Drifting off as a train rocks you gently to sleep in a warm, cozy bed, only to wake up having magically been transported between England and Scotland overnight: that’s the pitch of the much-lauded Caledonian Sleeper train–but does it live up to the hype?
As unabashed lovers of both train travel and of making the most of our limited time in any destination, we were determined to find out for ourselves!
… Even though, yes, the idea of an overnight train with our almost 2-year-old did give us a bit of pause.
So, was our London to Scotland night train journey worth it, both as a family and as individuals?
Here’s our honest Caledonian Sleeper review, based on our October 2025 journey!
And, as usual, note that we paid our own way for this experience and told no one that we were bloggers while there.
Table of Contents
- Our Exact Route + Cabin Type on the Caledonian Sleeper Train
- Alternative Room Types + Destinations on the Caledonian Sleeper
- Our Caledonian Sleeper Review From London to Inverness
- What’s it Like Taking a Toddler on the Caledonian Sleeper Train?
- Tips for Making the Most of Your Caledonian Sleeper Train Experience
- Is the Caledonian Sleeper Train an Economical Choice?
Our Exact Route + Cabin Type on the Caledonian Sleeper Train
We booked a Club En-Suite cabin to travel from London to Inverness on the Caledonian Sleeper, which includes access to the club car, breakfast, and, of course, an en-suite bathroom.
Originally, we had actually hoped to book a Double En-Suite cabin, which features all the same inclusions along with a double bed instead of twin bunk beds.
The Double En-Suite rooms were already sold out when I went to book our tickets about 4 weeks in advance, though, which was a lesson for us to plan even further ahead in the future!
Alternative Room Types + Destinations on the Caledonian Sleeper
The Caledonian Sleeper offers 4 different travel options (plus accessible options for those with mobility needs).
In order from most luxurious (and expensive) to most affordable, these are the Double En-Suite cabins, the Club En-Suite cabins (which we traveled in), the Classic cabins, and the seated coach option.
We covered the first two options above, but for the Classic room, note unlike the other room types, it doesn’t include an en-suite bathroom, breakfast, access to the station lounges, automatic access to the Club car, or a few other niceties like chocolates and toiletry kits.
Finally, you can simply book a standard train seat on the Caledonian Sleeper train! It’s, of course, the most affordable option, though not one I would personally want to take advantage of.
(We traveled via an overnight train in seats once, in Thailand, and even then it was only because the cabins were sold out–and it was exhausting even in our mid-twenties).
As far as destinations go, in addition to the London to Inverness route we enjoyed, the Caledonian Sleeper also travels to dozens of other (mostly Scottish) destinations, including but not limited to Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Fort William, and Glasgow.
The Caledonian’s website offers detailed breakdowns of what’s included with each ticket type here, and has a list of all their destinations here.
Our Caledonian Sleeper Review From London to Inverness
From first impressions to last goodbyes, here’s our step-by-step review of the Caledonian Sleeper Train!
Check-In at the Caledonian Club Lounge in London Euston
We arrived at the Caledonian Club Lounge right when it opened at 6:00 PM, eager to relax before boarding.
The London Euston lounge itself is a bit out of the way–we had to walk past a few closed platforms to get there–but easy enough to find with signs.
Service in the lounge could not have been any friendlier or more prompt: we got our cabin keys as soon as we arrived, dropped our luggage near the door, and headed to sit down.
A kind employee also gave our toddler a stuffed Caledonian Sleeper car named Glen, which he loved almost as much as we did!
The snacks and drinks in the lounge were fairly basic, but everything was tasty (especially the brownies). Additional food and drinks were available for sale.
The toilets and shower in the lounge were both extremely clean, and Jeremy took advantage of showering before boarding.
When the train was ready (at the platform right next to the lounge, of course), it was a very smooth transition to collect our bags and head out.
Boarding the Caledonian Sleeper Train
Boarding the Caledonian Sleeper Train was a simple process, with the cabins clearly marked.
There’s was enough storage in our Club En-Suite cabin for 2 adults traveling with a medium-sized suitcase or so each, but not enough for all of our things (we were traveling with a car seat).
There was additional storage available in a different car, and Jeremy quickly ran a couple of things down there, which made our journey much more comfortable!
