Can you board the southbound Highland Sleeper at Edinburgh?

[dcsprior]

Hi, on Monday, I'm travelling to London on the Caledonian Sleeper, in the seated carriage.

There was no availability from Edinburgh, so I'm booked from Stirling. This would be fine if I could get the train from Edinburgh at 22:35, to arrive to Stirling at 23:33 (or maybe the previous one to be safe), but with Scotrail's temporary timetable, there's nothing after 20:35, which will mean a 2.5 hour wait in Stirling (arrive 21:23, sleeper doesn't depart until 23:51).

I know the highland sleeper physically goes through Edinburgh Waverley, and the carriages join together there - and I also know their website doesn't sell tickets on that service from Edinburgh... but is it possible to join the train there?

 

[Farigiraf]

Generally no passengers are allowed on or off the Highland sleeper at Edinburgh

 

[Merseysider]

The Crossed Peels Wetherspoons is just over the road from the station, open till midnight...

 

[Russel]

On a similar note, is the seated sleeper car available to use as a normal train on the West Highland?

For instance, could I turn up at Fort William in the evening with an anytime single to Rannoch and board the sleeper?

 

[JonathanH]

There is a bus (38) from Falkirk to Stirling at 2245, arriving at 2324.

Isn't a full ScotRail timetable being restored next week?

On a similar note, is the seated sleeper car available to use as a normal train on the West Highland?

For instance, could I turn up at Fort William in the evening with an anytime single to Rannoch and board the sleeper?

Yes, but you are advised to book.

 

[Bill57p9]

Do you mean Sunday or Monday evening? 2351 appears to be the time on a Sunday - inconveniently the night before the pre-summer timetable is restored

 

[WF4HA5HE]

There is a bus (38) from Falkirk to Stirling at 2245, arriving at 2324.

Isn't a full ScotRail timetable being restored next week?


Yes, but you are advised to book.

Isn't the sleeper reservations only? Meaning you have to book a seat before travel and I'm under the impression the staff are quite firm about that, having to check your name off a list before you board.

 

[JonathanH]

Isn't the sleeper reservations only? Meaning you have to book a seat before travel and I'm under the impression the staff are quite firm about that, having to check your name off a list before you board.

Yes, for travel on the trunk routes, very much so.

For the northbound train from Kingussie to Inverness, and the Fort William portion, passengers are carried within Scotland, where passengers should reserve in advance, but may be carried without a reservation.

Do you mean Sunday or Monday evening? 2351 appears to be the time on a Sunday - inconveniently the night before the pre-summer timetable is restored

The point about a bus from Falkirk still seems to apply on Sunday evening.

 

[xotGD]

Passengers in the ex-Fort William seats have to bale at Waverley and transfer to the ex-Aberdeen seats. So I guess someone could make a reservation from the last stop on the Fort William and just join at Waverley, sitting in their reserved seat in the ex-Aberdeen portion.

In theory!

 

[Segedunum]

Passengers in the ex-Fort William seats have to bale at Waverley and transfer to the ex-Aberdeen seats. So I guess someone could make a reservation from the last stop on the Fort William and just join at Waverley, sitting in their reserved seat in the ex-Aberdeen portion.

In theory!

The issue is that the last train on the Sunday night looks to be the 2315 Lowland Sleeper - so I'd imagine security will be keen to have the station sweeped (last arrival is at 0002, while the Fort William portion doesn't arrive until 0022 and the Aberdeen at 0026).

 

[dcsprior]

Thanks all, looks like it'll be a long connection (probably involving a pint or two) at Stirling then

 

[Surreytraveller]

There's also the risk, if you're not on the train at Stirling, you'll be assumed to be a 'no show', and your seat could be sold to someone else

 

[ruaival]

There's also the risk, if you're not on the train at Stirling, you'll be assumed to be a 'no show', and your seat could be sold to someone else

As a weekly sleeper traveller back in BR and First Scotrail days I echo the above comments about (a) Edinburgh Waverley station likely closed to prevent your boarding and (b) your reservation being a no show, open for walk up resale at Stirling.

Enjoy a relaxing wait in the historic Royal city.

 

[side effect]

Just before covid me and my son must have caught the last train from glc to edi and we came in alongside the sleeper . Once off the station was empty and we went over to have a look at the sleeper but it was not long before security we over asking us to leave. So that we could be a problem for you.

 

[Kite159]

Inverness portion generally isn't unlocked, generally it's only local door only on the Aberdeen portion for seated passengers to transfer from the Fort William.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2024 ==

Inverness portion generally isn't unlocked, generally it's only local door only on the Aberdeen portion for seated passengers to transfer from the Fort William.

 

[Samsanbor]

Hi, on Monday, I'm travelling to London on the Caledonian Sleeper, in the seated carriage.

There was no availability from Edinburgh, so I'm booked from Stirling. This would be fine if I could get the train from Edinburgh at 22:35, to arrive to Stirling at 23:33 (or maybe the previous one to be safe), but with Scotrail's temporary timetable, there's nothing after 20:35, which will mean a 2.5 hour wait in Stirling (arrive 21:23, sleeper doesn't depart until 23:51).

I know the highland sleeper physically goes through Edinburgh Waverley, and the carriages join together there - and I also know their website doesn't sell tickets on that service from Edinburgh... but is it possible to join the train there?

Full timetable will resume from Monday 7 October.
You could consider to travel on SR 23:03 Edinburgh to Dunblane and get off at Falkirk Grahamston, arrives there at 23:36 and board the Sleeper there.
The waiting shouldn't be too long.

 

[dcsprior]

Full timetable will resume from Monday 7 October.
You could consider to travel on SR 23:03 Edinburgh to Dunblane and get off at Falkirk Grahamston, arrives there at 23:36 and board the Sleeper there.
The waiting shouldn't be too long.

Sorry, I meant I was in London on Monday (i.e. catching the sleeper Sunday night)

 

[Samsanbor]

Sorry, I meant I was in London on Monday (i.e. catching the sleeper Sunday night)

No worries, I understand that.
On a Sunday, a possible cheap option could be SR Edinburgh to Falkirk High at 22:00 arrives at 22:27. Walk (or an Uber) from there to Falkirk Grahamston (if you don't have heavy luggage or other issues), the distance is just under a mile.
Your wait for the connecting Sleeper could still be around an hour mind.

 

[dcsprior]

The Crossed Peels Wetherspoons is just over the road from the station, open till midnight...

I ended up going to the Curly Coo, it was very pleasant indeed - decent local beer (Harviestoun and Williams Bros), a massive whisky selection, and books to read.