It’s an atrocity that as pioneer of the railway, the UK can’t even get the basics such as cleanliness right but charges an extortionate amount compared to better serving nations such as Japan.
@@universe2823 serco is the Caledonian sleeper operator but also UK jail operator and from many reviews it seems serco cannot differentiate between rail and jail
If I'd have paid £345 for this I'd have been livid. I'd rather have sat in standard class and stayed awake all night to save a big chunk of money. Interesting and enjoyable video as always Tim, keep them coming!
yeah, at £345 that was about £300 too much... I'd have worn those earplugs without a second thought though, the track quality in some parts is terrible.
If you want a seat travelling overnight, forget the sleeper! Hard seats, bright lights left on. Pay less, get a padded seat that reclines more, and with lights dimmed, on the National Express. Its what I do now. Genuinely been impressed. Actually feel like I get value for money.
When the main competition is a short haul flight that takes a few hours including two and from the airport for a fraction of the price, they need to do better.
@@theblah12 Is that the competition? You can get the Lumo train for like 60 quid. The Caledonian doesn't really compete with flying its almost its own thing.
Just in case you weren't aware the Scottish Government will take over control of the franchise in June 2023, as it believes the current operation isn't good value for money. I think they have a valid point. I recently travelled from Euston to Inverness, in a single cabin, and only two cabins in our carriage were occupied. Hopefully the price will drop and occupancy will increase.
Problem is that train fares are now so high that it's unlikely a government will ever cut fares to the extent that would be reasonable. I'd suggest a 90% cut in fares, and while they're at it, they can line the seats up with the windows.
They have been losing money running it, so the SG isn’t likely to decrease the prices. Maybe a short term deal, but worry it will end costing us taxpayers.
@@kenjohnson762 The government of Victoria, Australia justslashed the price of train fares to the regional and rural areas maxim I think is around AU$12,00-15,00 return
Transport is a public service, a necessity, so it's appropriate for it to be taken over by the SG. Germany and Holland operate excellent state owned railways......so for people on here to say that if private companies can't offer reasonable prices, the SG won't be able to, is crazy. The SG should have been operating it all along.
I live in Edinburgh but have family in the home counties so I often make this trip. I've always travelled in the day as the CS's prices are astronomical. However, I've always dreamed of travelling by sleeper train and have been considering saving up. Thank you so much for this review, as I know now not to waste my money on it. You spent £345 for a terrible sleep on a hard, stained bed in a room that would be an embarrassment to a cheep SNCF couchette where you could barely even get service for dinner or warm water out of the dribbling shower head. To top it off you had to pay extra for your (admittedly very nice looking) food! I looked at single rooms and for when I wanted to go they were £170 (all of this being 1 way). It's ridiculous! You can fly to/from one of the outlying London airports for about £50 and that takes about half the time even with transfers. If you get your timing right when booking you can even snag a BA flight to LCY for less that £100. Or, you can get a 1st class LNER ticket for (and it varies a LOT) between around £70-£200, and that INCLUDES FREE FOOD (even the BA flight gives you a free drink and snack). I Love your videos and I'm constantly stunned by how infinitely patient and forgiving you are. If I'd had the experience you'd had in this video I'd have been ranting and raving for weeks. Shockingly bad service for the price! Wishing you all the best for the future.
Can't believe how diplomatic you were Tim, if I'm honest for the money that was a lousy experience, I'm Scottish and never used it before as have only heard negative stuff about all classes on there, as you are probably aware they've lost the contract so things can only get better. The restaurant did seem not what anyone would want as an experience as it was just a drinking place. Thanks for the great review, compounds everything I've heard over the years about it
I’m from the U.S. and my brother and I took this about 6 years ago. We had bunk beds and I’m glad that it’s not just me that felt that it’s really bumpy and jumpy. We didn’t have any plug ins in our room that we could see. I normally use a CPAP machine and lugged it along with me but couldn’t use it. Needless to say I was awake most of the night but because it was so novel to us, I just tried to let it sink in where we were and what a neat experience it’d still be. We didn’t use the shower either but we were just there for a day as a side trip to London. The prices sure seem to have gone up but that’s like everything else in this crazy World (since COVID).
Fantastic video as usual. Loved seeing this journey from your perspective. I still don't get why dinner is not included in the ticket, seems silly. Seems to be a common complaint about the shower issues - they really need to sort that out. Need to see you on an Amtrak sleeper train next mate :)
I'm guessing that with how late the train departs, and how early people need to be awake for breakfast (especially if they want it in the lounge car), the number of people annoyed by it not including dinner is outweighted by the people annoyed that they would pay for a dinner they wouldn't use. Since a) they have eaten already or b) like a lot of people on the train, they are in bed before the train leaves / before they would have time for a meal.
I love train travel. Growing up in the uk we took the trains alot. I always thought of a sleeper car as a luxury. After seeing the not great quality for alot of money,I was disappointed by your accomdations. Thank you Tim for taking these trips and letting us know what its really like.I appreciate your honesty. I am addicted to watching your videos. Love you and your lovely wife and super cute lil boy.❤
I slept really well on this train. It was noisy and moved about a lot, but I found it quite relaxing - like being rocked to sleep. It probably helps that I went to Fort William which doesn't get in until 10, so breakfast is at a much less painful hour. It also means you have daylight and scenery while you eat.
I enjoy your videos. Your presentation is friendly, and you always show and talk about the things that are important to me. Views, both distant and close up, cleanliness, what is complimentary, what isn’t.
I’ve seen a lot of rail channels review the Caledonian Sleeper. Your perspective is refreshing, and an excellent video as ever. All of the three times I’ve used the sleeper, since this new (mark 5) rolling stock came in, there have been problems; and clearly, they continue. Ticket and food prices have increased quite disproportionately, and the quality of service, reliability, the new hard product, gives nil justification for it in my view. It’s actually lead me to become a user of National Express to travel overnight now, instead. Completely different offer, I know. But, what I love, is they have under promised, yet over delivered, every, single, time. I respect that. While my respect for Caledonian Sleeper - ha, well, there isn’t any.
I thought it might be scran and definitely didn't look like haggis. I was eying his black pudding with envy. Can't get it in the US and it tastes heavenly. I don't care what's in it.
