London to Cornwall by Night Riviera sleeper train...

It's the most time-effective way from London to Cornwall, making short breaks possible in the sunny southwest without the need for a 6-hour drive or a domestic flight.  And if you live in Devon or Cornwall, it makes business or leisure trips to central London or even Paris easy.  Every night except Saturday night, an overnight sleeper train with private 1 & 2-bed compartments and a lounge car links London's Paddington Station with towns, cities and holiday resorts all over Cornwall.

Information on this page...

Night Riviera sleeper train timetable...

The Cornish sleeper runs daily except Saturday nights & 24, 25 December. 

For daytime trains between London, Devon & Cornwall, use the online booking form on the right.

( ) = times in brackets are an arrival/departure by connecting branch line train or bus link, not the Night Riviera itself.

Paris & Brussels connection by Eurostar     Scilly Isles ferry or helicopter connection    Eden Project bus connection    Land's End buses

London Underground map:  www.tfl.gov.uk/maps.      Tourist information & accommodation for Cornwall:  www.visitcornwall.com

Sponsored links...

What's the sleeper to Cornwall like?

The Night Riviera sleeper train is a miniature travelling hotel, with private sleeper compartments & lounge car.  The sleeper compartments are compact but cosy, with an upper & lower berth in twin rooms or just one lower berth in single rooms, plus a washbasin with hot & cold running water.  The beds come with a snug duvets (a welcome replacement for the traditional blankets), fresh clean sheets & plump pillows.  Soap, towel and a small bottle of mineral water are provided for each passenger.  The single-berth rooms (but not the twin rooms) have an on-demand LCD TV screen showing a selection of drama, comedy, documentary & children's programmes (bring your own earphones or buy them from the buffet for £2.50).  There are two toilets at the end of the corridor in each sleeping-car which you can use at all times, even when the train is standing in the station.  There's a lounge car with tables & chairs and a buffet counter selling wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks & snacks.  A light breakfast with tea or coffee & fruit juice is included in the fare, served by your steward in your compartment at the time you specify.  The Night Riviera also has ordinary seats, in fact the seats are extra-roomy reclining first class ones sold at standard class prices, but a sleeper berth is recommended.  Like all British trains, the Night Riviera is all non-smoking.  More information & photos.

Shortly before midnight...  The sleeper to Cornwall waits to leave platform 1 at Paddington Station, under Isambard Kingdom Brunel's magnificent arched roof dating from 1854.  You can board the sleeper from 22:30 onwards...		Single-berth sleeper, shown with washbasin closed.  Note the TV screen.  More photos.		Two-berth sleeper, shown with washbasin open & blind down.  More photos.

The lounge car...  A buffet counter sells beer, wine, and hot & cold snacks.  Tea & coffee is complimentary for sleeper passengers.  This seating is reserved for sleeper passengers, or you can take food & drink back to your sleeper...		Good morning Cornwall...  The Night Riviera is seen here at Penzance, basking in the early morning sun...

Bed sizes:  The lower berth is approximately197cm (6'5") long & 67cm wide.  The upper berth is around 192cm (6'3") long & 67cm wide.

Night Riviera sleeper fares...

There are two ways to buy a sleeper ticket:

• Option 1, buy a special inclusive Sleeper Advance ticket specifically for the sleeper between London & Cornwall.

• Option 2, buy a normal ticket to or from Cornwall and pay the sleeper berth supplement on top.

Option 1:  Special inclusive sleeper fares...

There are special inclusive fares for travel on the Night Riviera sleeper train between London and any station in Cornwall.

• These Sleeper Advance fares must be booked in advance, no refunds, limited changes to travel plans allowed.

• By all means buy a Sleeper Advance ticket in one direction & a normal Advance ticket for a daytime train in the other.

• The price rises as the cheaper tickets are sold, so book early (maximum 12 weeks in advance).  Mid-week will usually be cheaper than Friday nights, February cheaper than August.

• Children under 16 go for 50% of the adult Sleeper Advance fare.  Children under 5 free, though they don't get their own berth.

• Railcard holders get no further discount on these Sleeper Advance fares.

Option 2:  Normal ticket + sleeper supplement...

