Caledonian Sleeper
Encyclopedia
The Caledonian Sleeper is a sleeper
train
service operated by First ScotRail
and one of only two remaining sleeper services running on the railways of Great Britain
, the other being the Night Riviera
.
It connects London Euston station
and five Scottish
termini – , Edinburgh
, , Glasgow
and – six times a week (departures are daily except for Saturday nights) and also serves a number of intermediate stations. The service to Fort William is colloquially known as The Deerstalker.
Caledonian
is an adjective relating to Scotland or the Scottish Highlands
and derives from Caledonia
, the Latin
name for northern Britain.
northbound along the West Coast Main Line
. The Highland Caledonian Sleeper services leave London as one train in the early evening (between 2000 and 2115) for Inverness, Aberdeen and Fort William. Later on (around 2300 - 0000) the Lowland Caledonian Sleeper services leave for Edinburgh and Glasgow, also as one train.
After leaving London, the Highland Sleeper calls at , Crewe
and Preston
for further boarding. (It is customary for the service to arrive early and wait for its booked departure time.) This train arrives at (where no alighting is possible) about six and a half hours after leaving London, where it splits into three separate trains, bound for Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William. These trains call at intermediate stations en route to their final destinations. The electric locomotive is uncoupled and replaced by a diesel for each of the three portions. Travel to intermediate stations between Edinburgh and the ultimate destinations is possible in seated accommodation subject to availability. It is worth noting that customers for Central Scotland and Fife stations to Perth and Dundee may depart London later and arrive later by travelling on the Lowland Sleeper, then by local connecting service from Edinburgh. Also, although the Fort William portion of the Highland Sleeper skirts around northern Glasgow, customers may arrive in Glasgow earlier than the Lowland Sleeper by travelling on the Highland Sleeper and changing at Westerton.
The Lowland Sleeper leaves London, and calls at only to pick up passengers. The service stops to allow passengers to alight at and . At Carstairs it separates into two separate services, one bound for Edinburgh and the other for , also calling at .
Heading south, the Highland Sleeper portions depart from Fort William, Inverness and Aberdeen, calling at intermediate stations on the journey southwards. They merge to form one train at Edinburgh Waverley before continuing their journey via Preston, Crewe and Watford Junction (all stops permit alighting only) to London Euston. The Lowland Sleeper services depart from Glasgow (calling at Motherwell) and Edinburgh, and merge at Carstairs. The merged service makes one further stop at Carlisle to pick up passengers, and arrives at Watford Junction and then London Euston the following morning. All four services stop at Carlisle to pick up breakfast supplies and for a driver change.
From London Euston, the front coaches of the Highland Sleeper are for Fort William, the middle portion Aberdeen, and the rear portion Inverness.
Of the Lowland Sleeper, the front portion is for Motherwell and Glasgow Central, the rear portion for Edinburgh.
The trains normally operate at a maximum speed of 80 miles per hour, but are authorised to travel at 100mph, where line speeds permit, if they are delayed by more than 20 minutes.
Occasionally, if the WCML is closed for engineering works, the train will use the East Coast Main Line
and miss out the usual stops. The train leaves Euston as normal but with a second locomotive still attached to the back of the train. Upon arriving at Wembley Car Maintenance Depot in North London, the first locomotive is detached and the train hauled southwards again, back in the direction of London. A curve is taken to join the North London Line
through and onto the curve linking the North London Line
to the East Coast Main Line
near St. Pancras. After passing through Finsbury Park (heading north again), the service is run non-stop to Scotland. By entering Edinburgh Waverley station at the opposite end to normal, any further shunting is avoided, leaving the train in the "standard" arrangement.
When the Lowland Sleeper is in Edinburgh Waverley, the Glasgow portion is detached from the front and hauled back down to Motherwell and up to Glasgow Central. The Highland Sleeper is split into three portions as usual. The opposite sequence is repeated going south. Because of the reversal at Wembley and additional route length, the train is normally booked to leave an hour early on such occasions.
Engineering work on other stretches can lead to the Highlander joining up/dividing at a different locations.
