caledonian travel to london

Caledonian Sleeper: 16 Things You Need To Know Before Riding

The Caledonian Sleeper is one of the most luxurious sleeper car trains in Europe. It is an incredible way to experience a trip to Scotland from London.

• 1 What is the best Caledonian Sleeper Route
• 2 What are the best rooms on the Caledonian Sleeper
• 3 Is food included on the Caledonian Sleeper
• 4 Is the Caledonian Sleeper Safe
• 5 Are there showers on the Caledonian Sleeper
• 6 What are the seats like on the Caledonian Sleeper
• 7 How long does the Caledonian Sleeper take
• 8 Do you have to share a room on the Caledonian Sleeper
• 9 Is the Caledonian Sleeper worth it
• 10 Do you get towels on the Caledonian Sleeper
• 11 Can you smoke on the Caledonian Sleeper
• 12 Are dogs allowed on the Caledonian Sleeper
• 13 Do you have to change trains on the Caledonian Sleeper
• 14 Can you upgrade your room on the Caledonian Sleeper
• 15 Is the Caledonian Sleeper Expensive
• 16 How long before departure can you board the Caledonian Sleeper

What is the best Caledonian Sleeper Route

Starting from London Euston and heading north, the route to Fort William is the best Caledonian Sleeper route. Much of the reason you’ll be riding on this train is to experience the train, and this is the longest route which will give you the most time on board. It’ll mostly be dark outside for your whole trip, so don’t judge based on scenery, or lack thereof.

On shorter routes to Glasgow and Edinburgh, the Caledonian Sleeper ride is so short at around 8 hours that you’ll hardly experience the train during waking hours. On a trip to Fort William from London it’ll take 13 hours, giving you plenty of time to enjoy your journey.

What are the best rooms on the Caledonian Sleeper

The best room on the Caledonian Sleeper is the Caledonian Double. Unique in that two people can sleep on the same level, it is one of the few sleeper rooms in the world that doesn’t utilize bunkbeds. We found the bed to be plenty big for our needs and the included shower and toilet is a real bonus.

If the Caledonian Double is out of reach, the Club Room is also a great choice. It has bunk beds and the same shower and toilet combination as the Caledonian Double. If neither of you feel comfortable going on the top berth you should opt for the double.

Is food included on the Caledonian Sleeper

Breakfast is included on the Caledonian Sleeper, but evening snacks and meals must be purchased from the Club Car. Breakfast was a limited offering, and we thought the evening meals were good, but the portions were smaller than at a restaurant. On our trip we opted for the nachos and sliders. They both tasted good, and at that late hour are about all you will need.

If you show up having not eaten since lunch, just understand you may need to order a few different things.

Is the Caledonian Sleeper Safe

The Caledonian Sleeper is very safe! The staff and security work hard to ensure passengers are safe and comfortable during their entire trip. We felt safe at all times including while boarding, eating, sleeping and getting off the train. You should not have any concerns over safety on the Caledonian Sleeper.

Are there showers on the Caledonian Sleeper

Caledonian Double and Club car rooms come with a private shower on the Caledonian Sleeper. The shower is integrated into the bathroom, so you’ll flip the toilet seat cover down and it then doubles as a bench for the shower. Water was warm and plentiful when we tried the shower, and overall it was a good experience.

What are the seats like on the Caledonian Sleeper

Comfort Seats on the Caledonian Sleeper are very nice and provide a comfortable ride to your destination. If we were riding this train though, and were not going to get a room, we’d probably opt for one of the day trains from London, which would be faster and cheaper than riding in the Comfort Seats. The main purpose for riding this train is to experience sleeping on the train, and it is hard to sleep in the Comfort Seats on the Caledonian Sleeper.

How long does the Caledonian Sleeper take

The fastest the Caledonian Sleeper can get to its destination is the route to Glasgow which takes 7.5 hours and the longest route, to Fort William, is almost 13 hours. The routes to Glasgow and Edinburgh are too short to fully enjoy.

Do you have to share a room on the Caledonian Sleeper

Rooms on the Caledonian Sleeper all sleep 2 people only. If you book a room with 2 passengers, you won’t be sharing a room with anyone else. There are no 4 or 6 person rooms on the Caledonian Sleeper.

Is the Caledonian Sleeper worth it

The Caledonian Sleeper train is one of the nicest overnight trains in the world and is worth the money it costs to ride. If you want to experience an upgraded luxury feel to your sleeper car accommodations, the Caledonian Sleeper is not to be missed on your next trip to Scotland.

Do you get towels on the Caledonian Sleeper

Towels are provided in sleeper car rooms on the Caledonian Sleeper. You will not need to bring your own towels to utilize the shower facilities while riding.

Can you smoke on the Caledonian Sleeper

Like most trains, smoking is not permitted on the Caledonian Sleeper in any area. You are able to smoke at the station before you board, and when you get off, but there aren’t many opportunities to smoke while riding.

Are dogs allowed on the Caledonian Sleeper

Dogs and cats are allowed in the sleeper rooms on the Caledonian Sleeper. They must remain on the floor and not sleep in the beds. They are not allowed to come to the Club Car with you while you eat. A cleaning fee of 30 pounds is charged per room and you are allowed to bring 2 pets with you on your trip.

Do you have to change trains on the Caledonian Sleeper

You will not have to change trains while riding the Caledonian Sleeper. All of the trains go directly to their destinations without the need for changes so you can sleep while the train is moving.

Can you upgrade your room on the Caledonian Sleeper

You can upgrade or change your room type on the Caledonian Sleeper Flexible Ticket up until two days before your trip. If you are on a Fixed Advance ticket, no refunds, changes, or upgrades are allowed.

Is the Caledonian Sleeper Expensive

The Caledonian Sleeper is an expensive train to ride, and the high cost is justified by luxury feel and updated train cars. While more expensive than other sleepers in Europe and the USA, it is the most updated experience you can get on a train and is worth the price.

How long before departure can you board the Caledonian Sleeper

We were surprised to know that we could board the Caledonian Sleeper quite early before our train departed. Take advantage of this, as the train ride isn’t very long. Trains to Edinburgh and Glasgow are available to board up to 1 hour and 40 minutes before departure. On longer routes to Fort William, Inverness and Aberdeen, you can expect to board 45 minutes before departure.

Robert Marmion

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Another great trip with Caledonian.

A great trip with Caledonian to Torquay on the steam & cruise tour staying at the Riviera Hotel for 7 days & 6nights. Our driver was Dave, a very good driver with a down to earth attitude which might not go down well with everybody. We liked it! He was informative about our tours and was always on time at our collection points. The hotel was great! Helpful reception staff Nicki in particular was brilliant, comfortable clean rooms, good food and entertainment. Beautiful walk-in shower with lashings of hot water. We have stayed here before and wouldn’t hesitate to stay again. Well done Caledonian and The Riviera Hotel!!

Date of experience : 08 September 2024

For the price excellent breakfast ,3…

For the price excellent breakfast ,3 course evening meal 4 free drinks trips out on the bus entertainment only thing wrong last time previous driver let people sit where they wanted not in the seats that you booked ,our seats I booked but he let others sit in them that's the only co.plaint apart from that love caledonian travel

Date of experience : 19 August 2024

Comfortable coaches

Had a great experience with Caledonian travel the coaches are comfortable plenty of leg room. The driver was pleasant and kept us up to date with developments of our trip. The hotel was was ok for an overnight stay. I would definitely recommend this company if you are thinking about a coach holiday

Date of experience : 07 September 2024

Booked a 5 day holiday over the phone , very pleasant lady , knew what she was doing and helped me find the most perfect holiday . I’m counting the days down xx

Date of experience : 19 September 2024

Value breaks

Their website is easy to use. Once I decided on the destination/break I wanted, I was able to book without any issues. I always book with Caledonian as their breaks are great value.

Date of experience : 13 September 2024

Excellent Holiday Aberdeen…

Excellent hotel and food great as well as places visited Looked at comments before holiday which could put people off but I found hotel clean, food Excellent, Staff friendly, rooms clean.

Great company to deal with

I found booking my holiday on the phone easy. The gentleman who dealt with me was efficient, friendly and polite and it was all done in a few minutes. I always find Caledonian easy to deal with and highly recommend them. They offer great value for money and I have been on many holidays with them

Date of experience : 15 September 2024

Booked a four day trip to the isle of…

Booked a four day trip to the isle of white over the phone with a gentleman called Brian he made the whole process from start to finish very professional and explained everything perfectly Thanks

Date of experience : 11 September 2024

Positive first ever coach tour

I had a lovely last minute break in Scotland the excursions were great just sometimes not long enough . I would have liked more time and a guided tour in Glasgow. Ian our driver was great he made the whole experience fun. The only criticism would be the hotel I had read the reviews one said faulty towers and it didn’t disappoint, the dining arrangements are shambolic no table allocation means running around to find seating, which if you leave to get food someone comes and occupies!!

