Comfort
Intercités de Nuit services are unusual for modern European night trains by consisting only of shared couchette cars and seating cars; sleeping cars containing private one- and two-bed compartments were withdrawn from service in 2007.[8] The Corail carriages currently in use were constructed in the 1970s and 1980s, although some have been recently renovated.
Three different comfort levels are provided:
- First class couchette (A9c9ux): four berths per compartment. A pillow and sleeping bags are provided on each berth, along with mineral water and a kit containing earplugs and an eye mask. Toilets and washrooms are available at either end of the carriage. These compartments can be reserved for one, two or three passengers only by payment of a special supplement.
- Second class couchette (B10c10ux or B8c8ux): sixth berths per compartment. A pillow and sleeping bags are provided on each berth, along with mineral water and a kit containing earplugs and an eye mask. Toilets and washrooms are available at either end of the carriage. These compartments can be reserved for four or five passengers by payment of a special supplement.
- Second class seats (A10tuh): reclining seats in a 2+1 configuration. Neither pillows nor blanket are provided.[8][9]
No dining or bar cars remain in operation, but a service car (B8c8ux) is present on most routes where drinks and snacks can be purchased from onboard staff, and where pre-booked bicycles can be transported. Food can also be preorded for delivery to compartments in the morning or evening.[9]
Female-only compartments are available to be booked. No showers are available on board, but passengers travelling in first class couchettes are entitled to use the shower facilities at Paris-Austerlitz and Toulouse-Matabiau free of charge.[8][9]
In 2025 the French government formalised its order for new rolling stock, which it specified should have a range of accommodation options including "reclining seats, couchette-style compartments for families or groups, individual pods for single travellers, two-berth sleeping compartments with washing facilities and luxury two-berth compartments with a private shower and toilet". It stated that these new trains could be in operation as soon as 2030.[7]
