Sleeper trains with a baby
Britain has two overnight sleeper trains: the Caledonian Sleeper between London and Scotland, and GWR's Night Riviera between London Paddington and Cornwall. With a baby, a sleeper can turn a long day of travelling into one night: you board after bedtime and wake up at the coast or in the Highlands. Here's what the two operators say, with links so you can check.
Everything below comes from Caledonian Sleeper's and GWR's own websites, National Rail and the Lullaby Trust, checked October 2026. Rules and times change, so check before you book.
Key facts
Short answer: On the Caledonian Sleeper, babies and children under 5 travel free if they share a bed with a paying adult (one per adult); buy a child ticket if you want them to have their own bed. The rooms are too narrow for a standard travel cot, children under 12 must be in the same or an interconnecting Classic room as their adult, and a folded pushchair goes in a secure area in the seated coach. On the Night Riviera, GWR sells single and twin cabins (from £49 and £59 on top of your train ticket) and says under-5s travel free as long as you don't need a reserved seat for them. Neither train runs on a Saturday night.
Quick answers
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does my baby need a ticket on the Caledonian Sleeper? | No. Children aged 0 to 4 travel free with a paying adult, one per adult, sharing that adult's seat or bed (Caledonian Sleeper) |
| Can I get my baby their own bed? | Yes, by buying a child ticket for them |
| Can I bring a travel cot? | Caledonian Sleeper says its rooms are too narrow for standard travel cots |
| How big are the beds? | Classic and Club En-suite bunks are 65 cm x 180 cm. The Caledonian Double has a 142.5 cm x 180 cm double bed |
| Can children sleep on the top bunk? | Caledonian Sleeper advises that under-12s shouldn't sleep in an upper bed |
| Where does the pushchair go? | Tell the on-board crew. A foldable pushchair is stored in a secure area in the seated coach and labelled for your destination |
| Is there a family discount? | Yes. Caledonian Sleeper's family tickets save up to 33% and are applied automatically when you add children |
| Do babies travel free on the Night Riviera? | GWR says under-5s travel free as long as you don't need to reserve a seat for them (GWR) |
| How much is a Night Riviera cabin? | On top of your ticket, a single cabin from £49 and a twin cabin from £59, depending on date and demand (GWR) |
| Do the sleepers run every night? | No. Caledonian Sleeper doesn't run on Saturday nights, and the Night Riviera timetable lists Sunday to Friday only |
Caledonian Sleeper: London to Scotland
The Caledonian Sleeper runs six nights a week. The Highlander goes from London Euston to Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William, splitting at Edinburgh, and the Lowlander goes to Edinburgh and Glasgow, splitting at Carstairs. Since January 2026 the Highlander has also called at Birmingham International (Caledonian Sleeper: our trains).
Tickets for babies and children
Caledonian Sleeper's travelling with children page sets out the rules:
- Ages 0 to 4 travel free with a paying adult. Only one infant per paying adult, and the infant shares that adult's seat or bed. If you want them to have their own seat or bed, buy a child ticket.
- Under 12s must travel in the same room as their adult, or in an interconnecting Classic room.
- Ages 12 to 15 can have a room of their own, as long as it's directly next to an accompanying adult's.
- Family tickets save up to 33% on any route. Choose the number of adults and children when you book and the discount is applied automatically.
Tickets are refundable on a sliding scale: 100% up to 7 days before travel, 50% from then until midday the day before, and nothing after that (earlier deadlines apply to departures between midnight and 2am). You can't change a booking, so you'd cancel and rebook (Caledonian Sleeper: before your trip).
Which room works with a baby?
| Room | Beds | Good to know with a baby |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | Twin bunks, 65 x 180 cm each, washbasin | The only room that can interconnect with a second room, for up to four people. Room size 134.5 x 180 cm. Breakfast to buy |
| Club En-suite | Twin bunks, 65 x 180 cm each | En-suite shower and toilet, breakfast included, station lounge access. No interconnecting option |
| Caledonian Double En-suite | Double bed, 142.5 x 180 cm | The widest bed on the train, en-suite, breakfast included, lounge access. No interconnecting option |
| Seated coach | Reclining seat | A baby under 5 shares your seat. On the Fort William route you change coaches at Edinburgh in both directions |
Room details are from Caledonian Sleeper's Classic, Club En-suite, Caledonian Double and seated coach pages.
Booking interconnecting rooms: choose Classic, let the system allocate rooms, then check they're in the same coach with consecutive numbers. You can pick rooms from the train plan using "Select Rooms" on the review page, or ask the Guest Ambassadors on live chat or 0330 060 0500 (+44 141 555 0888 from abroad).
Sleep: no travel cot, so plan where your baby sleeps
This is the biggest decision with a baby. Caledonian Sleeper says standard travel cots don't fit its rooms, and a free under-5 shares an adult's bed. The bunks are 65 cm wide.
The Lullaby Trust says the safest place for a baby to sleep is their own separate sleep space on a firm, flat mattress. If you do decide to bed-share, it advises moving adult duvets and pillows away from your baby and having only one baby in the bed. It says not to bed-share if your baby was born before 37 weeks or weighed under 2.5 kg at birth, if anyone in the bed smokes, or if anyone has drunk alcohol or taken drugs or medicines that make them sleepy. It also says never to fall asleep on a sofa or armchair with your baby, and not to use a car seat as a place to sleep once you've arrived (Lullaby Trust: safer sleep on holiday).