Date of experience : 09 September 2024

the interchange at motorway services…

the interchange at motorway services was very very bad we all had to wait 2 hours and 45 mins to change buses.this never use to happen till caledonian changed its ways of operating. there are a lot more chances of 1 bus getting held up then you have to wait for 3 or more buses.then you get people who have booked seats but someone is already sitting there with the same seat number because they was 3 buses not 1.

Date of experience : 29 July 2024

Hotel Disaster

First time trip with Caledonian.Coach drivers' are excellent with their care and attention to passengers. The hotel in the Isle of Wight-Shanklin Bea ch lets the company down hard to give this hotel 1 star run down and shabby and dirty very disappointed

Been on lots of coach trips/holidays

Been on lots of coach trips/holidays, used to go with my mum n brother who are sadly not here anymore, just booked for myself and grandson for Oct and also Amsterdam in Feb with friends for my birthday treat, no doubt be a few more between those dates ;) the drivers are fantastic the hotels are perfect for the prices, only ever had one bad one but you don't use it now I noticed, it's great value for money ..keep up the good work

Date of experience : 16 September 2024

Could not take call as i was outside

Could not take call as i was outside, i said ring back in 5mins, no call after 2hrs, could not get Gateshead office,got throught to another town,Gateshead returned call when i was at school, husband took call and made booking but was over charged by £120 . Glad to say have been re imbersed for this amount.

Date of experience : 06 September 2024

Day trip to Carlisle

Great day out, perfect shopping trip also great sights like the castle and cathedral, the lanes shopping centre is covered so no need to worry about the weather.

Fantastic holidays

Quick and essy to book holiday on line. Staff are always very helpful when you call. The holidays are always great the drivers do all they can to make your trip fun and enjoyable and the hotels are excellent.

Harrogate flower show 2 days

Very well organised from start to finish. Very comfortable coach lovely hotel food very good and the flower show excellent.b Excellent driver Kevin and lovely staff at the Holiday Inn

Date of experience : 14 September 2024

Traveled with Caledonia many times and…

Traveled with Caledonia many times and cannot fault them, got another one booked next year, as the main driver it is good to sit back and watch the world go by

Date of experience : 01 July 2024

Need to supply info

Trip to Liverpool bus & driver were not ran by Caledonian. Driver said hoping to get there at 1 but might need to stop for a break, we ended up stopping twice and got there at 2:30. Driver said take all your belongings as I won’t be taking you back and left. No info supplied on hotel and all passengers had to ring help line to find out who and when we were being collected. Ok for the price but very lacking in info and has put us off booking an again.

Our coach trip to Weston Super Mare was…

Our coach trip to Weston Super Mare was so enjoyable. We had a sea view which was amazing to watch the choppy sea. Food was nice, hotel was quite dated but clean. Staff were lovely and very obliging. Driver was lovely and kept us informed. Doing another trip to Torquay soon.

Great itinerary, good hotel and food. Our driver was very professional and amiable making it an overall excellent 4 day excursion of Oxford, Stratford and the surrounding area. We'll done Caledonian.

Date of experience : 05 September 2024

The Man in Seat 61

London to Scotland by

Caledonian sleeper.

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Every night except Saturday night, Caledonian Sleeper trains link London with towns & cities all over Scotland, arriving in time for breakfast.  It's the most civilised, romantic, time-effective & environmentally-friendly way between central London and the heart of Scotland, for a weekend in the Highlands or business meeting in London.  Brand new carriages entered service in 2019, see photos of what the sleeper is like or watch the Video guide .  Last updated January 2024.

Sleeper times northbound

* = The Highland sleeper in fact stops at Edinburgh, where the three portions divide, but it's an unadvertised service stop.

Always check train times for your dates of travel at either www.sleeper.scot or www.nationalrail.co.uk .   Weekend engineering work can affect times at weekends, so please double-check when you book.

There are no sleeper trains on Saturday nights.

The shading highlights the different portions of the train, the London-Inverness, London-Aberdeen & London-Fort William portions of the Highland sleeper and the London-Glasgow & London-Edinburgh portions of the Lowland sleeper.

You can remain in your sleeper until 08:00 on arrival at Edinburgh & Glasgow.

Sleeper times southbound

* = The Highland sleeper in fact stops at Edinburgh, where the three portions are combined, but it's an unadvertised service stop.

No sleeper trains run on Saturday nights.

The shading simply highlights the different portions of each train.

You can board your sleeper from 20:00 (19:45 on Sundays) onwards at Inverness, from 23:00 (22:30 Sundays) at Edinburgh and from 22:00 at Glasgow.

How the sleeper works:  2 trains, 5 portions

Two lengthy 16-car Caledonian Sleeper trains leave London for Scotland every night except Saturday nights and 24, 25, 31 December.  The Highland sleeper has 3 portions which split around 04:30 at a service stop at Edinburgh into a portion for Stirling, Perth, Aviemore & Inverness, another for Dundee & Aberdeen, and another for Fort William.  The Lowland sleeper has 2 portions which split at Carstairs, one for Edinburgh & another for Glasgow.  The Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness & Aberdeen portions each consist of up to six sleeping-cars, one club car and one seats/baggage car with bike spaces.  The London-Fort William portion consists of just two sleeping-cars, but you can use the Aberdeen club car in the evening and another club car & a seats/baggage car are added at Edinburgh for the morning part of the journey to Fort William.  Seats passengers between London & Ft William must switch cars at Edinburgh.

How much does it cost?

A return is two one-ways .  So you can mix & match a sleeper train one-way and a daytime train back.

Fares are dynamic like air fares , they vary according to demand.  Check prices for your date at www.sleeper.scot .

These trains are sold per room, like a hotel .  If you pay for a twin, the price covers 2 people.  If travelling solo, you must book a single.

Club & Caledonian Double fares include breakfast .  In Classic rooms, breakfast is available at extra cost.

Fixed ticket = no refunds, no changes to travel plans.

Flexi upgrade = fully refundable before 12:00 on the day before the sleeper leaves.

If there are 3 or 4 of you , you can book 3 or 4 people in Classic rooms & select two adjacent 2-berth rooms with inter-connecting door .

To get the cheapest prices , book as far ahead as you can, because prices rise as departure approaches.  You're more likely to find the cheapest fares mid-week rather than on busy Friday or Sunday nights.  And obviously, May or June is busier than February or November.  Cheaper fares are more plentiful on the lowland routes (Edinburgh/Glasgow) than highland routes (Inverness/Aberdeen).

Children under 5 go free, although they don't get their own berth.  Cots can't be provided as there's insufficient room, but a lightweight travel cot like this fits on the floor for babies up to 18 months.  A 2 or 3-year old can sleep quite comfortably head-to-toe with an adult in the lower berth, if you can get the little so-and-so to sleep when he's so excited about being on a sleeper train, of course.  If you want them to have their own bed, add them to the booking as a 5-15 year old and pay the relevant room rate.

Children under 16 get a reduction on the fare when included in the booking, for example 2 adults in a Classic twin room start at £170, 1 adult & 1 child in the same Classic twin room starts at £140.

Railcard holders

A 16-25 railcard, Senior railcard or Forces railcard gives a 34% discount on single-berth sleepers & seats, but not on 2-berth sleepers (even if both passengers have a railcard!).  A Family & Friends or Two Together railcard will give a discount on seats, not on any sort of sleeper.

You can of course buy an any permitted route Off-Peak ticket for your journey with 34%  railcard discount, this is valid on any operator including Caledonian Sleepers.  Then you must add the sleeper room supplement booked separately at www.sleeper.scot - although you'll need to check if this saves money over buying one of Caledonian Sleeper's own berth-inclusive fares without any railcard discount.

If you have an existing ticket, Rail Rover, BritRail, Interrail or Eurail pass

If you have a BritRail pass , an All-Line Rail Rover , an Interrail or Eurail pass or simply a normal Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak or Anytime ticket between London & Scotland, you can travel in a sleeper by paying the room supplement.  You can do this online at www.sleeper.scot .

How much is the sleeper room supplement?