Other diversions include:
Northampton: Wolverton - Hanslope Jct - Northampton - Hillmorton Jct - Rugby
Bescot: Rugby - Stechford - Aston - Bescot Stadium - Portobello Jct - Bushbury Jct - Stafford
If the East Coast is shut and part of the West Coast is shut then these diversions over non electrified lines happen:
Manchester: Crewe - Stockport - Manchester Piccadilly - Bolton - Preston
Settle: Preston - Blackburn - Clitheroe - Settle - Carlisle
Dumfries: Carlisle - Dumfries - Glasgow Central (via Larkfield to Edinburgh)
Fort William Diversions:
Oban: The last diversion to Oban took place in 2006, while class 37
locomotives were still operating this section of the sleeper service. This is unlikely to be repeated however, as the current Class 67 locomotives are barred from operating the Oban branch west from Crianlarich due to their high RA (Route Availability
) rating.
Shotts: Westerton - Partick - Glasgow Central Low Level - Cambuslang - Holytown - Shotts - Edinburgh
Inverness Diversions:
Inverness - Aberdeen - Perth/Leuchars - Edinburgh
Inverness - Perth - Kirkcaldy/Cowdenbeath - Edinburgh
Aberdeen Diversions:
Aberdeen - Perth - Falkirk - Edinburgh
Via Fife Circle.
The service uses Mark II
and Mark III
coaching stock, hauled by Class 90
and Class 67
locomotives. From London, the train to each destination consists of up to six Mark III sleeping car
s, a lounge car
and seated car, the latter pair being converted Mark 2F coaches. The exception to this is the Fort William portion which consists of a First Class sleeper car and Standard Class sleeper car only - a Mark II Lounge Car and a Mark II seated carriage are added to this portion at Edinburgh. The reason for this is the train is at the longest permitted length for the platforms at London Euston. South of Edinburgh passengers in the Fort William portion can use the lounge car in whichever portion is marshalled behind.
Trains south of Glasgow Central or Edinburgh (where overhead electric lines are provided) are usually hauled by a Class 90
electric locomotive. Until June 2006, a Class 37
diesel locomotive hauled the Fort William portion north of Edinburgh; it is now hauled by a Class 67
diesel locomotive. Aberdeen and Inverness portions are also hauled by a Class 67. All locomotives are hired from DB Schenker. In 2006, First ScotRail and EWS (DBS' predecessor) came to an agreement that a dedicated set of Class 90s would be used for the Caledonian Sleeper, and these are painted in First ScotRail livery, with a small EWS logo at the cab.
First Class and Standard Class both entitle the holder to an air conditioned
cabin, with wash basin, shaver point, hand towel
, bottled water and a bar of soap, with a more substantial mini washkit in First Class. These berths are standard British Rail SLEP style rolling stock, and as such, were built with interlinking doors. These doors usually remain locked, however First ScotRail policy is to allow these doors to be unlocked if both berths booked as a group.
Berths are usually available prior to departure at the originating station and for a short while after arrival at the terminus
.
First Class is the most expensive, but most amenable class offered, however it must be noted that this level of service is little more than a single person supplement as the cabins are exactly the same specification as second class but with the upper bunk locked in the stowed position. This class of ticket provides the holder to a private cabin consisting of a single bed
, morning tea
, coffee
and full continental-style breakfast
. Breakfast consists of a choice of bacon, egg or Danish pastry
with fruit salad, yoghurt, orange juice and Walkers shortbread
, served with a Scotsman newspaper.
Room service is also available in First Class, and First Class ticket holders may also use the Virgin Trains lounge at London Euston, including the showers.
carriage, shared with up to 31 people. Amenities include tables
, footrests and a reading light — while it can be turned off, the standard coach lighting remains on throughout the night. Blindfold
s have been provided since 2004.
Holders of First Class and Standard Class tickets are entitled to use the Lounge Car, although it can be restricted to First Class ticket holders at busier times. There is a buffet
car service available for Seated passengers and all passengers can take purchases back to their seat or cabin. The lounge car provides meals, snacks and alcoholic or soft drinks.
The lounge car permitted smoking until 9 October 2005, being the last place where it was legal to smoke on the British railway network, but it is now banned. It is highly unusual amongst British trains in having chairs which are not secured to the floor. Recently, Lounge Cars have had a complete refurbishment, including the installation of leather sofas and electric sockets for chargers.
s available on the Caledonian Sleeper. However, there are showers available at , , and for an extra charge.
