It’s not often you fall asleep in one country and wake up in another; at least on dry land, anyway. The Caledonian Sleeper is an iconic railway experience which connects London with Scotland’s cities and ... Read more The post Caledonian Sleeper: My Review appeared first on The Chaotic Scot.
It’s not often you fall asleep in one country and wake up in another; at least on dry land, anyway. The Caledonian Sleeper is an iconic railway experience which connects London with Scotland’s cities and scenic destinations.
On social media, I often see videos of London city-dwellers journeying north on the Caledonian Sleeper in an overnight quest to escape the bustle of the big smoke for a healthy dose of fresh Scottish air and Highland landscapes.
I did the journey in reverse, travelling from my home in Scotland’s capital for a food-filled, sightseeing city break in London. As someone who frequently seeks out and writes about tranquil, beautiful locations in Scotland, this was a complete contrast and I loved it.
This is my wee review of the Caledonian Sleeper and the 8 things I think you should know.
Written as part of a paid collaboration with Caledonian Sleeper
As a lover of train journeys and unique accommodation, the concept of a Sleeper Train has always been very appealing to me. I had travelled on the Caledonian Sleeper once before, in my early twenties, so that I could attend a group interview in London for the tour guiding job that I went on to do, taking backpackers around Eastern Europe and the islands of Croatia by boat.
Relatively care-free back then, I had no trouble falling asleep on the train and only woke from my solid slumber with the announcement that we had arrived in London.
I’m very used to rail travel, and I often stay in hostels in Scotland (albeit private rooms), but how would I sleep this time around? It was 10.30pm on a Friday night in Edinburgh Waverley Station and I was about to find out.
Caledonian Sleeper: my review & top tips
1) If you love trains, it’s one for your wish list
I know the Sleeper Train is frequently used by business travellers for practical purposes, but I’m speaking purely from a ‘leisure’ perspective. I’m a lover of public transport, who doesn’t drive, so this experience was a wish-list novelty and I was very excited.
For me, it was a grown-up version of a sleepover, ON A TRAIN, with a fun-filled weekend at the end of the line. I thoroughly enjoyed walking past the Friday night pub-revellers on route to the station, and boarding the train at 10.30pm; checking into our compact en-suite room with bunk beds and visiting the Club Car for a wee snack and nightcap.
2) It’s not a low cost experience
I’ll cut right to the chase here, because the cost is a key discussion point on social media. If you’re booking a room with an actual bed, as opposed to the seating carriage (I wouldn’t even consider this on an overnight journey), prices range from £265 – £425 for two people, each way; the different accommodation types are explained below.
While this obviously isn’t exactly a budget-friendly price tag, it is worth considering the cost of a train rail fare to London, plus the cost of a hotel stay. Honestly, it works out around the same price.
3) there are four ‘accommodation’ options
> Caledonian Double En-suite – the closest thing you’ll get to a hotel room on this moving train, this flagship room has a double bed, plus an en-suite shower room, toilet and sink. £425 for 2 guests, each way.
This room and the Club Room also include:
- breakfast on-board
- access to the station lounges
- priority access to the Club Car on the train
- sleep kit with an eye mask and ear plugs
- complimentary toiletries and
- a wee bar of Scottish chocolate.
> Club Room En-suite – the difference between this room and the Caledonian Double is the twin bunk beds instead of the double bed. All of the beds have luxury Glencraft mattresses for extra comfort.
This is the room that my partner and I stayed in on our journey to London. Packing and unpacking in such a confined space was a bit chaotic, but I found the bed to be cosy and comfy, and I liked having an en-suite toilet. £375 for 2 guests, each way.
> Classic Room – this room has twin bunk beds and a sink, but without an en-suite toilet/shower or the extra perks of the two rooms described above. I think this a great option for those who want the experience of having a bed for the journey, and are happy to go without the extras to save money. £265 for 2 guests, each way.
> Seated Coach – as the name suggests, this is the upright overnight option in seats with adjustable headrests and footrests. One of my readers on social media told me that she and her friend always book the seated option and take comfy clothes, blankets, and their own eye masks/ear plugs etc., and always manage to sleep.
As someone who’s unable to sleep on flights, I think I would struggle to doze off sitting up, but if you’re a good sleeper then this is worth considering. £70 per guest, each way.
Other things to note about the accommodation:
- All rooms can be booked for single occupancy (prices from £205 – £360 for 1 person)
- Railcards can be used for the Seated Coach fares, giving you up to 30% off, which makes this a very budget friendly option.
