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The Caledonian Sleeper has been ferrying people from the UK’s capital city to bonny Scotland since 1873. Back in those days, it offered luxury cabins on board trains called the Night Scotsman and the Royal Highlander and terminated at Glasgow Queen Street. The overnight service (one of just two in the UK) has evolved a lot in the many decades since then, but last week it launched its biggest change in 30 years.
The world-famous service set off from Birmingham for the first time ever on Thursday January 15. Birmingham International Station is the first new stop added to the Caledonian Sleeper in three decades. It’s now the third stop on the train’s Highlander route, which runs from London Euston to Edinburgh Waverley then splits off towards Fort William, Aberdeen and Inverness.
Before last week, the only stops between the English and Scottish capitals were Preston and Crewe. The new route is exactly the same, just with the extra pick-up at Brum. From there, it’ll take nine hours to get to Aberdeen, 10 hours to Inverness and 11 hours to the final destination at Fort William. Trains leave six nights a week – no service on Saturdays – and you can book up to a year in advance.
When you book a night onboard the Caledonian Sleeper, you can choose from a classic room with bunk beds and a washbasin, a ‘club en-suite’ with bunkbeds, a shower room and breakfast included, or (the most expensive room) a ‘double en-suite’ with a double bed, en-suite and complimentary breakfast.
If you’re on a budget, you can opt for a reclining seat, which comes with a complimentary sleep kit, a reading light, a USB port, lockable storage and an adjustable headrest. Bookings can be made up to a year in advance.
Caledonian Sleeper says that the brand new stop will help ‘close the travel gap’ between the West Midlands and the Highlands, and bolster ‘economic ties between the West Midlands and Scotland across energy, engineering, manufacturing, professional services and hospitality between the regions’.
Richard Parker, mayor of the West Midlands, said: ‘For the first time in more than 30 years we have an overnight rail service to the Highlands and that’s a real milestone for the region’s transport. It means people can once again enjoy the experience of closing their eyes in Birmingham and waking up refreshed in the breathtaking landscapes of northern Scotland.
‘This is a world-class service that will strengthen ties between our regions and open up new opportunities for tourism and trade – helping to drive greater growth and prosperity.’
Discover all of Europe’s new sleeper train routes we’re looking forward to in 2026.
And read about Time Out’s experience on board the Caledonian Sleeper here.
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