Review: Night Riviera Sleeper Train London to Penzance, Cornwall

This review details my travel experience on the ‘Night Riviera’ sleeper train, operated by Great Western Railway (GWR), from London to Penzance in Cornwall.

On the night train to Cornwall

After a short afternoon stay in London, where I mainly enjoyed a couple of beers in some pubs in the Tyburnia neighbourhood, I headed to Paddington Station to continue my journey across England.

I was booked on the Night Riviera sleeper train, an overnight service connecting London with important cities and towns in Devon and Cornwall, such as Plymouth, Truro, and Penzance, the train’s final stop.

The Night Riviera sleeper train is operated by Great Western Railway (GWR) and runs every day of the week in both directions, except on Saturdays when it doesn’t run at all.

As you travel overnight in the comfort of your own sleeping compartment, the Night Riviera is a highly convenient way to get from London to your destination in Cornwall, or vice versa.

Instead of spending half a day on a daytime train, you can simply board the sleeper train in the evening after a day of sightseeing in London, and after a good night’s sleep, you wake up fully rested in Cornwall the next morning.

As I heard great things about the Night Riviera from others, I was curious and excited to finally have the chance to experience this train myself.

I’ll jump straight to my experience on board the Night Riviera – if you want to find out how you can book this sleeper train, you can find all the information and ticketing intricacies towards the end of this review.

London Paddington station and the GWR Lounge

My trip on the Night Riviera sleeper train to Penzance started at Paddington station, which in my opinion is the most beautiful of all the railway stations in London.

At this stunning railway station, designed by the great British civil engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, you have a wide choice of shops to stock up on supplies for your train journey, as well as several bars and (fast food) restaurants.

If you are booked in a sleeper compartment on the Night Riviera, your ticket allows you access to the GWR First Class Lounge before departure, as well as on arrival at your destination.

However, not all stations which are served by the Night Riviera sleeper train feature a lounge.

At the moment, you can find a GWR First Class Lounge at London Paddington, Truro, and Penzance.

Don’t have too high expectations of these train station lounges, as they pale in comparison to your average airport business lounge.

However, you can expect seating in quiet surroundings, as well as complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks, and snacks.

The best feature of the GWR First Class Lounges are the shower rooms, which make for a great place to freshen up before your train journey, or after arrival at your destination to get ready for your day ahead.

Read my review of the GWR First Class Lounge at London Paddington station to learn more about all the facilities you can find there, including the old Royal Waiting Room of Queen Victoria which has been incorporated into this lounge!

Boarding the Night Riviera sleeper train

The Night Riviera sleeper train currently departs London Paddington at 23:45 on weekdays and 23:50 on Sundays.

If you want, you can already board the Night Riviera at 22:30, allowing you to get comfortable in your own sleeper compartment, or to relax in the lounge car of the train.

This is especially useful if you plan to go straight to sleep, as it allows you to maximise your sleeping time.

Of course, it’s also perfectly fine to arrive at the station just minutes before departure, as there is no formal boarding process other than walking to your assigned carriage and stepping on board the train.

The Night Riviera sleeper train usually departs from platform 1 of London Paddington station, a convenient location given that the GWR First Class Lounge is on the same platform.

At 10pm, the Night Riviera was shunted into the station, although the doors remained closed until 22:30, when boarding did indeed start.

I took the time to take some pictures of the Night Riviera with its dark green Great Western Railway livery, which formed a stunning contrast with the beautifully lit Paddington train shed, before boarding the sleeper train.

Travel classes

The Night Riviera sleeper train offers two classes: Standard second class seats and two-berth sleeping compartments, which GWR refers to as ‘cabins’.

(It being a nautical term, ‘cabin’ isn’t the right word to use in the context of trains, so to be pedantic I will use the correct term of ‘compartment’ instead.)

There are also accessible compartments on the train, as well as a wheelchair space in the seating carriage.

Although second class seats are perfectly fine for daytime journeys or shorter nighttime trips, I wouldn’t recommend them for longer distances, as travelling from London to Cornwall in such a seat will likely leave you exhausted after a sleepless night.

Travelling in a sleeper compartment therefore really is the way to go, as you can have a good night’s sleep and will arrive fully rested at your destination.

When travelling as a couple, you will automatically be allocated two berths in the same cabin.

If you are a solo traveller, you will automatically be assigned an entire compartment for single occupancy, with the second (upper) berth folded away.