If you have a standard class ticket or railpass, £145 for one person gives sole occupancy of a Classic room or £165 for two people gives dual occupancy of a Classic room.  You cannot use a Club room with a standard class pass or ticket.

If you have a first class ticket or railpass, £195 for one person gives sole occupancy of a Club room or £225 for two people gives dual occupancy of a Club room.

How to book a sleeper with an Interrail, Eurail, BritRail Rail Rover or existing open ticket

Go to www.sleeper.scot and tick the Room Supplement Only box.

Use this to make a sleeper reservation to go with any pre-existing ticket including BritRail passes, All-Line Rail Rovers, Interrail, Eurail, and ordinary daytime Super Off-Peak, Off-Peak or Anytime tickets for the journey in question.

Alternatively, call the new Caledonian Sleepers Guest Services Centre on +44 141 555 0888 , lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 08:30-14:30 Saturday, 14:30-18:00 Sunday.  Sleeper b ookings now open a full year ahead.

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How to buy tickets

You simply print your own ticket or show it on your phone.  www.sleeper.scot  can also add add dogs or a bike to your booking.

To book by phone , call Caledonian Sleeper Guest Services on 0330 060 0500 , open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 08:30-14:30 Saturday, 14:30-18:00 Sunday.  From outside the UK, call +44 141 555 0888 .

What's the Caledonian Sleeper like?

These all-new sleeper trains entered service on the London-Edinburgh/Glasgow sleeper on 28 April 2019 and on the Highland sleeper on 9 October 2019.

The Glasgow, Edinburgh & Inverness portions usually each consist of 5 regular sleeping-cars, 1 accessible sleeping car, 1 club car & 1 seats car.

The London-Aberdeen portion usually consists of 1 regular sleeping-car, 1 accessible sleeping car, 1 club car & 1 seats car.

The London-Fort William portion usually consists of 3 regular sleeping-cars and 1 accessible sleeping car, there is no direct club car or seats car in the Fort William portion.  Between London and a service stop in Edinburgh sleeper passengers use the London-Aberdeen club car, another club car is attached between Edinburgh & Fort William.  Seated passengers use the London-Aberdeen seats car between London & Edinburgh, another seats car is attached between Edinburgh & Fort William.

The sleeping-cars

The new Caledonian Sleeper trains offer three types of room: Classic, Club & Caledonian Double.  In addition, there are two types of wheelchair-accessible room: Accessible Classic & Accessible Double.  All come with key-card lock , soap, towels, power sockets, USB ports & free WiFi.  Each type of room is described below.

Sleeping-car layout, regular type:   Most sleeping-cars are of this type.  They have 6 Club rooms (numbered 1 to 6) and 4 Classic rooms (numbered 7 to 10).

Tip:   Pick a room in the centre of the car for the smoothest & quietest ride.   Larger image .

Sleeping-car layout, accessible type:   There is one accessible-type sleeping-car in each portion.  This has one Accessible Double room (room 1), two Caledonian Double rooms (rooms 4 & 5), two Classic rooms (rooms 2 & 3) and one Accessible Classic room (room 6).  Larger image .

Classic rooms

Classic rooms are compact rooms with an upper and lower bed and washbasin which can be booked for single or double occupancy (the upper bed is now always folded out and locked in place even when booked as a solo).  They're identical to the Club rooms in every respect, size, decor and facilities, but without the en suite toilet & shower unit, so see the Club photos below.  Soap & towels are provided, as is an eye mask and ear plugs if you really feel you need them.  There are two 3-pin plug sockets & 3 USB ports, there's free WiFi, and the room has an electronic key-card lock so you can lock it when you go to the toilet or club car.  There's a toilet at the end of the corridor, but no shower.

The beds are 190cm long and approx 63cm wide.  There's luggage space under the bottom bed, in a recess 31cm high by 122cm wide by 54cm deep.

Breakfast is not included with a Classic room, but you can order breakfast items at extra cost on an order form and hang it on the outside of you room door on departure.  They will be served at the time you specify in your compartment or in the club car.

There is an interconnecting door between Classic rooms 7 & 8 and rooms 9 & 10 in each standard sleeping-car which can be opened if your group books both rooms, ideal for families or groups of friends.

Club rooms are compact rooms with an upper and lower bed, washbasin, toilet & shower.  They can be booked for single or double occupancy, although the upper bed is now always folded out and locked in place even when booked as a solo.  Soap & towels are provided, as is an eye mask and ear plugs if you really feel you need them.  There are two 3-pin plug sockets & 3 USB ports, there's free WiFi, and the room has an electronic key-card lock so you can lock it when you go to the club car.  Club rooms are identical to Classic rooms apart from the en suite toilet/shower, but there are no interconnecting doors between Club rooms.

With a Club room you get access to the station lounges in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen & Fort William.

Breakfast is included with a Club room, you tick the breakfast items you want on an order form and hang it on the outside of you room door on departure.  You can ask for breakfast to be served at a time you specify either in your compartment or the club car, but the better breakfast options such as the full Scottish breakfast are only served in the club car.

Caledonian Double rooms

Caledonian Double rooms can be booked for single or double occupancy, they have a double bed and en suite toilet & shower.  There is normally just one sleeping-car with 2 Caledonian Double rooms in each portion of the train, so these popular rooms sell out fast.

There's a washbasin with soap & towels, 2 power sockets & 3 USB ports & free WiFi.  The room has an electronic key-card lock for when you go to the club car.

With a Caledonian Double room you get access to the station lounges in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen & Fort William.

Breakfast is included with a Caledonian Double room, you tick the breakfast items you want on an order form and hang it on the outside of you room door on departure.  You can ask for breakfast to be served at a time you specify either in your compartment or the club car, but the better breakfast options such as the full Scottish breakfast are only served in the club car.

The bed is 190cm long.  There's luggage space underneath the bed, in a recess 31cm high by 122cm wide and more than 54cm deep.

The club car

All passengers with sleeping berths can use the club car.  Officially, access to the club car may be limited to passengers in Club & Caledonian Double rooms at busy times, but in practice this is relatively unusual.  Passengers travelling in the seats are not allowed in the club car.

The club car features bays of seats around tables plus a row of individual swivel stools at a bar.  A steward takes orders and serves food & drink from a fully-equipped galley at the end of the car.

The Caledonian Sleeper sets out to showcase the best of Scottish food & drink.  The surprisingly extensive menu includes several starters such as soup or smoked salmon, several main courses such as lamb casserole or haggis tatties 'n neeps, and desserts such as cheesecake or the Scottish cheeseboard.  The wine list includes red, white and rosé wine in small, half or full bottles, prosecco, port & champagne.  The whisky list includes as many as 14 different types of Scottish whisky, most of which are single malts.  Sandwiches, snacks, soft drinks, tea & coffee are served.  You can find sample menus with prices at www.sleeper.scot .

The Man in Seat 61 says "It doesn't get any more civilised than this.  Speeding north with haggis, tatties 'n neeps and maybe a dram or two of a single malt in the club car, retiring to your private sleeper and waking up in the highlands of Scotland as deer bound away from the train.  Top tip, leave your luggage in your compartment and go and grab a seat in the club car before the train leaves.  On busy nights especially Fridays & Sundays the club car is very popular and if you wait you might find all seats taken.  Finding a seat for breakfast in the morning isn't usually a problem, and the big windows give you the best view of the highland scenery over you bacon and scrambled egg..."

Wheelchair-accessible rooms

There's normally one accessible sleeping-car in each portion of each Caledonian Sleeper train, featuring two different types of accessible room.  At one end of the car there's an Accessible Classic room (room 6) with upper & lower bunks and adjacent wheelchair-accessible toilet.  At the other end of the car there's an Accessible Double room (room 1) with a double bed and adjacent wheelchair-accessible toilet.

Both rooms have extra-wide access doors which open at the touch of a button.  The rooms have power sockets, USB ports, free WiFi and washbasin, soap & towels as other sleepers.  There are no accessible showers on the train, but there's an accessible shower in the Caledonian Sleeper lounge on platform 1 at London Euston which you can use before or after your journey, some other lounges also have accessible showers, see www.sleeper.scot for details.

The accessible sleeping-car is always marshalled next to the club car in the Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness & Aberdeen portions, with the Accessible Double room at the end nearest the club car.  That gives the Accessible Double room easy access to the wheelchair spaces in the club car via a wide wheelchair-friendly gangway.  The Accessible Classic room is at the other end of the sleeping-car from the club car, along a corridor that's (unavoidably) too narrow for wheelchairs, but food from the club car menu can be ordered from your room and brought to you by the steward. 

