You'll have to ask Vy why the compartments with shower/toilet are not (yet?) bookable.

I checked at the VY website and the 1st class compartments are sold out. I also realised that you get the wrong price if you try to make an Interrail reservation for the night train at the SJ website. It is not possible to make a reservation at the VY website. VY asks their customers to make the reservation here:

https://trainplanet.com/en

At Trainplanet I get the correct Interrail price for the night train on the 11th of December. 

A bit strange, just hours after booking opened, but theoretically possible of course.

I see the same prices on both websites (1 person):

• Seat SEK 48
• Couchette SEK 227
• Private sleeper SEK 954
• Shared sleeper (T3 I suppose) SEK 444

Did you see something else?

@rvdborgt Now I get the same prices as you on sj.se but earlier I got a price of over 1000 SEK on sj.se with the same input as I had now. 

There was an item some time ago (or maybe even on another forum) that VY/se would not give away its precious 1st cl. berthes to passholders. A bit similar I think to some hi-class berthes on that Flying Scot of Caledonian. But perhaps this was only in hi-season or due to covid-space-restrictions.

We can't check that now. It does not even show 1st class for normal tickets (not for any date from 11 Dec until 15 Jan), suggesting it is already fully booked on all these dates, which is a bit strange, so I'd suggest to ask Vy when they expect to have 1st class sleepers again.

The answer from VY customer service regarding the 1st class compartments is that those only run on the train to Luleå. But 1st class compartments are not available for travellers with Interrail/Eurail passes.

You guys are amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to research and help me understand! We booked the private 2nd class sleeper car, and are now counting down the days to our adventure! Thank you again for being so kind! 

I wonder how it works, if two people travel together, one with InterRail 1. class pass and 1 with a normal, of Early-Bird ticket. The person with ticket could book the private-cabin and the second one (with Interrail) could join him. Or 1 of 2 people use the same private-cabin doesn’t matter in price, (if both can show a valid ticket for the travel), does it? 

I have been waiting to book a couchette from Narvik to Stockholm but so far the site says that is unavailable for the end of May.  But when I tried the suggested site, Trainplanet, to book, I still cannot see how to use my eurail pass to book: I’d be very very grateful if someone can walk me through the process. Sorry if this is something that has been covered elsewhere, but I can’t find information . thanks!

@juliadbau  You best make reservations for that train at sj.se . Reservations for VY night train opens about 90 days in advance 

Thank you very much for advice. Can I also ask: how to reserve a night train in Norway from Trondheim to Bodo using my pass: is that via the same sj.se site?

No, best to book via Entur. Either by phone or by using the chat on their website.

Okay, thanks, rvdborgt!. I shall try the chat function, too expensive to ring from Australia.  Do they charge a lot for the reservations?  (I have a first class global pass)

Is it mandatory to reserve all Norwegian trains in advance,  or do you think it is okay to just turn up at the station and do it then?  I can’t imagine that they’d be completely full in May, but having never been there have no idea!  Just so that you know what I am planning:  Kristiansand to Stavanger 4pm on May 19th.  Bergen to Oslo with side trip to Flam May 22, Oslo- Andalasnes May 24,  Andalsnes- Trondheim May 25 then night train to Bodo same date.  Then Narvik to Stockholm about a week later.  I’ve noticed that it is easier to give advice when exact details are provided on this forum: am so grateful for any help! 

19 May is in the long weekend of Ascension day (which is 18 May). Is could be quite busy then. Also take into account that, although you can book reservations at a ticket office just before travelling, there are only 5 of them in the whole country. The ticket machines do not issue pass holder reservations. So you'd have to call or chat with Entur anyway in some cases. Entur will send reservations by email and are happy for them to be shown on screen.

With a 1st class pass, seat reservations are free of charge. Reservations are not required from/to Åndalsnes as far as I know (spelled Aandalsnes in the app); at least we didn't need them last year August but you can check with Entur.

The night train Narvik-Stockholm can be quite busy around holidays and the last weekend of May is Whitsun weekend. I don't know how popular the night train Trondheim-Oslo is; it is around €100 per 2-person sleeper compartment (regardless of whether you're alone or with 2) and they don't have couchettes as far as I know. Narvik-Stockholm is a lot cheaper, with couchettes for SEK 227 (€20.50) and berth in a 3-person sleeper for SEK 444 (€40).

Thanks for all your information: I had no idea that the last weekend was a holiday weekend…  so much for careful planning.  It is so useful to have this guidance - especially with regard to the overnight trains. 

Entur it is!  at least now I know what to do.  

In much of Europe it is. It also helps to google "holidays” and the country name.

Yes,  I have planned around May 1 and thought that May 17 was just a one day holiday in Norway but had no idea about Whitsun.  Just remembered that the European Railway timetable does have a list of national  holidays but I don’t yet have the new Spring one,which was out last week - I found that extremely useful last year as a back up to online timetables and information in case anyone is interested.

I am also looking to book Narvik to Stockholm for late May / early June with an Interrail pass. I will have a first class pass, but I assume that makes no difference for reservations on this train?

Is the best way to use the TrainPlanet website? Do you know if couchette / cabin reservations made this way can be changed or cancelled later?

You can compare prices and cancellation conditions between Trainpanet and sj.se. Start a booking and see what conditions they give. The class of your pass doesn't make a difference for this train.

Thanks for this, very useful. I didn’t realise you could buy these tickets on the sj.se website. It seems to sell them and to allow Interrail/Eurail users to purchase a full (2nd class) compartment. 

Both websites seem to be selling tickets up to the end of April. Any idea when they will sell for May and June?

Hi, i jump in this conversation for a question on the same route ;Stock-Narvik :-)

To make the reservation with your interrail pass, you need to provide a number. Which number is it?

Do i have to create a one-day ticket to have a number or is it the pass number I received when i purchased the pass ?

Thanks

Delphine

As there is no check what number you write at sj.se , you can write whatever you like. So use your pass number, that will be fine.

It seems reservations are now open for the summer seat on this Narvik to Stockholm route. Can anyone help with info on the direct train??

I am looking at the different booking sites and they all show the connecting service (regional service connecting to a night train from Boden) available most days. But the direct night train is not available any day, with any type of seat/cabin. 

Is this because it is sold out already, or is it simply not released yet? The Vy website just says booking open for the summer, I can’t see any more specific information!

Exactly what date and what type of compartment are you looking for? Some compartments only run between Boden and Stockholm.