ONE of Britain’s best night trains will soon link to a new location – marking the biggest timetable change in 30 years.
The Caledonian Sleeper is set to link Scotland with Birmingham from January, with Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William services travelling to and from the West Midlands city.
The Caledonian Sleeper is set to link Scotland with Birmingham from January[/caption]
Stops on the route, such as Glasgow and Edinburgh, will continue as normal and journey times will not be impacted, according to the operator.
The new service will launch from Birmingham International train station on January 15, 2026.
It will operate six days a week, but not on Saturdays.
Heading off from London Euston, I recently made my way to Fort William on the Caledonian Sleeper for a trip to the Inner Hebrides.
Ever since watching Murder on the Orient Express, Harry Potter and The Polar Express, I have wanted to journey on a long train route with dramatic views.
The Caledonian Sleeper gave me just that.
Before boarding in the late evening, passengers staying in a double en-suite cabin or a Club en-suite cabin get access to the Caledonian Sleeper lounge.
Grabbing a can of coke and a gooey brownie, I relaxed with other guests until it was time to board.
Onboard, there were plenty of forest green walls, carpeted floors, large windows and of course – narrow corridors with numerous doors leading into cosy cabins.
Whilst snug, my cabin featured a bunk bed – both beds have a soft duvet, plug access, a reading lamp and goodies for a good night’s sleep (think – a bottle of water, an eye mask and ear plugs).
A small welcome treat of a Scottish bar of chocolate was also a nice touch.
On the bed was a breakfast card as well, for passengers to fill out and hang on their door with their morning breakfast choices.
The menu boasted a wide variety of options, including a full Scottish breakfast, a vegan bacon roll, fresh fruit and pastries and even pancakes.
Each passenger also gets two drinks – I opted for orange juice and a latte.
You can then choose whether you wish to eat in the dining car (which I of course did – it is a big part of the experience!) or in your cabin.
To be honest, eating in your cabin may be a challenge in itself as there really isn’t much room – especially if there are two of you.
The Club en-suite cabins also have a bathroom with a toilet and a shower, and then underneath the window in the main cabin area is a sink.
The cabins are super practical too – there was even a full length mirror on the back of the door.
Heading out of my cabin for the evening, I went to the lounge for a lovely three-course dinner.
I started out with a Belhaven smoked salmon crème fraîche quiche for £8, followed by harissa and honey chicken for £14 and then a salted caramel and chocolate tart with salted caramel glaze for £10.
On my return journey, I also tried the Lammermuir smoked cheddar mac and cheese for £14, which was the ultimate comfort meal.
There is a Club Car onboard the train which serves dinner and breakfast – I opted for the pancakes for brekkie[/caption]
Meals include macaroni cheese and desserts include cheesecake[/caption]
There are lots of drinks to choose from too on the menu including local spirits.
Whilst in the Club Car, make sure to check out the tartan place mats, with each colour representing a different station the Caledonian Sleeper stops at.
When it comes to sleeping, perhaps don’t expect it to be the most restful, as you will be perpetually rocked throughout the night and feel the monotonous ‘cha-ching, cha-ching’ of the train running over the tracks.
But the ear plugs and eye mask certainly do help, and having tried the lower bunk on the way there and the upper on the way back, I can confirm the top bunk achieves a more smooth night’s sleep.
Just like magic, in the morning I woke up and was in sunny Scotland, with rolling hills and sprawling lakes whizzing past my window.
The excitement of that moment was probably the most special part of the journey – waking up in a different country, slipping on my slippers and slogging to breakfast really did feel like an indulgent travel experience.
On the way to Fort William I tried out the pancakes on board, which were nice and doughy with fresh fruit on top.
On my return to London I tried the full Scottish breakfast – just without the haggis – once again it was fresh and perfectly cooked.
In the Club en-suite cabins there is a bunk bed, bathroom with a toilet and shower and a sink[/caption]
For passengers heading to Fort William, you get some time in the morning to simply enjoy breakfast and the views – which is exactly what I did, ‘oo-ing’ and ‘ahh-ing’ as we flew past more hills, forests and lakes.
On the way back to London, you don’t have too much time for breakfast as the train gets back into Euston at 8am – so I would recommend opting for breakfast back in the lounge at the station.
The Caledonian Sleeper heads on multiple different routes, with destinations including Edinburgh, Glasgow and Fort William.
For a Club en-suite room, it costs around £200 per way, for a single occupant.
If you are sharing with someone, it will cost around £280 total, per way.
There is also the option of the seated carriage, where tickets cost from £50 per way, per passenger.
In other rail news, two popular routes on European night train are set to be axed after just two years.
Plus, a new overnight sleeper train to connect 100 European cities with private cabins and panoramic views.
A single occupancy Club en-suite room costs from £200 per way[/caption]
