All aboard the sleeper to Scotland...

Every night except Saturday night, Caledonian Sleeper trains link London with towns & cities all over Scotland, arriving in time for breakfast.  It's the most civilised, romantic, time-effective & environmentally-friendly way between central London and the heart of Scotland, for a weekend in the Highlands or business meeting in London.  Brand new carriages entered service in 2019, see photos of what the sleeper is like or watch the Video guide.  Last updated May 2023.

Sleeper times northbound

* = The Highland sleeper in fact stops at Edinburgh, where the three portions divide, but it's an unadvertised service stop.

Always check train times for your dates of travel at either www.sleeper.scot or www.nationalrail.co.uk.  Weekend engineering work can affect times at weekends, so please double-check when you book.

There are no sleeper trains on Saturday nights.

The shading highlights the different portions of the train, the London-Inverness, London-Aberdeen & London-Fort William portions of the Highland sleeper and the London-Glasgow & London-Edinburgh portions of the Lowland sleeper.

You can remain in your sleeper until 08:00 on arrival at Edinburgh & Glasgow.

Sleeper times southbound

* = The Highland sleeper in fact stops at Edinburgh, where the three portions are combined, but it's an unadvertised service stop.

Always check train times for your dates of travel at either www.sleeper.scot or www.nationalrail.co.uk.  Weekend engineering work can affect times at weekends, so please double-check when you book.

No sleeper trains run on Saturday nights.

The shading simply highlights the different portions of each train.

You can board your sleeper from 20:00 (19:45 on Sundays) onwards at Inverness, from 23:00 (22:30 Sundays) at Edinburgh and from 22:00 at Glasgow.

How the sleeper works:  2 trains, 5 portions

Two lengthy 16-car Caledonian Sleeper trains leave London for Scotland every night except Saturday nights and 24, 25, 31 December.  The Highland sleeper has 3 portions which split around 04:30 at a service stop at Edinburgh into a portion for Stirling, Perth, Aviemore & Inverness, another for Dundee & Aberdeen, and another for Fort William.  The Lowland sleeper has 2 portions which split at Carstairs, one for Edinburgh & another for Glasgow.  The Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness & Aberdeen portions each consist of up to six sleeping-cars, one club car and one seats/baggage car with bike spaces.  The London-Fort William portion consists of just two sleeping-cars, but you can use the Aberdeen club car in the evening and another club car & a seats/baggage car are added at Edinburgh for the morning part of the journey to Fort William.  Seats passengers between London & Ft William must switch cars at Edinburgh.

How much does it cost?

• A return is two one-ways.  So you can mix & match a sleeper train one-way and a daytime train back.

• Fares are dynamic like air fares, they vary according to demand.  Check prices for your date at www.sleeper.scot.

• These trains are sold per room, like a hotel.  If you pay for a twin, the price covers 2 people.  If travelling solo, you must book a single.

• Club & Caledonian Double fares include breakfast.  In Classic rooms, breakfast is available at extra cost.

• Fixed ticket = no refunds, no changes to travel plans.

• Flexi upgrade = fully refundable before 12:00 on the day before the sleeper leaves.

• If there are 3 or 4 of you, you can book 3 or 4 people in Classic rooms & select two adjacent 2-berth rooms with inter-connecting door.

• To get the cheapest prices, book as far ahead as you can, because prices rise as departure approaches.  You're more likely to find the cheapest fares mid-week rather than on busy Friday or Sunday nights.  And obviously, May or June is busier than February or November.  Cheaper fares are more plentiful on the lowland routes (Edinburgh/Glasgow) than highland routes (Inverness/Aberdeen).

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 lightweight travel cot like this fits on the floor for babies up to 18 months.  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 them to have their own bed, add them to the booking as a 5-15 year old and pay the relevant room rate.

• Children under 16 get a reduction on the fare when included in the booking, for example 2 adults in a Classic twin room start at £170, 1 adult & 1 child in the same Classic twin room starts at £140.

Railcard holders

• A 16-25 railcard, Senior railcard or Forces railcard gives a 34% discount on single-berth sleepers & seats, but not on 2-berth sleepers (even if both passengers have a railcard!).  A Family & Friends or Two Together railcard will give a discount on seats, not on any sort of sleeper.

