The first of the new carriages for the new Caledonian Sleeper trains have arrived in the UK ahead of being introduced later this year.
75 new carriages will start to be introduced from October 2018 in a phased transition. The first five carriages arrived on the outskirts of Glasgow this week. They made the journey from the Czech Republic to Scotland via the Channel Tunnel.
The countdown is on for the introduction of the new trains. They will be launched on the lowlander route between London and Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The carriages are being constructed by CAF in Spain. The cost of the new carriages is over £100m. The cost has been partly funded by a Scottish Ministers grant of £60m.
These carriages are first new sleeper trains to be introduced in the UK for 35 years.
Tickets for the new Caledonian Sleeper services are:
- Comfort Seats starting from £45
- Classic Rooms starting from £85 per person
- Club Rooms from £125 per person
- Suites from £200 per person.
What did the officials say?
Humza Yousaf MSP, Minister for Transport and Islands, said: “The Caledonian Sleeper is an iconic rail service, recognised in Scotland and across the world. The introduction of new rolling stock, with features new to UK railways, can only enhance its reputation. The arrival of the first trains to Scotland for testing is a major milestone and one that brings us closer to their introduction from October of this year.”
Peter Strachan, Chairman, Serco Caledonian Sleeper, said: “We believe the new Caledonian Sleeper trains will truly set a new standard in overnight travel and we have worked closely with Transport Scotland on their development since taking over the franchise in 2015. The Sleeper is known throughout the UK as a great way to travel and it is our intention to improve on every aspect of that journey while offering a great value of money for our guests. It is particularly exciting to welcome the first carriages to Scotland, as it highlights just how close we are to the debut of the new trains on our Lowlander route this October.”
- Visit the Caledonian Sleeper Website
For more information