Ridiculous prices - even for the Club and Classic rooms. When I tried one of the Club Rooms a couple of years ago what kept me awake was all the water (and other stuff 😲) sloshing around in the suspension tank under the ensuite. The following night in a Classic room with no ensuite and therefore no sloshing sounds, I slept much better.
Tim, you need to carry with you some sort of white noise sound machine. It blocks out most noises but might not have blocked out the rattling door you should have just propped it open for the night , but it does help with blocking out most sounds. I would be too afraid to use earbuds in case I missed an emergency train or cell call or something.
The new screens at Euston are shocking. Info about which platform is left too the very last minute, and then a massive stampede happens to get to the train.
I did the GWR First Class one and would never ever do it again! Your video just confirmed it for me. The concept is brilliant, the reality is unbroken sleep. That said I’m sure the orient express could change my mind - maybe !!
Use the sleeper atleast once a month, it isnt without its faults but overall its quite good. Regarding the hot water it usually needs the tap to be ran for atleast a minute to allow the hot water to push all the cold stuff out the pipes. Sometimes the train can be chilly but this is something that is currently being worked on. Personally I prefered the service when it ran with mk3 coaches but these needed replaced unless a large refurbishment was carried out on them.
7:33 - love the pride train 390119! the caledonian sleeper i definitely plan on doing in may for my 20th birthday in either a classic room or club room!
absolutely love the Caledonian Sleeper! i'm booked on it to go to London from Glasgow in June for a lovely weekend in the city with my dad and brother. it's such a long way down that really sleeper train is the only way to go as it means i'm not spending 8+ hours travelling and too exhausted to do anything by the time i get there. sleeper down and sleeper back home again is the perfect solution! can't wait to get on it again!
@@WalkWithMeTim don't blame you to be honest. your experience was complete polar opposite of mine. i was shocked at how dirty and stuff things were. wouldn't be so bad if it was cheaper but for nearly £350 quid, you expect things to be pretty much perfect if not actually perfect. i'm sorry you didn't get to experience a good journey on it. you definitely drew the short straw on that one, it wasn't at all up to standard
I used the Caledonian Sleeper back in 2016, when they were still running the older coaches on the service. While I didn't get the greatest night of sleep as the older coaches were fairly rough-riding, I couldn't fault the service provided by the staff and the breakfast was very nice. Plus arriving into Euston nearly an hour early on the southbound journey allowed me to make a nice head start on my day (I'm an early riser, so no lay-ins for me 😛). The craziest part of this for me is how much the price has ballooned since then, as it cost me less to travel both directions in a first class room (around £300 combined) than it did for you to travel one direction. I'm glad I did get to try the service back then, but it's now very unlikely I'd ever use it again if only for the cost. One thing I observed from your video is that your journey was via the East Coast Main Line rather than the normal route on the West Coast Main Line (due to engineering work at Carstairs I believe). I'm not sure if the track conditions on the ECML are worse than the WCML, so if you ever consider trying the service again it would be interesting to see if you have a better journey when the service runs via it's normal route.
Been contemplating trying this for a long time and seen numerous reviews, most detailed & honest one yet, personally don’t think that experience was value for money!
With the club car, it is open to everyone on the train, except for customers in the seating carriage. Those in club or double rooms get a priority access, but people in standard rooms can access it.
Thank you for yet another great report. I had considered taking this journey to go and do my family history in Edinburgh - but I will now save the money. In fact I would bitterly complain and ask for my money back! Maybe that's the Scot coming out in me LOL .
I travel to the UK quite a bit and I detest any train travel that I have to undertake whilst I am there. I think the prices are extortionate and the service totally inadequate when compared with other countries. Your video was well documented and excellently narrated, but your experience was not surprising.
i travelled in the regular economy seat from glassgow to london during the summer and with a railcard it averaged out to £45 and for what I got I was really happy. Even though I was on a normal seat it felt more equivalent to a first class service from something like virgin. I don't think it's worth trying to get any sleep if you travel in this class everyone around me was trying to and having little success I just used it as an opportunity to watch movies on my laptop. I think it's a decent service if you set your expectations right,
This was something I was interested in doing but now I’ve seen your video I will definitely re think! I’m a light sleeper too so not sure it would be my thing at all! Hope you had a nice time in Edinburgh after that though! Another great video Tim. Always look forward to watching these after a long day at work helps me relax 😊
Shocking price , I remember in the 70s when first class was first class , my father worked on the flying Scotsman and I traveled for free and it was soo posh
Tim, I did not think that you were being overly critical in the least. When you spend that kind of money, the amenities should reflect the price paid. I was disappointed for you. Otherwise, I really enjoyed your video. Thank you for sharing.
This is my opportunity to speak about Euston... Use it frequently as an international traveller... Everytime I go through Euston, the staff are stressed and rude, the timetables are late to show platforms and the layout and signs are super unhelpful. I was nearly late for a train once because they were late too show the train and the platform sign wasn't clear to me and when I asked for some help I was shouted at, literally shouted at, by a 'helper' lol yes, 'helper'.
Houston with a capital E. Great video, but it did seem DOOMED, there wasn't one aspect that wasn't negativity affected in some little way, even the breakfast with cold air and then no lights. I'd love to try the journey, but when I heard the price tag......NOPE!
Great video, well documented! When I went on the Caledonian Sleeper from London Euston to Edinburgh back in 2017 I stayed in first class and didn't get a wink of sleep either, in fact I spent most my night in the buffet car drinking over priced hot chocolate and tea. When i tried to get my head down I couldn't due to my room being right over the wheels and every time the train braked there was a uncontrollable rattling noise. Breakfast was lovely when I travelled it was a bacon roll, orange juice, and a pot of tea. I arrived into Edinburgh, cold tired and wet as it was raining!
I miss the old Mk3 Caledonian Sleepers. The lounge car had proper furniture and was split into two. One side with sofas and stuff for people to relax, and the other half for sitting up and eating. Not to mention the Mk3 is a smoother ride. The Mk5 is cheap.
I’m really glad you did this vlog Tim as it’s made up my mind not to use it. I’ve wanted to do this journey but watching your experience it’s really a no no for me. For that price dinner should have been included pay for drinks obviously. I would’ve been miffed with those drinking in the booth areas too. The waiter could hardly get through to serve! Looks like drive or fly for me to Edinburgh 😵💫
It was a very good travel day blog today from euston station to Edinburgh waverley scotland and chilling out and staying on a Caledonian sleeper train tim
That looks such a tiny room, claustrophobic vibes kicking in and the bathroom looks equally small. For first class I would expect a lot more for the money. Great review through as always!
