Woman who took Caledonian Sleeper train shares honest review

A traveller has revealed her verdict on the Caledonian Sleeper train following an overnight journey from Edinburgh to London. Jessica Turner turned to TikTok after forking out on the £425 experience, questioning whether the hefty price tag was justified.

“It’s going to take eight hours and I’m already feeling pretty tired, so hopefully I’ll get a good night’s sleep,” she explained in footage filmed at Edinburgh Waverley. Jessica revealed she’d been granted access to the first class lounge from 9pm – a full two hours before departure – having reserved “one of the best cabins”. Following complimentary tea and biscuits, she made her way onto the train, accompanied by her mum.

“We showed our tickets and they handed us a keycard for our room,” Jessica said. Upon entering the cabin, she confessed that her initial impression was that it appeared considerably smaller than anticipated.

Sweeping her camera across the compact space, Jessica displayed the room’s bunk beds and washbasin. “Overall it does look good,” she conceded. “It’s clean, the beds look comfortable… this is their club en-suite room.”

She then showcased the en-suite amenities, stepping into an adjoining bathroom complete with a shower. “Normally this would cost £425, but I actually booked it for £277 in the Black Friday sale,” she revealed.

Prior to retiring for the evening, Jessica opted to wander through the train, initially visiting the Club Car where passengers can purchase refreshments. “We’re going to get breakfast in here in the morning,” she noted.

Jessica also highlighted that passengers who don’t need overnight accommodation can secure a standard seat on the service for £130. “It’s definitely cheaper, but I think I’d struggle to sleep overnight for eight hours,” she admitted. “They also have a couple of other types of rooms you can book – one has a double bed and is the most expensive at £495 – but because I’m travelling with my mum we thought it’d be fun to just book bunk beds.”

Choosing the upper bunk, which appeared a bit cramped with limited headroom, Jessica settled in for the evening. “There isn’t much space, but we will make it work,” she remarked, before making her way to the bathroom.

Unfortunately, the experience left much to be desired. “In some ways I kind of wish I hadn’t bothered [showering],” Jessica lamented. “I turned it on and literally no water came out,” Jessica said. “The water pressure is so bad, I would have been better off using a bottle of water.”

Upon returning to her top bunk, Jessica praised the mattress as “really comfortable” whilst cautioning that passengers taller than her 5ft 9ins stature would “struggle to fit” comfortably.

Jessica wrapped up her video with scenes from the next day. “I slept okay, but probably could have done with a couple more hours,” she reflected.

The duo enjoyed breakfast – which comes as part of the fare – selecting a sausage bap and continental options. “I wasn’t really expecting much and I don’t normally eat breakfast at 6am, but it was actually really tasty,” Jessica remarked.

As they neared their 7.15am arrival into London Euston, Jessica and her mum began gathering their belongings. “This has got to be one of the most unique things I have done in the UK,” she said. “The train is called the Caledonian Sleeper and I probably rate the overall experience a 6.5 out of 10.”

Writing in response, one TikTok user was quick to criticise the cost of the experience. “This country is a joke,” they said. “Imagine paying £425 to get on a train when you can go to the other side of the world for that.”

A second person asked: “£425? I’ve just had return flights to Morocco and Airbnb for two weeks at £450.” A third said: “They saw you coming. I went from Edinburgh to London last week on the train for £39.”

While a fourth viewer commented: “Interesting experience to document. Considering the price, the accommodation didn’t appear hectic and the breakfast didn’t exactly look appealing either. Thank you for sharing.”

However, not all responses were negative, with one person praising the journey: “The sleeper is a great option as it allows a full evening in one city centre and early arrival in another city centre. The water pressure when lots are using so it’s best later in the evening or earlier in the morning. Rail is a greener option too.”