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Caledonian Sleeper berths - 1st or not

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142094

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I'm debating on doing a trip on the Caledonian Sleeper, although have yet to decide whether to go in 1st or not. Most probably it will be a full journey, so either Inverness, Aberdeen or Fort William to Euston or vice versa. I gather that this therefore means in standard, I'd be more likely to have to share a berth with someone else compared to say an Aberdeen - Preston/Crewe etc journey. From other posts it seems as if 1st class isn't worth the extra spend. Does anyone have any recent experience of either 1st or standard class berths?
 
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Mojo

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The berths and cabins are identical between First and Standard class. First class just has the top bed folded away. As far as I'm aware the only difference is in the breakfast and you get a £5 voucher for use in the lounge car.
 

dcsprior

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Are you going the other way on a day-time train? If so, you can buy an off-peak return ticket (but not an EastCoast-only or Virgin-Only one) and add a supplement to get a solo birth. This gives you almost all the benefits of 1st class for the sleeper journey, but at a lower cost
  • Aberdeen is £201 (£147.00 + £54)
  • Fort William is £205.50 (£151.50 + 54)
  • Inverness I'm not sure about (don't know if the Super Off-Peak return is valid, know the normal off-peak one is)

Both the Aberdeen & Fort Willim are either £222.90 or £164.70 (one-way) in 1st depending on when you book

Or if you don't need to book far in advance, another option is to get a Scotrail Advance card (see this thread for the cheapest way to get one) and wait for one of their fairly regular offers for £99 1st-class return on the sleeper
 
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I've done both (kinda).

First time I used the service was February 2012, travelling from Crewe to Tyndrum Upper to meet friends. I booked a standard cabin and paid a supplement for single occupancy - something I think only available if you book direct via the phone with the Scotrail staff at the sales office in Fort William. Don't waist any minutes of your life with any other telesales numbers as you get through to amazingly poorly informed people half way round the planet! Anyway, it was a bit less than 1st would have been and I got a guaranteed cabin to myself, which was the purpose as I was travelling solo.

Second time I used the service was February 2013, travelling from Corrour to Euston with a friend. As I was with a friend we were quite happy with a standard sleeper ticket as we knew we'd be sharing with each other. We ended up spending most the evening in the dining carriage having a meal, some drinks, agreeable conversation and a read of the papers. I can't speak for the Inverness or Aberdeen sections, but the Fort William section only has two sleeper carriages, so the lounge/dining carriage doesn't seem to get busy. This means that you'd be unlucky to get turfed out of the lounge carriage if you were travelling standard sleeper and space was needed for first sleeper passengers.

I've heard it said that if you travel standard sleeper, boarding at MK or Crewe, you're more likely to get a cabin to yourself, so as not to disturb someone who boarded at Euston. I wouldn't take that chance though.

I'd suggest trying the Cornish Sleeper (which I've used a few times), which is definitely cheaper. However, in my opinion, whilst the service is very good, Penzance doesn't have the same appeal as the Highlands frankly.
 

Sleepy

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:( Penzance may not be a fab destination but lots of other great places in Cornwall to see !
 

Roverman

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I know someone who booked via the Telesales Centre, she was not told she could upgrade from a sleeping chair to a berth, she was travelling from Pitlochry to Crewe and on the way back I suggested to her about asking about a berth and advised her to carry the upgrade in cash ready in her hand but to no avail. However Standard Class Seated was so under occupied she was able to sleep across 2 chairs and no one said a thing! I understand there were so few passengers in SCS that everyone was able to do this.
 

philjo

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I used the sleeper to Glasgow last week - I had booked a 1st sleeper single via the scotrail website -the southbound journey was using EC reward points 1st class on the Chieftain from Inverness so only needed a one way ticket. At the time of booking, only the top price 1st class singles were left for the Fort William train - this was for the Friday of the bank holiday weekend, booked in last week of July, but the lowest tiers were available for the Glasgow train (not for edinburgh as still the festival period).
Only continental breakfast was offered on both occasions I have used the sleeper - I had taken a couple of bread rolls & mini pot of marmalade with me!

