The Caledonian Sleeper has changed how travellers get between London and Scotland, offering a mini hotel-on-tracks with twin and double en-suite rooms, a food and beverage service, and plush station lounges. You arrive at each destination refreshed and ready to go.

It runs every night (minus Saturdays) between London Euston and Scotland’s big cities, such as Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness, and rural locations like Fort William. The overnight element removes the need for bookend hotels, and at the same time, provides a much more comfortable (not to mention, environmentally friendly) alternative to flying. I boarded a Caledonian Sleeper to Glasgow, and here’s what it was like, along with real, unedited photography.

Exterior of the Caledonian Sleeper
Our Caledonian Sleeper to Glasgow

While this journey was complimentary, all thoughts, opinions and imagery are our own

Review of the Caledonian Sleeper train journey between London and Glasgow

The Caledonian Sleeper lounge

8:45 pm, London Euston. Rather than park at the Pret a Manger like I usually would, I’m sitting at the Caledonian Sleeper Guest Lounge at platform one. It’s clean, serene, and stocked with canned drinks and a few different types of snacks, so I can relax with a cuppa and a chocolate square before boarding the train at 10:15 pm. There was no decaf coffee option in the machine, so I got a ‘The Wee Tea Company’ chamomile tea instead.

The lounge interior with tables and chairs
The lounge at Euston was spacious, with charging facilities, showers, and an assortment of drinks and snacks

There are accessible showers and toilet facilities too, but as I’m checking into an en-suite, I skip these in favour of brew time. The front desk attendant says she’ll tell us when it’s time to board the train, and tonight, boarding is delayed 15 minutes, but the train still departs on schedule. So far, so good.

The Caledonian Sleeper cabin

Boarding was a little hectic, but thankfully, as soon as I was in my cabin, I could close the door on it. I’m in a club en-suite room, with twin bunks holding Glencraft mattresses. These are ‘only’ the mattresses used by generations of British royalty and five-star hotels, so they’re delightfully soft. Under the bottom bunk, there’s space for luggage, albeit a tight space, but all I had was a small backpack and my shoes to stow away.

Bunk beds on the Caledonian Sleeper train
Our cabin featured bunk beds with soft bedding

At the tips of each bed is a handy compartment for all your essentials. My bottle of water and specs fit snug in a pocket. Up to the left, there are light controls so you can read or go to the bathroom without disturbing your bunkmate. The control panel also has a USB socket, so I could connect my Miniso fast charge cable to my old, slightly bashed-up phone, and when charged, it also worked for my USB mini-fan. 

In line with any premium journey, I was thrilled to find a complimentary amenity kit. The bag on my bed contained an eye mask, earplugs, and a bar of Mackie’s chocolate. Sweet.

The Caledonian Sleeper bathroom

Bathroom on the sleeper train
The bathroom made efficient use of space

Now, I’ll admit, the bathroom is a squeeze, but what do you expect on a moving vehicle? This isn’t Mayfair! I’ve caravaned across the States, so I was used to swerving and bending. To use the shower, for example, you need to close down the toilet compartment, and the room transforms from toilet to shower cubicle. Your shampoo, shower gel and hand soap are from the lush Scottish brand Arran, which you’ll see a bunch of when shopping around Glasgow.

The sink by the window
Brushing our teeth with these countryside views was a treat in the morning

The sink was outside the bathroom, next to my bed.  A smart choice as we didn’t need to keep opening the bathroom door to wash our hands, while the towels need to be hung on the hook on the outside part, next to your bathroom door. If you’re sharing a twin cabin, you’ll need to be comfortable with the person you’re travelling with. Towelling off inside means you won’t be completely dry, so it’s definitely better to do this out in your cabin. 

The Caledonian Sleeper journey

I found the bedding to be very comfortable, and there were two pillows per person, so I slept relatively well in both directions. The sound of the tracks was a bit weird at first, but eventually, it sort of became white noise, and I was able to nod off.  My partner is noise-sensitive, so he chose Sleep Earplugs by MIXX over the free ones in the cabin, as they’re better for side sleepers. 

