It’s time to check out the Caledonian Sleeper this week, and what better way to do so than on their longest route? At 12 hours and 45 minutes, the Fort William Highlander service (aka “The Deerstalker”) is the longest sleeper train by journey duration you can take in the UK… but was this really the journey of a nightime? Find out in this video!

Journey Details:

Date of Travel – August 2023
Operator – Caledonian Sleeper
Train Type – Class 92/Class 66/Class 73, hauling CAF Mk5 coaches
Origin – London Euston
Destination – Fort William
Price – £188/€219.31/$242.44 (Club solo en-suite room)
Duration – 12 hours, 41 minutes

Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoyed the video!

Music from EpidemicSound and is used under license.

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Link to the Caledonian Sleeper menu: https://www.sleeper.scot/menu-overview/

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44 Comments

  1. Just what was the temperature? I like it 68F. I suspect it was closer to 80F. They should have refunded 100%. I've heard lots of bad reports about these carriages.

  2. Great video – thanks!

    I took this service (Euston – Ft William) for the first time the other day. I thought the ladder and top bunk were very frustrating as they serve zero purpose when the cabin is single occupancy. I much prefer the way the Night Riviera moves them.

    It was cold when I traveled so I didn't pay much attention to the AC. I did notice the temperature fluctuating throughout the night, though.

    Breakfast in the club car was by far the best part. If only pictures could do the views justice.

  3. I did this trip just over 40 years ago, it was horrendous. AIthough a night journey there were no sIeeping rooms avaiIabIe, instead there was compartments so no chance of a sIeep nor any refreshements avaiIabIe. Must admit I was knackered when we arrived at Fort WiIIiam. The station was the originaI station in those days with a smaII car park outside. None of the houses shown in the video existed in those days. Due to that dreadfuI experience, I've not traveIIed on a train since!

  4. Internet will get better now all train companies can get starlink put on .I live in a Motorhome in Scotland and this is the view I get everyday. it's the best. However if I had to use that train I also have a railcard and think £188 is a bargain.

  5. I've watched a number of Caledonian Sleeper videos, and this has the potential to be a great journey, if also a bit pricey. But at you noted, it's not a very smooth ride and the cars are prone to technical problems like the a/c and the shower functioning. Apparently, the staff works hard to compensate for the deficiencies.

  6. Living in Northern Ireland, I used the sleeper from Stranraer to Euston Station and back quite a few times in connection with my job in the late 1980s, cost wise it worked out about the same as business class flight, but it was a much nicer and less stressful way to arrive at a morning meeting in London. I always got a good sleep, except for an occasional disturbance at Carlisle, where I think a coach was added.

  7. Perhaps go to some real mountains and views. In other parts of the world. Britain is flat as a pancake.

  8. I used to take this train in the 80s/90s and it was a lot cheaper…you could upgrade to the sleeper for an extra £60 supplement. Then again that was before privatisation……

  9. Are there any other sleeper services in Britain apart from the Caledonian to/from Highlands and Night Riviera to/from Cornwall?

    I had a wonderful experience with the latter last year, around the end of summer. Having the panorama view of waves gently touching the beachfront, as the train slowly makes its way to its terminal of Penzance station in the dawn is so mesmerising and pleasantly tranquilising. I guess if the weather permits, one could even watch the sunrise along the way – now THAT would be a glorious scene!

    Always wanted to try Caledonian Sleeper, used to have a plan to make this my celebratory trip after finishing my masters in Glasgow. (With a last-minute heat-of-the-moment decision, that plan was upgraded to a 14-day ALR trip, haha.) Alas, I have since moved here down south for work, but one of these days, I shall do this eventually.

  10. I’m sorry mate but it’s a pile of shit.. I’ve worked on the railways for over 30 years and I’ve never ever had such a bad experience on a sleeper train like this.. the Mk5’s are awful, small and the showers are crap…

  11. Guys for 188 pounds you can have your family of 4 in India's best first class train with a personal pantry car to serve food of your choice . With no service fault issues. Imagine 3 complimentary meals.

  12. Could not justify the price and sleepers in continental Europe are much cheaper thanks to competition. You would think for that price you would get a full cooked breakfast rather than just a bacon roll. At least the journey is long enough to get a good nights sleep unlike the Lowlander which is a bit short. Clearly with tourists they fill the trains and the level of service looks like it has improved since Serco were booted.

  13. I did the trip once prior to all the modernisation. I'm guessing health and safety has since ruined it, but back then the doors at either end of the carriage had slide down windows. So you could go up to the front of the train behind the loco and get the mountain air as the train climbed up the highlands. Was magical.

  14. Brits get used to hard living. Remember u will die of cold . heat could be uncomfortable but u get used to it. You do not die of heat stroke if u are hydrated. No permanent damage like frost byte.

  15. I had prior experience with a sleeper train here in italy, and it wasnt that bad. But the sleeping room was very small and made me feel quite claustrophobic. All in all a good experience, but had I taken an express, it would have been more comfortable

  16. We had no shower head and no water. Also on a design note it is very hard to get into and out of the top bunk as the distance from bunk to ceiling is not great. Also try and get a cabin that is in the middle of the coach not over the bogies. We got £200 back between two of us.

  17. I used to take the Cali Sleeper from Edinburgh down to London when I lived in the UK, must be almost 15 years ago now. I really loved the experience as it was simple for me who lived in Stirling at the time. Scotrail to Edinburgh, dinner and a few drinks down the pub with some mates, get on the sleeper and when you woke up you were in London. Coaches were older but in pretty good nick, beds very comfortable. With a young persons rail card I remember the prices being excellent (especially considering the price of a London breakfast and airport transfers). Would love to travel on the service again.

  18. Nice. It is quite surprising that a 13-hour train ride seems quite a deal within the UK. This is normal for all overnight services in India and there are top premium trains like Rajdhani covering distances which would end up spending 24 hours in a train. A train which runs from the southernmost point of India to the Northernmost takes around 3 days.

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