Caledonian Sleeper is giving the public a glimpse of its brand new £150m fleet of trains ahead of their introduction next year.
A dedicated website has been launched today at newtrains.sleeper.scot where details of the trains will continue to be revealed ahead of their phased introduction to service from Spring 2018.
Visitors to the site will be able to see the development of the 75 state-of-the-art carriages, which are currently under construction.
The new trains will offer a range of accommodation options including:
• Suites (double bed with en-suite)
• Club Rooms (twin or single with en-suite)
• Classic Rooms (twin or single),
• Comfort Seats
• Classic, Club and Suites will also be available as fully accessible rooms for guests with reduced mobility.
A host of new features have been included on the new trains, such as a hotel-style key card entry system, more accessible rooms, bespoke ‘comfort seats’ designed for long journeys, upgraded panels for phone and gadget charging, and WiFi throughout the train.
The new trains will ensure guests enjoy a unique travelling hotel-style experience, waking at their destination refreshed and relaxed having travelled in comfort through the night
Peter Strachan, chairman, Caledonian Sleeper, said: “Travelling with the Caledonian Sleeper is a wonderful experience and the new train fleet being introduced will offer a new standard in overnight travel.
“This website is where members of the public can see the latest news on the trains and discover the exciting things we have in store. The Sleeper is already a fantastic way to travel, and the new trains will improve the service dramatically.
“Providing comfort and convenience, the Sleeper allows for plenty of time for a full day of work or play, before transporting you to and from the destinations we serve – without the hassle of flying. The Sleeper offers great value for money compared to other travel and accommodation options and combined with the new train accommodation, will give guests the journey of a night time.”
The introduction of new trains will be the culmination of a wide range of improvements and investment in the Caledonian Sleeper since Serco took over the franchise on behalf of the Scottish Government in April 2015.
Highlights include a new Guest Service Centre in Inverness as well as new uniforms, toiletries and food and beverage offer, the vast majority of which is from Scottish suppliers. Caledonian Sleeper’s commitment to quality Scottish produce and ingredients has earned the company VisitScotland’s Taste our Best award. Ticketing has also been improved, with new tickets for families travelling together, the introduction of electronic ticketing and enhanced online functionality for regular guests.
Further information and images of the new trains will available nearer the launch date.
To find out more about the Caledonian Sleeper visit sleeper.scot. To discover the new trains on our dedicated website, visit newtrains.sleeper.scot.
– More services, late-night trains and extra carriages compared to the regular timetable
– Trains will be very busy, so people are urged to plan their journeys in advance
The ScotRail Alliance is urging people going to Edinburgh’s August festivals to plan their journeys in advance, as it announced more services, late-night trains and extra carriages for the three-week extravaganza.
Thousands of people will travel to Edinburgh for the events, which means services will be much busier than normal.
Highlights of the ScotRail Alliance’s August festivals programme include:
– Additional late night trains between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street (via Falkirk High) operating daily, departing from Edinburgh at 00.01 and 00.30.
– A major increase in the number of carriages between Glasgow and Edinburgh, particularly Friday to Sunday, both via the Airdrie/Bathgate line and via Falkirk High
– Many extra carriages between Edinburgh and Fife on Friday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday
– An extra service running after midnight between North Berwick and Edinburgh, getting people to and from the Fringe by the Sea
Perry Ramsey, Operations Director at the ScotRail Alliance, said:
“Edinburgh’s August festivals are one of the highlights of the year, attracting talent and tourists from all over the world. It’s a great chance to showcase the very best of Scotland.
“The ScotRail Alliance will once again do everything it can to help the events run smoothly. We will put on more services, late-night trains and extra carriages compared to our regular timetable.
“But despite these extra services and carriages we are putting on, trains will be very, very busy during the festivals. Thousands of people will be travelling to and from Edinburgh to enjoy the great attractions the festivals have to offer.
“To make journeys as hassle free as possible we are urging passengers to plan their journeys in advance by visiting scotrail.co.uk, downloading the ScotRail app and buying a ticket before they board.
“We are also encouraging passengers to use all the available services between Edinburgh and Glasgow, including Glasgow Central, and the high and low levels at Glasgow Queen Street.”
Comedian Craig Hill, who will perform his Someone’s Gonna Get Kilt show at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), said:
“It’s very exciting to have the Edinburgh Festival Fringe happening again, especially with the 70th anniversary celebration.
“The city gets packed with people from all over the world enjoying the shows and the atmosphere, so of course the streets as well as the trains will be very busy.