There are new shower facilities at Fort William station that have recently opened which are free for use by First Class Caledonian Sleeper ticket holders and come at a cost of £3.50 for Standard Class passengers. First Class ticket holders may use the showers in the ScotRail First Class lounge at free of charge.
Only First Class ticket holders are entitled to use the shower facilities at London Euston
; however, showers are available for all at nearby London King's Cross station.
booking system. First ScotRail offers an online booking service which specifically shows its sleeper services, from the syndicated National Rail database.
Tickets may also be booked at principal staffed railway stations in Britain, some travel agents and by phone. Last-minute passengers are sometimes able to buy single tickets from staff by the sleeper train on the night at its originating station if berths or seats are still available.
Ticket prices vary depending on the demand expected for the train, and time of booking. Standard Class and Seated Class both offer cheaper 'Apex' fares, if booked in advance of the date of travel and subject to availability. First Class does not offer an 'Apex' ticket. Railcard discounts apply at the network standard rate of 34% in Seated Class, and at a lower rate on tickets with berths. This discrepancy is due to the Railcard discount being available on the travel portion of the ticket, but not redeemable against the berth. Discount rates are typically not available with the cheaper 'Apex' tickets.
Cheap tickets, termed "Bargain Berths", may be booked in advance and are allocated in very limited numbers to some services. They are available from £19 and are available in Standard Class. The process of booking Bargain Berths is entirely web-based and no physical tickets are issued. It is necessary to print a booking confirmation e-ticket as confirmation.
Passengers from the European Continent can book the Caledonian Sleeper services at their home railway station, as all berths are in the European Reservation System (EPA).
Sleeping car
The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
service operated by First ScotRail
First ScotRail
ScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
and one of only two remaining sleeper services running on the railways of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, the other being the Night Riviera
Night Riviera
The Night Riviera is a sleeper train service operated by First Great Western. It is one of only two remaining sleeper services on the railway in Great Britain...
.
It connects London Euston station
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
and five Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
termini – , Edinburgh
Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
, , Glasgow
Glasgow Central station
Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line railway terminals in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. The station was opened by the Caledonian Railway on 31 July 1879 and is currently managed by Network Rail...
and – six times a week (departures are daily except for Saturday nights) and also serves a number of intermediate stations. The service to Fort William is colloquially known as The Deerstalker.
Caledonian
Caledonian
Caledonian is a geographical term used to refer to places, species, or items in or from Scotland, or particularly the Scottish Highlands. It derives from Caledonia, the Roman name for the area of modern Scotland...
is an adjective relating to Scotland or the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
and derives from Caledonia
Caledonia
Caledonia is the Latinised form and name given by the Romans to the land in today's Scotland north of their province of Britannia, beyond the frontier of their empire...
, the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
name for northern Britain.
Route
Two services leave daily (except Saturday nights) from London EustonEuston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
northbound along the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
. The Highland Caledonian Sleeper services leave London as one train in the early evening (between 2000 and 2115) for Inverness, Aberdeen and Fort William. Later on (around 2300 - 0000) the Lowland Caledonian Sleeper services leave for Edinburgh and Glasgow, also as one train.
After leaving London, the Highland Sleeper calls at , Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
and Preston
Preston railway station
Preston railway station serves the city of Preston in Lancashire, England and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line.It is served by Northern Rail, Virgin Trains, and TransPennine Express services, plus First ScotRail overnight sleeper services between London and Scotland.-Station layout...
for further boarding. (It is customary for the service to arrive early and wait for its booked departure time.) This train arrives at (where no alighting is possible) about six and a half hours after leaving London, where it splits into three separate trains, bound for Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William. These trains call at intermediate stations en route to their final destinations. The electric locomotive is uncoupled and replaced by a diesel for each of the three portions. Travel to intermediate stations between Edinburgh and the ultimate destinations is possible in seated accommodation subject to availability. It is worth noting that customers for Central Scotland and Fife stations to Perth and Dundee may depart London later and arrive later by travelling on the Lowland Sleeper, then by local connecting service from Edinburgh. Also, although the Fort William portion of the Highland Sleeper skirts around northern Glasgow, customers may arrive in Glasgow earlier than the Lowland Sleeper by travelling on the Highland Sleeper and changing at Westerton.
The Lowland Sleeper leaves London, and calls at only to pick up passengers. The service stops to allow passengers to alight at and . At Carstairs it separates into two separate services, one bound for Edinburgh and the other for , also calling at .