One tip for Fort William - there are only 2 sleeping coaches for that portion so they get booked up quickly.
THe Glasgow sleeper has much more availability (as it is a half train ) so it was much cheaper for me to book to Glasgow then walk to QUeen Street for the 08:21 Oban/Mallaig train - I was starting a 4 day in 8 Highland Rover that morning (& see the Loch Lomond/Garelochead sections porperly as you only get a limited view from the sleeper through the cabin window esp if it isn't light then!
The Glasgow sleeper being longer - my coach was in the middle of the train away from the 90 so much quieter to sleep than last year when I went to Fort William - my coach to FTW was at the front so heard the 90 most of the night!

On Bank Holiday Monday evening I saw the southbound train boarding at Inverness - the seated coach was almost full on departure fron Inverness, as were many of the sleeping cars.
 
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EltonRoad

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If you're thinking of the doing the journey mainly for the fun of it, then do the Fort William sleeper. It's longer than the rest and to my mind has an excitement about it that you just don't get on the others - Inverness is spectacular in a different way but still has a 'mainline' feel to it. The Fort William journey is more like a 100-mile long branch line with sleeping cars running over it, and the sights to look out for are endless.

If you're doing it outside summer then do it northbound, that way you get to see the scenery in daylight.

If you can't decide whether to go First or Standard, decide whether or not you mind sharing. To get the best experience I'd recommend not sharing, and that leaves either a First Sleeper Single (cheapest £164.70 with £2.50 lounge car voucher, hot breakfast, Fort William shower access, Euston lounge/shower access and Underground Zones 1+2 travel included, rises to £222.90 when first tier have sold out) or Off Peak Single plus Solo Sleeper supplement (£150.60 + £59.40) as the options. An Off Peak Return is £151.60 which you could use one way on a day train and combine with sleeper supplement one way. There seems to be only one Solo berth available per train and they sell out quickly.

Although the cabins are the same, you do have more space with the top bunk folded away, so if you're only going in one direction then it's cheapest to buy a First Sleeper Single and that's what I'd do! If you're going north and you tell them the night before that you would like breakfast in the lounge car, they'll set a place for you with name label.

The First Class coach frequently gets sold out on the Fort William sleeper and as there's only one coach of each class (apart from some nights during the summer), best to book as early as possible.

(Hint - if you buy a First Class ticket through the ScotRail web site then use the origin/destination "Zone U12* Londn" to ensure that Underground travel gets coded onto the ticket. The price is the same as if you specify London Terminals but ensures that the maltese cross gets put on.)
 
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Beveridges

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What discounts are available on the Sleeper for ATOC card holders ? If any ?

*Not* sharing a berth is a must for me, so what's the cheapest way for an ATOC card holder such as myself to do the Fort William Sleeper with a Berth to myself ?

Booking in advanced is never possible for me so I'll have to rule that out.

Secondly do you get to go through the superb Scottish scenery in daylight still, now that the light mornings are on their way out ?
 
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jopsuk

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up until the equinox sunrise is earlier the further north you go
 
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:( Penzance may not be a fab destination but lots of other great places in Cornwall to see !

Quite agree. The reason I got to use the Cornish sleeper twice was in aid of walking the coast of Cornwall over a series of summer weekends - which I completed last year. The coastline was truly amazing and we were pleased to combine using the sleeper with the walking.
 

Be3G

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One difference about 1st class on the Caledonian sleeper not yet mentioned is that you apparently get ‘room service’ – i.e. you can call for an attendant from your berth and they'll fetch you things from the lounge car.
 

reb0118

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What discounts are available on the Sleeper for ATOC card holders ? If any ?

*Not* sharing a berth is a must for me, so what's the cheapest way for an ATOC card holder such as myself to do the Fort William Sleeper with a Berth to myself ?

Booking in advanced is never possible for me so I'll have to rule that out.

Secondly do you get to go through the superb Scottish scenery in daylight still, now that the light mornings are on their way out ?

You can get 75% discount on the berth inclusive fares (there are two tiers for staff - an advance at £30.30 and when those are gone a walk up at £45.10). You *may* have to share with those fares though.

Another option would be to buy an anytime open single at priv rate (£49.15) & obtain the sleeper solo upgrade at £54.



One difference about 1st class on the Caledonian sleeper not yet mentioned is that you apparently get ‘room service’ – i.e. you can call for an attendant from your berth and they'll fetch you things from the lounge car.

