A quick check suggests it should be displayed soon - already showing for some of March on OEBB and Interrail planner. Others will be able to advise you on best site to get the combination you are looking for.

I assume you have checked Trenitalia for their best advance fare - I found about 80 euro per person but a lot depends on ages etc. Others may know the likely pass reservation fee for groups in deluxe cabins - I believe it doesn’t save much as it only drops the ticket cost, not the cabin fees.

You could travel on the day train for 3 euro each (via OEBB.at) and stay overnight in a small hotel in Rome for about 100 euro per room. There are quite a few near Rome Termini.

Thank you! That’s reassuring. We’re taking the kids on a two week trip and trying to build in variety of trains more than saving money, so coming down to Italy via friends in Konstanz and then the Bernina Express.  Night train to Sicily has been on the bucket list for a while so while there are likely more cost effective options it’s really the experience we’re after! We will start the day in Milan, have 6 hours to explore Rome, then onto the night train and to Palermo for Easter weekend! 
 

By my calculation there’s about total 100 euro saving when buying 5 tickets across that cabin configuration reservation only Vs the equivalent discount fares inc ticket on Trenitalia. 

I booked passholder reservations on the ICN to Sicily through Deutsche Bahn last year. Either on the phone (collect from any DB ticket machine, for instance in Konstanz) or at a major “DB Reisezentrum”.

domestic Italian Nighttrain reservations are difficult to get. 

Either directly from a Italian Ticketoffice or with luck (when the Staff knows how) from a Ticketoffice of DB “DB Reisezentrum” or via a experienced travelagency that use the DB booking system.

Interrail reservation does them but it is consistently cheaper to just buy the regular fares direct from Trenitalia.

A solo cabin from interrail with pass is €124 whereas from Trenitalia it is €80 or €100 for the en-suite Excelsior cabin. It makes no sense.

I know i do it like you but it was especially asked for Interrail reservations for IntercityNotte :/ 

I never got the Excelsior for just 100€ do you have examples? (As of this timetable the Excelsior operate now on the Nighttrain from Sicily (Syracusa to Milan) i will give it a try this year.  

OOI the night train consists of 2 halves. They split at Messina, one part to Syracuse and the other to Palermo after crossing the straits on the ferry. If Excelsior is only available to Syracuse you can always book to Messina and then swap to the Palermo train - this happens in the morning and there is plenty of time to swap at Messina Central after leaving the boat-train. There may be a 3 euro fee for the change but unsure.

That depends on the accommodation you want to book and what fares are still available.

A single is quite expensive indeed as a pass reservation. Trenitalia's Economy fares are cheaper but the full fare is more expensive still.

I just tried a few random dates Jan/Feb/Mar for Rome - Siracuse and that’s what came up. Been looking for myself for this year so noticed it,

In high season they limit the super economy/economy fares more but this time of year they seem to be widely available within 2 weeks, even to the point the “Few remaining” marker is shown.

The base fare is the only one that is more expensive than the passholder rate for solo cabins.

I can’t currently check the interrail prices for multiple people so perhaps passholder fares are better value for sharing?

Be aware that this is not officially allowed. You’d need to find an empty sleeper or couchette compartment and pray that no conductor will find you. :-)

Prices do start at 99,90 € even for an Excelsior Single. But don’t expect too much. I did it use this year and wasn’t impressed (outworn and dirty; but maybe I just did have bad luck). Best thing is the shower (that did work at least). 

Obviously not refurbished then.

Plenty of reports from the last few summers of the sleeper cars on the Sicilian routes having broken A/C while the couchettes have been nice and cool.

It is perfectly OK to do this by buying a reservation from Interrail for a second class seat for 3+2 euro.

Interrail reservation does them but it is consistently cheaper to just buy the regular fares direct from Trenitalia.

 

A solo cabin from interrail with pass is €124 whereas from Trenitalia it is €80 or €100 for the en-suite Excelsior cabin. It makes no sense.

I know i do it like you but it was especially asked for Interrail reservations for IntercityNotte :/ 

I never got the Excelsior for just 100€ do you have examples? (As of this timetable the Excelsior operate now on the Nighttrain from Sicily (Syracusa to Milan) i will give it a try this year.  

 

OOI the night train consists of 2 halves. They split at Messina, one part to Syracuse and the other to Palermo after crossing the straits on the ferry. If Excelsior is only available to Syracuse you can always book to Messina and then swap to the Palermo train - this happens in the morning and there is plenty of time to swap at Messina Central after leaving the boat-train. There may be a 3 euro fee for the change but unsure.

 

Be aware that this is not officially allowed. You’d need to find an empty sleeper or couchette compartment and pray that no conductor will find you. :-)

It is perfectly OK to do this by buying a reservation from Interrail for a second class seat for 3+2 euro.

 

I think you won't get any of the reservations shown in this screenshot. ;-)

At least there is no seating carriage attached to this train. But you may try it. Would be interesting what you'd get... 

This screenshot is from when you're not logged in and doesn't show availability. After logging in, you'll only see available categories, so no seats.

It's just an example of incorrect data in the rail planner app and Interrail/Eurail website.

