Night Riviera Sleeper Review: The Best London to Cornwall Train?
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Cornwall is a popular but remote destination for most of the UK. You spend a lot of your day travelling just to get there.
The Night Riviera sleeper train aims to make it more accessible by transporting you through the night while you sleep and having you on the Cornish coast in time for breakfast.
With both cabins and seats available, there’s an option for most budgets but does that mean you should do it?
In this Night Riviera sleeper review, I share what it’s really like to travel from London to Penzance in a cabin, how it compares with other trains to Cornwall and why I don’t always recommend it.
Read on to find out how I got on to help you decide if it’s right for you.
What is the Night Riviera sleeper train?
The Night Riviera is one of two sleeper trains that operate in the UK (the other is the Caledonian Sleeper from London to Scotland).
The sleeper service is operated by Great Western Railway (GWR for short) and runs from London Paddington to Penzance in Cornwall overnight.
GWR has been running a sleeper service on this route since 1920 but it was relaunched as the Night Riviera in 1983 after a five-year hiatus in 1978.
The Night Riviera runs every night except Saturday and you arrive at your destination in time for breakfast. You can book an airline-style seat or a cabin with a single or bunk bed.
Night Riviera sleeper train route
The Night Riviera connects London to Penzance, but where else does it go? Below is a list of stops and their timings.
- London Paddington – (Mon-Fri 23:45 / Sun 23:50)
- Reading (pick up only) – (Mon-Fri 00:49 / Sun 00:49)
- Taunton – (Mon-Fri 02:37 / Sun n/a)
- Exeter St Davids – (Mon-Fri 03:07 – 04:10 / Sun 03:22 – 04:36)
- Newton Abbot – (Mon-Fri 04:32 / Sun 04:57)
- Plymouth* – (Mon-Fri 05:10 / Sun 05:36)
- Liskeard – (Mon-Fri 06:05 / Sun 06:12)
- Bodmin Parkway – (Mon-Fri 06:19 / Sun 06:26)
- Lostwithiel – (Mon-Fri 06:26 / Sun 06:33)
- Par – (Mon-Fri 06:34 / Sun 06:41)
- St Austell – (Mon-Fri 06:43 / Sun 06:49)
- Truro – (Mon-Fri 07:01 / Sun 07:07)
- Redruth – (Mon-Fri 07:17 / Sun 07:20)
- Camborne – (Mon-Fri 07:24 / Sun 07:28)
- Hayle – (Mon-Fri 07:34 / Sun 07:37)
- St Erth – (Mon-Fri 07:39 / Sun 07:42)
- Penzance – (Mon-Fri 07:50 / Sun 07:54)
*Trains from Plymouth onwards don’t pick up passengers. They’re set down only.
Class options on the Night Riviera
The Night Riviera sleeper service has two accommodation options to suit different budgets. These are:
- Standard Seat
- Single & Twin Cabin
Standard Seat | Twin Cabin |
Tray table Headrest WIFI Plug socket & USB ports Reading light Overhead luggage storage Drinks and snacks at an additional cost | Twin bunk beds Breakfast included Washbasin Interconnecting room option WIFI Plug sockets & USB ports Room service Keycard entry system Reading light Onboard lounge access First Class GWR station lounge access Showers on request Free drinks and snacks |
The twin cabin
Since this GWR Night Riviera review is focused on the cabin, I’ll look a little more closely at what they’re like. Cabins are narrow compartments with about 12 to a carriage.
Each cabin has a single or bunk bed which is narrow but cosy and clean. The bedding is of good quality with two pillows and a duvet. Each bed gets a small washcloth and wrapped soap.
The beds have a reading light by your head and I like that they’re adjustable so you can move them around.
There are also some light switches so you can turn off the main lights from your bed. Underneath is a plug socket with a USB port and a bell for room service.
The window has a blind you slide down (I didn’t as I wanted to watch the views). It’s not a one-way window though so just be mindful as people can see you from outside!
Underneath the window is a counter which niftily lifts up to reveal a sink with hot and cold running water. It’s not safe to drink it but it’s fine to use it to brush your teeth. Underneath the sink is a very small bin.
Passengers sleeping on the top bunk have the benefit of another ledge above the window for extra storage. There are also some handles to help you get up there and a small ladder which you slide away.
Don’t worry, it’s not for trapping the unfortunate top-bunk cabin-mate. The top bunk has straps to push it back against the wall. It makes the top bunk look flimsy but it was sturdy for my partner and didn’t wobble.