Glasgow/Edinburgh from London is only about 4.5 hours so is a sleeper really necessary especially as you are exited from the train at your destination far too early in the morning.
I went on a sleeper car when I was in Japan and it had to be the best experience I've had while traveling. The showers were timed and you had to buy a time card and they were limited so it was like being in the military again where you have to TCoB fast before the water shuts off. You should try one of those Tim if you make it over there.
I've just read a TH-cam post about Japanese sleepers. Unfortunately the only sleeper train that runs at present will no longer run soon. The only other sleeper trains is the "ultra-lux" tourist 7-day trip at c.£6000.
Well it’s a lot of money for an uncomfortable bed and a duvet cover with a tea stain on it. I think the heating issues indicate a need to do this in a warmer season. I might give it a go if I was feeling flush and use another way on the return. Thanks for the insights.
Interesting review this. I paid £118 for a classic room on the highland sleeper to Fort William. The bed was great and I had some of the same things as shown here included (although not breakfast). I did find the water to be the same lukewarm and the shaky, rattly doors meant I had hardly any sleep, not to mention the diesel locos right outside my window at the Edinburgh changeover. Nevertheless it's an experience after all and having gone from the foot of the shard to the foot of Ben Nevis in 14-15 hours, waking up in some stunning highland scenery it was a great experience for me personally.
I travelled to Fort William last April on CS, I had done it before in 2016, I was pretty disappointed as when got on the heating was on when we boarded. There was this buzzer noise that went off all night. And the breakfast wasn’t the best. Tbh I’d only take the CS to fort William only. I also didn’t sleep well at all both times. Also the bit a 10:04 is the accessible room. 😀
I’ve worked on the railway since I was 16 and the sleepers do look inviting (when your very tired). The Mark 5 coaches do look good. Working on the railway we get heavily reduced rates but I’ve never used it yet. We did book a trip for me and my wife and it cost £50 all in - (Euston to Fort William) but covid struck and it got cancelled ! Great video, as usual. 👍
Thanks for what you do. I was expecting £180 maybe but not £345. Definitely not worth it. Like others have said you can get a really decent hotel for that with meals. Great video content.
In the past, I used the old stock a few times with no issues, but on the introduction of the new stock, it was immediately apparent that it wasn’t fit for purpose.
At 6:44 I loved how when he opened his package expecting something unique (and all it was, was an eyepatch and plugs), you could hear someone in the background laughing 😅
Honest video, as always. It's worth the money in a way, as you're getting a room and a train ticket in one, with service from staff - who have to be paid. It's the experience. But, yes, there was a bit of grubbiness here and there. I think the stain on the bed was just someone sitting down with a cup of tea. Even so, not welcome to the paying public. It's something we've all fancied doing and nice to see it continuing as a service.
I can't wait for this. Have a good journey. I'll be watching the live stream dear train journey I will not be doing that I would do a day time journey to London from Glasgow Central only 4 hours 30mins. What time is the live street at on Friday because I might not be able to watch it as I am in School and doing an assessment in maths
I love your videos, such a breath of fresh air, just genuine and not lying like some youtubers, who get the room free. I love the moaning and groaning, because this is the thing, I know some wealthy people from school, and their parents. The 'non finance credit' wealthy tended to have a bigger houses and a 3+ year old Merc/BMW = NEVER a brand new one.; you've also got the new money, especially ones who have moderate success on here, who constantly feel the need to name the brand of shoes (t)he(y) wear when (t)he(y) puts them on and take them off, (if the name of your channel was inspired by anyone I know who it is) as well as the fact that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration really aren't interested in wannabe news readers. I'm not talking about you Tim, this one I'm talking about is from a different country. I tried to make a riddle here, because I just wanted to vent without being rude directly, because this is another human but the bottom line is that I don't care what shoes he/she is wearing etc especially as I would never buy suede! A shocking choice of shoe material. Nobody else seems to get it though; TLDR: basically hoping you get more subs Tim so you can hopefully show us some posh places without blowing smoke up the ass of the company you're reviewing! There's surprisingly few Brits doing these sort of reviews. All the best!
For a true first-class experience, it's better to go by LNER from King's Cross to Edinburgh 4 hours 30 mins direct, I considered going on the sleeper, but doesn't seem worth it better to just get a return with LNER first class free food lounge tea ect drinks throughout and a good hotel In Edinburgh.
When I travelled regularly to London from Edinburgh business I always took a newspaper to jam in the rattling doors. Things haven't changed much in the intervening 20 years !
We had the displeasure of travelling on the Caladonion express last month. Euston-Fort William return, outward journey was twin club class, return twin First class. On both legs we had an end cabin, which being directly over the carriage wheels means you can feel every bump of the track, a nights sleep is therefore not an option. On the return Journey, we were greeted in our allocated cabin to discover that the top bunk was locked up, we were then allocated another cabin which was meant to be reserved for train staff. We were treated to the sound of alarms all night and did not have any sleep whatsoever. The whole thing was by far the worst travelling experience I have ever had to endure. I paid in excess of £500 for the return. If you really want to travel on this train buy a seat rather than a cabin. It will be a lot cheaper and you will probably get more sleep
I watch a lot of Japanese travel vids and the famous Sunrise Express knocks this out of the park…even the cheapest rooms seem much higher quality, even if they don’t generally have showers (tho the shower rooms are decent).
I agreed with you with all the negatives you found even before you mentioned the price. I think I may just stick to the Penzance sleeper service. The stain would have put me off a bit sleeping on the bed.
Great informative vid Tim. To answer your question. No I would not do it and most certainly not pay that sort of money. Flights to Glasgow and Edinburgh are cheap as chips in comparison. It is a hell of a lot to pay to compensate for fear of flying.
A lot of people who reviewed the Caledonian Sleeper have had problems with a lack of hot water. You can't call it teething problems now unfortunately maybe a design failure.
In my opinion it's not worth it. I think you were optimistic with your expectations of a pleasant scenic journey and an enjoyable relaxing evening meal. As a one off experience it might be tempting but not at that price. There was nothing really about that journey that screamed first class. Yet another original, high quality, vlog as usual Tim.