Heading south, the Highland Sleeper portions depart from Fort William, Inverness and Aberdeen, calling at intermediate stations on the journey southwards. They merge to form one train at Edinburgh Waverley before continuing their journey via Preston, Crewe and Watford Junction (all stops permit alighting only) to London Euston. The Lowland Sleeper services depart from Glasgow (calling at Motherwell) and Edinburgh, and merge at Carstairs. The merged service makes one further stop at Carlisle to pick up passengers, and arrives at Watford Junction and then London Euston the following morning. All four services stop at Carlisle to pick up breakfast supplies and for a driver change.
From London Euston, the front coaches of the Highland Sleeper are for Fort William, the middle portion Aberdeen, and the rear portion Inverness.
Of the Lowland Sleeper, the front portion is for Motherwell and Glasgow Central, the rear portion for Edinburgh.
The trains normally operate at a maximum speed of 80 miles per hour, but are authorised to travel at 100mph, where line speeds permit, if they are delayed by more than 20 minutes.
Diversions
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
and miss out the usual stops. The train leaves Euston as normal but with a second locomotive still attached to the back of the train. Upon arriving at Wembley Car Maintenance Depot in North London, the first locomotive is detached and the train hauled southwards again, back in the direction of London. A curve is taken to join the North London Line
North London Line
The North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
through and onto the curve linking the North London Line
North London Line
The North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
to the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
near St. Pancras. After passing through Finsbury Park (heading north again), the service is run non-stop to Scotland. By entering Edinburgh Waverley station at the opposite end to normal, any further shunting is avoided, leaving the train in the "standard" arrangement.
When the Lowland Sleeper is in Edinburgh Waverley, the Glasgow portion is detached from the front and hauled back down to Motherwell and up to Glasgow Central. The Highland Sleeper is split into three portions as usual. The opposite sequence is repeated going south. Because of the reversal at Wembley and additional route length, the train is normally booked to leave an hour early on such occasions.
Engineering work on other stretches can lead to the Highlander joining up/dividing at a different locations.
Other diversions include:
Northampton: Wolverton - Hanslope Jct - Northampton - Hillmorton Jct - Rugby
Bescot: Rugby - Stechford - Aston - Bescot Stadium - Portobello Jct - Bushbury Jct - Stafford
If the East Coast is shut and part of the West Coast is shut then these diversions over non electrified lines happen:
Manchester: Crewe - Stockport - Manchester Piccadilly - Bolton - Preston
Settle: Preston - Blackburn - Clitheroe - Settle - Carlisle
Dumfries: Carlisle - Dumfries - Glasgow Central (via Larkfield to Edinburgh)
Fort William Diversions:
Oban: The last diversion to Oban took place in 2006, while class 37
Class 37
Class 37 may refer to:*British Rail Class 37, a British diesel locomotive* DRG Class 37, a class of German steam locomotives with 2-6-0 wheel arrangements operated by the Deutsche Reichsbahn:** Class 37.0-1: Prussian P 6** Class 37.1-2: PKP Class Oi1...
locomotives were still operating this section of the sleeper service. This is unlikely to be repeated however, as the current Class 67 locomotives are barred from operating the Oban branch west from Crianlarich due to their high RA (Route Availability
Route availability
Route Availability is the system by which the permanent way and supporting works of the National Rail network of Great Britain are graded. All routes are allocated an RA number between 1 and 10....
) rating.
Shotts: Westerton - Partick - Glasgow Central Low Level - Cambuslang - Holytown - Shotts - Edinburgh
Inverness Diversions:
Inverness - Aberdeen - Perth/Leuchars - Edinburgh
Inverness - Perth - Kirkcaldy/Cowdenbeath - Edinburgh
Aberdeen Diversions:
Aberdeen - Perth - Falkirk - Edinburgh
Via Fife Circle.