A table comes out by the bottom bunk so you end up with a sofa when you remove the bedding. To be honest, it was far too much effort to try out – perhaps if I were spending longer on the train I would have!
There is some space underneath the bed which is roomy enough to slide bags under. You’ll manage as long as you don’t bring massive suitcases!
On the opposite wall to the bunkbeds is a door to the next cabin. It was locked thankfully, but it’s great if you want to book interconnecting cabins.
There was also the thinnest wardrobe I’ve ever seen with two small (plastic) bottles of water at the bottom.
Wondering about bathrooms? There are no ensuite cabins but each sleeper carriage has a toilet on either end. Just follow the signs to your nearest one.
Editor’s tip: There are accessible, wheelchair-friendly cabins at the end of each sleeping carriage, right by the toilets and lounge car. They are much bigger than standard cabins.
Lounge car
The onboard lounge car is reserved for cabin passengers only. Passengers in seated coaches have access to a small bar serving snacks and drinks – including coffee!
The lounge for cabin passengers is spacious with a sofa, chairs around tables and (slightly odd) barstools. The tables have plug sockets above them. It’s open for the duration of your journey.
There’s a bar at the far end of the lounge car, serving hot and cold drinks, alcohol and snacks like fruit and crisps.
Food and drink
If you’re hoping for a big sit-down meal as the train whisks you down to Cornwall, you’ll be disappointed. Then again, I doubt you would want to eat a big dinner at midnight.
I had a packet of crisps. They were complimentary along with the hot and soft drinks which I thought was a nice touch. I also had a gin & tonic which was a regular Gordon’s in a can. It cost me £4.50, so it wasn’t too bad.
Cabin passengers get complimentary breakfast which you pre-order when you board the train. It was a choice between a sausage butty, porridge or a croissant.
Other Night Riviera sleeper train reviews say they had cereal and a bacon butty but it wasn’t an option on my service. You could then choose between tea, coffee or fruit juices.
I opted for the porridge which turned out to be an instant pot from MOMA. It was quite nice and filling. My partner had a sausage butty and he wasn’t a fan.
My coffee came with a packet of custard creams which was nice. The scalding temperature not so much!
First-class lounges at the station
Booking a cabin entitles you to the GWR first-class lounges at your departure station and complimentary showers in the lounge at the other end if you arrive during opening hours.
You have access to the lounges within two hours of your scheduled departure. They have seating areas and a selection of complimentary soft drinks and snacks. It’s usually crisps, nuts, biscuits and fruit with canned drinks like coke and lemonade.
It was nice to sit in the lounge at Paddington for a bit before boarding the train. It closes at 23:30 and the sleeper train departs at 23:45.
That wasn’t an issue though as you can board the train as early as 22:30. It’s best to get on sooner rather than later to give you time to settle in and relax.
Night Riviera sleeper ticket prices and how to book
Below is a list of the typical price starting points for the Night Riviera sleeper options. As with any UK rail company, take their starting ticket prices with a pinch of salt as they’re likely to change. Summer is typically more expensive.
I found a sneaky price trap when I booked my cabin. Cabins are priced as a supplement ON TOP OF the train ticket price. This means I had to pay extra for the cabin in addition to my train ticket.
Don’t worry, I’ll explain how it works.
Night Riviera sleeper cost:
Standard Seat – from £43 and no extra cost
Single Cabin – from £45 in addition to train ticket
Twin Cabin – from £34 per person in addition to train ticket
If you’re confused, here’s a more realistic look at what you might pay for a one-way ticket. The cheapest prices I could find were three months in advance, at the end of November on a weekday.
These were all on the same date:
Standard Seat – £45.50 (standard class advanced single)
Single Cabin – £82.90 train ticket + single cabin occupency of £62 = £144.90
Twin Cabin – £165.80 train ticket for two people + twin cabin occupancy of £78 = £243.80
As you can see, cabin class pays more for the train ticket, not including the supplement.
Normally, I would recommend booking trains through Trainline or Trainpal (my personal favourite), but in this instance, it’s easier to book directly on the GWR website. Even then, it’s still a little tricky.
Prices fluctuate depending on demand and season and I found it frustrating that I couldn’t see which dates were cheapest. It took a lot of trial and error until I found a reasonably priced date.