On the London to Ft William portion going northbound, neither of the accessible rooms has wheelchair access to the club car in the evening.  However, the accessible twin room has direct club car access to the club car in the morning.  On the Ft William to London portion going southbound, the accessible twin room has direct club car access in the evening, but neither of the accessible rooms has wheelchair access to the club car in the morning.  But food can be ordered & served in your room.

If you've book an accessible classic room and need the upper bed & ladder folded away for access reasons, contact Caledonian Sleeper Guest Services in advance.

Passengers in both types of accessible room can use all station lounges , on the same basis as Club and Caledonian Double passengers before departure or on arrival.

The beds are 190cm long.  There's luggage space underneath the bottom bed, in an area 31cm high by 122cm wide at least 54cm deep.

Seats are the economy way to travel.  Each seat has a drop-down table, power socket & USB port.  The seats recline by about 20 degrees, but not further than that.  Lights remain on at full brightness all night 'for safety reasons', they are not dimmed.  There's a large area for bicycles & baggage at one end of the seats car, with shutters that are closed during the journey.  Each seat also has its own secure locker for valuables with a combination lock, just below the overhead rack.  The car also has wheelchair spaces.

Video guide : Caledonian Sleeper

Luggage , bikes, dogs & pets, station lounges & dinner before boarding.

Dinner in London before boarding?

The Caledonian Sleeper lounge at London Euston sells light meals, including haggis, tatties n neeps, and tea, coffee & soft drinks are complimentary.  However, you'll find plenty of food outlets inside and outside the station, including a pub and Nandos just outside.  If you fancy a curry before boarding your sleeper to Scotland, I heartily recommend the Great Nepalese ( www.greatnepalese.com ), an inexpensive but award-winning Nepalese restaurant located at 48 Eversholt Street, just down the side of Euston station, exit station and do a 180 degree turn to your left, but not open Sundays.  Or you can eat on the train, the club car serves a good hot plate of haggis, tatties and neeps.

London Euston sleeper lounge :  Above left, entrance on platform 1.  Above right, reception.

London Euston :  Above left, the food & drink area.  Above right, a shower.  One shower is wheelchair-accessible.

Inverness :  The Caledonian Sleeper lounge at Inverness for Club & Caledonian Double passengers.  It's across the road from the station, the arrow shows the location as seen when standing outside the main entrance to Inverness station.  Complimentary tea, coffee, water & soft drinks are available.  Alternatively, the building on the left is the Highland Hotel, where all sleeper passengers can wait in the bar or lounge for the price of a drink or two.

Fort William : The Caledonian Sleeper lounge for Club & Caledonian Double passengers, in the passageway between the ticket hall and main station entrance.  Complimentary tea, coffee, water & soft drinks are available.  Alternatively, all sleeper passengers can wait in the bar of the Alexandra Hotel across the road from the station for the price of a drink or two.

WiFi, power outlets , showers, connecting doors...

All sleeper compartments have a hotel-style key card, so you can lock it when you go to the club car or (if you've a classic room) to the toilet.

When you board, your room will be unlocked.  You'll find the plain white key-card inside a dark green Caledonian Sleeper cover sitting on the sink or the bed.  At this stage the door lock is inactive, you can open & close the door freely without a key. 

How to activate your room key:  To activate the lock, tap the key card on the outside keypad until a green LED appears, remove it, then tap the keypad again until a red LED light appears.  Check the handle.  The room should now be locked and the key programmed.  Your room door will now lock securely each time you close it and you will need the key to unlock it.

Power outlets

In the new trains all sleeper compartments have two 3-pin UK plug sockets and three USB ports.

The new trains have free WiFi in all cars.  There is good 3G or 4G mobile reception along most of the routes.

CPAP machines

The new trains have 3-pin power sockets which in theory can be used for CPAP machines used by people with breathing problems such as sleep apnoea.  However, this is not a land-based electrical supply - power is supplied from the locomotive, it may occasionally cut out for a moment then resume, and will cut out for longer periods when (for example) the locomotive is detached during splitting or joining portions at Carstairs or Edinburgh.

There are en suite showers in the Club and Caledonian Double rooms on the new trains, but not in Classic or Accessible rooms.

Several major stations have shower facilities.  On arrival by sleeper at London Euston you can take a shower in the Avanti West Coast first class lounge on the first floor, free of charge for Club and Caledonian Double passengers, £5 for Classic room passengers if you ask for a token from your Caledonian sleeper host on board the train.  The Avanti West Coast staff at the lounge reception desk will lend you a towel and the shower cubicles are provided with gel and shampoo.

There are shower facilities at Edinburgh Waverley (check if these are open, they may not be), Glasgow Central, Aberdeen & Ft William, free of charge for 1st class passengers, £5 for standard class passengers.

Inter-connecting doors between sleeper compartments

There are interconnecting doors between pairs of adjacent Classic rooms (7 & 8, 9 & 10 in a regular sleeping-car, 2 & 3 in the accessible type), ideal for families or small groups.  There are no interconnecting doors between Club or Caledonian Double rooms as with the bed on one side and the toilet/shower units on the other there is nowhere to put a connecting door.

Compensation if there's a delay

Under their Guest's Charter, Caledonian Sleepers will refund you 50% of what you paid for the one-way journey if the train arrives 30 to 59 minutes late, 100% of the fare if it's 60 to 119 minutes late.  See www.sleeper.scot for full details.

The Best Train in Britain :   See the Deerstalker page & watch the video

The Man in Seat 61 says:   "All of the highland routes offer great scenery on the Scottish part of the journey when it's light, but the London-Fort William route is special, taking you onto the fabulous West Highland Line , voted World's Most Scenic Train Ride more than once.  This is the Best Train in Britain, the train they call the Deerstalker ...   See the Deerstalker page for more information, photos & watch the video

Scotland to Paris or Brussels

Dinner in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen or Inverness, then lunch in central Paris next day, no airports, airlines or flights required!  Just take the Caledonian Sleeper train from anywhere in Scotland up to London Euston, it's just 10 minutes walk along the road to St Pancras then Eurostar will whisk you to central Paris or Brussels in 2 hours or so.

Edinburgh, Glasgow ► Paris, Brussels

Highlands ► paris & brussels, paris, brussels ► edinburgh, glasgow, paris & brussels ► highlands.

Sleeper from Scotland to London from around £70 return in a reclining seat or from £150 return with a bed;  Eurostar from London to Paris or Brussels from £72 return.

Scotland to Amsterdam

There are two good options for travel from Scotland to Amsterdam.  Option 1, take the Caledonian sleeper to London and Eurostar to Brussels as shown here, then the hourly InterCity train from Brussels to Amsterdam in around 3 hours, see this section on the UK-Netherlands page .  Or take a train from Scotland to Newcastle and the overnight DFDS Seaways cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam, see this section on the UK-Netherlands page .

Short breaks to Scotland by sleeper

Byway ( Byway.travel ) is a UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating .  Byway offer trips to Scotland & the highlands as a package, including travel by sleeper train and hotels when in Scotland, starting from London or any other British railway station.  Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.

Railbookers:   Train travel specialist Railbookers arranges short breaks & longer tours from London to Edinburgh & the Highlands, and several packages include the Caledonian Sleeper.  Railbookers can arrange trips for almost any date you like, trips can be customised to your own requirements with additional stops or extra nights.  Download brochure (UK edition) .

- City break to Edinburgh by Caledonian Sleeper.

- London - Caledonian Sleeper - Edinburgh - York - London.

- London - Edinburgh - Fort William - Jacobite steam train to Mallaig - Caledonian Sleeper back to London.

- London - Caledonian Sleeper - Inverness - Kyle of Lochalsh - Isle of Skye - London.

- London - Caledonian Sleeper - Inverness - Loch Ness & Glen Urquhart - Edinburgh - London.

Call to arrange, Railbookers have offices in the UK, North America & Australia:

  UK call 0207 864 4600, www.railbookers.co.uk , download brochure .

  us call free 1-888-829-4775, www.railbookers.com .,   canada call free 1-855-882-2910, www.railbookers.com .,   australia call toll-free 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au .,   new zealand call toll-free 0800 000 554 or see website ..

Hotels in Scotland or London

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Why You Should Ditch the Short-Haul Flight for an Overnight Train

As I boarded the Caledonian Sleeper with my family at Edinburgh Waverly on a cool Scottish summer night, it was difficult not to get caught up in the romantic quality of this eight-hour journey to London . The train's midnight teal exterior reflected the hue of the sky, and coupled with the vintage-y copperplate gothic font emblazoned on it, the scene felt spliced from the celluloid of a Wes Anderson film. That a kindly bellhop from The Balmoral , our hotel adjacent to the station, loaded our valises off a trolley cart did little to rein in these trappings.

