The Night Riviera sleeper train from London to Cornwall at Paddington

Buy train tickets

Full details for buying tickets.

Buy tickets by phone on 0345 7000 125, open 0700-2200 Mon-Fri, 0800-1900 weekends.

All aboard the sleeper to Cornwall

It's the most time-effective way from London to Cornwall, making short breaks possible without a 6-hour drive or a domestic flight.  If you live in Devon or Cornwall, it makes trips to central London or even Paris easy.  Every night except Saturday night, a sleeper train with private 1 & 2-bed compartments and lounge car links London's Paddington Station with towns, cities & resorts in Cornwall.  It's run by GWR (Great Western Railway), and had a makeover in 2018 with many improvements including free WiFi.  Last updated January 2023.

small bullet point  Night Riviera timetable

small bullet point  Night Riviera fares

small bullet point  What's the sleeper like?

small bullet point  How to buy tickets

small bullet point  Children on the sleeper

small bullet point  Luggage, bikes, dogs & pets

small bullet point  Showers, toilets, power sockets

 

small bullet point  Lounges at Paddington, Truro, Penzance

small bullet point  Wheelchair-accessible sleepers

small bullet point  Inter-connecting doors between sleepers

small bullet point  Eden Project connection by bus

small bullet point  Land's End connection by bus

small bullet point  Scilly Isles connection by ferry

small bullet point  Hotels in Cornwall or London

small bullet point  Video guide:  London to Cornwall by Night Riviera sleeper train

small bullet point  Daytime trains between London & Cornwall with Pullman dining...

small bullet point  Cornwall to Paris or Brussels by sleeper+Eurostar

Timetable westbound

 London ► Cornwall by sleeper

The Night Riviera

Mon-Fri

Sundays

Boarding at Paddington starts:

22:30

22:30

London Paddington depart:

23:45

23:50

Reading depart:

00:49

00:51

Taunton arrive:

02:37

|

Exeter St Davids arrive:

04:11

04:36

Newton Abbott arrive:

04:32

04:57

Totnes arrive:

|

|

Plymouth arrive:

05:11

05:36

Liskeard arrive:

06:12

06:12

Bodmin Parkway arrive:

06:26

06:26

Lostwithiel  arrive:

06:33

06:33

Par arrive (change for Newquay):

06:41

06:41

Newquay arrive by connecting train

(10:09)

(10:09)

St Austell  arrive (for Eden Project)

06:49

06:49

Eden Project arrive by bus:

(08:57)

(08:57)

Truro arrive:

07:07

07:07

Falmouth arrive by connecting train

(08:41)

(08:41)

Redruth arrive:

07:20

07:20

Camborne arrive:

07:28

07:28

Hayle arrive:

07:37

07:37

St Erth arrive (change for St Ives):

07:42

07:42

St Ives arrive by connecting train:

(08:03)

(08:03)

Penzance arrive:

07:54

07:54

( ) = times in brackets are an arrival/departure by connecting branch line train or bus link, not the Night Riviera itself.

The sleeper runs daily except Saturday nights & 24, 25 December. 

Paris & Brussels connection by Eurostar   Scilly Isles ferry connection   Eden Project bus connection   Land's End buses

London Underground map:  www.tfl.gov.uk/mapsTourist information for Cornwall:  www.visitcornwall.com

Timetable eastbound

 

 Cornwall ► London by sleeper

The Night Riviera

Mon-Fri

Sundays

Penzance depart:

21:45

21:15

St Ives depart by connecting train

(21:37)

(19:50)

St Erth depart:

21:55

21:25

Hayle depart:

|

|

Camborne depart:

22:08

21:39

Redruth depart:

22:16

21:46

Falmouth depart by connecting train

(21:35)

(21:33)

Truro depart:

22:29

22:01

The Eden Project depart by bus:

(18:00)

(18:00)

St Austell depart:

22:47

22:19

Newquay depart by connecting train

(21:26)

|

Par depart:

22:56

|

Lostwithiel depart:

|

|

Bodmin Parkway depart:

23:08

22:35

Liskeard depart:

23:24

22:50

Plymouth depart:

23:54

23:20

Totnes depart:

00:22

23:48

Newton Abbott depart:

00:36

00:01

Exeter St Davids depart:

01:01

00:58

Taunton depart:

01:40

|

Reading arrive:

03:31

04:05

London Paddington arrive:

05:04

05:03

You can remain on board until:

06:45

06:45

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How much does it cost?

