There’s a unique sight in the Bavarian countryside twice per year: A nightclub train. The Techno Train, operated by Nuremberg nightclub Haus 33, runs a nonstop 124-mile route in Germany from Nuremberg to Würzburg and back. Yes, nonstop. While the raucous journey lasts about seven hours, there are opportunities to take a breather. A recent story in the Guardian highlights the train’s appeal and why the experience is enjoyable:
Transport rules dictate that there be at least one seat per passenger, and I find a spot in the chill-out area. It’s one of the few carriages that doesn’t have speakers strapped to its ceiling, and that you can’t smoke in. I chat with Vincent, a smiley 22-year-old with a shaved head and mirrored sunglasses, who says he’s part of Nuremberg’s techno scene. I ask for advice as a 40-year-old Techno Train virgin. “Don’t stay in one place – travel up and down the train,” Vincent says. His friend Benedict, deep-voiced and lightly bearded, adds: “Use the toilets early. They get … unpleasant.”
Besides the overused lavatories, the entire adventure seems pretty well organized. The Techno Train is 12 cars long, but only three cars are rolling dancefloors with lights, fog machines, speakers and DJs. The feature also mentions “awareness staff” in red vests who keep watch for bad behavior and rolled-up banknotes. “If we see two people go in a toilet and stay for half an hour, we know something’s up,” one says.
Someone was able to post a walkthrough of the entire train from 2023 on YouTube. Don’t worry, no bathrooms made the video cut. While a visually intense experience, Be sure to read the entire account at the Guardian, including an invitation to the afterparty after the seven-hour voyage.