Sleeper trains

waterbaby

I know this is about trains, but I am specifically interested in this from the perspective of families with young children.

I am considering going from London to Scotland on the overnight train, with our children in the medium-term future.

Has anyone done this, and if so, what was your experience?

Thanks

justme111

I love sleeper trains. I guess you checked departure and arrival times - they may interfere with your children's bedtimes. Keep in mind there are only 2 berths in each cabin - who is going to sleep where?

Lily-Rose_3

I didn't even know trains travelled through the night from London to Scotland! Isn't it five hours or something? (Depending on where in Scotland you are going to of course?)

waterbaby

Wow replies already - I love MSE.

On weekdays the train leaves London at 21.30 and gets to Aberdeen at 07.30, I suppose it goes a bit slower to arrive at a sensible time. Not ideal for the children, but we'd stay with relatives so we'd then get a few good nights in.

My husband would be there too, so we'd have two cabins. (I thought we might all get in one, but then I saw a video of the inside of the cabins NO Not Going To Happen, haha)

Pixie5740

As someone who lives in Aberdeen and travels to London frequently I would always fly over the sleeper.

1) Flying is cheaper

2) Flying is faster. The sleeper to Aberdden takes 12+ hours.

On the sleeper you don't always get a berth depending on your ticket type. Sometimes it's just a big chair to sleep in.

thedogsmum

Aren't they the mail trains, as well? I seem to remember getting little sleep and the train having frequent stops (Edinburgh/Kings Cross). Definitely not the Orient Express!

Savvy_Sue

I remember looking at the prices and going 'HOW much???'

But we did once take one of the boys on the TGV down to the south of France, travelling during the day, and given the choice between driving or training that journey, I'd train every time. Children can get up and stretch their legs whenever they need to on a train!

jfdi

Many years ago I did the London to Glasgow sleeper.
It was lovely! I didn't drive then and at the time there were no practical flights.
It still had a whiff of the old romance of train travel (probably just psychological!).
I think your children would love it!

DKLS

Pixie5740 wrote: »

As someone who lives in Aberdeen and travels to London frequently I would always fly over the sleeper.

1) Flying is cheaper

2) Flying is faster. The sleeper to Aberdden takes 12+ hours.

On the sleeper you don't always get a berth depending on your ticket type. Sometimes it's just a big chair to sleep in.

This I wanted to try the sleeper train but it didn't pan out, flying was £70 cheaper than the train. Also it worked out much cheaper and faster to fly up to glasgow and back every day for a project.

tight_scotsman

Have you considered the Megabus Gold sleeper service.
At a fraction of the cost take longer than the train but it means you get morw sleep time

Pixie5740

I've done the bus from Glasgow to London return once and that was quite enough for me. It was the Megabus (not quite as swish as the Megabus Gold) and was £6 return and I was on a tight budget and my bf at the time point blank refused to fly anywhere. In hindsight I should have let the whiny git take the sleeper whilst I flew.