Interrail reservation does them but it is consistently cheaper to just buy the regular fares direct from Trenitalia.

 

A solo cabin from interrail with pass is €124 whereas from Trenitalia it is €80 or €100 for the en-suite Excelsior cabin. It makes no sense.

I know i do it like you but it was especially asked for Interrail reservations for IntercityNotte :/ 

I never got the Excelsior for just 100€ do you have examples? (As of this timetable the Excelsior operate now on the Nighttrain from Sicily (Syracusa to Milan) i will give it a try this year.  

 

OOI the night train consists of 2 halves. They split at Messina, one part to Syracuse and the other to Palermo after crossing the straits on the ferry. If Excelsior is only available to Syracuse you can always book to Messina and then swap to the Palermo train - this happens in the morning and there is plenty of time to swap at Messina Central after leaving the boat-train. There may be a 3 euro fee for the change but unsure.

 

Be aware that this is not officially allowed. You’d need to find an empty sleeper or couchette compartment and pray that no conductor will find you. :-)

It is perfectly OK to do this by buying a reservation from Interrail for a second class seat for 3+2 euro.

 

I think you won't get any of the reservations shown in this screenshot. ;-)

At least there is no seating carriage attached to this train. But you may try it. Would be interesting what you'd get... 

What a shame - never mind a wait of a couple of hours (coffee and breakfast) in Messina for the next regional train to Palermo would be free of reservations - that is of course if the only Excelsior cabins were on the Syracuse coaches.

Interrail reservation does them but it is consistently cheaper to just buy the regular fares direct from Trenitalia.

 

A solo cabin from interrail with pass is €124 whereas from Trenitalia it is €80 or €100 for the en-suite Excelsior cabin. It makes no sense.

I know i do it like you but it was especially asked for Interrail reservations for IntercityNotte :/ 

I never got the Excelsior for just 100€ do you have examples? (As of this timetable the Excelsior operate now on the Nighttrain from Sicily (Syracusa to Milan) i will give it a try this year.  

 

OOI the night train consists of 2 halves. They split at Messina, one part to Syracuse and the other to Palermo after crossing the straits on the ferry. If Excelsior is only available to Syracuse you can always book to Messina and then swap to the Palermo train - this happens in the morning and there is plenty of time to swap at Messina Central after leaving the boat-train. There may be a 3 euro fee for the change but unsure.

 

Be aware that this is not officially allowed. You’d need to find an empty sleeper or couchette compartment and pray that no conductor will find you. :-)

It is perfectly OK to do this by buying a reservation from Interrail for a second class seat for 3+2 euro.

 

I think you won't get any of the reservations shown in this screenshot. ;-)

At least there is no seating carriage attached to this train. But you may try it. Would be interesting what you'd get... 

What a shame - never mind a wait of a couple of hours (coffee and breakfast) in Messina for the next regional train to Palermo would be free of reservations - that is of course if the only Excelsior cabins were on the Syracuse coaches.

In fact there's everything wrong - there's no seating car, there's no 6-berth-sleeper and the sleeper offer does miss double and t3 and you can't reserve anything. 

But the Excelsior coaches do (only) run to Siracusa. 

Interrail reservation does them but it is consistently cheaper to just buy the regular fares direct from Trenitalia.

 

A solo cabin from interrail with pass is €124 whereas from Trenitalia it is €80 or €100 for the en-suite Excelsior cabin. It makes no sense.

I know i do it like you but it was especially asked for Interrail reservations for IntercityNotte :/ 

I never got the Excelsior for just 100€ do you have examples? (As of this timetable the Excelsior operate now on the Nighttrain from Sicily (Syracusa to Milan) i will give it a try this year.  

 

OOI the night train consists of 2 halves. They split at Messina, one part to Syracuse and the other to Palermo after crossing the straits on the ferry. If Excelsior is only available to Syracuse you can always book to Messina and then swap to the Palermo train - this happens in the morning and there is plenty of time to swap at Messina Central after leaving the boat-train. There may be a 3 euro fee for the change but unsure.

 

Be aware that this is not officially allowed. You’d need to find an empty sleeper or couchette compartment and pray that no conductor will find you. :-)

It is perfectly OK to do this by buying a reservation from Interrail for a second class seat for 3+2 euro.

 

I think you won't get any of the reservations shown in this screenshot. ;-)

At least there is no seating carriage attached to this train. But you may try it. Would be interesting what you'd get... 

What a shame - never mind a wait of a couple of hours (coffee and breakfast) in Messina for the next regional train to Palermo would be free of reservations - that is of course if the only Excelsior cabins were on the Syracuse coaches.

In fact there's everything wrong - there's no seating car, there's no 6-berth-sleeper and the sleeper offer does miss double and t3 and you can't reserve anything. 

But the Excelsior coaches do (only) run to Siracusa. 

Did you not read my reply? I changed the advice to book to Messina and then wait for the next regional train (about 2 hours) and pop out for a coffee and breakfast. 

I accept that jumping ICNs may not have been the best idea but the IR planner does show it as an acceptable train, albeit incorrect.