• You can of course buy an any permitted route Off-Peak ticket for your journey with 34%  railcard discount, this is valid on any operator including Caledonian Sleepers.  Then you must add the sleeper room supplement booked separately at www.sleeper.scot - although you'll need to check if this saves money over buying one of Caledonian Sleeper's own berth-inclusive fares without any railcard discount.

If you have an existing ticket, Rail Rover, BritRail, Interrail or Eurail pass

• If you have a BritRail pass, an All-Line Rail Rover, an Interrail or Eurail pass or simply a normal Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak or Anytime ticket between London & Scotland, you can travel in a sleeper by paying the room supplement.  You can do this online at www.sleeper.scot.

• How much is the sleeper room supplement?

  If you have a standard class ticket or railpass, the room supplement is £120 for one person giving sole occupancy of a Classic room or £140 for two people giving dual occupancy of a Classic room.

  If you have a first class ticket or railpass, the room supplement is £170 for one person giving sole occupancy of a Club room or £200 for two people giving dual occupancy of a Club room.

• How to book a sleeper with an Interrail, Eurail, BritRail Rail Rover or existing open ticket...

  Go to www.sleeper.scot and tick the Room Supplement Only box.  Use this to make a sleeper reservation to go with any pre-existing ticket including BritRail passes, All-Line Rail Rovers, Interrail, Eurail, and ordinary daytime Super Off-Peak, Off-Peak or Anytime tickets for the journey in question.

  Alternatively, call the new Caledonian Sleepers Guest Services Centre on +44 141 555 0888, lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 08:30-14:30 Saturday, 14:30-18:00 Sunday.  Sleeper bookings now open a full year ahead.

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How to buy tickets

• Short breaks to Scotland by sleeper:  Byway & Railbookers offer short breaks to the Highlands by sleeper, with the protection of booking the sleeper, onward travel & hotels as a package, see the holidays & short breaks section below.

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What's the Caledonian Sleeper like?

These all-new sleeper trains entered service on the London-Edinburgh/Glasgow sleeper on 28 April 2019 and on the Highland sleeper on 9 October 2019.

The Glasgow, Edinburgh & Inverness portions usually each consist of 5 regular sleeping-cars, 1 accessible sleeping car, 1 club car & 1 seats car.

The London-Aberdeen portion usually consists of 1 regular sleeping-car, 1 accessible sleeping car, 1 club car & 1 seats car.

The London-Fort William portion usually consists of 3 regular sleeping-cars and 1 accessible sleeping car, there is no direct club car or seats car in the Fort William portion.  Between London and a service stop in Edinburgh sleeper passengers use the London-Aberdeen club car, another club car is attached between Edinburgh & Fort William.  Seated passengers use the London-Aberdeen seats car between London & Edinburgh, another seats car is attached between Edinburgh & Fort William.

The sleeping-cars

The new Caledonian Sleeper trains offer three types of room: Classic, Club & Caledonian Double.  In addition, there are two types of wheelchair-accessible room: Accessible Classic & Accessible Double.  All come with key-card lock, soap, towels, power sockets, USB ports & free WiFi.  Each type of room is described below...

Sleeping-car layout, regular type:  Most sleeping-cars are of this type.  They have 6 Club rooms (numbered 1 to 6) and 4 Classic rooms (numbered 7 to 10).

Tip:  Pick a room in the centre of the car for the smoothest & quietest ride.  Larger image.

Sleeping-car layout, accessible type:  There is one accessible-type sleeping-car in each portion.  This has one Accessible Double room (room 1), two Caledonian Double rooms (rooms 4 & 5), two Classic rooms (rooms 2 & 3) and one Accessible Classic room (room 6).  Larger image.

Classic rooms

Classic rooms are compact rooms with an upper and lower bed and washbasin which can be booked for single or double occupancy (the upper bed is now always folded out and locked in place even when booked as a solo).  They're identical to the Club rooms in every respect, size, decor and facilities, but without the en suite toilet & shower unit, so see the Club photos below.  Soap & towels are provided, as is an eye mask and ear plugs if you really feel you need them.  There are two 3-pin plug sockets & 3 USB ports, there's free WiFi, and the room has an electronic key-card lock so you can lock it when you go to the toilet or club car.  There's a toilet at the end of the corridor, but no shower.

The beds are 190cm long and approx 63cm wide.  There's luggage space under the bottom bed, in a recess 31cm high by 122cm wide by 54cm deep.