If you'd like to use your pushchair's carrycot as your baby's sleep space, ask Caledonian Sleeper before you book, because pushchairs are normally stored in the seated coach rather than in your room.
Pushchairs and luggage
- Pushchairs: tell the on-board crew if you have a foldable pushchair or buggy. They'll store it in a secure area in the seated coach, label it for your destination, and you collect it when you arrive.
- Luggage: each guest can take 2 bags or suitcases and 1 item of hand luggage at no extra cost. Space under the bed takes cases up to 30 x 70 x 90 cm. Don't leave luggage in an en-suite, because it can block the door if it moves.
- Help with bags: staff can't carry luggage unless you've booked Passenger Assistance, so bring a sling or carrier for the walk along the platform.
- Medicines: Caledonian Sleeper says it can't store medication in its fridges on board, so bring a cool bag for anything that must stay cold.
Boarding, lounges and the morning
- Boarding at Euston: Caledonian Double and Club En-suite guests check in at the guest lounge on platform 1, and hosts collect them at boarding time. Classic and seated guests meet the hosts on platform 1. The Euston lounge opens from 18:00 for Aberdeen, Fort William and Inverness trains and from 20:45 for Edinburgh and Glasgow, and has toilets and showers (Caledonian Sleeper: Euston guest lounge).
- In Scotland: Caledonian Sleeper has its own lounges at Inverness and Fort William and shares lounges with other operators at Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Classic and seated guests can buy a £10 shower token at Fort William, Inverness and on arrival at Euston.
- For children: every child can ask the host for a free plush toy, and in 2023 Caledonian Sleeper announced a free family activity pack for guests travelling on a child's ticket (Caledonian Sleeper news).
- Breakfast is included in Club and Caledonian Double rooms and can be bought in Classic and the seated coach.
Night Riviera: London Paddington to Cornwall
GWR's Night Riviera runs between London Paddington and Penzance, calling at Reading, Exeter, Plymouth, Truro and other stations in Devon and Cornwall. It's handy for a seaside holiday: the westbound train leaves Paddington at 23:45 on weekdays (23:50 on Sundays) and reaches Penzance just before 8am (GWR: Night Riviera Sleeper).
Cabins or seats
- Seats come at no extra charge on top of a normal train ticket.
- Cabins cost a supplement on top of your ticket: a single from £49 and a twin from £59, depending on the date, how far ahead you book and how busy the train is. Cabins have bunks (the bottom one converts to a sofa), a sink, a wardrobe, UK plug sockets and USB points, and storage under the bottom bunk. Cabin guests get a complimentary light breakfast.
- Lounges: single-cabin guests can use the lounges and showers at Paddington, Penzance and Truro. Twin-cabin guests get the Paddington showers and, if they board there, the First Class lounge.
- Arriving in London: the eastbound train reaches Paddington around 5am, but cabin guests can stay on board until 06:45, which helps if your baby is still asleep.
Babies and children on the Night Riviera
GWR doesn't publish a separate children's policy for the sleeper, so these are its general family rules:
- Under-5s travel free as long as you don't need to reserve a seat for them. National Rail adds that a free under-5 can only use a seat no paying passenger needs, and that you buy a child ticket if you want one reserved (National Rail).
- Pushchairs: on most GWR trains, prams and buggies go in the luggage racks, so GWR recommends one that folds easily and suggests a carrier or sling for a small baby (GWR: travelling with children).
- Baby changing: GWR says all its trains have baby changing facilities.
- Luggage: GWR asks for no more than 3 pieces, at most 2 large items (up to 23 kg each) and 1 small item (GWR: luggage).
GWR's page doesn't say whether a travel cot fits in a cabin or how it handles a baby sharing a bunk, so ask GWR on 03457 000 125 before you book a cabin.
Changes and refunds
Cabin supplements are refundable at 100% up to 14 days before arrival and 75% up to 7 days before, each minus a £10 admin charge, with no refund after that. Changes must be made before the day of travel and carry a £10 admin charge plus any price difference.
Tips for a sleeper with a baby
- Book early. GWR says its cabins are usually very popular.
- Decide on sleep before you book. With no travel cot, choose between sharing a bed (only if the Lullaby Trust's guidance allows it) and other options you've checked with the operator.
- Pack a small overnight bag with nappies, wipes, a feed and pyjamas, so the big case can stay under the bed or in the rack.
- Fold the pushchair before boarding and carry your baby in a sling along the platform.
- Do a bedtime routine on the platform or in the lounge, then settle your baby once the train is moving.
- Check engineering works. Caledonian Sleeper sends pre-trip emails and texts if a service changes, and GWR warns that works near Paddington can delay boarding.
Sleeper or flying?
A sleeper replaces a hotel night and an early start, and you don't have to fold your pushchair at a security check or fit liquids into a bag. If you're comparing it with a flight to Scotland, see do babies fly free? for infant fees by airline. For daytime trains, see pushchairs on trains and ferries, and for France, Eurostar with a baby.
Back to rail and ferry travel with a baby.
Sources (checked October 2026)
- Caledonian Sleeper: Travelling with children, Family tickets, Before your trip (tickets, refunds, boarding, luggage, pushchairs, restricted items), During your trip, Help and support FAQs, Classic room, Club En-suite, Caledonian Double En-suite, Seated coach, London Euston guest lounge, Our trains, Birmingham International from January 2026, Family activity packs
- GWR: Night Riviera Sleeper, Travelling with children, Family travel, Luggage
- National Rail: train travel with children
- Lullaby Trust: safer sleep on holiday
Last checked and updated: · Kiddieko · How we check facts