Formation
British Rail Mark 2
The Mark 2 family of railway carriages were British Rail's second design of carriages. They were built by British Rail workshops between 1964 and 1975...
and Mark III
British Rail Mark 3
British Rail's third design of standard carriage was designated 'Mark 3' , and was developed primarily for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train...
coaching stock, hauled by Class 90
British Rail Class 90
The British Rail Class 90 electric locomotives were built by BREL at Crewe from 1987-1990. Each locomotive weighs 84.5 tonnes and has a top speed of . They operate from 25 kV AC overhead wires and produce...
and Class 67
British Rail Class 67
The Class 67 locomotives are a class of Bo'Bo' diesel electric mainline locomotives which were built for the English, Welsh and Scottish Railway between 1999 to 2000 by Alstom at Meinfesa in Valencia, Spain with drive components from General Motors Diesel.Rail enthusiasts have nicknamed the class...
locomotives. From London, the train to each destination consists of up to six Mark III sleeping car
Sleeper Either Class
A Sleeper Either class and Sleeper Either class with Pantry are a type of railway sleeping car used in the United Kingdom. Some units were later modified for better wheelchair access as Sleeper Either class Disabled...
s, a lounge car
Lounge car
A lounge car is a type of passenger car on a train, where riders can purchase food and drinks. The car may feature large windows and comfortable seating to create a relaxing diversion from standard coach or dining options...
and seated car, the latter pair being converted Mark 2F coaches. The exception to this is the Fort William portion which consists of a First Class sleeper car and Standard Class sleeper car only - a Mark II Lounge Car and a Mark II seated carriage are added to this portion at Edinburgh. The reason for this is the train is at the longest permitted length for the platforms at London Euston. South of Edinburgh passengers in the Fort William portion can use the lounge car in whichever portion is marshalled behind.
Trains south of Glasgow Central or Edinburgh (where overhead electric lines are provided) are usually hauled by a Class 90
British Rail Class 90
The British Rail Class 90 electric locomotives were built by BREL at Crewe from 1987-1990. Each locomotive weighs 84.5 tonnes and has a top speed of . They operate from 25 kV AC overhead wires and produce...
electric locomotive. Until June 2006, a Class 37
British Rail Class 37
The British Rail Class 37 is a diesel-electric locomotive. Also known as the English Electric Type 3, the Class was ordered as part of the British Rail modernisation plan....
diesel locomotive hauled the Fort William portion north of Edinburgh; it is now hauled by a Class 67
British Rail Class 67
The Class 67 locomotives are a class of Bo'Bo' diesel electric mainline locomotives which were built for the English, Welsh and Scottish Railway between 1999 to 2000 by Alstom at Meinfesa in Valencia, Spain with drive components from General Motors Diesel.Rail enthusiasts have nicknamed the class...
diesel locomotive. Aberdeen and Inverness portions are also hauled by a Class 67. All locomotives are hired from DB Schenker. In 2006, First ScotRail and EWS (DBS' predecessor) came to an agreement that a dedicated set of Class 90s would be used for the Caledonian Sleeper, and these are painted in First ScotRail livery, with a small EWS logo at the cab.
Amenities
Three classes of travel are available on the Caledonian Sleeper. These are First Class, Standard Class and Seated Sleeper.First Class and Standard Class both entitle the holder to an air conditioned
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
cabin, with wash basin, shaver point, hand towel
Towel
A towel is a piece of absorbent fabric or paper used for drying or wiping. It draws moisture through direct contact, often using a blotting or a rubbing motion. Common household textile towels are made from cotton, rayon, bamboo, nonwoven fibers or a few other materials.-Types of towels:* A bath...
, bottled water and a bar of soap, with a more substantial mini washkit in First Class. These berths are standard British Rail SLEP style rolling stock, and as such, were built with interlinking doors. These doors usually remain locked, however First ScotRail policy is to allow these doors to be unlocked if both berths booked as a group.
Berths are usually available prior to departure at the originating station and for a short while after arrival at the terminus
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
.
First Class
Bed
A bed is a large piece of furniture used as a place to sleep, relax, or engage in sexual relations.Most modern beds consist of a mattress on a bed frame, with the mattress resting either on a solid base, often wooden slats, or a sprung base...
, morning tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
, coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
and full continental-style breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day's work...
. Breakfast consists of a choice of bacon, egg or Danish pastry
Danish pastry
Danish pastry is a sweet pastry which has become a specialty of Denmark and neighbouring Scandinavian countries and is popular throughout the industrialized world, although the form it takes can differ significantly from country to country...
with fruit salad, yoghurt, orange juice and Walkers shortbread
Walkers Shortbread
Walkers Shortbread is a Scottish manufacturer of shortbread, biscuits, cookies and crackers. The company is Scotland's biggest exporter of food....