• The sleeper supplement is £50 for a 1-berth room, £35 per person for a 2-berth room.

• If you have a normal standard class Anytime or Off-peak ticket to or from Cornwall (for example, London to St Ives, Penzance to London, Cambridge to Falmouth, Canterbury to Truro, Croydon to Newquay and so on...) or for that matter a BritRail pass or all-line Rail Rover, you can travel in a sleeper berth simply by paying this sleeper supplement.  You cannot upgrade to a sleeper if you have an Advance ticket.

• Passengers travelling alone pay £50 and get a single room all to themselves.  Unlike the sleepers to Scotland, if you're travelling alone you're no longer allowed to share a 2-berth room with another passenger, you must pay for sole occupancy of a single room.  However, unlike the Scottish sleepers, you no longer need a first class ticket to travel in a single room all to yourself, a standard class ticket is all you need.

• If there's two of you, you can either pay £35 per person and share a 2-berth room with upper & lower berths or pay £50 per person and ask for two adjacent single rooms (both with lower berths, of course) with inter-connecting door.

•  There's no reduction on sleeper berth supplements for children if they want a separate bed, although they pay the child-rate fare.  More information on children in sleepers.

How to buy sleeper tickets...

• You can now book sleeper berths on the Night Riviera online using the online booking system above.  This links to www.thetrainline.com, who charge a £1 booking fee for debit cards or £3.50 with credit cards.  You can also book at www.firstgreatwestern.com, which has the same fares but with no booking fee.  Tickets can be sent free by first class post to any UK address, or picked up from the self-service machines at most main British stations (50p charge).

• Bookings normally open 12 weeks before departure, sometimes less than this, you can't book before reservations open!

• An error message often means that bookings haven't opened yet - try calling to ask them.

• To buy sleeper tickets to or from Cornwall by phone, call First Great Western telesales on 08457 000 125, lines open 07:00-22:00 Monday-Friday, 08:00-19:00 Saturday & Sunday.

• You can also buy tickets at most main railway stations.

• If you live outside the UK, you can't access UK '0845' numbers from overseas, so call First Great Western Telesales on their international number, +44 1752 835705.

Children...

• 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 Samsonite travel bubble fits on the floor for babies up to 18 months an is great for hotel rooms, too.  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 a separate berth for a child under 5 you'll need to pay for a child-rate Sleeper Advance ticket or for a child-rate normal ticket plus the adult sleeper supplement.  Two children under 5 can share a bed for the price of one child-rate Sleeper Advance ticket or one child-rate normal ticket plus one adult berth supplement.

• Children under 16 go for 50% of the adult fare if you buy a Sleeper Advance ticket.  Or they can travel for 50% of the normal adult fare plus the adult berth supplement for the bed.  Two children 5-15 sharing a bed must pay two child fares but need only pay one sleeper supplement as they're only using one bed.

Luggage, bikes, dogs & pets...

• Luggage:  Sleepers are very compact, but there's room for small & medium-sized bags and cases on the luggage racks or on the floor if necessary, though very large suitcases are best placed in the guard's van.

• Bicycles:  You can take bikes on the Night Riviera sleeper train free of charge, placed in one of the three special bike racks in the guard's van.  A bike reservation must be made as the number of bike spaces is limited.  To reserve your bike, call First Great Western on 0845 678 6980, lines open 08:00-22:00 daily.  Tandems aren't carried.

• Dogs & pets:  You may be able to take a dog or other pet on the sleeper, to ask about this call First Great Western on 0845 678 6980 at least 48 hours before travelling.  Guide dogs travel free.

• Cars & motorbikes:  The Night Riviera no longer carries cars or motorbikes.

Station lounge at London Paddington...

• At London Paddington, all sleeper berth passengers may use the First Class Lounge, located half way along platform 1, which is the platform normally used by the Night Riviera sleeper, see the photo below.  The lounge is open 05:30 to 23:55 Monday-Friday and 16:00 to 23:55 on Sundays, just show your sleeper ticket to enter.  The lounge features complimentary wine, soft drinks, fruit juice, tea & coffee, biscuits, fruit & nuts.  It has easy chairs, tables, and workstations with charging points for laptops and mobiles.  One quiet section of the lounge (around to the right as you enter) features leather armchairs and occupies what was originally Queen Victoria's waiting room, beautifully restored.