I’m going to London on the sleeper train in June. It was £111 for a standard seat return ticket, much cheaper than taking a case on a plane. Shortly after booking I realised only for £50 extra I could’ve booked a bunk bed room 🫠🫠 Not looking forward to sleeping on the chair handcuffed to my suitcase! Hope you have a lovely time in Scotland, it’s freezing right now☃️
@@janetpendlebury6808 the trains aren't usually that big, probably just 1 seated carriage on the overnight train, as mostly cabin accomodation. . There will probably be luggage racks at each end of the carriage and an overhead rack.
I remember doing the first class sleeper from Paris to Carcassonne back in the early 2000s where I was equally unimpressed - glad you checked this out as I've been tempted to see if the UK version was any better - sorry you had to take one for the team though Tim
One of my favourite things about coming into or going out of Euston is having a drink in the Doric Arch before or after the journey. Seals the deal nicely particularly when coming into London for a short trip.
Considering these carriages are meant to be relatively new, it is amazing how much seems to have been broken. Other people that have been on this on YT seemed to have had a quieter (in the restaurant car) and cleaner experience as well. A shame it's been ruined for you a bit.
I travelled first class return via the train from Glasgow to Euston just recently and I didn't even know I could have used the first class lounge! I don't remember it being advertised when I bought the ticket and it just never occurred to me! Thanks for the info. Your videos are great. :)
This country use to build proper MK3 sleeping coaches, built in the UK, i use to travel on them, so comfortable and nice to ride on. These were built in Europe and look uncomfortable and cheap. I must ride on one to try myself but will not pay £345, thanks for you're great video Tim.
I travelled from Colchester to Aberdeen a number of years ago on a day train, and seemed a better experience than what you had, despite my journey being seated in standard class. Booked a window seat, snoozed for half the journey, and only cost me £60 return (£20 up, and £40 back).
It sounds quite cool at first on taking an over night train, such shame that you got in to Edinburgh train station when waking up. You would think it would be quite nice if passengers get to see a view in the day time.
I took the Caledonian train to Glasgow back in 2018. The trip was so bad, I won't do it again. Firstly, there was a train issue in Euston and no trains would run. The lounge was owned by virgin. I couldn't get in due to sheer number of people. And the train was late. We boarded at 1am in the morning. I was so tired and looking forward to my bed. And what a disappointment. The bed was hard and the tracks was rocky and swaying all night. And my toilet would not flush. I did not shower because of the toilet. I got off the train at 7am and my hotel could not accommodate me because check in was 2pm. I threw myself on the hotel reception floor and slept. And I honestly had a better sleep on the floor than I did on th train. Took me 2 days to recover my health after that journey.
Pretty much my experience as well. Travelled with them twice, both journeys plagued with issues. After three years of running the new coaches you would expect teething problems to have largely been solved. Sadly that’s not the case. Got moved to a different room over a bogie (with a “flat” wheel) last time (February 23) because the room I booked had “safety issues” with one of the beds and no water. Well, I did have water now, but it was ice cold and the rattling sound from the wheel made sleeping almost impossible. Also, my room got freezing cold in the morning for some reason. It’s such a shame because the staff was absolutely professional and friendly. You really want to like the service - they just make it next to impossible to justify the price (note: they did offer me a generous refund without me explicitly demanding one in my feedback which was much appreciated). They really should look to ÖBB in Austria to learn how to run a good sleeper service. Let’s hope things will get better with the new operator.
I got a train from Euston for the first time last year and very nearly missed it because the departure board didn't say which platform it was on! Only at Euston could I be there 15 minutes before departure and STILL have to run for it. There are plenty of times I'd arrive at St. Pancras with only 3 minutes to spare, but because it was always clear where to go, I've never missed it!
I never understand why it’s added so late, as they know much earlier. I’m in a wheelchair so have mobility support get me on with the ramp and they find out the platform sometimes 30 inures before the platform is added to the board for everyone else. I mean it means disabled people can get on before the sudden rush of everyone else heading down en mass, but I feel sorry for those people. Anyone who is unsteady in their feet/ elderly etc but has never thought of getting mobility assistance, I recommend it to avoid the rush. I’ve been told that when the new 10 platforms open in 2026 it’ll be better, but it is one of the few times being disabled is a ‘perk’!
Watch The Night Riviera Sleeper Train HERE 👉th-cam.com/video/KVtTatUlKUk/w-d-xo.html
cleanliness is an absolute minimum basic expectation, irrespective of "class".
It’s an atrocity that as pioneer of the railway, the UK can’t even get the basics such as cleanliness right but charges an extortionate amount compared to better serving nations such as Japan.
@@universe2823 serco is the Caledonian sleeper operator but also UK jail operator and from many reviews it seems serco cannot differentiate between rail and jail
There is no way I could sleep on a bed that has stains on the bed sheets . If that is first class I would rather walk . Eileen
That restaurant situation would have really peed me off.
Me too🐒🖐
If I'd have paid £345 for this I'd have been livid. I'd rather have sat in standard class and stayed awake all night to save a big chunk of money.
Interesting and enjoyable video as always Tim, keep them coming!
yeah, at £345 that was about £300 too much... I'd have worn those earplugs without a second thought though, the track quality in some parts is terrible.
Sounds like Tim was awake all night anyway
If you want a seat travelling overnight, forget the sleeper! Hard seats, bright lights left on. Pay less, get a padded seat that reclines more, and with lights dimmed, on the National Express. Its what I do now. Genuinely been impressed. Actually feel like I get value for money.
When the main competition is a short haul flight that takes a few hours including two and from the airport for a fraction of the price, they need to do better.
@@theblah12 Is that the competition? You can get the Lumo train for like 60 quid.
The Caledonian doesn't really compete with flying its almost its own thing.
Just in case you weren't aware the Scottish Government will take over control of the franchise in June 2023, as it believes the current operation isn't good value for money. I think they have a valid point. I recently travelled from Euston to Inverness, in a single cabin, and only two cabins in our carriage were occupied. Hopefully the price will drop and occupancy will increase.
Problem is that train fares are now so high that it's unlikely a government will ever cut fares to the extent that would be reasonable. I'd suggest a 90% cut in fares, and while they're at it, they can line the seats up with the windows.
They have been losing money running it, so the SG isn’t likely to decrease the prices. Maybe a short term deal, but worry it will end costing us taxpayers.
