Sleeper tickets

[Harbon 1]

Is it possible to return on the sleeper on a standard Glasgow - Fort William retun, or do the sleeper tickets have to be bought seperately?

Cheers,
Matt

 

[yorkie]

For sleeper travel: if you want a berth you can purchase a berth supplement separately, just show your ticket. However it may be cheaper to book a berth-inclusive ticket. But this would only apply if travelling to at least Preston. They will not sell Sleeper tickets or berth supplements for journeys wholly within Scotland.

If you are just travelling between Glasgow & Fort William, you need to change at Westerton, you can't book a sleeper berth for that but there is seated accommodation that is treated the same as a day train between Edinburgh & Fort William, however this can get busy in the Summer months. When are you travelling? (the best time of year is June when you get the most daylight hours)

 

[Harbon 1]

so, if we don't want a berth, then just a standard ticket?

 

[yorkie]

so, if we don't want a berth, then just a standard ticket?

Yes that's fine.

I doubt they would let you use a berth on a ticket between Fort William & Westerton, but I suppose if the train was very lightly loaded and they knew that it would not be required by another passenger, then they may not turn down the cash. I have no idea if anyone has ever tried this though!

 

[Harbon 1]

Thanks for the replies

 

[34D]

so, if we don't want a berth, then just a standard ticket?

Yes, though I believe reservations are compulsory on this service (can be reserved over the phone, or at any station, free in either case).

 

[yorkie]

I've never heard of anyone be turned away even in the height of Summer (and yes even on the Bank Holiday Monday that was the penultimate weekend before Class 37 haulage finished; there were people packed in the vestibules and luggage area) so in Winter/Spring there will be no issue. Just don't expect to get a seat in Summer if you have not reserved.

 

[marks87]

Since the lounge and seated cars on the FW portion get detached at Edinburgh anyway, would it be feasible for ScotRail to source a couple of MkII or MkIII TSOs to increase the seating capacity in the Summer months? (And at the same time avoid the situation of people with standard tickets essentially ending up in what is, by day train standard, FC accommodation.)

 

[paul1609]

I've never heard of anyone be turned away even in the height of Summer (and yes even on the Bank Holiday Monday that was the penultimate weekend before Class 37 haulage finished; there were people packed in the vestibules and luggage area) so in Winter/Spring there will be no issue. Just don't expect to get a seat in Summer if you have not reserved.

I was on the Fort William sleeper on its busy (northbound) friday night three weeks ago. There were 3 passengers in first class and 4 in standard class one of whom turned up on spec. The seated coach had 4 girls between Edinburgh and Westerton whod missed the last train but was otherwise empty till I got off at Bridge of Orchy/ The Inverness portion probably had about the same numbers,