And yet, by all measures, sticking my wife, Tiffan, and three-year-old daughter, Odella, on the top bunk while I climbed into a claustrophobic twin bed beneath is an insane proposition. Some might deem it a divorce wish. And though I’m typically the first to celebrate the soporific effect of a train’s gentle rocking, the suck-it-in narrowness of our compartment was giving more coffin than cradle. In fact, the train is fairly modest and it’s a far cry from Belmond's Royal Scotsman . (Next time. Next life!)

Still, while easyJet can get you from Edinburgh to London in an hour flat for $25 a pop, I would wholeheartedly advocate for this adventurous snail-paced travel option—never mind my bruised forehead and ego, lasting crick in my neck be damned.

The Caledonian Sleeper train offers two routes with stops in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen, and Fort William.

Train travel, you see, allows for more organic and immediate integration into a city—without commuting in from the exurban airport. By going overnight, you don’t lose a day Ubering out to the airfield and then shuttling back into your destination’s city center—it’s an efficient method of getting someplace while you’d otherwise be sleeping instead of burning an afternoon on short-haul travel. You also spare yourself the indignities of airport security lines , and in minimizing your pre-departure arrival, you maximize your time in the city: before hopping on our charming, if flawed, little choo-choo, we enjoyed a full day at the National Museum of Scotland, a memorable brunch at Gleneagles Townhouse , a stroll through Princes Street Gardens, an evening visit to Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, and a civilized local dinner (not at airport prices). Despite the fact that my wife bumped her head on the ceiling when sitting up and the mediocre Lorne sausages and weak tea-bagged coffee come morning, the togetherness our little family experience proved more memorable than the logical budget option.

Truth be told, I’ve always been a train enthusiast. An erstwhile fear of flying in my teens necessitated some wildly impractical itineraries for study-abroad experiences that took me from London to St. Petersburg and New York to Guadalajara (the final stretch I completed by bus). I grew to enjoy writing reflective, if treacly, entries in a Moleskin or just zoning out while gazing at the passing countryside, imagining the lives lived in this or that orange-roofed house.

It’s immersive—going through, not over.

As a younger man, I welcomed serendipitous encounters with fast friends: a gregarious group of Swiss guys on a gap year crammed in a sitting compartment with a two-meter-tall gentleman opposite me named Wolfgang (whose knee prints are still impressed upon mine two decades later). Another memorable railroad companion: a gorgeous woman in Helsinki with jet-black hair and a bear-like dog who invited me upon departure to stay with her instead of a hostel before catching the last leg of my trip to Russia (I naively declined). Now in my late 30s, I enjoy the quietude of train travel and the way time seems to stand still even in motion. It’s a bit of a freeze frame. A way of cheating the incessant ticking of time, especially when traveling overnight to avoid squandering a day of precious PTO in transit. Waking up in a new city relatively rested (massive cowlick inevitable) without much effort or doing in the journey allows for a seamless continuation of the adventure.

But in these formative voyages, like the time I mistakenly added spirulina to a smoothie a decade ago, I was accidentally ahead of the trend.

Train travel has surged in popularity, with no signs of slowing down. The global number of train travelers has risen from 850 million people in 2019 to more than 967 million in 2023, almost a 14% uptick, per Statista. That total is expected to reach 1.1 billion come 2028. In the EU in particular, passenger rail travel rose 50% from 2021 to 2022, per Eurostat . Efficiency is not the end-all, be-all. Amid eco-conscious travelers’ flight-shaming, eschewing air travel and its enormous carbon footprint for train travel has grown all the more in popularity.

The train's overnight accommodations range from reclining seats in coach to personal rooms with bunk beds, or a standard double.

Some railcar warriors just appreciate the simple charms of this mode of travel. For instance, Sandra Mayernik and her husband are retiree nomads who, since selling everything they owned last spring, have become acolytes of train travel, recently journeying from Lisbon to Faro on Comboios de Portugal, from Seville to Barcelona on TGV Renfe, and from Barcelona to Paris on TGV SNCF.

“For us, it’s not just getting from point A to B,” Mayernik tells Condé Nast Traveler . “It's about the experience. Traveling by train allows us to see the countryside, rather than just flying overhead. Our flexible schedule and budget allow us to prioritize the journey itself, not just the destination.”

When it comes to air travel, she doesn’t enjoy waiting in airport security lines or jockeying for space to place her carry-ons . It’s a paradigm shift.

“Once aboard the train, it’s a chance to truly unwind,” she says, touting the extra leg-room compared to most airplanes and the porousness of the train, allowing passengers to move between cars without the confines of an aluminum tube flying through the air. “As the landscape unfolds, we have the opportunity to relax, watch the scenery, and enjoy a leisurely lunch together."

Two summers ago Alicia Cintron, an American consultant based in Mexico City , opted to take a train solo from Barcelona Sants to Dijon Ville, France via SNCF instead of flying, despite the $175 price tag and eleven-hour journey (including a two-hour stop-over in Lyon).

“Train travel is more relaxed, more free, more humane,” she says. She didn’t have to worry about bringing her liquids on board and showed up just half-an-hour before departure. There was another clear advantage : “I wanted to see the French countryside.”

That provided Cintron with the perfect blood-pressure lowering backdrop to decompress after five busy weeks in Paris, a hectic day in Barcelona, and a week-long Mediterranean cruise with her family.

“I wanted to slow things down, even if just for a few hours,” she says. “And I wanted to be alone in my thoughts and back on my laptop. I tried catching up on the work I ignored while on holiday but that was a pipe dream. I spent most of the ride staring out the window, watching the world go by, and reflecting on life, work, family, everything. The picturesque countryside was relaxing and helped me reset and refocus. I remember the sky being so big and blue; the earth was green and mostly flat in this part of France.”

Norm Bour and his wife have embraced train travel since they became full-time nomads in their mid-60s in 2019—whether on an overnight train from Luxor to Cairo or Rome to Ancona. “From zipping along between Barcelona and Madrid at 300 kph, to slower trains that took us from Budapest, Hungary to Brasov, Romania—which took 15 hours over just 400 or so miles—the Iron Horse has become a device that I employ whenever possible,” Bour says.

“The relaxing views that pass before me cause me to imagine,” he says. “I sometimes ask myself, ‘How many people have seen this exact same view over the decades? Why did they take this particular journey? Were they alone? On vacation? Or maybe secret agents rendezvousing with their associates at the end of the line!’”

For my own part, once our fair Caledonian Sleeper pulled into London Euston at 7 a.m., we were a seven-minute cab-ride from our hotel, One Aldwych , in the beating heart of Covent Garden. Had we had fewer bags, we could have easily walked. But the efficiency was pronounced. There was no waiting at the luggage carousel. No expensive taxi on traffic-snarled highways or time-consuming Tube trip on the Piccadilly Line from Heathrow. There’s something so comforting about bookending the train journey with hotels that are essentially a stone’s throw from each station, the train threading a through-line between them. Having left Edinburgh at 11 p.m., we hadn’t lost any non-sleep time in our location change upon arriving here at the top of the morning in London. After resting and freshening up, we were immediately ready to start our day with a walk to the Tate Modern to maximize our time in London .

Logistical wins aside, my daughter’s giddy joy around the adventure—reading bedtime stories by flashlight in the top bunk—made the cramped discomfort of this trip all worth it. In other words: want to travel right? Make the wrong decision. It’s a true instance where the journey is as important as the destination.

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Guide to the Caledonian Sleeper Train (Review & tips)

By: Author Tracy Collins

Posted on Last updated: November 7, 2022

Considering a trip on the Caledonian Sleeper? Good choice! Our guide contains our review of the service plus practical tips and advice to make the most of your trip on one of the most popular train journeys in the world.

There is no better way to travel!  Train lovers like ourselves always prefer rail travel to any other form of travel, not just for the considerable advantages over other modes of transport but also for the environmental benefits.

Sleeper travel is even better!

• Traveling overnight saves the cost of a hotel. It is amazing to fall asleep in one country/state and wake up in another and enjoy the views along the way!  The contrast in scenery can be incredible!
• Saves time when on a tight travel schedule, travelling whilst asleep, waking up refreshed and ready for the next adventure.
• Sleeper train travel provides fantastic travel memories and stories to tell with some of the  best train journeys of the world incorporating overnight travel.
• It is amazing fun!