Bed with control panel and our belongings
The bedside control panel and my essentials for the journey

If you’re staying up the night (like I ended up doing on the way back), being entertained via downloaded content, you need something to cancel out the track sounds. I brought along my trusted Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 wireless headphones, which are ideal for planes, trains and other transport, thanks to the adaptive noise cancellation and that they’re nice and light. Honestly, I’ve taken them everywhere this summer and don’t know how I survived without pre-B&W!

We arrived in Glasgow at around 7:30 am, which was quite early for me to get breakfast and be ready, considering I went to bed after midnight. I would suggest getting an early night for travellers of this route, and perhaps having dinner before boarding, so you have plenty of time to wind down.

View from the train of the countryside
Sunrise with these Scottish views was magic

Breakfast can also be ordered to the cabins if you want to shave off a bit of time to get ready. You have to fill in the breakfast card and hang it on the door before going to sleep. 

The Caledonian Sleeper food and drink

Breakfast and lounge access are included with the club and en-suite rooms. They’re served in the Club Car, designed by Edinburgh-based designer Ian Smith.

A plate of Haggis
Our tasty haggis with whisky sauce was served in the Club Car after boarding

I had a to-go pork and sage sausage sandwich at breakfast, which was pretty good, and in the evening I went to the Club Car for a haggis with whisky sauce. It was a small-ish size, but tasted great, and I guess I was already full from having snacks in the lounge. The haggis reminded me of a saltier deconstructed shepherd’s pie, served with a side of mash and swede. I liked that everything is served on dishware rather than wasteful plastic. Oh, and the service was wonderful. The Scots sure are jolly! 

Things to do in Glasgow

I haven’t been to Scotland many times in my life, previously having only done Edinburgh, Inverness, and a few remote towns on press tours. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Glasgow, since I’ve always come for nature over city, but I was pleasantly surprised. 

Statue outside the Goma in Glasgow
There was art at every turn in Glasgow, even before we entered the GoMA

As the train pulled in so early, we went to the Spa at Blythswood Square to rest before everything opened. The Thermal Experience allowed us two hours access to amenities like vitality pools, heated rooms and a snow shower. I took it as an opportunity to have a quick nap before exploring Glasgow. We did around 10,000 steps in the city centre, including the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA).

At noon, I wanted to check out a new acclaimed restaurant called Margo for lunch. I’m so glad we did because the duck was incredible. It came with a liver parfait with an equally memorable bread. Here, it’s made from scratch, and I actually ate every piece. FYI: I don’t normally eat bread! 

The afternoon was filled with more culture. The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a must, and is ranked as one of Lonely Planet’s top travel experiences in the world. The time flew by, and I stayed for almost two hours.

When in Scotland, I knew I HAD to sample whisky. I don’t really drink it anymore, but combine it with something I often consume…chocolate! We did a Chocolate and Whisky tour at The Clydeside Distillery, and the combo paired so well that I’m now considering a whisky cabinet.

Before heading back, we popped by to the Sisi Rooftop, a bar on The Social Hub in Candleriggs. It has panoramic views of the city skyline, and everyone was really friendly, so you’ll for sure make pals over a mezcal cocktail. Though we packed a LOT into one full day, our new Scottish friends agreed that we should have booked our return train a day later.

One day’s not enough time for Glasgow. 

Overall, how good is the Caledonian Sleeper?

I love rail travel for short distances. It’s far easier, quicker, and more enjoyable than a stressful flight. I’m not a fan of Ryanair. 

The narrow corridor of the sleeper train
We loved sleeper train life, which sure beats flying for short-haul trips

The Caledonian Sleeper is luxurious, but at the same time, like an adventure. Sure, some say it’s expensive, but taking out the cost of the hotel made the trip a bargain, considering we’d have otherwise had to travel during the day (and thus, take valuable PTO off work), and booked two nights of hotel. 

It certainly might take you some getting used to the track sounds and turning in early, and the size is expectedly compact, but overall, I really do rate the Caledonian Sleeper. It was my second time on it and I can’t wait to do it again on a future trip to Bonnie Scotland (ideally Glasgow).

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