“Make sure you plan your Fringe experience and your journeys in advance, so it’s all nice and easy and make sure you have loads of fun, fun, fun!”
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said:
“We are delighted that the ScotRail Alliance is providing extra rail services to and from Edinburgh during August.
“These additional services will make it easier for people to enjoy the Fringe and Edinburgh’s other major festivals, and also comfortably get back to their homes right across Scotland’s central belt.”
– 95.4 per cent of Scotland’s trains ran on time last week
– Best performance since the start of the franchise in April 2015
The ScotRail Alliance achieved its best performance last week since Abellio took over the franchise in April 2015.
New figures published today by The ScotRail Alliance show that 95.4 per cent of trains were on time between Sunday 25 June and Saturday 1 July. This is the best weekly performance since the start of the franchise in April 2015.
The ScotRail Alliance’s improved performance was achieved during a time of major upgrades and improvements to the existing network.
Last week it was revealed that for the four-week period up to 24 June 2017, 92 per cent of Scotland’s trains met the industry target public performance measure (PPM). This compares to 90 per cent for the same period last year – an increase of two percentage points in just twelve months.
This means more of the 60,000 services in Scotland during the period ran on time. During the same period in England and Wales, the equivalent figure was 88.6 per cent.
The ScotRail Alliance’s moving annual average – the annual performance standard – is now at 90.5 per cent.
Perry Ramsey, Operations Director at The ScotRail Alliance, said:
“The fact that we achieved our best weekly performance on record is good news for passengers across Scotland. Last week more trains than ever ran on time, meaning more passengers enjoyed hassle free journeys.
“This performance is a testament to the hard work of our dedicated staff, who work tirelessly to make sure customers can travel on Scotland’s railway with as little fuss as possible.
“When we are undertaking the biggest upgrade to Scotland’s rail network since Victorian times, this is an impressive performance and confirms that we continue to deliver for our passengers.
“But we will never rest on our laurels. We know that any disruption can be frustrating for passengers, so we will continue to work hard every single day to build the best railway Scotland has ever had.
“The major improvements we are making to our service – from the electrification of the Glasgow to Edinburgh line, to the delivery of new trains, to the upgrades to stations all across Scotland – will ultimately mean faster journeys, more seats and better services for Scotland’s passengers.”
ScotRail has confirmed it is adding extra carriages to key trains to help Aberdeen fans get to the Aberdeen V Celtic Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park on 21 May.
Extra carriages will be added on what are predicted to be eight of the busiest services between Aberdeen and Glasgow. To avoid disappointment, the ScotRail Alliance is advising customers to book ahead and reserve seats for their journeys now, as queueing systems will be in operation and only fans with train reservations will be guaranteed boarding.
Those wishing to avoid the crowds may want to travel on the 0526 and 0634 departures from Aberdeen, although these are also expected to be much busier than usual.
As with all special event trains, alcohol bans will be in place and extra staff will be at key locations across the network to assist.
A ScotRail Alliance spokesperson said: “We’re doing everything we can to make sure the Dons are well represented at Hampden. Please be on the ball and get to the station early, as trains will be extremely busy.
“To help things go smoothly, please plan ahead and follow instructions from staff.”
A spokesperson for Aberdeen Football Club said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership again with ScotRail in ensuring that as many of the Red Army as possible have a choice of transport mode that can get them to and from Hampden on the 27th May to enhance what is always a special day out for all the family and one that we have not been in a position to enjoy for 17 years.”
The ScotRail Alliance is advising rugby fans heading by train to Murrayfield for the European Rugby Champions Cup Final on 13 May to plan their journey in advance.
To help ensure everyone gets to the game on time, passengers should allow extra time for travel – as well as purchasing tickets in advance. ScotRail will be adding carriages to services all day between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street, and on key services to Tweedbank, Glenrothes, Helensburgh and Milngavie.
Customers should be aware queuing systems will be in place at Haymarket station after the match, and that the last trains of the night are expected to be busy. Where possible, fans should plan to catch an earlier train to avoid disappointment.
A ScotRail Alliance spokesperson said: “It’s going to be a big weekend of rugby in the capital.
“We’ll be using every train at our disposal to add extra carriages to services towards Edinburgh, however, trains are expected to be very busy.
“Make sure to check your train times on our website or app and leave plenty of time for travel. Buying tickets in advance will also help reduce your queuing time.”
ScotRail will have extra staff on the ground to assist fans, and as with most large events alcohol bans will be in place.