God help us all when the Scottish government take over, everything they touch turns to 💩
@@kenjohnson762 The government of Victoria, Australia justslashed the price of train fares to the regional and rural areas maxim I think is around AU$12,00-15,00 return
Transport is a public service, a necessity, so it's appropriate for it to be taken over by the SG. Germany and Holland operate excellent state owned railways......so for people on here to say that if private companies can't offer reasonable prices, the SG won't be able to, is crazy. The SG should have been operating it all along.
I live in Edinburgh but have family in the home counties so I often make this trip. I've always travelled in the day as the CS's prices are astronomical. However, I've always dreamed of travelling by sleeper train and have been considering saving up. Thank you so much for this review, as I know now not to waste my money on it. You spent £345 for a terrible sleep on a hard, stained bed in a room that would be an embarrassment to a cheep SNCF couchette where you could barely even get service for dinner or warm water out of the dribbling shower head. To top it off you had to pay extra for your (admittedly very nice looking) food! I looked at single rooms and for when I wanted to go they were £170 (all of this being 1 way). It's ridiculous! You can fly to/from one of the outlying London airports for about £50 and that takes about half the time even with transfers. If you get your timing right when booking you can even snag a BA flight to LCY for less that £100. Or, you can get a 1st class LNER ticket for (and it varies a LOT) between around £70-£200, and that INCLUDES FREE FOOD (even the BA flight gives you a free drink and snack). I Love your videos and I'm constantly stunned by how infinitely patient and forgiving you are. If I'd had the experience you'd had in this video I'd have been ranting and raving for weeks. Shockingly bad service for the price! Wishing you all the best for the future.
Emigrate to a civilised country!
The pencil is for you to draw the curtains 😂😂😂
😂😂😂😂😂
Can't believe how diplomatic you were Tim, if I'm honest for the money that was a lousy experience, I'm Scottish and never used it before as have only heard negative stuff about all classes on there, as you are probably aware they've lost the contract so things can only get better. The restaurant did seem not what anyone would want as an experience as it was just a drinking place.
Thanks for the great review, compounds everything I've heard over the years about it
Thanks Tim! We were considering this as a surprise for our parents 60th anniversary. We are now going to reconsider!!
You might have a better experience
Shocked at the price and overall experience
I’m from the U.S. and my brother and I took this about 6 years ago. We had bunk beds and I’m glad that it’s not just me that felt that it’s really bumpy and jumpy. We didn’t have any plug ins in our room that we could see. I normally use a CPAP machine and lugged it along with me but couldn’t use it. Needless to say I was awake most of the night but because it was so novel to us, I just tried to let it sink in where we were and what a neat experience it’d still be. We didn’t use the shower either but we were just there for a day as a side trip to London. The prices sure seem to have gone up but that’s like everything else in this crazy World (since COVID).
why couldn't you use your cpap?
@@merrickcr no plug ins in the sleeper car we had
Fantastic video as usual. Loved seeing this journey from your perspective. I still don't get why dinner is not included in the ticket, seems silly. Seems to be a common complaint about the shower issues - they really need to sort that out. Need to see you on an Amtrak sleeper train next mate :)
its a shame because I was looking forward to it and its put me off lol
My two favourite TH-camrs to relax too
Nice to see Trek following other travel vids
This is crazy, I was going to comment saying you and Trek Trendy should do a collab and here he is. Great content creators 👍🏻
I'm guessing that with how late the train departs, and how early people need to be awake for breakfast (especially if they want it in the lounge car), the number of people annoyed by it not including dinner is outweighted by the people annoyed that they would pay for a dinner they wouldn't use. Since a) they have eaten already or b) like a lot of people on the train, they are in bed before the train leaves / before they would have time for a meal.
I love train travel.
Growing up in the uk we took the trains alot.
I always thought of a sleeper car as a luxury.
After seeing the not great quality for alot of money,I was disappointed by your accomdations.
Thank you Tim for taking these trips and letting us know what its really like.I appreciate your honesty.
I am addicted to watching your videos.
Love you and your lovely wife and super cute lil boy.❤
I slept really well on this train. It was noisy and moved about a lot, but I found it quite relaxing - like being rocked to sleep. It probably helps that I went to Fort William which doesn't get in until 10, so breakfast is at a much less painful hour. It also means you have daylight and scenery while you eat.
I enjoy your videos. Your presentation is friendly, and you always show and talk about the things that are important to me. Views, both distant and close up, cleanliness, what is complimentary, what isn’t.
Tim, you always know the best times to upload, literally as sad as it sounds your uploads cheer me up!
Keep up the great work !
glad I can help lol
I’ve seen a lot of rail channels review the Caledonian Sleeper. Your perspective is refreshing, and an excellent video as ever. All of the three times I’ve used the sleeper, since this new (mark 5) rolling stock came in, there have been problems; and clearly, they continue. Ticket and food prices have increased quite disproportionately, and the quality of service, reliability, the new hard product, gives nil justification for it in my view. It’s actually lead me to become a user of National Express to travel overnight now, instead. Completely different offer, I know. But, what I love, is they have under promised, yet over delivered, every, single, time. I respect that. While my respect for Caledonian Sleeper - ha, well, there isn’t any.
£345
Bushwacked. Flew from STD £98 return.
Nice, honest, review
What you first tucked into at breakfast wasn't haggis but a Lorne, or square sausage. A true Scottish breakfast item!
I thought it might be scran and definitely didn't look like haggis. I was eying his black pudding with envy. Can't get it in the US and it tastes heavenly. I don't care what's in it.
I love the accent on Tattie scone though!
@@jrsc01. Aye... ye cannae beat a good tattie scone!
@@mairi2693love them, don't see them too often when travelling down to England though...
Was looking for this comment lol, it's not a real breakfast without lorne!
I didn't realise there was a Huston station in London.
Ridiculous prices - even for the Club and Classic rooms. When I tried one of the Club Rooms a couple of years ago what kept me awake was all the water (and other stuff 😲) sloshing around in the suspension tank under the ensuite. The following night in a Classic room with no ensuite and therefore no sloshing sounds, I slept much better.
bit of a rip off if you ask me
Tim, you need to carry with you some sort of white noise sound machine. It blocks out most noises but might not have blocked out the rattling door you should have just propped it open for the night , but it does help with blocking out most sounds. I would be too afraid to use earbuds in case I missed an emergency train or cell call or something.
