Night Riviera - merged posts, ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[BBM]

Frequent flyer website Head For Points which sometimes covers other modes of transport has today posted a review of a journey on the Night Riviera:

https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/04/12/review-gwr-night-riviera-sleeper-from-paddington-to-devon-cornwall/

[Mark A]

It's useful to read reviews from people who for the most part would not be reviewing rail services. They've also tackled the Caledonian Sleeper: https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/01/29/review-caledonan-sleeper-train-club-room/

I've travelled on neither since they've been renewed, but at least from the photos, in terms of restful ambience and design quality, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) wins this hands down.

(The Caledonian sleeper, travelling in 2015 and 2018, treated us to an unpowered lounge car on a winter run to Fort William, and then in 2018 to Inverness, the cabin blind was permanently jammed shut. The previous trip was some time earlier on the Anglo-Scottish West Country sleeper - both directions - and that was just fine... must have slept well as we left Waverley and climbed Arthurs Seat then came down for breakfast...)

Mark

[ChrisB]

....and GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are far cheaper - even given the additional distance the Cally sleeper gives you. GWR simply charge you a berth fee on top of your travel ticket

[JayMac]

Caley Sleeper also have berth only fees if a valid travel ticket is already held. But, yes, they are more expensive than GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s.

[Mark A]

CS^» (Caledonian Sleeper - about) marketed the new trains as an 'Experience', GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) continued to market theirs as travel. Now thinking of the winter conversation in a cafe in West Cornwall, young person of limited means booking a Sunday night seat on a short horizon and then managed to land a cabin, which was going to help considerably with the Monday morning arrival at work.

The review makes things sound as though the sleeper is habitually run with a provision that leaves it capacity-constrained.

Mark

[TaplowGreen]

21:15 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:04

27/04/25 21:15 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:04 will be terminated at Reading.

It will no longer call at London Paddington.

It is being delayed between Castle Cary and Bedwyn and is now expected to be 123 minutes late.
This is due to a fault on this train.