Quick answer, London to Penzance by sleeper.

Detailed answer...

How to buy tickets

Book a break to Cornwall with Byway

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What's the sleeper to Cornwall like?

Single & twin sleepersSee the video

Following a major makeover in 2018, this excellent sleeper train is a travelling hotel, with private single or twin sleeper compartments & lounge car.  The sleepers are compact but cosy, with an upper & lower berth in twin rooms or just a lower berth in single rooms, plus a washbasin with hot & cold running water.  The beds have a snug duvet (a welcome replacement for the traditional blankets), fresh clean sheets & plump pillows.  Soap, towel & a small bottle of mineral water are provided for each passenger.  The compartment doors can now be locked from the outside with a hotel-style card-key while you go to the toilet or lounge car - your door will be secured open when you board, you'll find your card key on the table on top of the sink.  There are two toilets at the end of the corridor in each sleeping-car which you can use even when the train is standing in a station.  A light breakfast with tea or coffee & bacon roll or cereal is included in the fare, served by your steward in your compartment at the time you specify.  There's free WiFi in both the sleepers and lounge car.  The Night Riviera also has regular seats, but a sleeper berth is recommended. Like all British trains, the Night Riviera is all non-smoking.  Watch the video.

Bed sizes:  The lower berth is approximately 197cm (6'5") long & 67cm wide.  The upper berth is around 192cm (6'3") long & 67cm wide.

The sleeper to Cornwall about to leave London Paddington

The Night Riviera on platform 1 at Brunel's Paddington Station under the arched roof of 1854.  You can board from 22:30 onwards.

2-bed sleeper on the Night Riviera to Cornwall   Card-key room lock on the Night Riviera sleeper train to Cornwall

Sleeper compartments now lock with a hotel-style card-key.

The Night Riviera sleeper train to Cornwall waits to leave London Paddington

Twin sleeper.  Larger photo360 degree photo.

 

The Night Riviera at Paddington.

The Night Riviera sleeper train to Cornwall waits to leave London Paddington   Single-bed sleeper on the Night Riviera to Cornwall

Breakfast is included in the fare, served in your compartment.

 
The Night Riviera sleeper train to Cornwall waits to leave London Paddington  

The Night Riviera.

 

Single sleeper.  See larger photo

Fold-out ladder in sleeper to Cornwall    

Clever press-and-fold-out ladder to upper bunk.

 

Close-up of lower berth showing plug socket, USB sockets & reading light.  The upper berth also has these sockets.

 

There are two toilets at the end of each sleeping-car corridor.

The lounge car

There's a lounge car for sleeper berth passengers with tables & chairs and a buffet counter selling wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks & snacks.  Tea, coffee & water are complimentary for sleeper passengers.  The lounge opens as soon as the train starts boarding and remains open all night.  A separate bar counter at the other end serves the seats passengers, who must take food & drink back to their seats.

Lounge car on Night Riviera sleeper to Cornwall   Lounge car on Night Riviera sleeper to Cornwall
Table for two in the lounge on Night Riviera sleeper   Sofa in the lounge on Night Riviera sleeper

Table for two?

 

Or cosy on the sofa.

Video: London to Cornwall by sleeper

Children

Luggage, bikes, dogs & pets

Station lounges in London, Truro & Penzance

Entrance to the GWR 1st class lounge at London Paddington

Entrance to the GWR first class lounge on platform 1.  Note the impressive war memorial a little further on.

Sleeper lounge at London Paddington - modern part   Sleeper lounge at London Paddington - Queen Victoria's waiting room

The modern part of the lounge.  Larger photo.

 

Queen Victoria's former waiting room.  Larger photo.

Showers, toilets, power sockets, WiFi...

Inter-connecting doors between sleeper compartments

Wheelchair-accessible sleepers

Wheelchair-accessible toilet & sleeper   Inter-connecting door to the adjacent compartment

Wheelchair-accessible sleeper:  The wheelchair-accessible toilet and next to it, the extra-wide push-button access door to the wheelchair-accessible sleeper.