Japan’s $3000 Most Luxurious Sleeper Train GO TIM GO
The new screens at Euston are shocking.
Info about which platform is left too the very last minute, and then a massive stampede happens to get to the train.
Houston we have a problem! Its Euston lol! 😜
Give him a break... it was obviously late. He represents the 'everyman' and that's why we like him, yeah!?!
Thank you for your fantastic realistic authentic coverage of all your trips 👍 👏 😀 🙌
I agree with the comments about a waste of money. No hot water, crappy mattress, freezing cold at breakfast equals over priced experience.
Great video. Far to expensive for the accommodation and it wasn't really up to scratch for £345 a night!!
I did the GWR First Class one and would never ever do it again! Your video just confirmed it for me. The concept is brilliant, the reality is unbroken sleep. That said I’m sure the orient express could change my mind - maybe !!
Use the sleeper atleast once a month, it isnt without its faults but overall its quite good. Regarding the hot water it usually needs the tap to be ran for atleast a minute to allow the hot water to push all the cold stuff out the pipes. Sometimes the train can be chilly but this is something that is currently being worked on. Personally I prefered the service when it ran with mk3 coaches but these needed replaced unless a large refurbishment was carried out on them.
7:33 - love the pride train 390119!
the caledonian sleeper i definitely plan on doing in may for my 20th birthday in either a classic room or club room!
absolutely love the Caledonian Sleeper! i'm booked on it to go to London from Glasgow in June for a lovely weekend in the city with my dad and brother. it's such a long way down that really sleeper train is the only way to go as it means i'm not spending 8+ hours travelling and too exhausted to do anything by the time i get there. sleeper down and sleeper back home again is the perfect solution! can't wait to get on it again!
well I won't book ever again lol
@@WalkWithMeTim don't blame you to be honest. your experience was complete polar opposite of mine. i was shocked at how dirty and stuff things were. wouldn't be so bad if it was cheaper but for nearly £350 quid, you expect things to be pretty much perfect if not actually perfect. i'm sorry you didn't get to experience a good journey on it. you definitely drew the short straw on that one, it wasn't at all up to standard
I used the Caledonian Sleeper back in 2016, when they were still running the older coaches on the service. While I didn't get the greatest night of sleep as the older coaches were fairly rough-riding, I couldn't fault the service provided by the staff and the breakfast was very nice. Plus arriving into Euston nearly an hour early on the southbound journey allowed me to make a nice head start on my day (I'm an early riser, so no lay-ins for me 😛). The craziest part of this for me is how much the price has ballooned since then, as it cost me less to travel both directions in a first class room (around £300 combined) than it did for you to travel one direction. I'm glad I did get to try the service back then, but it's now very unlikely I'd ever use it again if only for the cost.
One thing I observed from your video is that your journey was via the East Coast Main Line rather than the normal route on the West Coast Main Line (due to engineering work at Carstairs I believe). I'm not sure if the track conditions on the ECML are worse than the WCML, so if you ever consider trying the service again it would be interesting to see if you have a better journey when the service runs via it's normal route.
Been contemplating trying this for a long time and seen numerous reviews, most detailed & honest one yet, personally don’t think that experience was value for money!
With the club car, it is open to everyone on the train, except for customers in the seating carriage. Those in club or double rooms get a priority access, but people in standard rooms can access it.
Hotel, Train and a room with a view. Looking good.
The room with the ‘really big door’ is the wheelchair accessible room 😊
Thank you for yet another great report. I had considered taking this journey to go and do my family history in Edinburgh - but I will now save the money. In fact I would bitterly complain and ask for my money back! Maybe that's the Scot coming out in me LOL .
I travel to the UK quite a bit and I detest any train travel that I have to undertake whilst I am there. I think the prices are extortionate and the service totally inadequate when compared with other countries. Your video was well documented and excellently narrated, but your experience was not surprising.
London "Houston" 😂😂😂😂
"Jolly good, ya'll!"
Love all that you do … excited! You’re so cool!
Your devoted fan from America
Wow, thank you!
That wasn’t haggis at breakfast. That was a square sausage my friend.
Thank you for another great video. I always wondered what the sleeper would be like. Be good for the experience but will probably fly.
i travelled in the regular economy seat from glassgow to london during the summer and with a railcard it averaged out to £45 and for what I got I was really happy. Even though I was on a normal seat it felt more equivalent to a first class service from something like virgin. I don't think it's worth trying to get any sleep if you travel in this class everyone around me was trying to and having little success I just used it as an opportunity to watch movies on my laptop. I think it's a decent service if you set your expectations right,
This was something I was interested in doing but now I’ve seen your video I will definitely re think! I’m a light sleeper too so not sure it would be my thing at all! Hope you had a nice time in Edinburgh after that though! Another great video Tim. Always look forward to watching these after a long day at work helps me relax 😊
Shocking price , I remember in the 70s when first class was first class , my father worked on the flying Scotsman and I traveled for free and it was soo posh
Tim, I did not think that you were being overly critical in the least. When you spend that kind of money, the amenities should reflect the price paid. I was disappointed for you. Otherwise, I really enjoyed your video. Thank you for sharing.
Bet this was fun Tim,can't wait to watch it,
This is my opportunity to speak about Euston... Use it frequently as an international traveller... Everytime I go through Euston, the staff are stressed and rude, the timetables are late to show platforms and the layout and signs are super unhelpful. I was nearly late for a train once because they were late too show the train and the platform sign wasn't clear to me and when I asked for some help I was shouted at, literally shouted at, by a 'helper' lol yes, 'helper'.
Houston with a capital E.
Great video, but it did seem DOOMED, there wasn't one aspect that wasn't negativity affected in some little way, even the breakfast with cold air and then no lights.
I'd love to try the journey, but when I heard the price tag......NOPE!
Great video, well documented!
When I went on the Caledonian Sleeper from London Euston to Edinburgh back in 2017 I stayed in first class and didn't get a wink of sleep either, in fact I spent most my night in the buffet car drinking over priced hot chocolate and tea. When i tried to get my head down I couldn't due to my room being right over the wheels and every time the train braked there was a uncontrollable rattling noise. Breakfast was lovely when I travelled it was a bacon roll, orange juice, and a pot of tea. I arrived into Edinburgh, cold tired and wet as it was raining!
I miss the old Mk3 Caledonian Sleepers. The lounge car had proper furniture and was split into two. One side with sofas and stuff for people to relax, and the other half for sitting up and eating. Not to mention the Mk3 is a smoother ride. The Mk5 is cheap.
