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Caledonian Sleeper Highlander – can I get off at Edinburgh?

Neilandrewhall

Neilandrewhall

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Hi all,

My company (Arriva Road Transport Services) has booked me on the 21:00 Caledonian Sleeper Highlander service for work, with my journey booked to Edinburgh.

I didn’t actually realise at first that the Highlander stops at Edinburgh, as I thought the portions were primarily for destinations further north.

I contacted Caledonian Sleeper on X and they’ve told me that the train does stop at Edinburgh for operational reasons.

My question is, if my ticket/booking has been issued to Edinburgh on this particular service, will I actually be allowed to get off the train at Edinburgh? Or could I potentially have an issue because it’s only an operational stop rather than a normal advertised set-down stop?

Just want to make sure before travelling, particularly as this has all been booked for me by my employer.

Has anyone done this before or know how it works?

Thanks!
 
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JonathanH

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Neilandrewhall said:
My company (Arriva Road Transport Services) has booked me on the 21:00 Caledonian Sleeper Highlander service for work, with my journey booked to Edinburgh.
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Which portion of the train are you booked on? The doors may only open on the Aberdeen / Fort William portion. You may struggle to alight from the Inverness portion, and will have to ride to Stirling. Seated passengers on the Aberdeen / Fort William portion travelling to Fort William have to leave the train to join the other part at around 4.30am, but there aren't any other trains leaving Edinburgh at that time.
 
Neilandrewhall

Neilandrewhall

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JonathanH said:
Which portion of the train are you booked on? The doors may only open on the Aberdeen / Fort William portion. You may struggle to alight from the Inverness portion, and will have to ride to Stirling. Seated passengers on the Aberdeen / Fort William portion travelling to Fort William have to leave the train to join the other part at around 4.30am, but there aren't any other trains leaving Edinburgh at that time.
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Hi Jonathan, hope your well. I have been booked in Coach A (Seated Carriage).
 
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JonathanH

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Coach A is the Aberdeen / Fort William seats at the Euston end of the train. The doors will be opened at the point the Fort William passengers move coaches so should be fine to alight at Edinburgh.
 
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Bletchleyite

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JonathanH said:
Coach A is the Aberdeen / Fort William seats at the Euston end of the train. The doors will be opened at the point the Fort William passengers move coaches so should be fine to alight at Edinburgh.
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Can one actually leave the station at that time? My understanding was that they just unlocked one door to let the FW passengers in then relocked it?

I'd get them to rebook it to be honest. Does the original poster really want a 4am arrival?
 
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JonathanH

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Bletchleyite said:
Can one actually leave the station at that time? My understanding was that they just unlocked one door to let the FW passengers in then relocked it?
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I think you can sit adjacent to the Fort William portion even if you can't leave. I think in practice the station is open from 0400, according to the National Rail website. First train (after the sleeper portions) leaves at 0518.
 
Neilandrewhall

Neilandrewhall

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Bletchleyite said:
Can one actually leave the station at that time? My understanding was that they just unlocked one door to let the FW passengers in then relocked it?

I'd get them to rebook it to be honest. Does the original poster really want a 4am arrival?
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Hi. I start work at 5:20am at Edinburgh for Arriva Road Transport for XC. And that was the only way they could get me there for the start time.
 
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JonathanH

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Neilandrewhall said:
Hi. I start work at 5:20am at Edinburgh for Arriva Road Transport for XC. And that was the only way they could get me there for the start time.
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In that case, it seems they have put you in the right part of the train. They don't tend to let people off now until a fair amount of the shunting has been done.
 
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JonathanH

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Neilandrewhall said:
Would you suggest I speak to the Train manager when I board?
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The train manager will know where you are getting off. When they come through to do the tickets they tend to have enough time to ensure passengers know what they are doing. No need to do anything at the time of boarding.
 
