UKC

Hi, is there any way to get cheap tickets for the caledonian sleeper?
I'm planning to meet up with a friend for a weekend in aviemore this winter. Rather than 7-8 hours drive each way, I'm looking at the sleeper.
Also, I'm travelling from Nottingham, so would plan to get on at Crewe, but are there cheaper tickets, or is there more chance of getting a cabin to myself, if I get on at London or even Preston
Thanks

In reply to stevieb:

I have been told the only cheap tickets are bought automatically at the time they are released by travel agents / resellers.

I also HIGHLY DO NOT RECOMMEND the standard seats. Absolute shite sleep sitting bolt upright, and the train stopping and starting randomly throughout the entire night (both of which wakes you up). It might be better if you're on sleeping pills, but sober - it was horrible.

In reply to SenzuBean:

Thanks, I wasn't planning on trying the normal seats.
I've taken the sleeper once before and thought it was brilliant, just hoping there are options to reduce the price a little

In reply to stevieb:

They used to be sold under the name Bargain Berths about a decade back, don't know if they still are. But you could get a return bed to Aviemore/Fort William from Euston at absolute rock bottom rates ~£30 if you were really quick.

Might be worth a Google anyway.

In reply to stevieb:

I did it a bunch of times and never got a cabin to myself tbh, though on one occasion at breakfast, I was delighted to note that they'd spared me a shared berth with Jimmy Saville who was also on the train, the tw*t.

In reply to stevieb:

Yeah was just warning in case - wish someone had warned me! I assumed they were reclining seats :p

In reply to Tom Last:

Well that would have been a story to tell!
Thanks, I remember there were bargain berths years ago but it looks like the franchise changed last year and I think these have gone.
It looks like there may still be cheaper options though, I will probably ring them.
I think there may be more chance of a whole cabin by getting on at Crewe at midnight but this might be wishful thinking.

In reply to stevieb:

I'm sure I read somewhere on a blog, that you can't now get a cabin at Crewe, and have to get on at London for one. Something to do with not disturbing folks in the night.

I got on at Crewe a few years ago and had a seat. I agree with the others above... not a good way to spend a night.

In reply to stevieb:
AIUI they still have the same pricing structure - ie a range of prices down to really cheap but with only a small number of the really cheap ones - but they now open the booking a year in advance rather than three months, so by the time you've decided what you're doing the really cheap berths have probably gone.

I don't think they all get block booked, because AFAICT they're non-transferable.

In reply to stevieb:

Found their website to be a little confusing, in the end it was easier to ring them up and see what they've got.
I've only traveled on it once, but paid full price, the cheap tickets always seemed to be for the least popular times ie not the weekends.

Good luck

In reply to stevieb:

I'm not sure what the situation is about really cheap tickets these days, but the recent past hasn't been great
http://www.simonvarwell.co.uk/bargain-berths-and-advertising-standards/

In reply to stevieb: Be aware that ScotRail lost the franchise bid last year and it's been run by Serco since March this year http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-27599963

For some reason the ScotRail Caledonian Sleeper web site still seems to be up and running, but the official web site for the sleeper is now http://www.sleeper.scot/ According to their Inverness timetable it is still possible to join at Crewe https://www.sleeper.scot/2-news/113-london-euston-inverness and the web site did allow me to choose a sleeper berth from Crewe to Aviemore for tomorrow night.

Serco have contracted to buy new sleeper trains with en-suite berths (how very, er, last century...) and no doubt all sorts of other exciting stuff.

The couple of times I used the Scotrail service from Edinburgh I found it difficult to get to sleep until after we'd been shoogled through Carstairs junction at about 1am - and then they kicked you out of the train in Euston at a time when none of the 'food' outlets on the station were open, so you had to go hunting the local streets for somewhere to get breakfast (Coming back north was better IIRC.)

In reply to stevieb:

There don't appear to be any cheap fares any more - they seem to have gone a bit upmarket with them price-wise (but all are now fully refundable until 24 hours before).

In reply to SenzuBean:
If you're OK at sleeping in a seat the seats would be fine for you - they are First Class seats (2+1 arrangement) and they do recline (unless broken, the train is quite old). Just make sure you do seat selection to ensure you don't get in the facing ones as overnight kneesie wouldn't be fun.

Main issue is that the lights are on all night in the seats, so take a mask. I'd imagine the new seated coaches will have something more like aircraft LED lighting.

In reply to stevieb:
Another option if you don't mind slumming it a little is the Megabus Sleeper. I have done this a few times, and usually for £15 each way from London Victoria to Aviemore or Inverness. You get a bed from London to Glasgow, and then change bus at Glasgow to a normal bus which takes you to the Highlands.

You have to monitor the site to make sure you buy your tickets on the day they are released, but I haven't had a problem getting a £15 ticket each way if I've made the effort to buy the tickets when they are released. You even get a free drink and muffin in the price!

