I took the Sydney to Melbourne sleeper train - here's what you need to know

I'm travelling from Sydney to Melbourne on a flatbed. If you've started imagining the pointy end of an aircraft with fully reclining seats, then you couldn't be further from the truth. Because my vehicle for this trip is a sleeper train.

It's an overnight journey and - as opposed to a 90-minute flight - it will be almost 11 hours long. But who cares? I'm travelling in a fairly spacious cabin with two windows and two bunk beds, which means I'll be sleeping for most of this trip. And to further sweeten the deal, my travelling companion and I have an ensuite to ourselves.

Rail journeys all over the world - and, in particular, sleeper trains in Europe - are enjoying a massive revival. Sustainability is the key factor. Rail travel - after all - is estimated to be 12 times more efficient than air travel, according to the European Environment Agency. Considering the Sydney-Melbourne leg is the fifth busiest domestic flight route in the world (with more than 54,519 flights each year), it's surprising that train travel is not more popular between our two biggest cities.

But in an even more astounding twist of events, NSW TrainLink - which operates this twice-daily service in both directions - is about to phase out the existing trains over the next few years, replacing them with new ones that will only feature reclining seats.

So now, probably, is the last chance to experience this overnight rail journey on a flatbed, with the rhythmic clickety-clack of the coach putting you to sleep. Here's what to expect if you sign up for it.

The overnight trains have coaches with reclining seats, too, and while you can book them on the Transport NSW portal (transportnsw.info), sleeper berth reservations can only be made on the phone or in person. And for good reason. The two bunk beds in a single cabin can only be allocated to travellers of the same gender, unless customers are known to each other. And it's the job of the booking officer to ascertain that - on the phone or in person.

Having to make a phone call may sound like the start of a nightmare, but Transport NSW's call centre service is exceptional (13 22 32). I only have to wait a couple of minutes to reach a very well-informed and helpful operator.

Hot tip: Sleeper berths almost always sell out on these trains. Tickets go on sale about seven months before travel dates, so the sooner you book the better your chances of securing one of these flatbeds.

At about $270 one way for sleeper class, the pricing is more Qantas than Virgin or Jetstar. But while it may seem steep at first, remember you're travelling from the CBD of one city to another, eliminating - in most cases - expensive taxis. The pricing is also fixed, whether you book seven months in advance or on the day of departure, so you'll never feel like you're being exploited by an unscrupulous price-gouging airline. And here's the ultimate win: you can cancel your ticket and get a full refund until seven days before departure, after which a small cancellation fee of just $5.50 applies.

Hot tip: If sleeper berths for the night of your journey have sold out, remember, cancellations happen all the time. So try again in a few days.

Arriving at the station to board my train is one of the best things about this journey. There are no queues, no tedious check-ins, no security checks - just a quiet station with the train waiting on the platform, with experienced conductors happy to help.

The train leaves Sydney on time (8.43pm) and arrives in Melbourne the next day on schedule (7.34am). Each passenger gets a small tray of snacks with a water bottle and biscuits, along with a basic toiletry bag and a towel, which they can use to shower in the ensuite (more on that soon).

Within minutes of arriving in my cabin, one of the conductors greets me and - because it's my first time in the sleeper train - explains to me how it works. The seating is set up for daytime journeys, but whenever my fellow traveller and I are ready to sleep, the conductor will turn it into bunk beds, which they do with crisp white linen.

There's not much to report about the rest of the journey, which is a good thing. When it's time to doze off, I switch off the lights, draw the curtains, go to sleep and the next thing I know is: it's daytime and the train is fast approaching Melbourne.

Hot tip: The bathrooms on sleeper cars are minuscule and each is shared between two cabins (or four passengers). But on each carriage, there's one cabin at the end that has access to its own bathroom. Book in advance and don't forget to ask the operator for one of those prized cabins.

This is the most disappointing aspect of the journey. There's a dining car attached to the train, where you can buy ready-to-eat items like sandwiches, muffins and chocolates, as well as a few alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. You have the option to order a hot meal, too, at extra cost. There are two options today: a chicken curry with rice and vegetarian lasagna. I place my order with the conductor before the train departs Sydney - and my meal is not ready for collection until after 10pm. And was the meal worth the wait? Absolutely not.

The conductor will also ask before departure if you would like "breakfast" the next morning. Don't expect airline-style omelettes and bacon with a side of orange juice. It's very basic cornflakes and milk - and more a device to wake up the guests before arrival than a sumptuous breakfast.

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If it's your first time in a sleeper train, here are a few other things to keep in mind.

1. Travelling in a cabin with a stranger may pose some challenges - from bad odours to snoring. So it's best to travel with someone you know.

2. There's no Wi-Fi or "onboard entertainment", and phone reception is patchy. So download your favourite Netflix programs on your device before you board the train.

3. Food and snacks are pretty basic. Feed yourself before the trip or BYO.

4. If you're a light sleeper and unaccustomed to train travel, the constant movement and noise of the train, as well as stops at stations along the way, may pose an issue.

NSW TrainLink operates the train between Sydney and Melbourne with sleeper cars daily in both directions (from $234.63 to $271.29 per person). For more information, visit transportnsw.info and to book sleeper berth call 13 22 32.

The writer travelled with assistance from Visit Victoria.