Caledonian Sleeper’s new carriages made their first trial run to London Euston today (Tuesday 22 January) ahead of their launch later this year.
The overnight rail service will begin operating its new fleet by the end of May 2019, in time for the peak summer season.
And as trial operations continue to gather pace, a total of 16 carriages made the trip from Scotland to London – a significant milestone in the testing phase.
Ryan Flaherty, Serco’s Managing Director at Caledonian Sleeper, said: “Caledonian Sleeper will undergo a huge transformation in 2019 and we are now entering the final stages of our testing and approvals programme.
“Bringing our new carriages into London Euston for the first time is an exciting landmark for the team, and we cannot wait until they are arriving and departing from the station six nights a week.”
The fleet, built at a cost of over £100m and part funded by a capital grant from the Scottish Ministers of £60m, has been designed to accommodate the modern-day traveller and cater to both business and leisure travel guests. A range of accommodation options will be offered, including:
- Caledonian Double (double bed with en-suite)
- Club Rooms (solo or twin with en-suite)
- Classic Rooms (solo or twin)
- Comfort Seats
- Fully accessible rooms for guests with reduced mobility
Other new features will also be included, such as a hotel-style key card entry system, more accessible rooms, charging panels and WiFi throughout the train.
The trains will initially be introduced on the Lowlander route between Glasgow / Edinburgh and London before being rolled out onto the Highlander which serves Fort William, Aberdeen and Inverness.
To find out more about the Caledonian Sleeper, visit sleeper.scot.