Showers, toilets, power sockets...

• There are two toilets at the end of the corridor in each sleeping-car which you can use at all times, even when the train is standing in the station.  There are no toilets in the sleeper compartments.

• There are no showers on the sleeper train itself, but there's a shower facility in the main station toilets at London Paddington which is free if you have a sleeper berth ticket.  Travel tip: The toilet attendants aren't always very clued up about this, so be polite but firm.

• There are no power sockets in the sleeper compartments, just a 2-pin 240V shaver socket, but in practice you can use this for recharging your mobile phone if you have a 2-pin adaptor.  There are laptop and mobile charging points in the First Class Lounge at London Paddington.

Wheelchair-accessible sleepers...

Unfortunately there are no wheelchair-accessible sleeper berths on the Night Riviera, unlike the sleeper to Scotland, although there are wheelchair spaces in the seating coaches.

Inter-connecting doors between sleeper compartments...

There is an inter-connecting door between each pair of adjacent sleeper compartments, normally kept locked shut.  You can book two adjacent 2-berth compartments with an inter-connecting door between them to make a 4-berth suite, or you can book two adjacent single-berth compartments with an inter-connecting door to make a suite with two lower berths (but 3-berth suites aren't possible because of the way the compartments are paired).  You can work out which berth numbers have the connecting door like this:  Berths 1 & 2 have a connecting door with berths 3 & 4.  Berths 5 & 6 have a connecting door with berths 7 & 8.  Berths 9 & 10 have a door with berths 11 & 12.  And so on, up to berths 21 & 22 having an inter-connecting door with berths 23 & 24.  Travel tip:  When asking for two compartments with an inter-connecting door, ask which berth numbers you've been allocated and make sure they are indeed two communicating compartments before hanging up the phone, as telesales staff don't always get it right.  However, on board staff are excellent, and can usually sort out any problem.

Video Guide to the Night Riviera...

A journey to Cornwall on the Night Riviera...

First Class Lounge at London Paddington:  All sleeper berth passengers can use the First Class Lounge before departure or in the morning on arrival, open 05:30-23:55 Mon-Fri & 16:00-23:55 Sundays, half way along platform 1, the platform used by the Night Riviera.  The lounge has complimentary tea, coffee, wine, soft drinks, snacks, fruit, newspapers & magazines.  There are charging points for laptops & mobiles.  This shows the 'modern' part of the lounge, the 'classic' part features leather armchairs in what was originally Queen Victoria's waiting room.		The sleeping-car corridor.  Just like a hotel corridor, but narrower, with compartment doors & berth numbers.  The green lights are safety lights.		TV entertainment...  The single-berth sleepers (but not the 2-berths) have an LCD TV screen with a small selection of programmes such as Fawlty Towers, Midsomer Murders, Lewis, Wallace & Gromit & Grand Designs.  It's free, but bring some ear-phones.  Use the ones from your iPod or buy a pair for £2.50 from the lounge car.

You can recharge a phone with 2-pin adaptor.		A cosy duvet in a single-berth sleeper on the Night Riviera to Cornwall.  Note the remote control for the video...		Toilets are located at the end of the corridor...

Wake up in Cornwall...  Lift up the blind next morning, and the sunlight streams in.  Catch a glimpse of Truro Cathedral in the morning mist as the train crosses the viaduct over the city en route to Penzance...		Breakfast in bed.  There's a knock on your door and the steward brings your breakfast, included in the fare.  You'll be asked when you board whether you'd like tea or coffee.

Pullman dining on daytime trains between London & Cornwall...

As well as the Night Riviera sleeper there are direct daytime trains between London & Cornwall, also bookable using the form above.  For a real treat, Pullman Dining is available on Mondays-Fridays eastbound on the 10:00 Cornishman from Penzance to London and westbound on the 18:03 Golden Hind from London to Penzance and 19:03 Armada from London to Plymouth, see www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Your-journey/On-board/Pullman for full details.  Pullman dining is something special, with menus devised by chef Mitch Tonks.  A journey along the famous sea wall at Dawlish whilst enjoying what is perhaps the best (and one of the few remaining) restaurant car services in Britain is a truly wonderful experience.

