack and an extensive system failure in Finntraffic’s and HSL’s information systems. Combined these have caused some pretty large disruption on Finnish rails. Luckily this doesn’t happen often.

Hi Tim, I just wanted to say, if you wanted to try a comfortable sleeper train, please come to Brisbane. Queensland Australia and try the "Spirit of Queensland " train starting at Roma Street station and travel up to Cairns, very nice, warm showers and your meals are included in the price. That is in first class, not economy.

Another "Arctic Express" - Arktika - routes from Moscow to Murmansk (69 Degrees North) in around 35 hours! We made this return trip by luxurious 1st Class Sleeper wayback in Summer 2019 - Pre Covid - when there is midnight sun for much of the trip! The train views are especially amazing through the wild lakes of Karelia and then the Khibiny Mountains of the Kola Peninsula!

Fantastic, awaited, new 2024 video Tim! Loved preview on Patreon! Great video worth waiting for as Tim heads back up into the frigid lands, but with a different transportation mode!! Thanks Tim!!

Take a look around you, how others are dressed for very cold weather!!!!😅😂

Thank you for the video Tim. I actually want to give this night train route a go if I ever manage to convince my Finnish husband, who‘s sceptical about the noise. I travelled from Karlsruhe in Germany to Amsterdam in the past and it was great, but the long stops and the noise meant I didn’t get much sleep. By the way the enclosed „vip“ cabins for 2 or 4 people can be booked as an add on from the VR website.

Tim, I have never been on a sleeper train.... However back in the 90s there was a Lowestoft coach journey, to Malgrat de mar in Spain... The journey there, took 27hrs! We finally arrived at the Hotel Marapins, the worst hotel I've ever stayed at, & the journey from hell too! 😂 But.... It really was the best laugh I've ever had on a holiday! Luckily I was young & extremely enthusiastic lol.. & back then for £149 half board Inc travel, what do you expect 😂😂

Excellent. Unlike so many travel’ experts’ , full of practical details such as time , temperature and the experience. Intelligent commentary and no self promoting guff.

Another great video, despite your Helsinki sleeper train adventure not being the best experience. At least the view from the train was breathtaking.

I love how you see the positives in all situations. It rounds everything out. ❤

✨ That looked freezing 🥶 you really put yourself through it . Loved seeing this wouldn’t of liked the confined spaces myself, hats off to you, But the views were so lovely outside ☃️☃️

Agree with difficulty sleeping on sleeper train, between the jolting start, stops, changing cars etc. Room itself was nice

Wow what an experience Tim, well done for taking it all in your stride! It looked a lot less claustrophobic once it got light & you could see the stunning scenery .. Love the new coat 👍🏻

I took that train in Feb 2020. Loved it. ❤

Great video.i really enjoy watching the sleeper train's. Especially enjoyed this because of the snow and freezing temperatures.😊

Those seat belt buckles are probably for when you fold the top bunk up and buckle so it dont fall back down

This type of train is actually really good. They are not new, but the important parts are refurbished a while ago and are quite up to good standards. You had a miserable journey, normally trains don't go this bad in Finland. Cold is never good for any type of train, these trains should cope relatively well (but obviously didn't). The shower and toilets not working well is a shame... Those door locks are the originals: the lock design is really old fashioned but is very simple: keys are not easy to duplicate but are easy to replace, and the locks don't need power to operate.

6:15 The random passenger's reaction LMAO

Still a million times better than our train services in the UK...

Congrats for braving our cold winters!

Amazing video as always Tim! Would love to see you try an older Swedish sleeper train to Narvik, Norway or a ski resort in northern Sweden as i know that atleast the trains to Narvik, Norway travel a really scenic route from Stockholm!

Tim you lucky get!! That cabin looks soooo cozy. I'd love to travel overnight in one of those. (Never go anywhere without earplugs lol)

The whole shower/bathroom situation on trains always stresses me out - something about the shower/toilet being near on top of each other that makes me uneasy (I mean the cleanliness has to be very high). Other than that, despite that individual trying to get into your quarters, this seemed like a pretty cool experience. You are fantastic at what you do.

That suction on the toilet is very impressive haven't even got the at home😂

I get really cold watching you in snowy places I have to put the kettle on 😂 Great vlog Tim, you do an amazing job of capturing the highs and lows of travelling 😀

you weren't tired, when you truly are, you'll fall sleep on front of running PC monitor with biscuit in your mouth and wake up 4 hours later

Other RU-vidrs have taken first class sleepers, and they include food and drink. Might be worth checking it out. Next time, dress for the weather!!!!😅

"Frostbite is a real thing. Especially if it's cold. lol

The Italian in me was crying when you used a knife for the carbonara 😂😂 amazing work as usual mate