Breakfast is not included with a Classic room, but you can order breakfast items at extra cost on an order form and hang it on the outside of you room door on departure.  They will be served at the time you specify in your compartment or in the club car.

There is an interconnecting door between Classic rooms 7 & 8 and rooms 9 & 10 in each standard sleeping-car which can be opened if your group books both rooms, ideal for families or groups of friends.

Club rooms

Club rooms are compact rooms with an upper and lower bed, washbasin, toilet & shower.  They can be booked for single or double occupancy, although the upper bed is now always folded out and locked in place even when booked as a solo.  Soap & towels are provided, as is an eye mask and ear plugs if you really feel you need them.  There are two 3-pin plug sockets & 3 USB ports, there's free WiFi, and the room has an electronic key-card lock so you can lock it when you go to the club car.  Club rooms are identical to Classic rooms apart from the en suite toilet/shower, but there are no interconnecting doors between Club rooms.

With a Club room you get access to the station lounges in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen & Fort William.

Breakfast is included with a Club room, you tick the breakfast items you want on an order form and hang it on the outside of you room door on departure.  You can ask for breakfast to be served at a time you specify either in your compartment or the club car, but the better breakfast options such as the full Scottish breakfast are only served in the club car.

The beds are 190cm long and approx 63cm wide.  There's luggage space under the bottom bed, in a recess 31cm high by 122cm wide by 54cm deep.

		All rooms have electronic key-card locks.
Club room.  Larger photo  360° photo.		Breakfast is included in Club & Caledonian Double rooms, costs extra in Classic.  This is the Scottish breakfast served in the club car.

Club class room with 2 beds, for solo or dual occupancy.  Larger photo  360° photo.		En suite toilet & shower.

Caledonian Double rooms

Caledonian Double rooms can be booked for single or double occupancy, they have a double bed and en suite toilet & shower.  There is normally just one sleeping-car with 2 Caledonian Double rooms in each portion of the train, so these popular rooms sell out fast.

There's a washbasin with soap & towels, 2 power sockets & 3 USB ports & free WiFi.  The room has an electronic key-card lock for when you go to the club car.

With a Caledonian Double room you get access to the station lounges in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen & Fort William.

Breakfast is included with a Caledonian Double room, you tick the breakfast items you want on an order form and hang it on the outside of you room door on departure.  You can ask for breakfast to be served at a time you specify either in your compartment or the club car, but the better breakfast options such as the full Scottish breakfast are only served in the club car.

The bed is 190cm long.  There's luggage space underneath the bed, in a recess 31cm high by 122cm wide and more than 54cm deep.

		Head end: Main light & dimmer, berth light, temperature control & USB port...
Caledonian Double room with en suite toilet & shower.  The en suite is identical to the one in the Club rooms shown above.  Larger photo.		Foot end:  Two USB ports, two plug sockets, sink light, host call button.

The club car

All passengers with sleeping berths can use the club car.  Officially, access to the club car may be limited to passengers in Club & Caledonian Double rooms at busy times, but in practice this is relatively unusual.  Passengers travelling in the seats are not allowed in the club car.

The club car features bays of seats around tables plus a row of individual swivel stools at a bar.  A steward takes orders and serves food & drink from a fully-equipped galley at the end of the car.

The Caledonian Sleeper sets out to showcase the best of Scottish food & drink.  The surprisingly extensive menu includes several starters such as soup or smoked salmon, several main courses such as lamb casserole or haggis tatties 'n neeps, and desserts such as cheesecake or the Scottish cheeseboard.  The wine list includes red, white and rosé wine in small, half or full bottles, prosecco, port & champagne.  The whisky list includes as many as 14 different types of Scottish whisky, most of which are single malts.  Sandwiches, snacks, soft drinks, tea & coffee are served.  You can find sample menus with prices at www.sleeper.scot.

The Man in Seat 61 says "It doesn't get any more civilised than this.  Speeding north with haggis, tatties 'n neeps and maybe a dram or two of a single malt in the club car, retiring to your private sleeper and waking up in the highlands of Scotland as deer bound away from the train.  Top tip, leave your luggage in your compartment and go and grab a seat in the club car before the train leaves.  On busy nights especially Fridays & Sundays the club car is very popular and if you wait you might find all seats taken.  Finding a seat for breakfast in the morning isn't usually a problem, and the big windows give you the best view of the highland scenery over you bacon and scrambled egg..."

