Dream train trip? Travel experts take the Caledonian Sleeper from Aberdeen to London and compare the £395 en-suite double-bed compartment with a £73 seat option

• The Points Guy UK travel site has produced a fascinating new video
• Two of its travel experts filmed their experiences on the Caledonian Sleeper
• Including boarding they spend around 11 hours on the train 

‘Bringing a touch of the extraordinary to travel between London and Scotland.’ That’s the billing for the Caledonian Sleeper service.

Is it hype? You can find out by watching a fascinating new video by The Points Guy UK travel site that compares the most expensive and cheapest ticket options on a service from Aberdeen to London’s Euston terminal.

One member of the team paid £395 to travel in the ‘Caledonian Double’ bedroom suite and another paid £73 to travel in a reclining seat – and they both filmed their 11-hour experiences.

The Points Guy UK travel site compares the most expensive and cheapest ticket options on a Caledonian Sleeper service

Nicky Kelvin, the Head of The Points Guy UK, drew the short straw and in the video we see him making himself as comfortable as he can in a seat in carriage A.

‘It feels quite cosy and nice,’ he says, before guiding the viewer around the seat’s features – a recline function, an over-the-shoulder light, a coat hook and a secure locker.

His 73 pounds also buys him an amenity kit with earplugs and an eye mask.

Nicky Kelvin shows viewers his £73 reclining seat after boarding in Aberdeen

Nicky orders a snack box and an Iron Bru for dinner before settling down for the night

It was possible for Nicky to lay down – thanks to the ‘poor man’s business class’ technique

He orders a snack box and an Iron Bru for dinner before creating a ‘poor man’s business class’ by laying across the adjacent seat.

His verdict upon reaching London? ‘Not too awful.’

He said: ‘The arrangement of the seats made it just about possible to curl up in a ball across two seats, and the carriage was very quiet. The amenities provided were very handy for the journey, especially the eye mask. The crew and service, while limited, was incredibly efficient and friendly.’

However, he didn’t arrive feeling refreshed and added: ‘A shower would have been necessary to really hit the ground running in London.’

Liam Spencer’s £395 journey is an altogether different experience.

His cabin has a double bed with ‘really soft bedding’, a shower, a toilet, thermostat control and a dimmer switch.

Liam Spencer in his £395 double-bed cabin, which featured a shower and toilet

Liam describes his experience on the film as a ‘joy from start to finish’

He also gets an amenity kit – but a more luxurious one containing toiletries and pillow spray.

Liam orders a ham hock snack box and a gin and tonic before bed, telling the viewer that he feels ‘super impressed with the experience so far’.

His verdict upon reaching London? ‘A joy from start to finish.’ Though he said the noise and rattling of the train made sleep difficult, ‘despite the comfy bed’.

• Visit thepointsguy.co.uk/mailing-list and watch the full-length video by clicking here. 

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