The aisles that run alongside the cabin doors are extremely narrow, in order to optimize every square inch of the cabins themselves, so be prepared for a bit of a squeeze getting on!
Cabin, Club Car + Facilities Immediate Impressions
Our immediate impression of the Club En-Suite cabin was that it was impeccably clean and well-designed.
It’s tiny, of course–there’s no getting around the fact that you’re in a bedroom built into a train–but well-optimized.
We found an amenities kit, sleep kit, and (delicious) chocolate on the bed, all of which we took advantage of.
The bed also held a breakfast card to place our order for the morning, which we filled out immediately.
The Club Car was lovely, spacious, and not overly busy. We purchased cans of water there, which was helpful, though I wish we had brought our own.
I also took a shower in our en-suite bathroom, which was a novel experience if nothing else–I can’t say I’ve ever showered on a moving train before!
The pressure and temperature were excellent, though the water cycled off every 15 seconds or so (I assume for conservation purposes), and space was, of course, very limited.
I wouldn’t plan on a long or luxurious shower, but it was a great way to clean up after a long day of sightseeing in London.
The actual toilet (and toilet paper!) is cleverly disguised as a bench that you lift up to use, which makes showering easier.
Our Overnight Experience on the Caledonian Sleeper Train
We’ve taken sleeper trains a handful of times in the past, mostly in Europe, but this is the first time that I actually got a good night’s sleep on one!
The Caledonian Sleeper proudly touts their “handmade Glencraft mattresses, supplier to the British Royal family’s Balmoral estate for 4 generations”, and I have to say, they (and the linens) lived up to the hype.
We all slept comfortably, toddler included, and woke up in the morning refreshed and ready to explore Inverness.
To say that the fact we all slept well exceeded my expectations for our London to Scotland sleeper train journey is quite an understatement!
Breakfast on the Caledonian Sleeper Train
To sum up our experience with breakfast on the Caledonian Sleeper in a sentence, I’d say that it was excellent for being on a train, but unmemorable when compared to a typical restaurant.
For guests in the Double En-Suite and Club En-Suite rooms, breakfast is included on the Caledonian Sleeper train (for everyone else, it’s available for purchase).
We had the option of either eating in the Club Car (reservations strongly recommended) or opting for room service.
We chose room service, and both got baps since we knew they would be easier to eat in the room.
They were enjoyable, though in the future, I’d say it would probably be worth the effort to eat in the Club Car so we could try the full Scottish breakfast instead. We didn’t want to attempt to eat a full Scottish in the room, especially with our young son with us.
You can review all of the current menus, including breakfast, here.
Arrival in Inverness + Deboarding the Caledonian Sleeper Train
Our arrival in Inverness was smooth and on time.
The Caledonian Sleeper detaches each group of cars at the end of their route, so there’s no hurry to hustle off the train before it moves on.
As a result, the whole process was relaxed and very unhurried!
We had plenty of time to pack up, get our extra luggage from the other train car, and stroll into Inverness.
What’s it Like Taking a Toddler on the Caledonian Sleeper Train?
While I don’t always cover the specifics of traveling with our son (we are a family, but this isn’t a family travel blog), I feel compelled to do so here because after scouring reviews of the Caledonian Sleeper before our journey, I didn’t find much to go on about taking the Caledonian Sleeper with a toddler!
Unlike bigger kids (who you can add to your reservation via adjoining Classic Rooms and get discounts for via family tickets), “infants” aged 0 to 4 travel for free.
That’s wonderful, of course, but it also means that they don’t have a designated sleeping space–nor would I be comfortable with our little one sleeping alone in one of the bunks.
As for travel cots/pack-n-plays, there’s simply nowhere to put them, something called out explicitly on the website: “Please note when travelling with infants and younger children, our rooms are too narrow for standard travel cots.”
That leaves bedsharing as the only reasonable option, which is what we did.
In our case, it went perfectly: he slept great, there was no gap between the wall and mattress, and while I had very little space to work with, I had enough that I was able to sleep well, too.
Personally, I’d avoid traveling on the Caledonian Sleeper with a young infant, and by age 4, I might be tempted to buy them a ticket simply to get more space… but at age almost-2, none of my concerns came to fruition.