Club car, looking towards the galley end. Larger photo.		Celeriac & truffle soup...

Haggis, tatties 'n neeps...		Club car, from galley end.  Larger photo.

Wheelchair-accessible rooms

There's normally one accessible sleeping-car in each portion of each Caledonian Sleeper train, featuring two different types of accessible room.  At one end of the car there's an Accessible Classic room (room 6) with upper & lower bunks and adjacent wheelchair-accessible toilet.  At the other end of the car there's an Accessible Double room (room 1) with a double bed and adjacent wheelchair-accessible toilet.  Both rooms have extra-wide access doors which open at the touch of a button.  The rooms have power sockets, USB ports, free WiFi and washbasin, soap & towels as other sleepers.  There are no accessible showers.

The accessible sleeping-car is always marshalled next to the club car in the Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness & Aberdeen portions, with the Accessible Double room at the end nearest the club car.  That gives the Accessible Double room easy access to the wheelchair spaces in the club car via a wide wheelchair-friendly gangway.  The Accessible Classic room is at the other end of the sleeping-car from the club car, along a corridor that's (unavoidably) too narrow for wheelchairs, but food from the club car menu can be ordered from your room and brought to you by the steward. 

On the London to Ft William portion going northbound, neither of the accessible rooms has wheelchair access to the club car in the evening.  However, the accessible twin room has direct club car access to the club car in the morning.  On the Ft William to London portion going southbound, the accessible twin room has direct club car access in the evening, but neither of the accessible rooms has wheelchair access to the club car in the morning.  But food can be ordered & served in your room.

The beds are 190cm long.  There's luggage space underneath the bottom bed, in an area 31cm high by 122cm wide at least 54cm deep.

Accessible Classic room (room 6) with upper & lower berths.  Larger photo.		Accessible toilet.  Behind it is the door to the Accessible Classic room.  The arrangement of room & toilet for the Accessible Double room at the other end of the car is identical.

The Accessible toilet.  There's one at each end of the accessible sleeping-car, next to rooms 1 & 6.		Accessible Double room (room 1).  The accessible toilet is outside and immediately adjacent to the room, arranged exactly the same as for the Accessible Classic room at the other end of the sleeping-car, see the photo above this one.  Larger photo.

Seats car

Seats are the economy way to travel.  Each seat has a drop-down table, power socket & USB port.  The seats recline by about 20 degrees, but not further than that.  Lights remain on at full brightness all night 'for safety reasons', they are not dimmed.  There's a large area for bicycles & baggage at one end of the seats car, with shutters that are closed during the journey.  Each seat also has its own secure locker for valuables with a combination lock, just below the overhead rack.  The car also has wheelchair spaces.

Seats car.  Larger photo.		Combination locker for valuables...

Video guide: Caledonian Sleeper

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Luggage, bikes, dogs & pets

• Luggage

  There is room for small & medium-sized bags and cases in your compartment, under the bottom bunk or on the floor if necessary, though very large suitcases can be placed in the guard's van.

  The new trains have luggage space under the bottom bunk in Classic, Club, Caledonian Double & Accessible rooms.  This space is 31cm high by 122cm wide by 54cm deep.

• Bicycles

  You can take bikes on the Caledonian Sleeper trains free of charge, placed in the bike racks in the seats car.  A bike reservation must be made as the number of bike spaces is limited.  To reserve your bike, call the new Caledonian Sleeper Guest Services Centre on 0330 060 0500, lines open 08:30-18:00 every day.  Tandems aren't carried.  There are bike spaces in both the London-Edinburgh & London-Glasgow portions of the Lowlands sleeper, and in the London-Inverness & London-Aberdeen portions of the Highland sleeper.  If you're taking your bike to Fort William you'll need to transfer it at around 5am from the London-Inverness guard's van to the new seats car attached in Edinburgh bound for Fort William, and similarly southbound.

• Dogs & pets

  You can take dogs or other pets on the sleeper, but your party must occupy all the berths in the compartment and a £30 dog charge (to cover special cleaning afterwards) is made for each journey.  To book your dog, call the Caledonian Sleeper Guest Services Centre on 0330 060 0500, lines open 08:30-18:00 every day.  At least 48 hours notice is needed.  Guide dogs travel free.  Dogs aren't carried in the seats cars, only in the sleepers.