The voice of Susan Calman at 10:05 as the toilet door announcer
I’m really glad you did this vlog Tim as it’s made up my mind not to use it. I’ve wanted to do this journey but watching your experience it’s really a no no for me.
For that price dinner should have been included pay for drinks obviously. I would’ve been miffed with those drinking in the booth areas too. The waiter could hardly get through to serve!
Looks like drive or fly for me to Edinburgh 😵💫
It was a very good travel day blog today from euston station to Edinburgh waverley scotland and chilling out and staying on a Caledonian sleeper train tim
That looks such a tiny room, claustrophobic vibes kicking in and the bathroom looks equally small. For first class I would expect a lot more for the money.
Great review through as always!
Thanks Phil
Glasgow/Edinburgh from London is only about 4.5 hours so is a sleeper really necessary especially as you are exited from the train at your destination far too early in the morning.
I went on a sleeper car when I was in Japan and it had to be the best experience I've had while traveling. The showers were timed and you had to buy a time card and they were limited so it was like being in the military again where you have to TCoB fast before the water shuts off. You should try one of those Tim if you make it over there.
Japanese trains have ruined train travel for me now, it's so depressing coming back and getting on a UK train! I've yet to try a sleeper car though.
I've just read a TH-cam post about Japanese sleepers. Unfortunately the only sleeper train that runs at present will no longer run soon. The only other sleeper trains is the "ultra-lux" tourist 7-day trip at c.£6000.
TCoB?! WTF does that mean? We’re not all inside your head, you know?!
Well it’s a lot of money for an uncomfortable bed and a duvet cover with a tea stain on it. I think the heating issues indicate a need to do this in a warmer season. I might give it a go if I was feeling flush and use another way on the return. Thanks for the insights.
Interesting review this. I paid £118 for a classic room on the highland sleeper to Fort William. The bed was great and I had some of the same things as shown here included (although not breakfast). I did find the water to be the same lukewarm and the shaky, rattly doors meant I had hardly any sleep, not to mention the diesel locos right outside my window at the Edinburgh changeover. Nevertheless it's an experience after all and having gone from the foot of the shard to the foot of Ben Nevis in 14-15 hours, waking up in some stunning highland scenery it was a great experience for me personally.
I travelled to Fort William last April on CS, I had done it before in 2016, I was pretty disappointed as when got on the heating was on when we boarded. There was this buzzer noise that went off all night. And the breakfast wasn’t the best. Tbh I’d only take the CS to fort William only. I also didn’t sleep well at all both times. Also the bit a 10:04 is the accessible room. 😀
I’ve worked on the railway since I was 16 and the sleepers do look inviting (when your very tired). The Mark 5 coaches do look good. Working on the railway we get heavily reduced rates but I’ve never used it yet. We did book a trip for me and my wife and it cost £50 all in - (Euston to Fort William) but covid struck and it got cancelled ! Great video, as usual. 👍
Thats a good price but a long journey from Glasgow to Fort William
There is no 'H' in Euston!
Thanks for what you do. I was expecting £180 maybe but not £345. Definitely not worth it. Like others have said you can get a really decent hotel for that with meals. Great video content.
I love your UK train video. Better than the BBC! Glad I have found your channel. A lovely UK speaking voice :-)
This is a good honest review thank you
Thanks for watching!
In the past, I used the old stock a few times with no issues, but on the introduction of the new stock, it was immediately apparent that it wasn’t fit for purpose.
I’ve always liked the idea of the sleeper train but goodness me I’d be sobbing if this was me!
At 6:44 I loved how when he opened his package expecting something unique (and all it was, was an eyepatch and plugs), you could hear someone in the background laughing 😅
Where's the H in Euston 🧐 😅
Honest video, as always. It's worth the money in a way, as you're getting a room and a train ticket in one, with service from staff - who have to be paid. It's the experience. But, yes, there was a bit of grubbiness here and there. I think the stain on the bed was just someone sitting down with a cup of tea. Even so, not welcome to the paying public. It's something we've all fancied doing and nice to see it continuing as a service.
I can't wait for this. Have a good journey. I'll be watching the live stream dear train journey I will not be doing that I would do a day time journey to London from Glasgow Central only 4 hours 30mins. What time is the live street at on Friday because I might not be able to watch it as I am in School and doing an assessment in maths
I love your videos, such a breath of fresh air, just genuine and not lying like some youtubers, who get the room free. I love the moaning and groaning, because this is the thing, I know some wealthy people from school, and their parents. The 'non finance credit' wealthy tended to have a bigger houses and a 3+ year old Merc/BMW = NEVER a brand new one.; you've also got the new money, especially ones who have moderate success on here, who constantly feel the need to name the brand of shoes (t)he(y) wear when (t)he(y) puts them on and take them off, (if the name of your channel was inspired by anyone I know who it is) as well as the fact that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration really aren't interested in wannabe news readers. I'm not talking about you Tim, this one I'm talking about is from a different country. I tried to make a riddle here, because I just wanted to vent without being rude directly, because this is another human but the bottom line is that I don't care what shoes he/she is wearing etc especially as I would never buy suede! A shocking choice of shoe material. Nobody else seems to get it though; TLDR: basically hoping you get more subs Tim so you can hopefully show us some posh places without blowing smoke up the ass of the company you're reviewing! There's surprisingly few Brits doing these sort of reviews. All the best!
Thanks
For a true first-class experience, it's better to go by LNER from King's Cross to Edinburgh 4 hours 30 mins direct, I considered going on the sleeper, but doesn't seem worth it better to just get a return with LNER first class free food lounge tea ect drinks throughout and a good hotel In Edinburgh.
For a true Scottish experience go to Glasgow and ignore Edinburgh
@@richardmurray2068 Glasgow is on my next list to do
When I travelled regularly to London from Edinburgh business I always took a newspaper to jam in the rattling doors. Things haven't changed much in the intervening 20 years !
