The Caledonian Sleeper is a night train connection between Scotland and London. The train is named one of the eight best night train connections in the world by Lonely Planet. However, it is not only very popular with tourists, but also with Scottish politicians, who like to use the train for their journeys home.
background
preparation
Ticketing
You can book a ticket for the Caledonian Sleeper online via the Website of the Caledonian Sleeper possible, also by phone on 03300600500 (within UK) orTel: 441415550888when calling from outside the UK.
If you book your ticket online from Germany, you will receive a booking number with which - in combination with the card used for payment - you can collect the ticket from the ticket machine at any station in the UK.
Bicycle transport
Taking a bicycle in the Caledonian Sleeper is free of charge, but requires a reservation as there are only limited transport options per train. In addition, on some connections (e.g. Inverness - London) it is also possible to book additional bike transfers, then the bikes are transported to their destination by other means and you have to check them in separately about 2 hours before the train departs.
On the routes of the Caledonian Sleeper there are usually 6 bicycle parking spaces in the baggage car per train section, this applies to the train sections from / from Inverness and Aberdeen for the Highland Sleeper and for the train sections of the Lowland Sleeper. There are no bicycle parking spaces in the train sections intended for the onward journey to Fort William in the entire train from / to London.If you want to use the train to Fort William by bicycle, you have to reload your bike personally in Edinburgh (i.e. in the middle of the night, time depending on the direction of travel ), if the two lounge cars are attached (northbound) or separated (southbound) to the train part to Fort William.
getting there
For information on how to get to the respective boarding points, see the linked local articles in this wiki.
Highland Sleeper
The order of the places corresponds to the northbound route.
London - Edinburgh
The section through England which the West Coast Main Line uses, includes only a few train stops on both the north and south-facing route. Passengers are only allowed to board the train to the north, and only to get off at these stations to the south.
- Watford Junction (northbound only)
- Crewe
- Preston
The train then follows Edinburgh Waverley. The train takes around 7.5 hours to travel between London and Edinburgh.
Northbound the train is split at Edinburgh Waverley. The first two sleeping cars are provided with two additional open-plan cars for the train section to Fort William, the middle six to seven cars go to Aberdeen and the last six to seven cars to Inverness.
Heading south, the three train parts, each coming from Inverness, Fort William and Aberdeen, are assembled in Edinburgh and then continue as one train to London.
Edinburgh - Inverness
- Falkirk
- Stirling
- Dunblane
- Gleneagles
- Perth
- Dark
- Pitlochry
- Blair Atholl
- Dalwhinnie
- Newtonmore
- Kingussie
- Aviemore
- Carrbridge (northbound only)
- Inverness
Edinburgh - Aberdeen
Edinburgh - Fort William
Glasgow Queen Street
Arrochar & Tarbet
Lowland Sleeper
security
Go on
The following options are available to continue your journey from the terminus by public transport:
- In London from Euston terminus you have a connection to the southern English rail network and local transport in the greater London area.
- In Aberdeen there is a train connection to Inverness. There is also a daily ferry service to the Shetland Islandsthat three times a week too Kirkwall on the Orkney Islands starts up.
- Of Inverness one has further connection to the Kyle of Lochalsh Line and to the Far North Line to Wick or after Thurso.
- Of Fort William you can make the trip with the West Highland Line to Mallaig continue from where you click on the Inner Hebrides and after Skye can translate.
