Caledonian Sleeper

[CallySleeper]

Enjoy!! Hopefully you get good weather for it.

 

[Dave1954]

Just one other thing I like to add about our Journey to FW and back , it has cost us £680 , would this be the going rate for 2 adults ??
regards Dave1954 .

 

[CallySleeper]

Just one other thing I like to add about our Journey to FW and back , it has cost us £680 , would this be the going rate for 2 adults ??

I hate to say this but despite not knowing the full details of which tickets you have, this sounds roughly right. Cheaper tickets can be available but especially on the Fort William train can be hard to come by, especially in school holidays.

 

[Dave1954]

Thank you Cally , feel much better now

 

[Flying Snail]

Hopefully it will be nice and warm. I have not sampled the Caledonian compartments, but the Mk2 seated car in March was inconceivably cold!

Departing London in July? I'd be more concerned about the AC functioning properly. The sleeper cabins are small and sealed add to that they will have been sitting in a siding all day and they can be very warm.

 

[Dave1954]

Good point Flying snail , never thought of that , adleased we can leave our berth and take a wonder to the end of carriage to the slide down window at the door.....Thank you .... Regards Dave1954

 

[Dave1954]

A Couple of more things I like to ask , as most of us know The Caladonian Sleeper is a 16 Carriage train , what is the formation of the Fort William section when leaving Euston ,my Wife and I are travelling in Coach F.
Thanking you Dave 1954

 

[MrsC]

A Couple of more things I like to ask , as most of us know The Caladonian Sleeper is a 16 Carriage train , what is the formation of the Fort William section when leaving Euston ,my Wife and I are travelling in Coach F.
Thanking you Dave 1954

We are travelling from Euston in July,heading to Inverness and are in coach M,if that helps at all?

 

[CallySleeper]

Dave, front two coaches of the train for Fort William. IIRC the very front is 1st class, the second coach back is standard. So afraid you have to walk the full 400m down the platform!

 

[Dave1954]

Cheers Cally , So im looking at 3rd or 4th carriage from the Loco going North ?? Regards Dave 1954.

 

[CallySleeper]

Nope, the very front two carriages. Next to the class 90 next to the signal!

 

[Dave1954]

Oh I see now Cally , we will be travelling Standard class so we be in the 2nd carriage from the Loco (class 90) ?? ............ Dave1954

 

[CallySleeper]

Can't remember if FTW Standard is the first or second but it's definitely the front two carriages you want.

 

[Dave1954]

Thank you Cally , you have been great I`ll keep you posted ok
regards Dave1954 .

 

[David Goddard]

Can someone help us please as we are confused/concerned/uncertain.
1. We are doing a First Class All Line Rover the second week of July
2. We would like to take the Lowland Sleeper on Tuesday 8 July

Q. What part of the sleeper are we allowed to use?
Q. Do we need to pay any extra and how much?
Q. Can we use the lounge car or do we need to book a berth to use it?

ScotRail telesales just told me that it is impossible to get from seated coaches to the lounge car. Is this right? If so how do seated passengers get refreshments?
Sounds like old Victorian coaches with no corridor connections!

At least with the Night Riviera you can access all parts of the train.

 

[CallySleeper]

Q1. What part of the sleeper are we allowed to use?
Q2. Do we need to pay any extra and how much?
Q3. Can we use the lounge car or do we need to book a berth to use it?
Q4. ScotRail telesales just told me that it is impossible to get from seated coaches to the lounge car. Is this right? If so how do seated passengers get refreshments?

1. First class sleeper berths, on payment of...
2. £48.80 per person/night. (or use seated accommodation)
3. Yes, if you book a berth.
4. Physically, it is possible, but seated passengers aren't allowed into the lounge car/sleeper cars (a bit like you're not allowed into first class with a standard ticket). Seated passengers have a seperate buffet window.

 

[David Goddard]

Thanks for the info, explains a lot better than Telesales. So essentially, seated/non seated takes precedence over first class/standard class.

 

[Dave1954]

Just a couple of more questions regarding our forth coming trip on the Fort William on the Caledonian Sleeper , on leaving your berth to visit the buffet do you have your own key to your berth ? and in the buffet do they serve draught beers or is it just bottled ? and is the buffet open all night till breakfast time ?? Thanking you all , last time I done a sleeper was 39 years ago
Regards Dave1954.