- Breakfast isn’t included in the Classic Room or Seated Coach fare but can still be ordered on-board.
Check out the Caledonian Sleeper accommodation for more details
4) take advantage of the station lounges
If you’re travelling in an ensuite Club Room, one of the perks is access to the station lounges before/after your journeys. The First Class lounge at Edinburgh Waverley is LNER branded and has complimentary drinks, snacks and WiFi. There are showers too.
The brand-new (for 2024) lounge at London Euston is a lovely bright space with attractive vintage-style railway artwork featuring destinations on the route. Snacks, hot drinks, and the same hot food menu as on-board the train is available, plus great showers with fresh towels provided.
My other half opted to have a shower in the lounge on arrival into London, rather than sitting down in our compact ensuite and I used the shower there too before our journey home.
The boarding times for the journeys were:
- Edinburgh to London: 10.30pm for an 11.40pm departure.
- London to Edinburgh: 10.15pm for an 11.30pm departure.
Discover more about the guest lounges
5) go to the club car for food & drink
Another unique novelty for me was sitting in the Club Car, as the train pulled out of Edinburgh Waverley Station, with a Scottish cheese board and a can of Black Isle Beer; my other half had a wee dram of Bunnahabhain.
There is a full menu of hot meals and drinks, plus lighter bites if it’s too late to eat something heavy. You’ll notice lots of Scottish brands and ingredients across the food and drink menu, which is fab!
The Club Car is also where breakfast is served – including a Full Scottish. On the way down to London, we opted for the room service breakfast, and while it was nice to have it delivered to the door, we much preferred enjoying our breakfast rolls in the spacious Club Car with countryside views on the way back.
Click here for more Club Car info and menus
6) quality of sleep is dependent on the person
How well do you sleep on the Sleeper Train? The answer will vary from person to person and will be influenced by both the unusual environment (a moving train!) and the individual’s usual sleep quality e.g. a hardcore insomniac vs. someone who can fall asleep at the drop of the hat.
The movement of the train can be quite jerky and noisy, and there are some unavoidable light sources in the room or seated coach, which could disrupt and distract a light sleeper. There’s a reason why ear plugs and an eye mask are provided. That said, some people compare the motion of the train to being rocked to sleep.
On the journey to London, we went to bed after the train had left the station. The mixture of movement and my own excitement (quite possibly the bedtime cheese board too) meant it took a while for me to doze off, but I slept well when I did.
On the way back, we hopped straight into bed before the train departure, and after walking 60,000 steps around London in two days, I fell asleep quickly.
7) the journeys maximise your time at the destination
While it was an early start after a later-than-usual bedtime, I loved that we had two full days ahead of us in London. We arrived on the Saturday at around 7am and returned to London Euston at 9pm to make use of the lounge before boarding the train home.
We packed SO much in to our time, it felt like we’d been there for longer, and the same would obviously apply to those travelling to the Scottish Highlands from London. Perfect if you’re short on time or annual leave.
When we arrived, we travelled to our hotel to drop off our bags (our room was actually ready to check into straight away – yippee!) so we were out exploring by 9am. On the Sunday night, we enjoyed wood-fired pizza for dinner at Rudy’s in Soho before heading back to the station at an unrushed pace.
We stayed at citizenM Tower of London and highly recommend it (£176.80 for 1 night).
I shared three Instagram Reels documenting the full Caledonian Sleeper experience and what we got up to in London. Check them out below:
- Part One: Caledonian Sleeper from Edinburgh to London.
- Part Two: Our first day in London.
- Part Three: Our second day in London + the journey home.
8) It is not an everyday experience
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience on the Caledonian Sleeper and my weekend in London.
Did I have a perfect sleep? Not exactly, but I never do.
Would I travel on the Sleeper Train again? Absolutely, yes.
That’s not to say I would book it for every trip to London, or even for both legs of the journey.
I actually think travelling by standard train one way, and the Sleeper Train the other way would be a good mix; by day and by night.
It’s not an everyday experience or expense. It’s a treat and a novelty; something unique and different.
Give it a go and find out for yourself.
Visit the Caledonian Sleeper website to check prices & availability
I hope you enjoyed my review of the Caledonian Sleeper.
I’m Kay, by the way; you can read more about me here.
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The post Caledonian Sleeper: My Review appeared first on The Chaotic Scot.