 

Connecting doors between compartments:  Connecting door is on the left, to open it unbolt it on both sides.  Door to the corridor is on the right.

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Pullman dining on daytime trains to Devon & Cornwall

There are also daytime trains between London & Cornwall, and two or three of these offer a very special experience:  Pullman Dining.  The Man in Seat 61 says:  "If there is any better dining experience on any regular scheduled British train, I have yet to find it..."

Pullman Dining is available on Mondays-Fridays on a couple of trains between London & Plymouth, one of which starts in Penzance, see www.gwr.com/plan-journey/journey-information/on-board/pullman-dining for details. 

Pullman dining is something special, and a journey along the famous sea wall at Dawlish whilst enjoying what's perhaps the best (and one of the few remaining) restaurant car services in Britain is a truly wonderful experience.  First class passengers are offered places in the Pullman Dining area in the restaurant car when breakfast, lunch or dinner is called.  If seats remain available, standard class passengers may also use the Pullman Dining car.

The Cornishman arrived at London Paddington   Filet of beef, Pullman Dining

GWR intercity express train for Penzance.

 
Scallops, Pullman Dining  

Locally sourced seared scallops.

 

Filet of beef.  Larger photo

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Isles of Scilly

The Night Riviera sleeper train connects conveniently at Penzance with the ferry to the Scilly Isles, some 28 miles from the Cornish mainland.

London ► Isles of Scilly

Isles of Scilly ► London

Fares

How to buy tickets

Short breaks to the Isles of Scilly

Isles of Scilly tourist information

For Isles of Scilly tourist information see www.simplyscilly.co.uk.

The Scillonian II sails from Penzance to the Scilly Isles on fine September morning

The Scillonian III sails from Penzance one fine September morning, with St Michael's Mount in the background.  She was built in 1977, replacing the Scillonian II (1956) and the original Scillonian of 1926.  A commentary explains points of interest as the ferry rounds the Cornish coast.  There's a bar and a cafe serving full English breakfasts and other hot meals.

The bar on the ferry to the Scilly isles.   The ferry approaches St Mary's

Friendly & comfortable:  The bar on the Scillonian III.

 

Approaching St Mary's.

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The Eden Project

You can use the Night Riviera to make a time-effective visit to the famous Eden project near St Austell in Cornwall.  For information about the Eden Project including opening times, see their website, www.edenproject.com.

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  Land's End, Cornwall.

Land's End

Land's End

The railway only goes as far as Penzance, but buses will take you the final 10 miles to Land's End, where you'll find cliff top walks, a hotel, restaurant and bar, tourist shops and various exhibitions.


  The Night Riviera sleeper train from London to Cornwall at Paddington

Cornwall to Paris or Brussels

Dinner in Cornwall, lunch in Paris next day, no airports, no airlines, no flights!  Take the Night Riviera sleeper train from Cornwall to London, tube or taxi to St Pancras, then Eurostar to Paris or Brussels.

Cornwall ► Paris & Brussels

Paris & Brussels ► Cornwall

How much does it cost?

Sleeper from Cornwall to London from £98 return with a bed;  Eurostar from London to Paris or Brussels from £72 return.

How to buy tickets

You can't buy tickets online, but it's easy to buy tickets for the sleeper & Eurostar separately.

1.  Buy Night Riviera sleeper tickets by phone on 0845 678 6980.

2.  Buy your Eurostar ticket separately at www.eurostar.com

By all means take a later Eurostar southbound or an earlier Eurostar northbound, if these have cheaper seats available or if you'd like to stop off in London.

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Hotels in Cornwall or London

Find hotels at Booking.comMy favourite hotel search: www.booking.com

Booking.com is my favourite hotel booking site and I generally use it to book all my hotels in one place.  I've come to trust booking.com's review scores, you won't be disappointed with any hotel that scores 8.0 or more.  Crucially, booking.com usually lets you book with free cancellation, which means you can confirm accommodation risk-free before train booking opens and/or you can hold accommodation while you finalise your itinerary and alter your plans as they evolve - a feature I use all the time when planning a trip.  I never book hotels non-refundably!


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