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Fort William, Scotland
CNN
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It’s Tuesday night on the Caledonian Sleeper, which runs six days a week from London to Scotland, and the Club Car is in full swing.
After feasting on dishes such as Scottish haggis, neeps and tatties, passengers sample malt whiskies and Edinburgh gins while making new friends on the swivel seats and cozy booths elegantly upholstered in dark orange and teal.
At 8 p.m. we left the hustle and bustle of London’s Euston station behind us and in just over 12 hours we reached Fort William, the so-called “outdoor capital of Great Britain” and home to the highest mountains in the country, including the 1,357-meter-high Ben Nevis.
Nicknamed the ‘Deerstalker’ (a white stag is the Caledonian Sleeper’s logo), this 500-mile journey from the south to the north of Britain is considered the most scenic of the train’s five routes, which take in both Scottish cities and the deepest Highlands.
The train was renovated in 2019 for $200 million and continues the 150-year tradition of sleeper service between London and Scotland.
It is one of only two sleeper trains in the UK, the other being the Night Riveria Sleeper, which travels west from London Paddington to the Cornish seaside town of Penzance.
It’s a prestige train and prices to match. Fares are dynamic, so if you want to try your luck in the seated car, with its luxurious first-class ambience and adjustable lighting, headrests, seat cushions and footrests, you can usually book a single ticket in advance for around £55 ($72) one-way.
That’s around £20 more than you’d pay for a one-hour return flight to Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh. That makes the Caledonian Sleeper the more glamorous, luxurious and environmentally friendly option, but also the slowest and by far the most expensive.
The highest-end option, a double room with private bathroom and real bed, breakfast in room and access to the station lounge, usually costs around $325 per person each way – but is usually booked up well in advance.
So is it worth it? Simon Butterworth, who is travelling to the Outer Hebrides with his partner Elizabeth Coppard, says that “as crazy as it may seem”, it is the more economical choice when travelling from one rural location to another.
When airport transfers, taxis, rental cars, parking and accommodation are taken into account, a Classic Room (with bunk beds, sink and shared bathroom) for around $166 per person is a smart and practical option.
They estimate that this is their fourth trip on the sleeper car. Several of the passengers in the 30-seat club car, which is only accessible to passengers staying in the sleeper cars, say they are repeat customers.
Railway enthusiast Will Swain takes the train at least once a year and planned to propose to his girlfriend Chloe Beckett on this trip. But as Beckett, who is happy to talk about their romance, explains, “he let the cat out of the bag too early” and tonight they are celebrating their engagement instead.
Leaving the Club Car behind and retreating to the Club En-Suite room, a private room with bunk beds and a toilet/shower room, there’s no denying that it’s quite a cramped space.
Even if you are travelling alone, there is limited room to turn around. If you are travelling as a couple, you will probably have to use the toilet/shower room as a changing room.
Luggage can be stored under the bunk beds, although a bit of suitcase Jenga may be required to get it in.
Nevertheless, the room design is wonderfully inviting and cosy, with warm, traditional tweed-inspired fabrics from Replin by Hainsworth and plenty of clever details, from the full-length mirror behind the door to the numerous plug and USB ports.
It is also immaculately clean and the surprisingly comfortable mattresses ensure a very good night’s sleep.
Falling asleep is a remarkably soothing experience, with the car rocking the passengers in their private cradles and the engine and wheels producing a rhythmic lullaby – albeit occasionally interrupted by metallic screeching.
When I wake up at 7 a.m., I look out my rain-soaked window at dense thickets of Scots pines, hills rising out of the glittering mist, and the faint sparkle of the lake water.
Even though the weather was not on our side during this September trip, the Scottish Highlands shine in a unique splendor, whether it is raining or occasionally sunny.
The rain eases and I see three deer darting across the heath while nut-brown water bubbles from peat-rich streams.
The price of the trip may be similar to that of a five-star hotel, but waking up in the midst of the Highland landscape is a six-star experience and absolutely unique.
The shower – with Arran toiletries – acts as a well-sealed wet room and is powerful, refreshing and surprisingly spacious.
En suite rooms include complimentary breakfast, which includes Scottish specialities such as Lorne sausage – like a normal sausage, but square! – and traditional cooked breakfasts.
Back on solid ground, you’ll likely find larger portions and more delicious dishes, but these will be served up in good spirits by friendly staff in luxurious Harris Tweed waistcoats with tartan ties designed by Glasgow fashion label ten30. And of course, there are those endless, rolling Highland views to be enjoyed from the large picture windows, making everything taste just that little bit sweeter.
When we disembark in Fort William, we drink coffee and eat snacks in the Caledonian Sleeper lounge and chat with the train driver, John Hynd, who is enjoying a well-deserved break.
He has been a train driver for the railway since 1979 and claims to have never been off sick for a single day. His father was also a railway officer, working as a signalman and moving to Fort William in the 1960s.
“It’s always changing, every day is different,” he says. His favourite part of the route is “around Loch Long, between Garelochead and Arrochar, probably one of the nicer parts of the route. I think a lot of people like the wilderness of Rannoch Moor, for me it’s probably the lochs and the mountains.”
When the weather is nice, it’s “breathtaking,” he says. “I’ve been doing this for 44 years and some mornings it takes your breath away.”