On the contrary, our son adored the experience, still tells us about it all the time, and I’m reasonably sure it’s his favorite memory from our trip to the UK (though riding double-decker buses in Edinburgh and London, and feeding animals in both the Cotswolds and the Highlands, seem to be close seconds).
Tips for Making the Most of Your Caledonian Sleeper Train Experience
Book your tickets as far in advance as you can.
If you hope to score a cabin on the Caledonian Sleeper Train, you’ll absolutely want to plan in advance!
As I mentioned above, our first choice (the Double En-Suite) was already sold out when we booked about 4 weeks in advance.
I’m writing this review in mid-October, and as of right now, the Double En Suite is sold out for about 95% of the dates in November and December. About 2/3 of dates are showing the Club En Suite rooms fully booked, and the Classic cabins are about half booked.
Know exactly what to expect with your ticket.
Each cabin type, as well as the seated coach option, all feature different inclusions (and price tags).
The website has it all clearly laid out on each accommodation type’s web page, and you’ll want to be sure to read the description line by line!
Bring your own drinking water.
We made a mistake by not bringing enough drinking water for the night!
The water in the cabin basins isn’t potable, so without your own water supply, you’re a captive customer for the Club Car.
We paid 2 pounds per can of water (yes, can) while onboard, which certainly isn’t the end of the world, but it’s a nickel-and-dime sort of expense we would have liked to avoid!
Wondering which cabin to book? Consider the toilet.
Know that you want to spring for a cabin, but not sure which one?
Personally, we found the en-suite bathroom to be a major step-up in comfort compared to a more standard overnight train experience, and the most compelling reason to consider upgrading from a Classic cabin to an en-suite room of either type.
Things like lounge access, Club Car access, and included breakfast are all nice to have, but the en-suite bathroom was by far the biggest quality of life difference that we noticed (and the perk we were most willing to open our wallets for).
Remember that the Caledonian Sleeper is pet-friendly!
We weren’t traveling with our dog on this trip, but in honor of our world-traveling dog Ranger, I have to be sure to call this out!
The Caledonian Sleeper Train’s cabins are pet-friendly for a small fee, which is something we’d love to take advantage of one day.
Have a plan for what to do with your luggage during the days before and after.
The biggest benefit of taking the Caledonian Sleeper train is that you can gain back an extra travel day that you would have spent sitting on a train, and (sort of) skip paying for a night of lodging in the process.
In exchange, though, you’ll need to find out what to do with your luggage after checking out of your first place to stay the day before your train ride, and until check-in the next day.
If you’re staying in a large hotel, this likely isn’t an issue, as the hotel will likely hold the luggage for you.
If you’re staying somewhere that can’t hold your baggage, though, virtually all train stations have luggage storage options.
We took advantage of luggage storage at both London Euston and Inverness Station at either end of our overnight train journey.
Is the Caledonian Sleeper Train an Economical Choice?
On the face of it, putting the Caledonian Sleeper train next to “economical” is a bit of a funny choice, because there’s no way around it: this train is expensive!
For travelers like us, though, the bigger question is how it compares to paying for an extra night in a hotel plus a more typical daytime train journey between the two cities, which is realistically what we would have paid for without the sleeper train option.
We paid £435 for our Club En-Suite cabin.
Meanwhile, per ScotRail, daytime train tickets from London to Inverness “start from” £116 each, or £232 for the two of us adults (under 5s are free, as they appear to be in many places in the UK).
That would leave us £203 to pay for an extra hotel room, which in our case, would have been in pricey London.
So, did we save money with the Caledonian Sleeper? Maybe, a bit.
There are way too many factors to say for sure (getting better deals on train tickets or hotel rooms than my back-of-the-napkin numbers above, to start with), but let’s say that the prices are close enough that for most travelers, the decision probably won’t be a slam dunk financially either way.
On a trip like ours, though, much more important than a few quid in either direction was the time we gained by taking the overnight train from London to Inverness.
The excitement of getting to enjoy a full extra day in Scotland thanks to the magic of train travel (on a comfortable bed, no less!) meant that we disembarked from the Caledonian Sleeper feeling extremely positive about the whole experience, and eager to hit the ground running in the Scottish Highlands.
About Kate Storm