We had the displeasure of travelling on the Caladonion express last month. Euston-Fort William return, outward journey was twin club class, return twin First class. On both legs we had an end cabin, which being directly over the carriage wheels means you can feel every bump of the track, a nights sleep is therefore not an option. On the return Journey, we were greeted in our allocated cabin to discover that the top bunk was locked up, we were then allocated another cabin which was meant to be reserved for train staff. We were treated to the sound of alarms all night and did not have any sleep whatsoever. The whole thing was by far the worst travelling experience I have ever had to endure. I paid in excess of £500 for the return. If you really want to travel on this train buy a seat rather than a cabin. It will be a lot cheaper and you will probably get more sleep
Wow
I had visions of the Orient Express. Your vid dashed that thought.
I watch a lot of Japanese travel vids and the famous Sunrise Express knocks this out of the park…even the cheapest rooms seem much higher quality, even if they don’t generally have showers (tho the shower rooms are decent).
I agreed with you with all the negatives you found even before you mentioned the price. I think I may just stick to the Penzance sleeper service. The stain would have put me off a bit sleeping on the bed.
Great informative vid Tim. To answer your question. No I would not do it and most certainly not pay that sort of money. Flights to Glasgow and Edinburgh are cheap as chips in comparison. It is a hell of a lot to pay to compensate for fear of flying.
To stop the door rattle put a towel over the door and close it, it worked when i was on an overnight ferry to Egypt before :-)
A lot of people who reviewed the Caledonian Sleeper have had problems with a lack of hot water. You can't call it teething problems now unfortunately maybe a design failure.
In my opinion it's not worth it. I think you were optimistic with your expectations of a pleasant scenic journey and an enjoyable relaxing evening meal. As a one off experience it might be tempting but not at that price. There was nothing really about that journey that screamed first class. Yet another original, high quality, vlog as usual Tim.
That's how they like to advertise it lol
I’m going to London on the sleeper train in June. It was £111 for a standard seat return ticket, much cheaper than taking a case on a plane. Shortly after booking I realised only for £50 extra I could’ve booked a bunk bed room 🫠🫠 Not looking forward to sleeping on the chair handcuffed to my suitcase! Hope you have a lovely time in Scotland, it’s freezing right now☃️
What do you mean "handcuffed to my suitcase"? Are you worried someone might nick it?
Can you not book your luggage in?
@@janetpendlebury6808 I’m not sure but I’ll have a look at that. Thank you!
@@janetpendlebury6808 the trains aren't usually that big, probably just 1 seated carriage on the overnight train, as mostly cabin accomodation. . There will probably be luggage racks at each end of the carriage and an overhead rack.
I remember doing the first class sleeper from Paris to Carcassonne back in the early 2000s where I was equally unimpressed - glad you checked this out as I've been tempted to see if the UK version was any better - sorry you had to take one for the team though Tim
Hi Tim I love your videos and always watch them before I go on holiday 😊
where you off to?
One of my favourite things about coming into or going out of Euston is having a drink in the Doric Arch before or after the journey. Seals the deal nicely particularly when coming into London for a short trip.
Considering these carriages are meant to be relatively new, it is amazing how much seems to have been broken.
Other people that have been on this on YT seemed to have had a quieter (in the restaurant car) and cleaner experience as well. A shame it's been ruined for you a bit.
I travelled first class return via the train from Glasgow to Euston just recently and I didn't even know I could have used the first class lounge! I don't remember it being advertised when I bought the ticket and it just never occurred to me! Thanks for the info. Your videos are great. :)
Brilliant can't wait to find out if you had a better night's sleep on this one than you had on the Paddington Sleeper Train 🚂
Lol
He said it’s worse
This country use to build proper MK3 sleeping coaches, built in the UK, i use to travel on them, so comfortable and nice to ride on. These were built in Europe and look uncomfortable and cheap. I must ride on one to try myself but will not pay £345, thanks for you're great video Tim.
Houston or Euston 👍
I travelled from Colchester to Aberdeen a number of years ago on a day train, and seemed a better experience than what you had, despite my journey being seated in standard class.
Booked a window seat, snoozed for half the journey, and only cost me £60 return (£20 up, and £40 back).
It sounds quite cool at first on taking an over night train, such shame that you got in to Edinburgh train station when waking up. You would think it would be quite nice if passengers get to see a view in the day time.
I took the Caledonian train to Glasgow back in 2018. The trip was so bad, I won't do it again. Firstly, there was a train issue in Euston and no trains would run. The lounge was owned by virgin. I couldn't get in due to sheer number of people. And the train was late. We boarded at 1am in the morning. I was so tired and looking forward to my bed. And what a disappointment. The bed was hard and the tracks was rocky and swaying all night. And my toilet would not flush. I did not shower because of the toilet. I got off the train at 7am and my hotel could not accommodate me because check in was 2pm. I threw myself on the hotel reception floor and slept. And I honestly had a better sleep on the floor than I did on th train. Took me 2 days to recover my health after that journey.
You say Euston as if you are saying Houston! There is no H in Euston Tim haha!
Pretty much my experience as well. Travelled with them twice, both journeys plagued with issues. After three years of running the new coaches you would expect teething problems to have largely been solved. Sadly that’s not the case. Got moved to a different room over a bogie (with a “flat” wheel) last time (February 23) because the room I booked had “safety issues” with one of the beds and no water. Well, I did have water now, but it was ice cold and the rattling sound from the wheel made sleeping almost impossible. Also, my room got freezing cold in the morning for some reason.
It’s such a shame because the staff was absolutely professional and friendly. You really want to like the service - they just make it next to impossible to justify the price (note: they did offer me a generous refund without me explicitly demanding one in my feedback which was much appreciated). They really should look to ÖBB in Austria to learn how to run a good sleeper service. Let’s hope things will get better with the new operator.
I got a train from Euston for the first time last year and very nearly missed it because the departure board didn't say which platform it was on! Only at Euston could I be there 15 minutes before departure and STILL have to run for it. There are plenty of times I'd arrive at St. Pancras with only 3 minutes to spare, but because it was always clear where to go, I've never missed it!
I never understand why it’s added so late, as they know much earlier. I’m in a wheelchair so have mobility support get me on with the ramp and they find out the platform sometimes 30 inures before the platform is added to the board for everyone else. I mean it means disabled people can get on before the sudden rush of everyone else heading down en mass, but I feel sorry for those people. Anyone who is unsteady in their feet/ elderly etc but has never thought of getting mobility assistance, I recommend it to avoid the rush. I’ve been told that when the new 10 platforms open in 2026 it’ll be better, but it is one of the few times being disabled is a ‘perk’!
@@alexdavis57662026...by then I'd be past caring