In this article discover one of the most popular sleeper train journeys in the world – the Caledonian Sleeper service from London to Scotland (and vice versa). You will find essential tips to make the most of your journey plus a first-hand review of our own experiences using this service multiple times.

If you are considering booking the Caledonian Sleeper for your next journey from London to Scotland you will find everything you need to know in our article.

What is the Caledonian Sleeper

Caledonian sleeper – station and stops, caledonian sleeper – boarding times and timetable, comfort seats (sometimes referred to as sleeper seats), caledonian double (room), club room (a hotel experience), classic room (the new standard), club car – food and drink lounge, caledonian sleeper tickets and passes, station lounges, accessible travel, baggage size, boarding the train, plan your train travel in the uk.

The Caledonian Sleeper train is the name of the service that runs on the train route between England and Scotland 6 days a week. 

This service runs on the West Coast Main railway line from London Euston to 5 Scottish locations on the Northbound services with Southbound services running in the opposite direction.

The word Caledonian is taken from the Latin word which generally refers to the land in the north, Caledonia, the name the Romans used to describe Scotland.

This post is a review of our most recent experience using the northbound Highlander Caledonian Sleeper between London Euston and Fort William where we share not only our experience of the journey in ‘Our View’ but also details alternative available train routes, travel classes, accommodation types, costs and much more.

This is our favourite route we prefer to travel on when possible for various reasons… read on to find out what these are!

Though we have travelled on this service on numerous occasions this was our first time travelling on the new and updated sleeper service in January 2020.  Having travelled on sleeper service around the world we think this is one of the best, and the Lonely Planet also agreed in 2016.

The newer more modern services incorporate more hotel-style cabins, or berths, as they are termed, with lighter/brighter accommodation.  Also improved is the WIFI throughout the train and greater accessibility arrangements that increases inclusivity for all.

➡️ Click for further information and to book your Caledonian Sleeper Train tickets

The Caledonian Sleeper – Route information

The sleeper service provides a Highlander and a Lowlander train service options for passengers to choose from travelling either Northbound from London Euston or Southbound from Scotland. 

Each route and destination are as follows, also showing the principal train station stops along the route.

South Bound Caledonian Sleepers

• Fort William – Station stops include Dumbarton, Helensburgh Upper and all the listed West Highland Line railway stations.
• Aberdeen – Station stops include Kirkcaldy, Leuchars (station stop for St. Andrews), Dundee, Carnoustie and Arbroath.
• Inverness – Station stops include Stirling, Gleneagles, Perth, Pitlochry, and Aviemore.
• Edinburgh Waverley – Station stops include Watford Junction and Carlisle and Carstairs.
• Glasgow Central – Station stops include Watford Junction, Carlisle, Carstairs and Motherwell.

North Bound Caledonian Sleepers

• Principal trains station stops – As per South Bound Services (in reverse).
• Highlander Route – Departs Sunday to Friday each week (not on Saturdays) from Fort William, Aberdeen and Inverness 
• Lowlander Route – Departs Sunday to Friday each week (not on Saturdays) from Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central.
• Highlander Route – Departs Sunday to Friday each week (not on Saturdays) from London Euston as one train before dividing/splitting into sections at Edinburgh Waverley railway station (in the middle of the night).  Then three individual trains then travel onwards to Fort William, Aberdeen and Inverness.
• Lowlander Route – Departs Sunday to Friday each week (not on Saturdays) from London Euston as one train before dividing/splitting into two separate trains at Carstairs (a station south and between Glasgow and Edinburgh) and then two trains travelling onwards to Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central.
• NOTE – Important to check booking for timetables alterations that may occur due to unforeseen circumstances, i.e., weather, unplanned engineering works etc, safety, public holidays or winter months. 
• Always check departure and arrival times prior to travel, the week or day before. 

Click to book your Caledonian Sleeper train tickets

Caledonian Sleeper – Options for sleeping or seating

There are options to choose from for your accommodation for each journey depending on your preferences and budget. The class of travel choice is highlighted for each option and our experienced opinion is expressed in ‘Our View’ for the options we have tried out.

• Cheapest option available for passengers by buying a valid train ticket through any regular ticket outline/outline.
• Passengers required to call the ‘Guest Service Centre’ to make a reservation, this is no extra cost for Seated accommodation only.  The telephone number is a UK telephone number 0330 060 0500.
• The seating configuration is the same as conventional UK First class seating carriages with 2 -1 seats in an airline type set up.
• The seats are part reclining with a slide forward for the seat cushion section.
• A Drop-down footrest.
• Tray table, drop down.
• Lockable storage for peace of mind.
• Seat specific reading light.
• Multiple at seat charging point or socket.
• Complimentary sleep kit (ear plugs, mask)
• Call button for at seat service food and drink (menu provided at the seat).
• NOTE: Northbound travellers between London Euston and Fort William have to change seats at Edinburgh Waverley train station from one train to another.
• Prices around £70 to £75.

OUR VIEW – We have not taken any journeys on the Comfort Seats on the new improved services, but I did quite a few years ago on the older trains.  This was generally very uncomfortable and I did not sleep at all! There was no WIFI, no charging sockets and the lighting was terrible.  The new service looks 100% improved.

• Luxury Double bed and not two separate bunk type beds.
• Breakfast is included.
• Priority train boarding.
• En-suite toilet and shower.
• In room wash basin.
• Complimentary sleep kit, including Scottish toiletry items.
• Priority Club Car Access
• Electrical charging points.
• Room Service.
• Key card door access.
• Berth Temperature control.
• Lights dimmer control.
• Prices around £345 to £405 for all guests depending on Lowlander or Highlander service.

OUR VIEW – We have never stayed in one of these rooms. The feedback from other travellers is that the double room (s) get booked up quickly as the demand is always high.  The advice would be book early if this is what you want.

• Twin bunk- beds.
• Breakfast included.
• Station Lounge access. (see later section).
• Room Key card access.
• Available for single or shared occupancy.
• Prices around £180 to £315 for the Highlander service and around £150 for the Lowlander service.

OUR VIEW – This is the type of room we prefer and generally settle on, it seems to tick the boxes for us in facilities, availability, as well as the cost value for money.

Note – Check when making a booking if travelling alone if a single person supplement fee is applicable .

• Breakfast is NOT included but can be purchased.
• Interconnecting door options.
• Prices around £155 to £222 for the Highlander service and around £100 for the Lowlander service.

OUR VIEW – The classic type berth we have used in the past due to our budget but we now prefer the Club option if possible, mainly due to the benefit of the en-suite toilet which we think is worth paying a little more for. 

The new Club car option is a designated coach to buy food and drink on the go in a modern, light and friendly setting. The Club car is available to all guests using berth sleeping accommodation only. Comfort seat passengers have at-seat service options.

• Seasonal Scottish food , ranging from snacks to full dinners and breakfasts.
• Drinks menu including Scottish drinks such as whisky.
• Menu in each berth.
• Reasonably priced.
• Access priority is given to the Caledonian Double and Club Room guests.
• Booth seating options and swivel chair options available.

OUR VIEW – We enjoyed sitting have a drink in the evenings and also having breakfast in one of the booths depending on availability. We thoroughly enjoy travelling in the Scottish Highlands eating an excellent Scottish breakfast with a lovely cup of tea. 

NOTE – The Club car can get a little crowded so you may have to wait for a table.  For breakfast, we try to have everything packed ready so we could enjoy the breakfast, just finishing in time to arrive at our destination.

All Caledonian sleeper tickets need to be valid on the ARRIVAL date of your end destination station not necessarily on the date you leave starting point train station. 

It is important to check that if using a Britrail Pass  or Inter-Rail / Eurail (that includes Great Britain) that you check the dates are still valid on your travel pass for your journey before travelling.  

National Rail tickets can be accepted between stations served by the sleeper services with a reservation made via the Guest service Centre telephone line. 

Passengers requiring to book accommodation already holding a national rail ticket or any of the above valid travel passes will be required to book through the service centre and pay a Room Supplement.

Room supplements are available for Solo or Shared room occupancy in Club and Classic accommodation.

Any doubts call the Caledonian Service Centre – (UK Telephone number) 0330 060 0500 for further information or to check terms and conditions of purchase.

⭐️ CLICK TO PURCHASE A BRITRAIL PASS

There are 2 types or categories of purchased sleeper tickets available for all services for general ticket sales, the Flexipass is for a collective purchase: (information from the Caledonian Sleeper Homepage 13/12/2021).