, served with a Scotsman newspaper.
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
Room service is also available in First Class, and First Class ticket holders may also use the Virgin Trains lounge at London Euston, including the showers.
Standard Class
Standard Class is a less costly ticket, even less so if booked more than two days in advance, and offers a shared cabin consisting of a bunk bed and wash basin. Included in the price is early morning tea or coffee with shortbread, delivered to cabins approximately 30 minutes before arrival. As these cabins sleep two people, single travellers may have to share with a fellow passenger of the same sex. Each pair of adjacent cabins have interconnecting doors, lockable from both sides.Seated Sleeper
The cheapest of the classes offered by the Caledonian Sleeper, this ticket entitles the user to an airline-style reclining seat in an air conditionedAir conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
carriage, shared with up to 31 people. Amenities include tables
Table (furniture)
A table is a form of furniture with a flat and satisfactory horizontal upper surface used to support objects of interest, for storage, show, and/or manipulation...
, footrests and a reading light — while it can be turned off, the standard coach lighting remains on throughout the night. Blindfold
Blindfold
A blindfold is a garment, usually of cloth, tied to one's head to cover the eyes to disable the wearer's sight. It can be worn when the eyes are in a closed state and thus prevents the wearer from opening them...
s have been provided since 2004.
Lounge Car
Buffet
A buffet is a system of serving meals in which food is placed in a public area where the diners generally serve themselves. Buffets are offered at various places including hotels and many social events...
car service available for Seated passengers and all passengers can take purchases back to their seat or cabin. The lounge car provides meals, snacks and alcoholic or soft drinks.
The lounge car permitted smoking until 9 October 2005, being the last place where it was legal to smoke on the British railway network, but it is now banned. It is highly unusual amongst British trains in having chairs which are not secured to the floor. Recently, Lounge Cars have had a complete refurbishment, including the installation of leather sofas and electric sockets for chargers.
Luggage
Luggage is generally conveyed on all sleeper services, with large areas available for storing luggage. Bicycles are conveyed on all sleeper services subject to availability, with a necessary booking. Bicycle and luggage van storage on southbound services from Inverness and following stations is limited.Pets
Dogs are allowed on sleeper services, with a conveyance fee (no fee is charged for Assistance Dogs). Dogs are only allowed in single-berth cabins or where the ticket holder has exclusive use of a twin-berth cabin.Showers
There are no showerShower
A shower is an area in which one bathes underneath a spray of water.- History :...
s available on the Caledonian Sleeper. However, there are showers available at , , and for an extra charge.
There are new shower facilities at Fort William station that have recently opened which are free for use by First Class Caledonian Sleeper ticket holders and come at a cost of £3.50 for Standard Class passengers. First Class ticket holders may use the showers in the ScotRail First Class lounge at free of charge.
Only First Class ticket holders are entitled to use the shower facilities at London Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
; however, showers are available for all at nearby London King's Cross station.
Booking
There is often no differentiation between Caledonian Sleeper services and seated services on the National RailNational Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
booking system. First ScotRail offers an online booking service which specifically shows its sleeper services, from the syndicated National Rail database.
Tickets may also be booked at principal staffed railway stations in Britain, some travel agents and by phone. Last-minute passengers are sometimes able to buy single tickets from staff by the sleeper train on the night at its originating station if berths or seats are still available.
Ticket prices vary depending on the demand expected for the train, and time of booking. Standard Class and Seated Class both offer cheaper 'Apex' fares, if booked in advance of the date of travel and subject to availability. First Class does not offer an 'Apex' ticket. Railcard discounts apply at the network standard rate of 34% in Seated Class, and at a lower rate on tickets with berths. This discrepancy is due to the Railcard discount being available on the travel portion of the ticket, but not redeemable against the berth. Discount rates are typically not available with the cheaper 'Apex' tickets.
Cheap tickets, termed "Bargain Berths", may be booked in advance and are allocated in very limited numbers to some services. They are available from £19 and are available in Standard Class. The process of booking Bargain Berths is entirely web-based and no physical tickets are issued. It is necessary to print a booking confirmation e-ticket as confirmation.
Passengers from the European Continent can book the Caledonian Sleeper services at their home railway station, as all berths are in the European Reservation System (EPA).