Caledonian sleeper questions

[paddington]

We are going to book a berth for 2, to travel EUS-INV in June.

We want to sleep straight after boarding at 2030 and then wake up at around 0400 to watch the sunrise and the view going north. Would we be disturbed in the evening perhaps by other passengers being boisterous?

From what I have read, the view from inside the berths is quite limited. Also, the train appears to reverse direction at Edinburgh. I would like a berth where the window faces forwards from the bed after leaving Edinburgh. Does anyone know which berth I should choose on the website? (Is the corridor on the east or west side?)

Alternatively, will we able access the lounge car at 0400? Also, is buying the breakfast worth it?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It's pot luck as to which side the cabins will be on I'm afraid...

having said that, the view from inside the berths isn't too bad - and you have the advantage of no reflections if you keep the lights off.

 

[leightonbd]

This is the 'full breakfast' - free in FC, so a no-brainer if you like that sort of thing and think you will have time to enjoy it. I thought it was good and a massive improvement on what used to be offered pre-Serco.



I hope the weather cooperates for you - it is a lovely run with the scenery getting steadily better as you get further North and particularly beyond Blair Atholl. The view of the Cairngorms from the platforms at Aviemore is outstanding on a clear day.

 

[Greenback]

Relax, on my sleeper trips to or from Inverness and Fort William, I've never heard any boisterous passengers at all. I haven't always had a good sleep but it's never been because of my fellow travelelrs. I doubt I'd sleep at 2030 because I'm just not used to it. Even when I worked shifts I couldn't sleep at that time

 

[paddington]

This is the 'full breakfast' - free in FC, so a no-brainer if you like that sort of thing and think you will have time to enjoy it.

Hmm, but we won't be in FC, just sharing a cabin, (although we can quite happily sleep on a single bed so might try to fold up the top bunk like in FC)


Might just go for it anyway since we are trying to catch the 0855 to Kyle after the 0838 arrival and may not have time to get food otherwise

The view of the Cairngorms from the platforms at Aviemore is outstanding on a clear day.

We're going to stay at Aviemore later on and go up

I doubt I'd sleep at 2030 because I'm just not used to it. Even when I worked shifts I couldn't sleep at that time

So I now know that I will be waking up at 1900 and sleeping at 1200 for the previous days that week... if I manage to stay awake from 1200 until 2030 instead of having a "nap" (and potentially missing the train) it should be quite easy to get to sleep regardless of any boisterous passengers

 

[47271]

You'd be very unlucky to get any noise disturbing you from 2030 onwards, so don't worry about that.

A 4am start seems a bit premature to me unless is a particularly clear morning for the sunrise, it's only really once you get past Stirling that the countryside starts to open up, and Dunkeld is where the Highlands begin properly.

You can go along to the lounge any time you like, and if scenery's your thing I'd strongly recommend that over the one sided view you'll get from a sleeper compartment.

You won't be able to fold away the top berth, it's locked into position and the mattress has to be manhandled out of the compartment first.