• Shotguns

  If you're travelling north for the grouse season for example, shotguns can be carried by special arrangement as long as you have the necessary licence and comply with the licence requirements for transporting shotguns.  You must have a single-berth cabin or be sharing with someone known to you.  Your firearm certificate must be shown on boarding.  To make arrangements, call the new Caledonian Sleeper Guest Services Centre on 0330 060 0500, lines open 08:30-18:00 every day

• Cars & motorbikes

  These sleeper trains don't carry cars or motorbikes.  Motorail between London & Scotland ceased in 1995.

Station lounges & dinner before boarding

• At London Euston

  Club & Caledonian Double sleeper passengers can use the Avanti West Coast first class lounge for up to two hours before their sleeper leaves London or when travelling south, for up to 2 hours after the sleeper arrives in London.

  The lounge is on the first floor up clearly-marked escalator or stairs from the right-hand (east) side of the main concourse as you look towards the main departure boards and platforms.  It has free WiFi and complimentary tea, coffee & snacks, with a bar where you can buy beer, wine or spirits.  There are free showers in the lounge, which you can use on arrival in London.  There is a pre-bookable meeting room, desks for working, a quiet room, and two PCs if you haven't brought yours along.

  Tip:  There are just 2 platforms at Euston long enough to take Caledonian Sleeper's 16-car trains, platform 1 & platform 15.  You'll usually find the Highland sleeper leaving from platform 1, the Edinburgh/Glasgow lowland sleeper leaving from platform 15.

• Dinner before boarding in London?

  You'll find various food outlets inside and outside London Euston station, including a pub and Nandos just outside.  For excellent Italian food, I can recommend the seafood linguine at Gino D'Acampo (www.ginodacamporestaurants.com) inside the station on the new balcony overlooking the concourse.  If you fancy a curry before boarding your sleeper to Scotland, I can heartily recommend the Great Nepalese (www.great-nepalese.com), an inexpensive but award-winning Nepalese restaurant located at 48 Eversholt Street, just down the side of Euston station, exit station and do a 180 degree turn to your left, but not open Sundays.  Or you can eat on the train, as the sleeper's club car serves a good hot plate of haggis, tatties and neeps.

• At Edinburgh Waverley

  Club & Caledonian Double sleeper passengers may use the LNER first class lounge near platform 4, with complimentary refreshments & free WiFi.  It can be used on departure any time from 21:00 onwards, though not on arrival.

• At Glasgow Central

  Club & Caledonian Double sleeper passengers may use the Avanti West Coast first class lounge with complimentary refreshments & free WiFi.  It can be used for up to 2 hours before departure, though not on arrival.

• At Aberdeen

  Club & Caledonian Double sleeper passengers may use the first class lounge next to the ticket office with complimentary drinks & refreshments & WiFi.  Open daily from 06:15 in the morning (09:00 Sundays) until the sleeper leaves at night.

• At Inverness

  There is a Caledonian Sleeper lounge for Club, Caledonian Double & Family ticket sleeper passengers attached to the Cal Sleeper Guest Services Centre, with free WiFi & complimentary tea, coffee and soft drinks.  It's located outside the station, on the corner across the road from the main station entrance.  You can use it from 1½ hours before your sleeper leaves, or on arrival in Inverness for up to an hour after your sleeper arrives.  Alternatively, whatever class you're in, the excellent Highland Hotel is right next to the station with lounge, bar and restaurant and this is also an excellent place to wait for your train, for the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

• At Fort William

  At Fort William there's a small but excellent Caledonian Sleeper lounge for Club & Caledonian Double & family ticket passengers at the station, with free WiFi and showers available.  However, the plush bar of the Alexandra Hotel across the road from the station makes a quiet and comfortable place to wait for the sleeper, for the price of a coffee or pint of beer.

• Stirling, Dundee, Perth & Leuchars also have small Caledonian Sleeper lounges, these can be used by Club, Caledonian Double, Classic, Seated & Family Ticket passengers.  For opening times see www.sleeper.scot.

London:  The Avanti West Coast first class lounge at London Euston, available to sleeper passengers...

Lounge entrance & seating at London Euston.  Complimentary tea, coffee, water & soft drinks are available, with alcoholic drinks at extra cost.

