I spent a night on the £500 Caledonian Sleeper train — here's my honest verdict

The Caledonian Sleeper isn’t cheap (Picture: Ken Jack/Getty Images) The Caledonian Sleeper train has been trundling between Scotland and London ever since the first service left Glasgow Queen Street Station on April 2, 1873. Billed as the ‘journey of a night time’, it’s a mainstay at London Euston and, in its biggest development in 150 years, now serves Birmingham on the way to Caledonia. There are two routes. The Lowlander runs from London to Glasgow or Edinburgh, while the Highlander goes from London to either Fort William, Aberdeen, or Inverness, with stops at several smaller stations in Scotland. The train starts with 16 coaches, but it splits overnight to take passengers to their destinations. All in, it takes around 12 hours to reach the end of the line after boarding the night before. The views on the way to Inverness surrounding the Caledonian Sleeper train (Picture: Caledonian Sleeper) Tickets start from £54 but, if you want a private room, it’s upwards of £210 for a single journey. The most expensive room in the house is the Caledonian Double Ensuite, which can cost up to £475, depending on when you travel. Many describe the journey as a ‘bucket list experience’, but some have criticised Caledonian Sleeper for ‘first class prices and second class service’. I travelled from Euston to Inverness and back again, to see if it’s really worth the money. Before you board If you book a £520 Club Ensuite room (this was the total cost for my partner and I), your journey begins in the guest lounge at London Euston. I am a long-time hater of this cavernous station. The thought of its stampeding crowds, delays and cancellations brings sweat to my brow. I dread going there. But the guest lounge, dear reader, it changes the game. Alice Giddings made the journey from London Euston to Inverness (Picture: Alice Giddings) Hidden by platform one, this comfortable nook has free snacks and hot drinks, showers and well-kept toilets. After showing your ticket, you’ll be handed a key card to access your room on the train. I had an excellent gluten-free brownie but a word of warning: you can’t bring your own food in. My partner was forced to eat his Tortilla on the platform. All aboard the Caledonian Sleeper At 8:45pm it was all aboard. The corridors are narrow, just one person wide, so if you have a large suitcase, you’ll have to do some serious manoeuvring to get it into your room. Ours had a bunkbed, sink, toilet and shower room. It’s very cosy, and only one person can comfortably move around at a time. Besides that, the toilet door is not soundproof, so if you’re in a new relationship, perhaps consider flying instead. Too close for comfort? (Picture: Alice Giddings) The luggage space under the bed was too small for my suitcase, and barely fit my partner’s, so pack light. We left our bags by the sink. The beds, on the other hand, were better: extremely comfortable, with a charging port and light switches by your head. Had I expected something a little more refined? Yes. I thought it would feel more like a compact hotel room, rather than a cabin. A bonnie touch is that the walls are lined with tartan, but considering you can get an LNER first class ticket from Kings Cross to Edinburgh with LNER from £109 (journey time: five hours, not 12), I’d hoped for more sparkle. Inside the Caledonian Sleeper’s Club Car Bags dropped, we headed straight to the dining car. This is only available to passengers who have paid for a room. If you’ve only got a seat, food is brought to you for an extra fee. The Club Car seats 30 people (Picture: Caledonian Sleeper) Club Room or Caledonian Double guests get priority access to the restaurant, which seats 30. It’s a spacious car with bar seats facing the window and booths for larger groups. There are options for allergies, but these are limited given the menu is small, with just two starters and four mains. Of course, there’s a very Scottish option of Macsween’s haggis, complete with neeps, tatties, and whiskey sauce for £14. The mushroom soup starter in the Club Car was £10 (Picture: Alice Giddings) I went for the mushroom soup which arrived just as we pulled off from the platform. It was tasty, but eating soup on a train is a skill I need to refine. As a coeliac, the only choice for my main course was the lentil ragu, and I sat envying my partner’s venison stew, which looked far superior for £2 more. The food is reasonably priced, but at nearly £1,000 for a round trip, I had hoped it would be included in the ticket price. Alternative routes to Inverness Flying with easyJet from London Gatwick to Inverness: £43 for a return flight, takes one hour 45 mins. LNER train from Kings Cross to Inverness in first class (up to two changes): £346.40 takes close to nine hours. Flixbus coach from London to Inverness: £42 for the cheapest ticket and takes 16 hours and 17 mins. Heading to bed Bellies full, time to turn in. Unfortunately, our tap didn’t work, which meant we had to brush our teeth with bottles of water. A sign on the wall in the bathroom says to use water sparingly, so we assumed fellow passengers had used the finite supply up. However, officials for the sleeper train said running out of water is highly unlikely and if this issue is raised they’ll move you to a room with working water. In the bathroom, the toilet is hidden under a bench. You pull up a handle and it appears. Nothing fancy, it’s just like the communal type on any other service. The bench hides the toilet which folds up using the handle (Picture: Caledonian Sleeper) I dared not give the shower a whirl, I hate wet rooms, and the thought of getting wet socks if I popped to the loo in the night would have kept me awake. I climbed into the top bunk, which is rather challenging when you’re hurtling down the track, but a barrier meant there was no danger of toppling out. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the gentle rocking of the train, but the noise is loud, and if you’re not a deep sleeper, likely to keep you awake. At breakfast, I heard other guests complain of the same. Earplugs are provided, but I brought my own heavy duty ones from home. I suggest you do the same. Still, it’s a small price to pay to wake up in the rolling hills of Scotland and eat breakfast with a view of babbling streams and heather-clad fields. Our view of the Highlands from breakfast (Picture: Alice Giddings) Breakfast was a highlight. You get a hot and cold drink, as well as a hot dish included in your ticket price. Hang your order on the door handle of your room and select a time slot (it starts from 6:15am). Staff will reserve you a table. There’s a chance you’ll have to share with others as spaces are limited, so get ready for some early morning chitchat. Honestly, I was dreading it, until a lovely 90-year-old chap called Brian plonked himself opposite. I was enthralled by his tales of building a ranch in Melbourne, and heartbroken when he revealed this would be his last ever visit to Inverness, where he was born, to say goodbye to his sister who suffers with dementia. If this isn’t your scene, you can have breakfast delivered to your room. Though the views aren’t the same, and you’ll eat on your bed. Breakfast was decent and was a good way start to the day (Picture: Alice Giddings) The final verdict All-in-all, the Caledonian Sleeper was certainly an adventure. But I must agree with critics who say the price is steep for an experience that didn’t feel as luxurious as I’d hoped. The service, however, was brilliant. Staff were warm, friendly, and always at your beck and call. If you’ve got £1,000 to spend on a return journey in this economy, be my guest and tick it off the bucket list. Everything you need to know: at a glance Arrivals/Departure: Lounge opens from 6pm, train leaves at 9:15pm Ticket costs: Seats £54-£100 Classic Solo £210-£305 Classic Twin £290-£405 Club Solo £270-£420 Club Twin £360-£520 Caledonian Double Solo £410-£475 Caledonian Double Twin £495-£570 Accessible Rooms (solo) £210-£305 (twin) £290-£405. Note: Solo is the price for a single passenger, while twin refers to the price for two passengers per room. Any food included? Breakfast is included but dinner is an additional cost Disability access? On most services, there’s an Accessible Double room with direct wheelchair access to the Club Car, and the Club Car also has a dedicated wheelchair space. But if you’re travelling from London to Fort William and back, you will have to eat dinner in your room. Standout feature: The comfy beds, which is where you spend most of your time Perfect for: Professionals who need to travel, and staycationers who don’t want to lose a day to travel Not right for: Light sleepers or late risers Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.