In my experience the top bunk has more headroom but the bunk rocks with the movement of the bus, keeping you awake. The bottom bunk doesn't have a lot of headroom but is a fixed bed so it is easier to sleep.

I used to do the Caledonian Sleeper until it was made unaffordable.

In reply to Neil Williams: I've read that the new trains will have pod-style bed/seats as an option (similar idea to those on aircraft). Whether that will make any difference to the lighting I have no idea.

In reply to Neil Williams:

Yes, I've slept OK in these a couple of times.

Bit of food and whisky for a late dinner, eyemask and my belay jacket to cover up and it's been fine. Actually works quite well if you're facing a friend as you can put feet up on one another's seats and prop knees with bags.

They do get quite hot at times, and the weird orange lighting is a bit disorienting.

It can also be quite difficult to get hold of food and water when you're stuck in the standard seating, so take supplies!

In reply to stevieb:

I used to commute to Cardiff every Monday and passed through Crewe. Quite often the sleeper would be sitting on the platform at about 5.30am. Not a great time of the day but certainly not the middle of the night either. A cabin might be overkill. That said the seating carriage was full of very uncomfortable, tired and miserable looking people.

In reply to hamsforlegs:


Or there's no heating at all. I've twice been upgraded to a cabin on account of it being broken - though possibly the guard was just being nice because there were free berths and not many seated folk.

In reply to stevieb:

They do last minute deals. Two years ago in February I had to return from Aviemore 2 days earlier than I had booked a seat. I went to the ticket office to see if I could change the seat to that day which they said I could. On the spur of the moment I asked if there were any sleeper vacancies? The booking clerk said yes and I got the ticket including a sleeper berth to Euston for £30 by cancelling my original booking, getting a refund and then immediately rebooking. Helpful booking clerk.

On the train the guard showed me to my berth and said that another passenger was joing at Edinburgh. I pulled a face, and he said said "hold on a moment". When he came back he said "No problem, I've put the Edinburgh passenger in another compartment". So I had the compartment to myself and an undisturbed night

In reply to Trangia:

2 years ago it was still ScotRail - I think the new operator Serco is a lot less interested in discounting - and they still seem to be filling the trains.

In reply to Chris Sansum:

Hi, thanks I looked at the bus, but I'm travelling from Nottingham, and as far as I can tell the bus is only from London and would make it a really long journey

In reply to ByEek:

I'm guessing that would be the sleeper heading south? The sleeper leaves Crewe just before midnight going north and gets back at 5 or 6am

In reply to stevieb:


Importantly the pub/bar at crewe station shuts some time before the sleeper gets in, so important to consider what to drink before catching the train if getting on there.

In reply to stevieb:

Yeah, sorry, I was skim reading at work, but someone may find it of interest!

In reply to stevieb:


Ah yes - of course. Sorry, I was always half asleep at that time of the day!

In reply to SenzuBean:


I've made the mistake of getting an overnight Eurostar for skiing before. I never been able to sleep sitting up, so it was hideous. Not helped one year by having a streaming cold. Yes, I've done it more than once...

By comparison, the old Snowtrain sleeper was my favourite way of getting to ski resorts in France. I didn't necessarily sleep, but lying down is at least much more restful. And you get 8 days' skiing...

In reply to captain paranoia:

The seats in the UK Sleepers are basically first class, you get far more space than you do on Eurostar, they are only 3 across rather than 4 and the legroom is vastly better.

In reply to Neil Williams:

It's not the space issue for me: it's simply sitting up. I cannot sleep sitting up. I have enough trouble even when lying down, in my own bed...

In reply to stevieb:

Fly east midlands to Edinburgh or Glasgow and then get a train.
Probably cheaper and much quicker

No i have not made it up from the web tonight

https://www.sleeper.scot/2-news/113-london-euston-inverness

Update Friday 23 October: Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are unable to run the London Euston to Edinburgh Sleeper Train tonight - Friday 23 October. Caledonian Sleeper will provide a replacement bus service and alternative day services for Guests who have booked for travel on this service. Please contact the Guest Service Centre for any assistance you may need. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience caused.

In reply to Name Changed 34:

Trains get cancelled from time to time. I do wonder what was the cause, though.

In reply to Neil Williams:

leaves on the --------------

It happens cancellations, may be the drives failed
to show up

but then may be its some safety work, and even I would have to say ok to that!

In reply to marsbar:

Thanks, but I think the beauty of the sleeper is you do all your travelling at night and hopefully asleep, so even if it is a bit quicker or cheaper to fly you lose half a day each way.
Ive done the sleeper to fort bill once and loved it, though that was sharing a cabin with my daughter rather than some random hairy arsed stranger

In reply to Chris Sansum:

No worries, I did take a look, and from London it sounds a better chance of sleep than the train seats.