Caledonian Sleeper (UK)

The Caledonian Sleeper service of overnight train has been transformed as new coaches have now entered service on all routes.

The new coaches are also fully accessible.

1: The Highland Sleeper

Travels as one train to Edinburgh where it is then separated in order to serve different destinations to:

• Aberdeen
• Fort William
• Inverness

On the Fort William route:
Passengers heading north can board into either the sleeping cars or seats on the train at London Euston; Watford Junction; Crewe & Preston and into the seats at Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street.
Though those boarding in London, Watford, Crewe and Preston who wish to travel in seats to Dalmuir and destinations on to Fort William have to join the parts of the train heading to Aberdeen or Inverness - then transfer to other seated coaches, which will be attached to the Fort William part of the train, during the station call at Edinburgh Waverley at around 06:30.

Passengers can leave the train at Dalmuir - Dumbarton Central - Helensburgh Upper - Garelochhead - Arrochar & Tarbet, Ardlui - Crianlarich - Upper Tyndrum - Bridge of Orchy - Rannoch - Corrour - Tulloch - Roy Bridge - Spean Bridge and Fort William.

On the Aberdeen and Inverness route:
Passengers heading north can board into either the sleeping cars or seats on the train at London Euston; Watford Junction; Crewe & Preston and into the seats only at Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street.

Passengers can leave the train at;
Stirling, Dunblane, Gleneagles, Perth, Dunkeld & Birnam, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl, Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore, Kingussie, Aviemore, Carrbridge and Inverness
or at;
Inverkeithing, Kirkcaldy, Leuchars, Dundee, Carnoustie, Arbroath, Montrose, Stonehaven and Aberdeen.

2: The Lowland Sleeper

Travels as one train to Carstairs where it is then separated in order to serve different destinations - Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Passengers can board the train into either the sleeping cars or seats at London Euston and Watford Junction.
Passengers can leave the train at Carlisle, Carstairs, Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central.

Unusually for a European overnight train service, the new coaches convey three different types of sleeping cabin, but no accommodation that is the equivalent of a couchette.

• (1) As the name of the service implies 'Caledonian Double' offers the opportunity to travel in a double bed, the Caledonian Sleeper is the only European overnight train service to offer this facility.

- (2) A 'Club Room' has a similar Premier Class ambience to the 'Caledonian Double' sleeping cabin, but two bunk beds are available.
Both the Caledonian Double and Club Room cabins have en-suite showers and travellers receive a complimentary breakfast and can access the pre-boarding lounges at stations.

- (3) The 'Classic Rooms' have two bunk beds or single beds and have a wash-basin in the cabin.

Note that no sleeping cabin on the Caledonian Sleeper service has more than two beds.

Travel in the sleeping cabins and you can access the 'Club Car' dining and bar coach.
Though passengers in Caledonian Double and Club Rooms will have priority for making reservations for the on-board restaurant service.

The trains convey a 'Club Car' dining and bar coach, which can be accessed by all passengers travelling in the sleeping cabins (it cannot be used by passengers travelling in the seats).

Drinks, snacks and light meals are available at the bar, but an at-seat restaurant service is also available at which full meals are served.
Though passengers traveling in Caledonian Double and Club Rooms will have priority for making reservations for the on-board restaurant service.

All parts of the train have access to Wi-Fi.

Unusually for UK train tickets, you can book journeys on the Caledonian Sleeper up to twelve months ahead.
If you want a full choice of accommodation in the summer months or around holiday times, it's best to book at least a month in advance.

Bike reservations should be booked before noon on the day before travel.

In common with how tickets are sold for other European night train services, there are two elements to the ticket price:

• the cost of making the journey and
• the costs of travelling in the sleeping cabins.
  If you want to travel in the reclining seats, you will in effect only be paying the journey costs.

The sleeping cabins also have a fixed price, so how the total costs are calculated is dependent on how the sleeping cabins will be occupied.

If you will be making an individual booking you will have sole occupancy of a Club Room or Classic Room (booking a Caledonian Double isn't an option for solo travellers).

Also there isn't the option of booking a cheaper type of ticket for a 'shared' cabin, which you would then be sharing with another traveller who had booked the same type of ticket.
Therefore on the Caledonian Sleeper trains a lone traveller will have sole occupancy of the cabin.

The total cost per person is more expensive if you will be travelling individually, because if you travel solo you pay the cost for the Club Room or Classic Room - plus a cost for making the journey.
But two people travelling together pay the same charge for the Club Room and Classic rooms, so this cost is split between them - the additional cost is the need to purchase two journey tickets.

Paying a higher price for single occupancy of a cabin is the norm on European night trains, but this particular pricing methodology makes the sleeping cabins on a Caledonian Sleeper service, a comparatively expensive option for solo travellers.

If you will be using a valid rail pass you can travel in a reclining seat at no additional charge, but you must reserve a place prior to boarding, by calling the Guest Service Centre on 0330 060 0500.

If you want to travel in a bed in a Club Room sleeping cabin, you need to pay a 'Room only supplement' of £170 if you will be travelling solo, or £200 if two people will be travelling together.
If you want to travel in a Classic Room sleeping cabin, the supplement is £120 for solo travellers and £140 if two people are travelling together.

These 'Room only supplements' can be booked online.

All the relevant information is available on the Caledonian Sleeper website.