Aye right! <D
 
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Requeststop

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I'd suggest trying the Cornish Sleeper (which I've used a few times), which is definitely cheaper. However, in my opinion, whilst the service is very good, Penzance doesn't have the same appeal as the Highlands frankly.

Penzance compared to the Highlands? Of course the two are vastly different, but in and around Penzance and Penwith there is a lot that you'll never get in the Highlands.

As to trying the Night Riviera, I'd agree give it a go and I'd say try any sleeper try 1st Class. I'll never forget my sleepless night from Paddington to Truro with a Trade Unionist from Falmouth who became a Tirade Unionist by spouting off how he thought Socialist policies would benefit Cornwall, and then when he had finished, snored all the way to Bodmin, when the Attendant woke him up for his coffee and shortbread.

So when I was able to take the single berth as a first class passenger, I have most certainly done so.
 

Beveridges

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You can get 75% discount on the berth inclusive fares (there are two tiers for staff - an advance at £30.30 and when those are gone a walk up at £45.10). You *may* have to share with those fares though.

Another option would be to buy an anytime open single at priv rate (£49.15) & obtain the sleeper solo upgrade at £54.

I suppose I could book 2X Tickets and ask for the same Berth ? So £45 x 2 = £90 the cheapest way to have a Berth to myself, or 3x £30 = £60 if I can ever manage to plan ahead and book one in advanced (unlikely).
 

DarloRich

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I'm debating on doing a trip on the Caledonian Sleeper, although have yet to decide whether to go in 1st or not. Most probably it will be a full journey, so either Inverness, Aberdeen or Fort William to Euston or vice versa. I gather that this therefore means in standard, I'd be more likely to have to share a berth with someone else compared to say an Aberdeen - Preston/Crewe etc journey. From other posts it seems as if 1st class isn't worth the extra spend. Does anyone have any recent experience of either 1st or standard class berths?

they are identical apart from the (potentially at least) stranger sleeping in the other bunk in standard class - i often use the Euston - Glasgow sleeper and always pay the first class rate just to avoid sharing.

I just couldn't abide sharing these days - i have done the youth hostel thing and want my own space now. You might be different.

Bear in mind FC also gets you into the FC lounge at Euston so you can get a shower and load up on some freebies plus you are certain to be allowed in the lounge car on the train. I understand standard class passengers MAY be refused admission if it is full.

Either way enjoy it!
 

gord

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We're going up on the Inverness sleeper on the Tuesday during October half term...me and my wife got bargin berths. I've looked into seeing what we're missing out on by not going first class. Sharing of course isn't an issue for us! I'm not too fussed by the lounge at Euston so don't feel I'm missing out there. I've been reading good reviews about a breakfast place around the corner of Inverness station so that's the food sorted. The only issue I can think of is accessing the lounge car. Hopefully on a Tuesday night it shouldn't be an issue. So 1st Class doesn't really matter too much for me this time. If the lounge at Euston was better, then maybe...although if I was coming into London, the use of the showers would be useful.

However, if I was travelling by myself...then it might be a different story. Not sure about sharing with a stranger. Can't wait though...first time on a sleeper train. Hopefully will be able to get into the lounge car at some point before bed time! Feel a sense of achievement getting the £29 bargin berths for each of us too!
 

reb0118

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I suppose I could book 2X Tickets and ask for the same Berth ? So £45 x 2 = £90 the cheapest way to have a Berth to myself, or 3x £30 = £60 if I can ever manage to plan ahead and book one in advanced (unlikely).

Remember the missing person has only 15 mins to claim their berth then the steward can sell it on to any person who requires an upgrade.

Also priv spaces are quota controlled so you may deprive a bona fide staff member from travelling.

A better solution is to convince a colleague to travel with you - then you will know the person you will be sharing with.
 

JB1601

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I did first class sleeper for the first time last Friday night with my wife, from Euston to Inverness. Bit of a treat to ourselves plus we were paying zilch for the Highland Chieftan on the way back as it was on an East Coast rewards tickets, so that justified it for us! Our tickets weren't cheap - about £160 each as previously documented.

To be honest I think we enjoyed it a lot more than we have done previously. Having the doors open in the middle of the two berths made it feel more like a little hotel room than a pokey cupboard as when we've gone standard class. Having the top bunk folded away does give the illusion of a lot more space. Also liked the little first class toiletry pack - although I do remember the first time we did the sleeper in 2008 everyone got one of these, so clearly some cutbacks along the way.

