London - Fort Wiliam (Caledonian Sleeper Train)

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The JourneyServiceTimetablePrice

The Journey

The Caledonian Sleeper Train is a fantastic overnight service that runs between London and Scotland. Travelling overnight saves on hotel bills and allows you to reach your destination first thing in the morning, to allow you to make the most of your time away. The scenery as you travel through Scotland is breathtaking, and all the better in the knowledge that you are travelling in style and comfort.


Caledonian Sleeper Train

Caledonian Sleeper Trains are overnight rail services that link London with Scotland, allowing their passengers to arrive fresh at their destinations the following morning. The Caledonian Sleeper operates six days a week (not Saturdays), to over 40 destinations in Scotland, as well as those in England. The service offers passengers cosy air-conditioned cabins and a lounge car serving snacks and drinks.

Services can be booked up to twelve weeks in advance, either online, by telephone, at stations or through various rail agents. A limited number of cheap fares are available for every journey as 'Bargain Berths'.

The Caledonian Sleeper service offers passengers a range of accommodation options for their journey.

First Class / Single Berths

First Class compartments have just one bed, and include a continental or hot breakfast in the morning. First Class passengers are offered a selection of light snacks and drinks from the room service menu, and a complimentary toiletry pack is included in the fare. First Class cabins include all bedding, a bedside light, private sink and towel, and shaver point.

There are no on-board showers, although shower facilities are available at some stations. Fort William station has good showers and luggage lockers.

First Class Single ticket holders are also given a free refreshment voucher for the Lounge Car, as well as a Zone 1 and 2 London Underground ticket for onward travel.

Click here for more information and to view an online tour.

Standard Class / Twin Berths

Second class compartments have two berths (single passengers may have to share the compartment with a fellow traveller of the same sex, depending on how busy the train is). Second class berths are bunk-bed style, with the upper berth accessed by ladder. Passengers are given a complimentary toothbrush kit (on request), and tea/coffee and shortbread is served in the cabin in the morning. Passengers may upgrade to a full continental breakfast for a supplement (order at time of boarding).

Each cabin includes all bedding, a bedside light, private sink and towel, and a shaver point. There are no on-board showers, although shower facilities are available at some stations. Fort William station has good showers and luggage lockers.

Click here for more information and to view an online tour.

Seated Carriage

If you would prefer not to pay for a cabin, an air-conditioned seated carriage is available, offering passengers reclining seats with footrests, and individual reading lights. Seated passengers are not permitted to use the Lounge Car, but can order snacks and drinks from a buffet service. Also, when travelling between London and Fort William, you will be woken up to switch carriages (at either 12am - Scotland to London - or 4am - London to Scotland).

Click here for more information and to view an online tour.

There are no strict limits on luggage allowances, although passengers should be able to accommodate their belongings within their cabin, or within the designated luggage spaces. 

Food & Drink

All passengers have access to the Lounge/Dining Car, which serves light snacks and drinks. On busy journeys, the use of the Lounge Car is restricted to First Class passengers only, although both First and Standard Class passengers may purchase items to consume in their cabins. Seated passengers are not permitted to use the Lounge Car, but a buffet service is available in its place.

Click here for a tour of the Lounge Car.

Travelling with Children

Children under the age of 16 must travel in a twin berth cabin with another member of their group, or pay for sole occupancy of that cabin. In seated accommodation, an adult must accompany children under 16. 

Children under the age of 5 travel for free, although no separate berth or seat will be allocated for them. Passengers travelling with children under the age of 5 must pay for sole occupancy of their cabin (if applicable).

Travelling with Pets

Pets may be brought onboard, provided that the owner has paid for sole occupancy of a cabin, and is willing to pay for a cleaning charge after each journey. Pet spaces must be booked in advance, either by telephone (08457 55 00 33) or at a station no less than 48 hours in advance of travel. Passengers should be aware that taking a pet on the Caledonian Sleeper is not a particularly cheap exercise (we were quoted £60 each way to take a dog from London to Fort William).

Guide dogs may travel for free (no cleaning charge), but will not be permitted in the seating carriage. You can still book a seated ticket however, and you will be given a free upgrade to a private berth.

Bicycles

Space is available for up to six bicycles (three on services from Inverness). These must be reserved in advance (free).

Station Facilities

As a Caledonian Sleeper customer, you get some additional benefits at your start and end station. Customer Lounges are available at Aberdeen, Carlisle, Edinburgh Waverley, Glasgow Central, Inverness and London Euston stations. Each offer a range of benefits, click here for details.

