Women-only compartments on European night trains: which operators offer them

Four of the night train operators we follow say in their own terms that a woman travelling alone can book a bed in a compartment shared only with other women: ÖBB on its Nightjet trains, European Sleeper, SJ in Sweden and SNCF on its Intercités de Nuit. Three more, Vy, Go-Ahead and VR, never put strangers in the same compartment, so the question does not arise. Snälltåget and SJ Norge say nothing about it. Below is what each operator writes, checked 16 October 2026.

Operators with a women-only compartment

• ÖBB Nightjet: ÖBB's page on the ladies only compartment says women can share a compartment only with other women in a Nightjet coach, and that it can be booked in either the couchette coach or the sleeping car. You tick the option "Ladies only compartment" when booking online, or ask ÖBB Customer Service on +43 5 1717 or at an ÖBB ticket counter. The sleeping car page also lists separate ladies' only compartments. ÖBB's own booking FAQ is narrower: it names only the couchette category, at the same price and with the same service as an ordinary couchette.
• European Sleeper: On the page about the train, all three bed classes are described as mixed gender except in the women-only compartment: Classic (couchettes for 4, 5 or 6), Comfort Standard (at most 3 beds) and Comfort Plus (sleeping car). This covers the lines from Brussels to Prague, Brussels to Milan and Paris to Berlin.
• SJ Nattåg: SJ's night train page says that in the shared couchette (liggvagn 2 klass) you choose between a women's, a men's or a mixed compartment. In the 2nd class sleeper (sovvagn 2 klass), if you do not book the whole compartment you can choose a place in a men's or a women's compartment, so there is no mixed option there. The 1st class sleeper is a compartment for one or two people with its own toilet and shower, and SJ mentions no women's option for it. SJ describes these rules for its night trains in general (Stockholm to Malmö, Åre, Umeå and Luleå) and does not single out any line.
• SNCF Intercités de Nuit: SNCF Connect's page on the Intercités night trains describes compartments reserved for women, who may bring children under 12, in the coach closest to the train crew's room. The service is free: you tick "espace dame seule" when booking, and it is offered as long as places are left. The page does not say which comfort class the compartments are in.

Operators where you never share with strangers

• Vy (Oslo to Bergen): A Sleeper ticket gives you your very own compartment with two beds. The cheaper Rest compartment has six berths, but Vy only sells it as a whole compartment, and you register everyone in your party when you book.
• Go-Ahead (Oslo to Stavanger): The night train page says a Sove booking gives you a sleeper compartment with two beds, and you decide whether to sleep alone or share with someone from your own party.
• VR (Helsinki to Rovaniemi, Kemijärvi and Kolari): VR's page on night trains states that the night train cabin is always your own.

Operators that say nothing

• Snälltåget (Stockholm to Berlin, Malmö to Innsbruck): The comfort levels page describes a shared berth with six beds per compartment, shared with other travellers. We found no mention of a women's compartment anywhere on the site. Its questions and answers also say the web booking cannot yet let you choose a seat, a berth or other place features. If you want a women's compartment, ask customer service before you book, or book a private compartment.
• SJ Norge (Oslo to Trondheim): Its night train page describes a sleeping compartment with two beds and a shared toilet at the end of the carriage. It does not say whether single beds are sold to strangers, and it mentions no women-only option.

EuroNight trains are a separate case

Some of the trains sold on nightjet.com are EuroNight trains, not Nightjets. ÖBB's EuroNight page says their coaches and services are run by partner railways and may differ from the Nightjet offer. The ladies only page speaks of a Nightjet coach and says nothing about EuroNight coaches. If your ticket says EuroNight, ask the operator before you count on a women's compartment.

Is it on every departure?

No operator promises it, and none says how many women's places a train carries. SNCF writes outright that the compartments depend on places being available, and the other operators describe it as an option you choose when booking. If it matters to you, book early, and if the option does not show up when you book, phone the operator before paying rather than after.

Read more: Taking the night train from Stockholm to Lund