On April 2nd, 1873, North British Railway introduced the first regular sleeper on the Glasgow-Edinburgh-Kings Cross route via the East Coast Mainline and for a supplement of 10/- your seat rolled flat to make a bed with a blanket and pillow.  Since then, sleeping car design has developed rapidly until, by the 1920s, night trains had become a stylish and sophisticated way to travel between Scotland and England.  With iconic names such as the Night Scotsman, the Royal Highlander, and the Aberdonian linking the two.

Offering teak lined cabins, carpeted corridors, crisp bedlinen, and uniformed stewards these iconic trains of yesteryear soon attracted an aura of luxury and intrigue, even featuring in several detective stories.

After the Second World War new rolling stock was introduced with more sophisticated features such as air-conditioning. Sleeper train design has continued to evolve through the decades and in 2019 brand new carriages were introduced including an iconic update to the Caledonian Sleeper branding, – first introduced in 1996, as well as en-suite shower facilities, double beds, and a smart club car showcasing the flavours of Scotland.

In 2023, you are travelling on an extraordinary sixteen carriage train which celebrates 150 years of Sleeper train evolution.  So, sit back, relax, and let your mind be captured by all the exciting possibilities of the Caledonian Sleeper and wake up to a unique way of travelling…

Watch our video here