• Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Caledonian Sleeper

JasmineDM

Member
Joined
23 Jul 2025
Messages
24
Location
Bristol
It's now showing as part cancelled from Aberdeen and Inverness on RTT, though they said on the live chat that there's still a chance it will be fully cancelled.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

JasmineDM

Member
Joined
23 Jul 2025
Messages
24
Location
Bristol
The 5M16 path on RTT now appears to have been activated (was previously showing as runs as required) and says 16 coaches, but no update on the website.
 

JasmineDM

Member
Joined
23 Jul 2025
Messages
24
Location
Bristol
Ticket acceptance 2106 Aberdeen Edinburgh
The 21:06 is short formed to 3 coaches from the usual 5. Anticipating that it will be quite busy, but have been told that they only have acceptance on the 21:06, and categorically not the 20:05. Not looking like the most comfortable journey down at this rate.
 

JamieL

Member
Joined
6 Aug 2022
Messages
906
Location
UK
Rail replacement buses have been put on apparently:

50% discount being offered
 

VT 390

Established Member
Joined
7 Dec 2018
Messages
1,729
The 21:06 is short formed to 3 coaches from the usual 5. Anticipating that it will be quite busy, but have been told that they only have acceptance on the 21:06, and categorically not the 20:05. Not looking like the most comfortable journey down at this rate.
Did they give a reason for this as it seems quite strange due to both services being ScotRail and I would have thought they would rather spread the load between 2 services especially with the later service being short formed.
But at least its only the 2 sleeper carriages plus the seats during the summer so not to many extra passengers to accommodate.
 

styles

Established Member
Joined
7 Dec 2014
Messages
4,614
Location
Gwynedd
Rail replacement buses have been put on apparently:

50% discount being offered
I'm not sure I'd be very happy with my bed being replaced with a 5.5h night time coach journey.
 

jagardner1984

Member
Joined
11 May 2008
Messages
763
The 21:06 is short formed to 3 coaches from the usual 5. Anticipating that it will be quite busy, but have been told that they only have acceptance on the 21:06, and categorically not the 20:05. Not looking like the most comfortable journey down at this rate.
I do think these kind of things are what make “Joe Public” needlessly infuriated. Given the tiny number of passengers (particularly the high tourist) kind of passengers - surely any reasonable route, and ScotRail staff using some discretion / judgment is not beyond the wit of these control rooms (nothing on the staff, they are, I assume, following some operating procedure). It seems incredible to me that someone would seriously challenge someone travelling to work around their cancelled train going on one late evening train to another.
 

styles

Established Member
Joined
7 Dec 2014
Messages
4,614
Location
Gwynedd
Its only busses to Edinburgh and train from there.
Yes, but Fort William to Edinburgh is 5h18m by the CS timetable. On a coach, maybe it's closer to 4.5h given their lower speed limit on national speed limit roads and the calling points making a direct route unachievable. That's a long portion of sleeping time lost if, like me, you can't sleep very well sat upright. A 50% discount sounds fine, but I'd be pretty annoyed still because I won't be getting to sleep until the wee hours.
 

Amaranthe

Member
Joined
13 Aug 2020
Messages
168
Location
Durham
Yes, but Fort William to Edinburgh is 5h18m by the CS timetable. On a coach, maybe it's closer to 4.5h given their lower speed limit on national speed limit roads and the calling points making a direct route unachievable. That's a long portion of sleeping time lost if, like me, you can't sleep very well sat upright. A 50% discount sounds fine, but I'd be pretty annoyed still because I won't be getting to sleep until the wee hours.
It appears tonight that the RRB is running non-stop from Fort William departing at 20:00 and for berth passengers only.

They are running the seated coach and club car at it's normal time for seated passengers and those joining at intermediate stations.
 

Struner

Member
Joined
13 Dec 2018
Messages
923
Location
Ommelanden, EU
Yes, but Fort William to Edinburgh is 5h18m by the CS timetable. On a coach, maybe it's closer to 4.5h given their lower speed limit on national speed limit roads and the calling points making a direct route unachievable. That's a long portion of sleeping time lost if, like me, you can't sleep very well sat upright. A 50% discount sounds fine, but I'd be pretty annoyed still because I won't be getting to sleep until the wee hours.
let them calculate the compensation before they reset your booking to a seated one…
 

InvHst

Member
Joined
9 Dec 2018
Messages
418
The 21:06 is short formed to 3 coaches from the usual 5. Anticipating that it will be quite busy, but have been told that they only have acceptance on the 21:06, and categorically not the 20:05. Not looking like the most comfortable journey down at this rate.

2106 being a 170 is not a huge loss its not the most busy train in the world and Aberdeen sleeper isn't the longest. You'll have no issues with seats on it. Theirs normally at most under 30 on it
 

gabrielhj07

Established Member
Joined
5 May 2022
Messages
1,600
Location
Herts
Comedy gold at Inverness, no mention of the bus by the boards at all!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9080.jpeg
    IMG_9080.jpeg
    1.9 MB · Views: 169

gabrielhj07

Established Member
Joined
5 May 2022
Messages
1,600
Location
Herts
I rang CS earlier this afternoon, on the suspicion that there would be nothing to form the Up Highlander based on yesterday’s events. They told me about the coach 3 hours before the email arrived.
 
Last edited:

JasmineDM

Member
Joined
23 Jul 2025
Messages
24
Location
Bristol
I do think these kind of things are what make “Joe Public” needlessly infuriated. Given the tiny number of passengers (particularly the high tourist) kind of passengers - surely any reasonable route, and ScotRail staff using some discretion / judgment is not beyond the wit of these control rooms (nothing on the staff, they are, I assume, following some operating procedure). It seems incredible to me that someone would seriously challenge someone travelling to work around their cancelled train going on one late evening train to another.

Did they give a reason for this as it seems quite strange due to both services being ScotRail and I would have thought they would rather spread the load between 2 services especially with the later service being short formed.
But at least its only the 2 sleeper carriages plus the seats during the summer so not to many extra passengers to accommodate.

Very thankfully the station staff at Aberdeen talked to the guard on the 20:05 and those of us who had arrived in time were allowed to travel on that one.
 

Top