With regards to the lounge car being restricted to first class passengers - I've never seen this enforced and I'm not sure how you'd do it either. There is a lot more signage than there used to be referring to it as a "first class lounge" presumably to deter others from using it. But on Friday it was completely full and there was no attempt to clear people out to make room for the first class passengers (we ended up sitting in the seated coach on the advice of the staff, which was fine). I'm not sure I'd want to be the person who asks for standard class ticket holders to be ejected either - a bit Alan Partridge at Choristers Country Club! :lol:

In the morning we got a cooked breakfast as part of our ticket, which to be honest was not amazing (microwaved thing in a plastic bowl), but certainly better than anything we'd had in the past. Notably I don't think you can buy this in standard - just the continental option.

I normally travel with my wife when I use the sleeper but if I was alone there is no way on earth I would want to share. Quite apart from sharing with a stranger there is next to no room anyway, I'd only want to be with my beloved or at best a close friend! :D On balance I think we'd go 1st again if using the highland sleeper, but not if using the lowland or Night Riviera as there just isn't long enough to enjoy it - you just want to get on and go to sleep ASAP on those journeys.
 

EltonRoad

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Agree that the microwaved breakfast is ok, better than the previous offering of hot bacon roll, but not as good as when I went in about 1999 and you could order breakfast the night before, to be taken in the lounge car. I'm pretty sure you could order smoked salmon and scrambled egg and they'd prepare it for you fresh. Some hope of that now!
 

clc

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Remember the missing person has only 15 mins to claim their berth then the steward can sell it on to any person who requires an upgrade.

.

If both tickets are in your name how can it be treated as a no show? Do the stewards ever force someone to share in this situation?
 

bb21

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If both tickets are in your name how can it be treated as a no show? Do the stewards ever force someone to share in this situation?

If you can manage to spread yourself over both bunks at the same time then I guess you might stand a chance at not having the other one sold.
 

Beveridges

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If you can manage to spread yourself over both bunks at the same time then I guess you might stand a chance at not having the other one sold.

Or sleep on one bunk and put your bags all over the other bunk!

I will have paid for both of them so what right have they got to take one of them away from me ?

It's like paying for a full bay of 4 seats to myself on a Railtour and the steward sitting other passengers at the bay I've paid for!
 
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reb0118

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I will have paid for both of them so what right have they got to take one of them away from me ?

You might have a point if you pay full fare for the other berth. You can do this in France. e.g. When travelling from Paris to L'Hospitalet pre Andorre last year we reserved three out of the four berths at 15€ each. We enquired about booking the remaining berth to have exclusivity and thought we could do this by paying another 15€ but were informed that we would need to pay the full adult fare for the journey + the 15€ supplement.

I will not recommend this for the UK sleepers as I am sure that a no show forfeits his right to travel. As your invisible friend would be a no show he would fall into the same category. Secondly, as you are no doubt aware, your TOCNE card can only be used to purchase tickets for yourself not your friends - imaginary or otherwise.

I can appreciate that some people have an aversion to sharing but as someone who has spent time in dormitory accommodation at boarding school, in barracks, on ships, &c. I can honestly say it is no big deal. That said I do like my own bed.

An interesting aside in the former Soviet Union there is no gender separation to the bookings - you are loaded in strict order of booking (you can however bribe the provodniks to change berths sometimes). That is how the lovely Tatiana from Siberia ended up in my compartment.........................
 

4SRKT

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Booking end to end in second class practically guarantees sharing if travelling alone. I don't know, but I guess the reservation system will allocate you in a berth with another single traveller automatically to maximise load.

However, it only seems to allocate passengers with the same origin/destination combination to the same cabin, presumably to avoid people disturbing each other. My regular move is Crewe to Blair Atholl or Montrose (to go to work in Perth), and I have never shared. The more obscure the combination the better this will work. If you want to go from Euston to Fort William then, I would suggest booking to Spean Bridge. At Spean Bridge get out and walk down to the back to join the seated coach and buy a single to Fort William. Of course if there *does* happen to be another passenger going to Spean Bridge he will certainly be put in with you. You could narrow even these small odds by boarding at Watford Junction instead of Euston of course.
 
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