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Original poster

Sleeper train to Scotland?

29 replies

katymac · 07/05/2017 15:57

I think there is still a sleeper train from London to Scotland, how nice is it? & how safe?

& could DD mess up the journey at all (she is reasonably competant at trains - but is it different?)

TIA

OP posts:
AgentProvocateur · 07/05/2017 15:59

Very nice, very safe, not possible to mess up.

blueskyinmarch · 07/05/2017 16:01

My DD1 did it just before Christmas. She loved it. Both my DDs love getting the train from London to Scotland but usually get the daytime one. Thing to remember is if she is on her own she will be sharing with a random stranger. My DD said the woman she was sharing with was already in the carriage and in bed when she boarded. She says she decided to sit in the dining bit and have a glass of wine and a read of her book before going to sleep but she says she slept very well.

blueskyinmarch · 07/05/2017 16:01

Also the sleeper is in the station for quite a while before it leaves so people can get settled so there should be no rush.

blueskyinmarch · 07/05/2017 16:02

Where is your DD going?

simplysleepy · 07/05/2017 16:02

did it last summer from london to Edinburgh. lovely journey, i got the cabin to my self by coincidence as no one booked the top bunk. breakfast delivered about 45 mins before we got in to Edinburgh.journey back was a bit different, something with the overhead wires meant we were put on a virgin train leaving a 5 am, an hour before we were meant to be in london. was fully compensated
all in all great experience

tribpot · 07/05/2017 16:03

How old is she? See page 12 of the Guest Charter (PDF link) - she would need to be 16.

I haven't travelled on it for years but it was very nice. You can't get on board til 10 or 11 at night depending on which way you're travelling.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 07/05/2017 16:06

If she is in a first class cabin, she won't be sharing with a stranger, @blueskyinmarch. A fixed, advance fare is from £130 first class and from £70 standard class - details here.

blueskyinmarch · 07/05/2017 16:06

I am pretty sure Katymacs DD must be about 17/18 by now.

Original poster
katymac · 07/05/2017 16:09

yes she is 19 now - I forget & think she is little still!!

She is joining us in Scotland for a few days holiday after college finishes - so London to Glasgow (or Edingburgh unless it is festival time in which case it will be Glasgow!!)

She has extra college in the holidays this year - professional exams

OP posts:
Skyllo30 · 07/05/2017 16:10

There's an express Virgin train that takes about 4.5 hours to Glasgow or Edinburgh, is that a better option? It's £60 each way full fare but advanced deals to be had.

MsGameandWatch · 07/05/2017 16:11

Such a coincidence was just talking to my son about doing this today. Can I ask anyone in the know, where would be the best place to get off for a couple of days, as we went to do this journey, spend a couple of nights in a beautiful scenic place then come back down again. Is it best to stay on all the way to Fort William? Thanks 😊

blueskyinmarch · 07/05/2017 16:12

19!!!! How can that be? I remember when she was 16.

She will be fine on the sleeper. My DD2 is 19 and would be fine with it.

Original poster
katymac · 07/05/2017 16:12

Is it from Euston or Kings Cross? She will have already travelled about 3 hrs by that stage

OP posts:
blueskyinmarch · 07/05/2017 16:13

My 2 lIke to get good advance deals for the daytime train but in First class. All the food and drink you need for the whole journey, comfy seats and plugs!

Original poster
katymac · 07/05/2017 16:14

Sorry that was to Skyllo....

OP posts:
blueskyinmarch · 07/05/2017 16:14

It's Euston to Glasgow and Kings Cross to Edinburgh.

TondelayaDellaVentamiglia · 07/05/2017 16:15

we've done it lots as a couple or with the children...I really like it mostly (see below)

I've never been to the dining car, but then I am usually practically in my jammies as I get on the train. :o

dh and I had an awful journey back last august...that week of the really hot weather....the heating in the whole of our carriage was on full blast and something went wrong with the points so we seemed to be careering in and out of London for about three hours, however we arrived on time in Scotland and were only partially dehydrated and baked

Also one journey for dh and ds2 got axed at Edinburgh....some terrible fault during the night meant they only just limped into Edinburgh by about 9am, and then were told to make the rest of the way on their own....there was a good deal of bother at the Edinburgh ticket barriers as the person there wasn't having any of it until someone was summonsed to sort it!
Once when dd and i went down there was a persistent alarm in the next carriage that went on for about an hour...so that was fun not

It's all very very old rolling stock and prone to ishoos, but for all the other times we have made the journey we have been reasonably lucky!

If it's not busy she may get a compartment to herself but as pp have said, she may need to share. They don't mix M/F though, unless you have booked it like that obv.

hesterton · 07/05/2017 16:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LimitedSedition · 07/05/2017 16:15

One of my best memories is going from Edinburgh to the north of Englandbkn a sleeper train.

A good 30 years ago, mind, but it was brilliant :)

TondelayaDellaVentamiglia · 07/05/2017 16:23

we always leave/arrive to/from Euston and I know the train splits en route.

the train is miles long and goes to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness.

More details here, including another route

Original poster
katymac · 07/05/2017 16:42

Thanks everyone - that should be enough info Smile

She missed her train this afternoon -not her fault as the local train was cancelled- but it is frustrating how often it happens

OP posts:
Skyllo30 · 07/05/2017 17:30

Yes it's Euston to Glasgow. Virgin trains are lovely, plug sockets, shop on board. I'm about to get one today as I'm travelling back to Glasgow from northern England. Amazed how convenient trains here are as I grew up in rural Northern Ireland so the first time I was on a train I was 18!

scaryclown · 07/05/2017 17:35

I loved it when I did it the other way..waking up in London was deliciously weird, but I had a few vivid dreams of the train turning over which kind of messed it up!

Piffpaffpoff · 07/05/2017 17:39

gameandwatch if you don't mind moving around a bit, and it's possible (I mean subject to public transport timetables) , I would get sleeper to Fort William then train on to Mallaig ,or Arisaig which is the stop before. Stay there for a night then ferry from Mallaig to Skye and bus to Portree. Stay there Night 2. Bus to Kyle of Lochalsh the next day then train to Inverness, sleeper home from there. More scenic journeys in there than you can shake a stick at!

aheffalump · 07/05/2017 18:05

I loved it. It was like poirot. But very very expensive!