• Available for Classic and Club rooms.
• Includes reservation costs and accommodation.
• Can be purchased 12 months in advance.
• Single journey ticket purchases, you buy 2 tickets for a return journey.
• Available for Classic, Club rooms and Caledonian Double rooms.
• Check terms and conditions regarding breakfast or room type. 
• Purchased Tickets – See earlier section for Approximate seat or berth prices (correct as 14 th December 2021).

OUR VIEW – Using the fixed tickets suited our needs best of all, knowing with our research and itinerary planning exactly when and how we planned to travel we could manage our travel cost better throughout. For the same reasons, the Flexible tickets was also not an option. The Flexipass was not an option for us with only one journey planned at that time. 

Travel on the Caledonian Sleeper – FAQs

Depending on whether you are travelling on the north or southbound Highlander or Lowlander Caledonian Sleeper service from the start of the service or joining the train en-route, you may want to take advantage of the station lounge facilities. 

These are available at the following stations.

• Showers/Toilets available.
• Drinks/snacks provided.
• Edinburgh – With LNER.
• Glasgow Central – With Avanti.
• Euston – With Avanti.
• Aberdeen – With Scotrail.

OUR VIEW – As a rule we do not use the station lounges too often, preferring to eat a meal before arriving at the station and spending as much time on board the train and using the onboard facilities as much as we can.  This includes the onboard showers and lounge facilities as well as enjoying the unique sleeper berth experience.

The Caledonian Sleeper accessible travel policy (2021) includes information for:

• Helping older and disabled passengers – Summary leaflets provides key/vital information for journey planning and booking/arranging assistance.
• Station Accessibility Guides – On depth information about the train stations the sleeper train service stops at.
• Train Accessibility Guides – Provides the information relating to the features on board the train designed to help everyone.

Key Points (Selected)

• Guest Service Centre – All travel information, regarding planning, booking tickets, berths and all questions regarding accessibility can be provided to help guests to make their own choices.   UK Telephone number 0330 060 0500.
• On board Host service – See below under Boarding the train.
• 48 hours in advance for international travel bookings is requested.
• Customer assist is not compulsory but is recommended for peace of mind.
• Accessibility Enquiries – Call UK Telephone 0800 904 7267 (up to 12 weeks in advance of travel).
• No Charge for Customer Assist.
• Dedicated wheelchair space in each Seated Coach – Priority for wheelchair spaces is given to reservations in advance.
• Wheelchairs/Scooters. – Requested to be no bigger than 70cm wide, 120cm long. Overall weight with guest and luggage does not exceed 300kg.
• One hand luggage (able to be held by guest on the lap if required) and up to two items of luggage no bigger than 30cm x 70cm x 90cm.
• Assistance Dogs – Welcome on board.  Call the guest centre for further information regarding further assisting the dog’s comforts.

One item of hand luggage and up to two items of luggage no bigger than 30cm x 70cm x 90cm is permitted as space is of a premium onboard the train.

When advised from the station electronic boards which station platform your train will be departing from the easiest way to find your correct coach is to ask one of the train hosts. These are Caledonian Sleeper staff who greet guests at the train. 

Even if you know the number of the coach your seat/berth is in sometimes it is still not the easiest thing to find.  A top tip is to ask the first host you can and ask them to direct you to the correct host who will have your name and booking on a list.

OUR VIEW – All the on-board hosts we have ever come across have been extremely helpful and knowledgeable not just about the train and the facilities but have excellent train route knowledge about what to see on the way.  On top of all that they do seem very friendly. Unlike some countries, they do not expect a financial tip at the end of the service.

We have a love for train travel and enjoy exploring the UK by train. If you are unsure about travelling around Britain by train our Guide to Train Travel ebook contains everything you need to know (including 10 itineraries)

You can purchase our ebook here !

Click to book your Caledonian Sleeper train ticket

• Best of Britain by train (14 day itinerary)
• 10 scenic train journeys in the UK
• Best day trips from London by train
• How to travel on the Harry Potter train in Scotland
• Guide to the 9 main train stations in London
• Guide to overnight sleeper train travel (tips)
• Podcast Episode 5 – Guide to the Caledonian Sleeper Train
• Things to do in Fort William
• 13 Tips to save money on rail travel in the UK

A guide to the Caledonian Sleeper train from London to Scotland

Posted on Last updated: February 15, 2024

A guide to travelling on the Caledonian Sleeper, the overnight train journey from London to Scotland, with everything you need to know, from routes and costs to on-board facilities and accommodation.

* This site contains affiliate links , where I get a small commission from purchases at no extra cost to you.

There’s something romantic about a sleeper train. Being rocked to sleep then woken by your butler knocking on the door with a steaming cup of tea… or there was on the 1930s Orient Express anyway, but is there still any romance to a night on the rails today?

The Caledonian Sleeper is one of just two overnight trains in the UK (the other is the Night Riviera Sleeper from London to Cornwall), whisking travellers from London Euston to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fort William and other Scottish destinations.

There’s been a sleeper service from London to Scotland since 1873. But the current service has been running since 1996, with smart new upgraded carriages brought into service in 2019. I’ve tried out the Caledonian Sleeper at two ends of the spectrum – a shared bunk room on the old trains and an en-suite room with double bed on the new trains.

It’s a great way to travel while you sleep, waking up in time to see the sun rise over the Scottish Highlands. And it also produces less carbon emissions than flying so is more environmentally friendly. So if you fancy an overnight train trip from London to Scotland, this Caledonian Sleeper review tells you everything you need to know.

Travelling to Scotland on board the Caledonian Sleeper train

Where can you travel to on the Caledonian Sleeper?

The Caledonian Sleeper connects London to Scotland and vice versa, running every night of the week apart from Saturdays (except the nights of 24, 25 and 31 December). Although the Caledonian Sleeper sounds like it’s one train, there are actually a few different options so you can reach various destinations around Scotland while you sleep.

The first thing to know is that there are two different sleeper routes – Lowland and Highland . The Lowland Caledonian Sleeper runs from London Euston and splits en route at Carstairs, with one half travelling to Edinburgh and the other to Glasgow .

The Highland Caledonian Sleeper also runs from London Euston but leaves earlier as it heads further north. The train is divided into three sections and splits when it gets to Edinburgh – one section goes north to Stirling, Perth, Aviemore and Inverness , another goes east to Dundee and Aberdeen, and the third goes west to Fort William .

So which should you choose? I’ve travelled on both the Lowland and Highland routes and the Lowland is a good way to make the most of your time by travelling overnight, but as you leave late at night and arrive early the next day you don’t see much on the way.

The Highland gives you chance to see more of Scotland’s beautiful landscapes, either in the morning if you’re travelling to Scotland or in the evening if you’re going to London. The route to Fort William in particular – known as The Deerstalker – is stunning, running along the scenic West Highland Line past lochs, moors and mountains.

How long does the Caledonian Sleeper take?

The Lowland Sleeper takes 7.5 hours to reach Glasgow and Edinburgh. It leaves London Euston at 11.50pm (11.28pm on Sundays) and arrives into Glasgow and Edinburgh around 7.20am. Euston at midnight isn’t the most glamorous place (I was kept company by a mouse feasting on café crumbs!) but you can board the train from 10.30pm.

The Highland Sleeper leaves London Euston at 9.15pm (8.59pm on Sundays), though you can start boarding around 45 minutes before departure – and Club/Caledonian Double passengers can also use Euston’s Avanti First Class lounge for up to two hours before then. The journey takes 8–12 hours depending on your destination.

If you’re heading to Stirling, Perth or Dundee you get in very early in the morning (5am–6am). But other arrival times are more reasonable – getting into Aberdeen at 7.40am, Aviemore at 7.45am, Inverness at 8.42am and Fort William at 9.57am. And in reverse, trains leave Scotland between 7pm–midnight and arrive into London at 7.49am.

One thing to be aware of when you’re planning your trip is that the Caledonian Sleeper (particularly the Highland route) is prone to delays. So allow extra time if you’re booking activities or onward travel on the day you arrive. (And if you are delayed you can reclaim 50% of your fare if it’s 30–59 minutes late or 100% if it’s over 60 minutes late).

What are the classes of travel on the Caledonian Sleeper?

Instead of the usual First Class/Standard Class carriages you find on most trains in the UK , there are four different classes of travel on board the Caledonian Sleeper. The most basic are the seats and the next three are various different sleeper cabins.

Seats are the cheapest option. They come with lockable storage, drop-down tables, wifi, a light and charging point, and there are toilets at the end of the carriage. The seats do recline slightly (though not a lot) and there are shutters on the windows. The lights stay on all night, but you’re given a sleep kit with eye mask and ear plugs.