How to book the Night Riviera:
- Go to the GWR website, click buy tickets and plug in the information
- Put ‘departing after’ 23:00 in the drop-down
- On the next page, look for the train labelled ‘Sleeper Service’
- Select your ticket price then click continue
- Select standard seat or cabin. You will now see the cabin supplement price. There’s no extra cost for seats
- If you don’t see a cabin option on this page then it’s sold out
- You’ll be required to make a reservation
- Choose how to receive your tickets (collecting them at the station is free)
- Review and pay
Editor’s tip: what about children? Kids under 5 go free in the cabin but they don’t get their own bed. Children under 16 pay a child’s fare but the supplement is the same price.
How does the Night Riviera compare with other London to Cornwall trains?
I travelled down from London to Penzance on the Night Rivera but took a standard GWR train back up to compare the two.
Price
The price was the reason why I decided not to do the return on the Penzance to London sleeper train. I just couldn’t justify the £500+ price it would have been for two people. I could have flown to Mexico for that!
Price based on a single ticket on a London to Penzance train:
- Night Riviera Single Cabin – £144.90
- Night Riviera Twin Cabin – £243.80
- Night Riviera Seat – £45.50
- GWR standard train first-class – £66
- GWR standard train standard class – £45.50
Again, this is looking three months in advance and the off-season.
The cabins cost a lot more. You’re essentially staying in a hotel on wheels. I like to think of it as your hotel room PLUS transport rolled into one. Railcards are also accepted on GWR trains (including the sleeper) so check whether you’re eligible. They can help you save on the price.
Here’s what I paid for two people:
- Night Riviera Sleeper Twin Cabin – £245.40 (super off-peak single London to Penzance train)
- GWR standard train – £60 (advanced single Penzance to London train)
IMPORTANT NOTE: I have a 26-30 railcard which gives me a third off rail fare.
On the Night Riviera, I paid £109.40 for the train tickets and £136 for the twin cabin supplement which came to a total of £245.40.
Bear in mind that prices are much higher during the summer in comparison with the off-season. I did the journey in August – not that the train was busy!
As a general rule, always try to book in advance to get the cheapest rates, if you can.
How long it takes
Based on a journey from London Paddington to Penzance:
- Night Riviera – about 8 hours
- GWR standard train – about 6 hours
You want the Nigh Riviera to be as long as possible to sleep (theoretically!). In all honesty, if I was getting off at stops before Penzance, I’m not sure I would book the sleeper.
Which brings me to…
Convenience
The Night Riviera is a good option if you’re only in Cornwall for a few days and want to maximise your time. It combines your transport and accommodation and you arrive in time to enjoy the whole day (with a very early night at the end).
With a journey time of six hours, the standard GWR service eats up a good chunk of your day. I left Penzance just before 6 pm and arrived in London at midnight.
If you’re staying in Cornwall for longer, you might not mind travelling during the day. The journey is lovely.
You traverse the southwest of England to Plymouth, chug through the pastoral countryside and finally hug the coast into Penzance with a glimpse of St Michael’s Mount.
The views are what make holidays to Cornwall by train worth it. That and the fact that taking the train is one of the most sustainable ways to travel.
My experience onboard the Night Riviera
So, what is it like to ride the sleeper from London to Penzance? Here’s my Night Riviera sleeper review of the whole experience.
The first-class lounge
I collected my tickets at the ticket machine at Paddington Station and walked over to the first-class lounge on platform one.
After showing my cabin ticket at the door, I was invited in. The first-class lounge had a cafeteria-like room and a lounge with armchairs.
The lounge was by far the cosiest and quieter so I hung out there, making the most of the free snacks and soft drinks.
They were available on a serve-yourself basis and to be honest, there wasn’t a huge amount of options. I recommend eating before you get to the station and bringing your own snacks. (I bought more provisions at M&S).
Boarding the train
We were invited to board the train at 22:30, so a good hour and 15 minutes before the scheduled departure.
The train manager told me shortly after I had arrived that they had swapped my cabin as the one I was scheduled to sleep in had a problem with the door. Luckily all the cabins weren’t booked!
After admiring the Paddington Bear statue on platform one, I found my carriage and jumped on. The first thing I noticed was how narrow the corridors were as the cabins took up most of the space.
It was single-file only and you wouldn’t be able to turn around with a backpack on!
I found my cabin and a steward came over to check my ticket. He asked what I wanted for breakfast (porridge + coffee) and whether I wanted a shower at Penzance (yes).
The lounge car
The lounge car was at the end of my carriage. After dropping the bags off, I decided to kill some time and get a drink. We still had an hour before departure, after all.
The lounge car was nice and spacious with a mix of booths, a sofa and barstools. It had a somewhat retro vibe. The bar at the far end served complimentary soft drinks and snacks – basically, the same menu as the first-class lounge.