The Man in Seat 61 says:  "If there is any better dining experience on any regular British train, I have yet to find it..."

London to the Isles of Scilly...

	The Scilly Isles ferry...  Disembarking from the ferry 'Scillonian III' at Hugh Town on St Mary's.  The Scillonian III dates from 1977, replacing Scillonian II (1956) and the original Scillonian of 1926.  A historic link with the Scilly Isles!
	The bar on the Scillonian III.  A commentary explains points of interest as the ferry rounds the Cornish coast.  There's also a cafe serving full English breakfasts and other hot meals.
	Approaching St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly.

The Night Riviera sleeper train connects conveniently at Penzance with the ferry to the Scilly Isles, some 28 miles from the Cornish mainland.

London ► Scilly Isles

• Travel from London to Penzance overnight by Night Riviera sleeper train, daily except Saturday nights.

• In Penzance, the ferry terminal is 10 minutes walk from the station.  If you've luggage, a taxi will only cost a few pounds.  Map of Penzance showing station & ferry quay.

• The ferry sails from Penzance at 09:15 on Mondays to Saturdays from mid-April to early October, arriving at Hugh Town on St Mary's in the Scilly Isles 2 hours 40 minutes later, at 11:55.  It also sails on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday during the two or three weeks before and after this period.  Minimum check-in 15 minutes.  Exact sailing dates and times vary, so check sailing times at www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk.

• Motor launches connect with the ferry at St Mary's for transfers to the other Scilly Islands, including Tresco with its famous gardens.

Scilly Isles  ► London

• The ferry sails from Hugh Town on St Mary's at 16:30 on Mondays to Saturdays from mid-April to early October, arriving Penzance at 19:10.  It also sails on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday during the two or three weeks before and after this period.  Minimum check-in 15 minutes.  Exact sailing dates and times vary, so check sailing times at www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk.

• In Penzance, the ferry terminal is 10 minutes walk from the station.  If you've luggage, a taxi will only cost a few pounds.  Map of Penzance showing station & ferry quay

• Travel from Penzance to London overnight by Night Riviera sleeper train, daily except Saturday nights.

Fares...

• See above for sleeper fares.

• Ferry fares cost around £95 for a fully-flexible open return, £85 for a Saver return valid on off-peak sailings or £47.50 one-way.  See www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk for details.

• Alternatively, First Great Western offer a special combined train+ferry deal from London to the Scilly Isles for around £150 return, see www.firstgreatwestern.com.  To use the sleeper you will need to add the sleeper supplement in each direction.  It may be cheaper to buy separate train and ferry tickets.

How to buy tickets...

• Buy your Night Riviera tickets by phone as shown above.

• Buy your Penzance-St Mary's ferry ticket online at www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk. 

• You can also buy tickets on the day of travel at the 'weighbridge' office at the entrance to the quay from where the Scillonian III sails.  The office is open from 08:00 on sailing days.

Scilly isles helicopter service ended 31 October 2012...

• There used to be a helicopter link between Penzance and the Scilly isles, on the UK's only scheduled helicopter service, see www.islesofscillyhelicopter.com.  The Penzance to Scilly helicopter service ceased permanently on 31 October 2012.

Short breaks to the Scilly isles by train & ferry...

• The Tregarthans Hotel has teamed up with First Great Western & Isles of Scilly Travel to offer short breaks by train and ferry to the Scilly isles starting in London or at any First Great Western station between London & Penzance such as Reading or Exeter.  See www.tregarthens-hotel.co.uk/land-and-sea.php.

Isles of Scilly tourist information...

For Isles of Scilly tourist information see www.simplyscilly.co.uk.

The Eden Project...    

You can use the Night Riviera to make a time-effective visit to the famous Eden project near St Austell in Cornwall.  For information about the Eden Project including opening times, see their website, www.edenproject.com.

• Take the Night Riviera sleeper train overnight from London to St Austell.