Inverness:  The Caledonian Sleeper lounge at Inverness for Club & Caledonian Double passengers.  It's across the road from the station, the arrow shows the location as seen when standing outside the main entrance to Inverness station.  Complimentary tea, coffee, water & soft drinks are available.  Alternatively, the building on the left is the Highland Hotel, where all sleeper passengers can wait in the bar or lounge for the price of a drink or two.

Fort William: The Caledonian Sleeper lounge for Club & Caledonian Double passengers, in the passageway between the ticket hall and main station entrance.  Complimentary tea, coffee, water & soft drinks are available.  Alternatively, all sleeper passengers can wait in the bar of the Alexandra Hotel across the road from the station for the price of a drink or two.

WiFi, power outlets, showers, connecting doors...

• Room keys

  All sleeper compartments have a hotel-style key card, so you can lock it when you go to the club car or (if you've a classic room) to the toilet.

  When you board, your room will be unlocked.  You'll find the plain white key-card inside a dark green Caledonian Sleeper cover sitting on the sink or the bed.  At this stage the door lock is inactive, you can open & close the door freely without a key. 

  How to activate your room key:  To activate the lock, tap the key card on the outside keypad until a green LED appears, remove it, then tap the keypad again until a red LED light appears.  Check the handle.  The room should now be locked and the key programmed.  Your room door will now lock securely each time you close it and you will need the key to unlock it.

• Power outlets

  In the new trains all sleeper compartments have two 3-pin UK plug sockets and three USB ports.

• WiFi

  The new trains have free WiFi in all cars.  There is good 3G or 4G mobile reception along most of the routes.

• CPAP machines

  The new trains have 3-pin power sockets which in theory can be used for CPAP machines used by people with breathing problems such as sleep apnoea.  However, this is not a land-based electrical supply - power is supplied from the locomotive, and may occasionally cut out for a moment then resume, and will cut out for longer periods when (for example) the locomotive is detached during splitting or joining portions at Carstairs or Edinburgh.

• Showers

  There are en suite showers in the Club and Caledonian Double rooms on the new trains, but not in Classic or Accessible rooms.

  Several major stations have shower facilities.  On arrival by sleeper at London Euston you can take a shower in the Avanti West Coast first class lounge on the first floor, free of charge for Club and Caledonian Double passengers, £5 for Classic room passengers if you ask for a token from your Caledonian sleeper host on board the train.  The Avanti West Coast staff at the lounge reception desk will lend you a towel and the shower cubicles are provided with gel and shampoo.

  There are shower facilities at Edinburgh Waverley (check if these are open, they may not be), Glasgow Central, Aberdeen & Ft William, free of charge for 1st class passengers, £5 for standard class passengers.

• Inter-connecting doors between sleeper compartments

  There are interconnecting doors between pairs of adjacent Classic rooms (7 & 8, 9 & 10 in a regular sleeping-car, 2 & 3 in the accessible type), ideal for families or small groups.  There are no interconnecting doors between Club or Caledonian Double rooms as with the bed on one side and the toilet/shower units on the other there is nowhere to put a connecting door.

Compensation if there's a delay

• Under their Guest's Charter, Caledonian Sleepers will refund you 50% of what you paid for the one-way journey if the train arrives 30 to 59 minutes late, 100% of the fare if it's 60 to 119 minutes late.  See www.sleeper.scot for full details.

The Best Train in Britain:  See the Deerstalker page & watch the video

• The Man in Seat 61 says:  "All of the highland routes offer great scenery on the Scottish part of the journey when it's light, but the London-Fort William route is special, taking you onto the fabulous West Highland Line, voted World's Most Scenic Train Ride more than once.  This is the Best Train in Britain, the train they call the Deerstalker...   See the Deerstalker page for more information, photos & watch the video

Crossing desolate Rannoch Moor on a summer's evening on the Fort William to London Caledonian Sleeper, the Deerstalker.  And yes, big deer with huge mossy antlers were spotted from the train on this trip, more than once...

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Scotland to Paris or Brussels

Dinner in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen or Inverness, then lunch in central Paris next day, no airports, airlines or flights required!  Just take the Caledonian Sleeper train from anywhere in Scotland up to London Euston, it's just 10 minutes walk along the road to St Pancras then Eurostar will whisk you to central Paris or Brussels in 2 hours or so.