It was very quiet. Other passengers slowly emptied out to presumably get their heads down in time for departure. I also didn’t hang around too long.
The sleep
It was about midnight by the time I got into bed. I decided to watch something on my tablet before attempting to nod off.
The bed was narrow but comfy, the pillows were plump and the duvet was deliciously warm. The rooms are kept cool with air-con so it was very much needed.
As snug and comfortable as my setup was, I couldn’t sleep. I wasn’t all that surprised. I didn’t sleep on the Caledonian Sleeper and I don’t sleep on planes either.
The noise of the train was one thing but my main gripe was the moving. I felt every bend, stop and start. It’s not ideal if you suffer from motion sickness.
I gave sleep a good shot until about 6 am when I gave up and decided to watch the sunrise over the, by then, Cornish landscape. You can’t beat watching the quintessential countryside rolling by in the fresh morning light.
Breakfast
At about 7 am, breakfast was delivered to my cabin in a paper bag. It was just a small porridge pot and coffee with some biscuits but it hit the spot. Honestly, it wasn’t bad considering it was complimentary.
If you prefer to be up and about, you can eat breakfast in the lounge car. You will just need to go there before 7 am but you will most likely have it in a paper bag too. Your breakfast times and preferences are arranged with the steward when you board.
Arrival into Penzance
We arrived in Penzance on time just before 8 am. By then the sun was shining and I got a quick glimpse of St. Michael’s Mount before pulling into the station.
We had to wait a few moments for the train door to open as it had a slightly old-fashioned mechanical lock rather than the modern automatic doors that open at the push of a button.
I made for the first-class lounge at the station to have my shower but the attendant said there was no hot water so don’t rely on having that option available!
Night Riviera sleeper FAQs
Is the Night Riviera comfortable?
Despite being very narrow, the cabins were comfortable. Burrowing into bed with such a big duvet was a delight. I didn’t get too hot either.
The beds were sturdy and strong. My 6ft partner slept in the bed above me and I didn’t feel concerned about the weight. If you’re very tall, the beds might be on the short side for you. My partner’s feet were hanging off the end!
Where do you store your luggage?
It’s best not to pack too much or bring more than three bags. Small and medium-sized suitcases can fit under the bed in your cabin. You can stash quite a lot in there and it’s surprisingly roomy.
If you’re in a seat, luggage storage is at the end of the carriage. Small bags can be stowed in the rack above your head.
Just be aware that depending on your destination, there isn’t always a place to store luggage. I found a gym near the Penzance station with luggage storage for £5 a bag.
What do you need to pack?
Some essentials to make your journey more comfortable might include:
- More snacks and drinks
- Sleeping mask
- A coverup or blanket if you’re in a seat – the air-con is chilly!
- Downloaded films or TV series + headphones
- Water bottle
- Book
- Pyjamas and a toothbrush (definitely easier in a cabin)
- USB charging cables or plug in both cabins and seats
- Roll-on deodorant to freshen up in the morning
- Neck support pillow – for the seat
- Flipflops or slip-ons for the toilets if you don’t want to wear your shoes
Can you bring bikes and pets onboard?
You can bring up to two dogs, cats and other domestic animals at no extra charge but you will need to pay a £30 cleaning fee when boarding.
Dogs must be on a lead and other pets should be in a rigid carrier. They aren’t allowed in the lounge and they can’t be walked in the corridor. They can’t sleep on the beds.
You can bring a bike onboard but you need to make a reservation in advance. Bikes are stored in Carriage A so notify the train manager when you will be getting off.
Surfboards are also allowed as you’re going to Cornwall after all! Just check whether you need to make a mandatory reservation.
How long does the sleeper train take from Paddington to Penzance?
The train departs London Paddington at 23:45 and arrives in Penzance at 7:54 so it takes about eight hours and nine minutes.
Night Riviera Sleeper review: My verdict
So, is the Night Riviera worth it? Yes if there’s more than one of you travelling as the twin cabin is more economical. It’s cramped but comfy although you will have to factor in the chance that you won’t sleep.
Spending the night in the cabin includes accommodation and transport in one. It gives you more (if not sleepy) time at your destination so it’s a good option if you’re going to Cornwall for the weekend.
I would only choose the Night Riviera if I were going all the way to Penzance. For places like Plymouth and North Devon, it’s more convenient to get a daytime train.
As for the seat versus bed debate, the bed wins for me despite the extra expense. I didn’t choose the seat so I can’t speak from experience but I would prefer to travel on the daytime service instead. The prices aren’t that much different.