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Timetable

There is one service per day (excluding Saturdays) in either direction. Limited seating accommodation is available between Edinburgh and Fort William. A connecting service to Glasgow is available from Westerton (excluding Sunday nights). The full timetable can be downloaded here.

StationM-FSunStationM-FSun
Cabins available from20.3020.00Cabins available from19.2018.30
London Euston21.1520.55Fort William19.5019.00
Watford Junction21.3321.17Spean Bridge20.1019.20
Crewe23.5423.39Roy Bridge *20.1719.27
Preston00.5200.30Tulloch20.3019.40
Westerton05.5505.55Corrour *20.5120.01
Dalmuir06.0306.03Rannoch21.0620.15
Helensburgh 06.2606.26Bridge of Orchy21.3420.47
Garelochhead06.4106.41Upper Tyndrum21.5221.05
Arrochar & Tarbet07.0707.07Crianlarich22.0521.18
Ardlui *07.2207.22Ardlui *22.2621.39
Crianlarich07.4307.43Arrochar & Tarbet22.4421.57
Upper Tyndrum07.5507.55Garelochhead23.1022.23
Bridge of Orchy08.1308.13Helensburgh23.2422.37
Rannoch08.4108.41Dalmuir23.5123.04
Corrour *08.5808.58Westerton23.5623.13
Tulloch09.1709.17Preston04.3204.41
Roy Bridge *09.2909.29Crewe05.3405.37
Spean Bridge09.3609.36Watford Junction--
Fort William09.5409.54London Euston07.4707.47
Cabins vacated by09.5609.56Cabins vacated by08.0008.00

* Request stop (speak to the train guard to request that the train stops here)

The train also stops at Edinburgh, with limited seats available for booking from Fort William to Edinburgh, and from Edinburgh to Fort William. From Fort William to Edinburgh, the train arrives at 00.13 on Mondays, and 00.50 (Tuesday - Sunday). From Edinburgh to Fort William, the train departs at 04.50. 

If you are seated and travelling from Fort William to London, you will be woken up and asked to change carriages at Edinburgh (00.13 / 00.50).

Price

Caledonian Sleeper tickets can be booked up to 12 weeks in advance of travel, with both seats and berths available.

Bargain Berths:

ScotRail has introduced 'Bargain Berths', which give you the chance to travel between London and Scotland on a significantly discounted rate, with fares from £19. The basic fare includes travel in a standard class cabin (twin berth).

These tickets are subject to availability, but valid for travel in either direction. The fare includes all the benefits of a normal Standard Class ticket. Tickets are delivered by email or text message, and can be ordered up to 12pm on the day of travel (although supply is limited, so booking as far in advance as possible is advised).

A range of Bargain Berth fares are available, with prices of £19, £29, £39 and £49 one-way.

Bargain Berths are very popular, so you are advised to check to see if any are available as soon as possible. There is a handy calendar which highlights available dates on the ScotRail website. New tickets are generally released on Friday mornings at 9am. Occaionally, additional tickets are released mid-week.

Standard Fares:

The fares below are for one-way journeys between London and Fort William. Check the ScotRail website for the price for a ticket on your desired journey date.

FarePrice
First Class Singlefrom £158.50
Standard Class Singlefrom £116.60
Standard Class Advance Singlefrom £63.60
Bargain Berths£19, £29, £39, £49
Standard Class Seatedfrom £72.50
Standard Class Advance Seatedfrom £35

A Caledonian Flexipass ticket is also available, which entitles the holder to ten first class sleeper trips for £1,194 (£119.40 per trip).

A 10% discount is also available for Railcard holders (First Class - only Senior or Disabled railcards accepted).

Children Under 16:

All children under the age of 16 must travel in a twin berth with another group member, or pay for sole occupancy of a cabin. Children under 5 benefit from free travel, but must share a cabin and berth with an accompanying adult. Passengers travelling with children under the age of 5 must pay for sole occupancy of a cabin. There is no space for cots within cabins.

There is a 50% discount available for children aged 5-15.

Rail Pass Holders:

Valid railpass holders may travel on the Caledonian Sleeper, but must pay an accommodation supplement. These start from around £40.

Full fare information can be found on the Caledonian Sleeper website.

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prices from only

£19
Moderate Supplement for Rail Pass Holders