• Bus 527 run by Western Greyhound links St Austell station (bus stop G) with the Eden Project every hour from 08:35 to 17:35 Mondays-Saturdays, 09:35 to 17:35 on Sundays, journey time 22 minutes.  Buses return from the Eden Project every hour from 09:00 to 18:00 Monday-Saturday, 10:00-18:00 on Sundays.  Check current bus times at www.westerngreyhound.com.

• Bus 101 run by First Bus also links St Austell bus station with the Eden Project approximately hourly 08:50-15:50, see www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/southwest/devon/timetables. 

• Buy your bus ticket on the bus.  Ask the Western Greyhound bus driver for a combined bus + entry ticket to the Eden project.  This costs around £13.50, saving £4 on the entry fee and avoiding the ticket queues at the entrance.  Children £5.70.  You can check these special combined fares at www.westerngreyhound.com/fares.php.  First Bus also offer a combined bus + Eden Project entry ticket, for £17 adult, see www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/southwest/devon/fares/otherfares.php.

• Alternatively, you can buy special inclusive tickets from any railway station in Britain to the Eden Project covering train travel to St Austell and the bus transfer to the Eden Project.  A through train+bus ticket to the Eden Project costs £3.00 more one-way, £4.50 day return or £6.00 period return than the relevant Anytime, Off-peak or Advance fare from the station in question to St Austell.  It does not include the Eden Project entry fee, but the Eden Project will give you a discount on their entry fee if you show your train tickets.  You can buy tickets by phone from First Great Western on 0845 678 6980.

Land's End...    

Above:  Land's End...

The railway only goes as far as Penzance, but buses will take you the final 10 miles to Land's End, where you'll find cliff top walks, a hotel, restaurant and bar, tourist shops and various exhibitions.

• Bus 1 or 1A (First Group) or 501 & 504 (Western Greyhound) links Penzance bus station (next to the railway station) with Land's End every hour or two throughout the day.

• For bus information see www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/southwest/devon/timetables/index.php & www.westerngreyhound.com. 

• A day return bus ticket costs around £5.40, journey time is 52 minutes.

• Land's End attractions website:  www.landsend-landmark.co.uk

Cornwall to Paris or Brussels by sleeper+Eurostar

	+

Dinner in Cornwall, then lunch in central Paris next day, no airports, airlines or flights required!  Just take the Night Riviera sleeper train from Cornwall up to London, Underground or taxi to St Pancras then Eurostar to Paris or Brussels in 2 hours or so.

Cornwall ► Paris & Brussels...

• Take the sleeper from Cornwall to London, see above for times & fares.  The sleeper runs daily except Saturday nights, arriving at London Paddington before 06:00.  Take the Circle or Hammersmith & City Line to St Pancras.  Remember there's a 30 minute check-in for Eurostar.

• A Eurostar leaves St Pancras at 07:27 on Mondays-Saturdays arriving Paris Nord at 10:56.

• A Eurostar leaves St Pancras at 08:34 daily, arriving Brussels Midi at 11:29.  On Saturdays, leave St Pancras at 08:53 arriving Brussels at 12:03.

Paris & Brussels ► Cornwall...

• A Eurostar leaves Paris at 20:13 daily except Saturdays, arriving London St Pancras at 21:29.

• A Eurostar leaves Brussels Midi at 20:29 daily except Saturdays, arriving London St Pancras at 21:33.

• Take the Circle Line or Hammersmith & City Line to Paddington.

• Take the sleeper from London to Cornwall, see above for times & fares.  The sleeper runs daily except Saturday nights, leaving London Paddington at 23:45 (23:50 on Sundays). 

Fares...

Sleeper from Cornwall to London from £98 return with a bed;  Eurostar from London to Paris or Brussels from £59 return.

How to buy tickets from Cornwall to Paris...

You can't buy tickets online, but it's easy to buy tickets for the sleeper & Eurostar separately.

1.  Buy Night Riviera sleeper tickets by phone on 0845 678 6980.

2.  Buy your Eurostar ticket separately at www.eurostar.com. 

By all means take a later Eurostar southbound or an earlier Eurostar northbound, if these have cheaper seats available or if you'd like to stop off in London.

Hotels & accommodation in Cornwall or London

For hotels in Cornwall (or anywhere else for that matter),  search all the main hotel websites at once using the Hotels Combined booking form below.