 

[Be3G]

To answer your questions in order…

1. Nope, you don't get a key, but you really won't need one – the sleeper is such a safe, genteel environment that I doubt anyone's so much as swatted a fly on it. If you've been reading too much Agatha Christie before boarding though, you can ask a steward to lock your cabin door for you.
2. No idea, sorry, but in case it helps here's a menu.
3. I can't say with 100% certainty, but I believe it is – I get the impression people are allowed to linger in the lounge car as late as they like.

 

[sprinterguy]

As far as I recall there aren’t any draught beers, just bottles or possibly even cans in some cases. I tend to stick to the scotch myself.

I’m not sure whether the lounge car continues serving all night, I’ve only stayed up as late as somewhere in the vicinity of Lancaster, and have found that it empties out a fair bit by the time the train reaches Preston anyway. I can’t see why it wouldn’t, though.

As regards this last point, it is worth noting that the lounge car that services Fort William passengers leaving London doesn’t go to Fort William, it ends up at Aberdeen after the Fort William sleeper cars are detached at Edinburgh in the wee hours of the morning. A different lounge car is attached at Edinburgh to serve breakfasts on the final leg up to Fort William.

 

[CallySleeper]

Just a couple of more questions regarding our forth coming trip on the Fort William on the Caledonian Sleeper , on leaving your berth to visit the buffet do you have your own key to your berth ?

No but you can lock it when you leave and ask your attendant to unlock it for you.

and in the buffet do they serve draught beers or is it just bottled ?

Just bottles/cans.

and is the buffet open all night till breakfast time ??

Yes though it's a different carriage from Edinburgh. Breakfast is served to your cabin but can be taken in the lounge car.

 

[Dave1954]

Thank you Cally/Sprinter/Be3G for your answers & advice and of course your Menu I am bound to be tempted by something nice come Monday Evening.
I`ll keep you all posted , Regards dave1954 .

 

[Be3G]

You're welcome, it's a great trip. One thing I would add is that the food on the menu is surprisingly palatable – it's just reheated stuff, but decent reheated stuff all the same. (And in the case of the cheeseboard which of course doesn't have any heat applied to it, it's very decent indeed.)

Regarding breakfast, note that the breakfast items sold in the lounge car in the morning are more varied than the breakfast package you can order for delivery to your cabin in the morning: for example, the lounge car offers things like porridge and bacon rolls. Having said that though, the breakfast package certainly isn't bad at all, but it does contain only cold items (except for the hot drink of your choice, of course).

 

[ainsworth74]

Have they stopped doing the mini-cooked breakfast?

 

[CallySleeper]

Regarding breakfast, note that the breakfast items sold in the lounge car in the morning are more varied than the breakfast package you can order for delivery to your cabin in the morning: for example, the lounge car offers things like porridge and bacon rolls.

This is true, though I can't confirm whether this is just intended for seated passengers.

 

[Be3G]

Have they stopped doing the mini-cooked breakfast?

If you're referring to the one delivered to someone's cabin, that's a first-class option only; standard class passengers who want to order breakfast can only get the continental, which is surprisingly good for what it is.

This is true, though I can't confirm whether this is just intended for seated passengers.

It wouldn't be, because of course seated passengers aren't allowed to use the lounge car itself, just the serving hatch – there're actually breakfast menus with the aforementioned items placed in the lounge car in the morning.

 

[ainsworth74]

If you're referring to the one delivered to someone's cabin, that's a first-class option only; standard class passengers who want to order breakfast can only get the continental, which is surprisingly good for what it is.

Ahh I understand, thanks

 

[Dave1954]

Great tips I`ll keep you all posted ............ Dave1954.

 

[causton]

Sorry, but those cooked breakfasts in First Class are appalling. Worst thing I ever had, was like a 20p budget for those I reckon! The other food, namely the curry and brownies, and continental style breakfasts, are a lot better they even have Horlicks in the evening for you to calm yourself down

 

[Peter Mugridge]

A number of hotels near the Sleeper termini allow non-residents to buy a breakfast; they do in fact specifically have Sleeper passengers in mind although anyone can walk in and buy a breakfast.