Edinburgh, Glasgow ► Paris, Brussels

• Take the sleeper from Edinburgh or Glasgow to London, see above for times & fares.  The sleeper runs daily except Saturday nights, arriving at London Euston around 06:54-07:15.  It's just 10 minute's walk along the road from Euston to St Pancras, or take a taxi if you've lots of luggage.  Remember there's a 30 minute check-in for Eurostar.

• A Eurostar leaves London St Pancras at 08:31 on Mondays-Saturdays arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 11:47.

• A Eurostar leaves London St Pancras at 08:55 daily, arriving Brussels Midi at 12:05.

Highlands ► Paris & Brussels

• Take the sleeper from the Highlands of Scotland to London, see above for times & fares.  The Highland sleeper runs daily except Saturday nights arriving at London Euston between 07:43 & 08:03.  It's just 10 minute's walk along the road from Euston to St Pancras, or take a taxi if you've lots of luggage.  Remember there's a 30 minute check-in for Eurostar.

• A Eurostar leaves St Pancras at 09:24 daily arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 12:47.

• A Eurostar leaves St Pancras at 11:04 daily, arriving Brussels Midi at 14:05.

Paris, Brussels ► Edinburgh, Glasgow

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

• A Eurostar leaves Brussels Midi at 20:22 daily, arriving London St Pancras at 21:33.

• It's just 10 minute's walk along the road from St Pancras to Euston, or take a taxi if you've lots of luggage.

• Take the sleeper from London to Edinburgh & Glasgow, see above for times & fares.  The Lowland sleeper runs daily except Saturday nights, leaving London Euston between 23:00 & 23:45 depending on the day.

Paris & Brussels ► Highlands

• A Eurostar leaves Paris Gare du Nord at 18:13 daily except Saturdays & Sundays arriving London St Pancras at 19:34.  On Sundays, leave Paris 17:43 arriving London 18:59.

• A Eurostar leaves Brussels Midi at 17:56 (16:56 on Saturdays), arriving London St Pancras at 19:10 (18:10 on Saturdays).

• It's just 10 minute's walk along the road from St Pancras to Euston, or take a taxi if you've lots of luggage.

• Take the sleeper from London to Aberdeen, Inverness, Fort William, Perth or Dundee, see above for times & fares.  The Highland sleeper runs daily except Saturday nights, leaving London Euston between 20:00 & 21:30 depending on the day of the week.

Fares

• Sleeper from Scotland to London from around £70 return in a reclining seat or from £150 return with a bed;  Eurostar from London to Paris or Brussels from £72 return.

Scotland to Amsterdam

• There are two good options for travel from Scotland to Amsterdam.  Option 1, take the Caledonian sleeper to London and Eurostar to Brussels as shown here, then the hourly InterCity train from Brussels to Amsterdam in around 3 hours, see this section on the UK-Netherlands page.  Or take a train from Scotland to Newcastle and the overnight DFDS Seaways cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam, see this section on the UK-Netherlands page.

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Short breaks to Scotland by sleeper

• Byway (Byway.travel) is a UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating.  Byway offer trips to Scotland & the highlands as a package, including travel by sleeper train and hotels when in Scotland, starting from London or any other British railway station.  Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.  See example 5-day trip London-Fort William-Isle of Skye-London.  Trips can be adjusted to your own requirements, just email them or use this contact form.  When you book, please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

• Railbookers:  Train travel specialist Railbookers arranges short breaks & longer tours from London to Edinburgh & the Highlands, and several packages include the Caledonian Sleeper.  Railbookers can arrange trips for almost any date you like, trips can be customised to your own requirements with additional stops or extra nights.  Download brochure (UK edition).

  - City break to Edinburgh by Caledonian Sleeper.

  - London - Caledonian Sleeper - Edinburgh - York - London.

  - London - Edinburgh - Fort William - Jacobite steam train to Mallaig - Caledonian Sleeper back to London.

  - London - Caledonian Sleeper - Inverness - Kyle of Lochalsh - Isle of Skye - London.

  - London - Caledonian Sleeper - Inverness - Loch Ness & Glen Urquhart - Edinburgh - London.

  Call to arrange, Railbookers have offices in the UK, North America & Australia:

    UK call 0207 864 4600, www.railbookers.co.uk, download brochure.

    US call free 1-888-829-4775, www.railbookers.com.

    Canada call free 1-855-882-2910, www.railbookers.com.

    Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au.

    New Zealand call toll-free 0800 000 554 or see website.

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Hotels in Scotland or London

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