Next up are the Classic rooms. These compact cabins are available for double or single occupancy. They have upper and lower bunk beds (if you’re on your own the top bunk is folded up against the wall), which are 190cm long and 63cm wide. And if you’re travelling with a group you can book two Classic rooms with interconnecting doors.

Each cabin has a sink and towels and soap are provided. There are also power sockets, USB ports and dimmable lights. And the door locks with an electronic hotel-style keycard. Shared toilets are available at the end of the corridor. Breakfast isn’t included in Classic rooms but you can order it to be delivered to your room at an extra cost.

Then the Club rooms have a similar layout, again with upper and lower berths. But these also have a tiny en-suite bathroom with a private toilet and shower and complimentary toiletry kits. Breakfast is included, which you can have either in your room or in the lounge bar, and you get room service and priority seating in the lounge bar.

Finally the most expensive option is the Caledonian Double rooms. These have a 190cm-long double bed – a bit of a novelty on a train! – and an en-suite bathroom with toilet and shower. And they come with the same extra perks as the Club rooms.

There are also accessible double and twin rooms with wheelchair-accessible en-suite toilets.

How much does the Caledonian Sleeper cost, and how do I book?

Prices for the Caledonian Sleeper vary depending on demand, similar to airlines. If you want to bag the cheapest prices, book well in advance, travel off season and avoid Friday and Sunday nights. The Lowland sleeper tends to be cheaper than the Highland, and the Fort William route is usually the most expensive as it only has two sleeper cars.

Sleeper cabins are priced per room and can be booked for either single or double occupancy. So they’re better value if there are two of you sharing (when I travelled in a bunk room before the upgrade you could share with someone of the same gender if you were travelling solo, but that option’s no longer available unfortunately).

A basic seat starts from £35/$41 on the Lowland Sleeper or £40/$47 on the Highland. And a Classic room from £140/$165 for single occupancy or £170/$200 for two people.

A Club room starts from £205/$241 for single occupancy or £250/$294 for two. And the Caledonian Double starts from £335/$393 single or £395/$464 for two on the Lowland route and £395/$464 single or £470/$552 for two on the Highland route.

So it’s not exactly a cheap way to travel, but when you factor in saving a night’s accommodation it’s not so bad. It’s also a unique experience to leave London, have dinner and drinks on board, fall asleep and wake up surrounded by Highland scenery.

You can book directly * on the Caledonian Sleeper website, and either print out your ticket or show it on your phone. Unlike most UK train tickets which go on sale three months in advance, Caledonian Sleeper tickets can be booked up to a year in advance.

There’s a choice of Fixed Advance tickets, which cover a specific service and can’t be changed or refunded. Or Flexible tickets, which cost more but mean you can change the date for free up to two days before you travel.

There are discounts for children under 16 and under 5s go free (though they don’t get their own bed). If you have a 16-25, Senior or Forces Railcard * you can save a third on seats and single occupancy Classic rooms only, not twin or en-suite rooms.

And if you’re travelling around the UK on an InterRail / Eurail or BritRail pass, you just pay a sleeper supplement on top of the pass – bookable on the Caledonian Sleeper website.

What do you do with your luggage?

Officially you can bring two bags no bigger than 30cm x 70cm x 90cm plus hand luggage. But there’s not a huge amount of space on board so pack as lightly as possible. If you’re in a seat there’s a luggage area at the end of the carriage and overhead racks.

If you’re in a sleeper cabin there’s space for luggage under the bottom bed. It’s around 31cm high x 122cm wide x 54cm deep, so won’t fit large suitcases (and the corridors are narrow so it’d be a squeeze to get them down there), but any bigger suitcases can be left in the guard’s van – you need to contact Guest Services in advance though.

And if you’re travelling with a bike there’s an area to store them in the seats section. It’s free to bring bikes but you do need to reserve a space in advance as there’s limited room.

The sleeper cabins are quite compact – particularly if there are two of you – so it’s a good idea to have a separate bag with essentials for the night or put them somewhere easy to get to. Cabins have soap and towels (plus shampoo and body wash in Club/Caledonian Double rooms). You’re also given bottled water as the tap water isn’t drinkable.

Arriving by sleeper means getting to your destination early, so what do you do with your bags? You can often drop luggage off at your hotel, or there are luggage lockers at bigger stations like Edinburgh Waverley, Glasgow and Inverness. You can also use a service like Stasher to find somewhere you can pay to leave your bags for a few hours.

Can you get food and drink on board the Caledonian Sleeper?

There’s usually a lounge for each section of the train. Though if you’re in the middle of the train it’s not obvious which way you should go to get to the correct one (we ended up spending half an hour waiting in the wrong one as they’re not labelled!).

Sleeper cabins passengers can use the lounge car on both Lowland and Highland services, though those in Club/Caledonian Double rooms get priority at busy times. And seat passengers can get food delivered. Lounges can get very busy when the train is full so it’s advisable to drop your bags in your cabin and head straight there to bag a table.

The revamped dining cars are light and bright, with bays of seats around tables on one side and individual stools along a bar on the other side. Each lounge has a steward who takes food and drink orders and a galley kitchen. You can take drinks back to your cabin and there’s usually room service so you can have drinks and snacks delivered.

The menu focuses on Scottish produce, with a good selection of local whisky and gin as well as beers, wines (by 187ml, half or full bottles) and spirits. You can get snacks and sandwiches plus main meals – with a bigger menu on the Highland route. Ours included haggis, neeps and tatties, braised beef and butternut squash risotto.

Well that’s the theory… things were a bit more chaotic on my last trip. Staff shortages and lack of information meant once we finally got a seat we were told there was no food. Eventually our steward found someone to help and we managed to get a cheeseboard and bottle of wine at 10.30pm, but it wasn’t quite the leisurely dinner we’d hoped for.

Breakfast is also served in the lounge or you can have it in your room. In Club/Caledonian Double rooms breakfast is included – with options from a full Scottish to porridge. And other passengers can buy breakfast. If you’re heading to Scotland you get the best views around breakfast so it’s worth heading to the lounge with its bigger windows.

What’s it like travelling on the Caledonian Sleeper?

Each section of the train usually consists of carriage of seats, six sleeper carriage (one of which is accessible) and a lounge car, though the Fort William section only has two sleeper cars. Once the train is ready to board you can check into your cabin. The carriages have a narrow corridor down one side and cabins with beds running widthways.

In the past I’ve stayed in bunk rooms, but for my last trip we splashed out on a stay in the Caledonian Double. The room is compact but the bed is a good size and it’s well-designed with storage below the bed, charging points above the bed with a shelf for phones and water bottles, and hooks for clothes. Just don’t both try to move around at the same time!

There’s a sink in the bedroom area and a separate en-suite. It comes with a toilet with a fold-up seat which you can put down if you want to use the shower (which is wet-room style so don’t leave anything out if you don’t it to get wet). You’re given a bag of towels and a washbag of toiletries (shampoo, body wash and pillow spray), plus water and chocolates.

But how easy is it to sleep on the Caledonian Sleeper? Well not too bad. The beds are comfortable but ear plugs (which are provided) are useful as it can be noisy and you do feel the motion of the train. Once we reached the Highlands and it slowed down we slept better, waking up around 7.30am to watch the scenery out of the window.

The breakfast views were the best part of the journey – travelling along the banks of Loch Lomond, past the UK’s most remote station at Corrour and across the wilds of Rannoch Moor. Our lounge steward gave us a 10-minute warning before we were due to arrive so we could collect up our belongings and we arrived into Fort William right on time.

Is the Caledonian Sleeper for you?

If you want the journey to be part of the experience, then I’d definitely recommend the Caledonian Sleeper. Sleeping on a train is a bit of novelty and it does feel like a mini travel adventure. It makes the most of your travel time and is also a lower-carbon, eco-friendly way to travel – plus you get some gorgeous views on the Highland route.

It can be quite expensive though, so if you’re on a budget it might not be the best option. If you do want to save money then you can book a seat using a Railcard, and bring your own food and drink. But it’s a much more comfortable trip if you can book a cabin.

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Anna Pigott

Tuesday 30th of August 2022

I’d love to do this journey! A uni friend used to take the sleeper home to Inverness at weekends, it sounded fantastic. Great to get tips on how to make the most of it!

Lucy Dodsworth

Wednesday 31st of August 2022

What a great way to commute to uni! I really enjoyed the trip – might try out one of the other routes next time.

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