Royston Vasey

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Neilandrewhall said:
Hi. I start work at 5:20am at Edinburgh for Arriva Road Transport for XC. And that was the only way they could get me there for the start time.
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I hope you're not driving a bus at 5:20am after a sleepless night in the seated coach of the Highlander, are you? o_O
 
Kite159

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trebor79 said:
Indeed! Even in a bed you'd be lucky to get 5 hours sleep. Skinflints should have sent you up the day before and paid for a hotel.
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Especially if you get a room over the wheels, or next to someone who hasn't heard of earphones when watching videos about art history
 
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Bill57p9

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JonathanH said:
I think you can sit adjacent to the Fort William portion even if you can't leave. I think in practice the station is open from 0400, according to the National Rail website. First train (after the sleeper portions) leaves at 0518.
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The Fort William bound portion accepts seated passengers boarding at Edinburgh for a 0450 departure, so the station must be open before this time.
 
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yorkie

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Neilandrewhall said:
So what time do you think I'll be turfed off?
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For anyone in the Aberdeen portion, who does not want to continue on that portion to any station towards Aberdeen, I would strongly advise alighting promptly once the doors unlock. I've not done the Sleeper since it became priced as a luxury train, but someone else could advise on roughly what time that might be.
 
Neilandrewhall

Neilandrewhall

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yorkie said:
For anyone in the Aberdeen portion, who does not want to continue on that portion to any station towards Aberdeen, I would strongly advise alighting promptly once the doors unlock. I've not done the Sleeper since it became priced as a luxury train, but someone else could advise on roughly what time that might be.
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Thanks Yorkie. Hope your well.
 
Trainguy34

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For reference:
0347 - Scheduled arrival from Euston (may arrive early!)
0400 - Station opens
0420 - Inverness portion departs
0437 - Aberdeen portion departs
0450 - Fort William portion departs
0630 - First southbound XC coach departs
0719 - CS Lowlander arrives from Euston
 
Neilandrewhall

Neilandrewhall

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Trainguy34 said:
For reference:
0347 - Scheduled arrival from Euston (may arrive early!)
0400 - Station opens
0420 - Inverness portion departs
0437 - Aberdeen portion departs
0450 - Fort William portion departs
0630 - First southbound XC coach departs
0719 - CS Lowlander arrives from Euston
Click to expand...
So basically I've got till 4:37 am to get off otherwise I'll end up in Stirling!
 
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JonathanH

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Neilandrewhall said:
So basically I've got till 4:37 am to get off otherwise I'll end up in Stirling!
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No. As 'yorkie' says, there is one opportunity to get off which is when the train manager has relesed the doors for the Fort William passengers to change trains, and come through to advise that the doors are open. The doors will be locked again once that has happened. There is no way of predicting exactly when that will be. It tends not to be immediately on arriving in Edinburgh, but it won't be as late as 4.37am either.
 
S

SuspectUsual

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Trainguy34 said:
For reference:
0347 - Scheduled arrival from Euston (may arrive early!)
0400 - Station opens
0420 - Inverness portion departs
0437 - Aberdeen portion departs
0450 - Fort William portion departs
0630 - First southbound XC coach departs
0719 - CS Lowlander arrives from Euston
Click to expand...

Neilandrewhall said:
So basically I've got till 4:37 am to get off otherwise I'll end up in Stirling!
Click to expand...

The Inverness and Aberdeen portions don’t allow passengers to join at Edinburgh, so if they’re ready to depart they often leave early.

The Aberdeen looks to be 04:28 in the working timetable, and this morning it left at 04:25
 
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Bill57p9

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I do think that it is unreasonable for your employer to expect you to travel overnight in the cheap seats and then perform for a day's work starting at 0520.
My view (as a rep in another industry) is that they should be offering you travel the day before and an overnight stay in a nearby hotel. Or at the very least a "room" (cabin) on the train where your quality of rest will be higher than in the seats.

Commuting is travelling to your normal place or work. Anything else is working time business travel and your employer has a duty of care for you and your ability to function.


I do hope your business trip goes well and that you somehow get sufficient rest to function. If you are a TU member, I would strongly encourage you to speak to a rep, if nothing else to ensure this working pattern is the absolute exception and not an expected norm.
 
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