Starbucks Opens First Train Cafes

In a move that's hard to believe has not previously been tried, Starbucks is testing a new mobile coffee house by rolling out a Starbucks train carriage.

According to The Local, the first-ever Starbucks dining car is being tested in Switzerland as part of a team-up with Swiss Federal Railways (SBB).

"This is the first train in the world with a Starbucks café," an SBB spokesperson said when the project was unveiled Thursday.

The Starbucks dining car is a two-story carriage with a huge Starbucks logo on the outside that will start operating on November 21 on trains running between Geneva and Saint Gallen, the company says. The lower level will have quick-service options, while the upper level will have a fancier café with wait service that will serve the standard Starbucks lattes, cappuccinos, and other specialty coffee drinks.

SBB says it anticipates the Starbucks partnership will help increase the appeal of train travel in Switzerland.

"Starbucks aboard the SBB will be a place where our passengers can feel comfortable and relax as if they were at home," said Jeannine Pilloud, head of SBBs passenger service.

A second Starbucks dining car is expected to be added to the service in the first quarter of next year. If the 9-month test is successful, the Starbucks coffee house car could be added to trains on other routes.