On board the Night Riviera sleeper train

When I stepped on board the Night Riviera train, I was impressed by its modern and homely appearance.

My compartment was fully carpeted and had a properly sized bed, which was easily large enough for me to sleep in, being 1.86 metres (6.1 feet) tall.

The bedding itself felt fresh, snug, and comfortable, and next to each berth, there is also an individual reading lamp.

Each compartment features a handy countertop that, when opened, reveals a washbasin.

Towels, a bar of soap, and two complimentary bottles of water were also provided in my compartment.

Next to the compartment door, you’ll find a narrow closet where you can hang your jacket and clothes.

The compartments are also equipped with power sockets, and free Wi-Fi internet is available on the train as well.

After settling into my sleeper compartment, the lovely carriage attendant June came by to check my ticket and take breakfast orders.

She asked if it was my first time aboard the Night Riviera, and when I acknowledged that, she kindly explained all the features of my compartment, including the key card and locking system of the door.

With the key card, you can lock your compartment both from the inside and outside, ensuring your valuables are safe in your cabin whether you’re sleeping or visiting the lounge car on the train.

Toilets

The Night Riviera sleeper train does not have en-suite compartments, so you need to use the shared toilets located at the far end of each carriage.

The fully accessible toilet was spacious and kept spotlessly clean throughout the entire journey.

Lounge car

The GWR Night Riviera train to Cornwall features a special lounge car accessible only to passengers who have booked a sleeper compartment.

This lounge car, which is open throughout the entire night, features a bar and a diverse array of seating, including barstools, a couch arranged along the length of the train, bays of four, as well as tables for two.

Seats in the lounge car are unreserved and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Coffee, tea, and some basic snacks are complimentary for sleeper class passengers, while other drinks – including alcohol – have to be paid for.

At the other end of the lounge car is another buffet counter exclusively accessible to passengers in standard seats, where they can purchase drinks or snacks to take back to their 2nd class seating carriage.

London to Penzance
Night Riviera sleeper train – Departure: 11.45pm – Arrival: 7.54am
Duration: 8h09m – Distance: 490 kilometres

Departure

Right after the Night Riviera train departed from London Paddington station on its 490-kilometre-long (304-mile-long) route to Penzance in Cornwall, I headed to the lounge car for a small nightcap.

I ordered a Tribute Pale Ale from St Austell Brewery, which seemed fitting as our train would halt at the Cornish town of St Austell en route from London to Penzance.

Just like his GWR colleague June in the Night Riviera sleeper car, lounge car attendant Neil also provided outstanding service.

He constantly cracked jokes with the passengers, setting the perfect mood for the lounge car at this late hour.

Although I contemplated ordering another beer or perhaps something stronger as I really enjoyed the lounge car ambiance, I ultimately decided it would be better to maximize my sleep, so I retreated to my compartment soon after.

Time to sleep

By the time I returned to my compartment, we were approaching the city of Reading.

Although it had been a surprisingly warm day in England, the temperature in my air-conditioned compartment was perfectly fine.

I snuggled underneath the comfortable blankets and fell asleep almost instantly.

Morning in Cornwall

When I woke up in the early morning around 6.40, the Night Riviera sleeper train had already made its way from London to Cornwall, and we were just rolling into the station at Par.

During the night, we passed through cities in Devon such as Exeter and Plymouth.

However, since the Night Riviera stops at these stations in the middle of the night, I personally wouldn’t choose this sleeper train to travel from London to Devon, as the timings are only optimal for travel to Cornwall.

At Par, you can change trains to reach Newquay, one of Cornwall’s most renowned beach destinations.

While we continued our journey from Par to the next stop at St Austell, I freshened up at the washbasin in my compartment to get ready for the day ahead.

St Austell, well-known for the Eden Project – a tourist attraction featuring large biodomes showcasing diverse plant species – is another important stop in Cornwall for the Night Riviera.

Breakfast

A light breakfast is included in the fare for passengers traveling in a sleeper on the Night Riviera and is served in your compartment.

During our stop at St Austell, sleeping car attendant June knocked on my door to deliver breakfast, exactly at the time I had specified the evening before.

From a small menu, I had pre-selected a bacon sandwich and some tea.

The bacon bap was tasty, and I enjoyed drinking my cup of tea while watching the Cornish scenery pass by.

Cornish countryside and towns

The ride through Cornwall was highly pleasant, and from my compartment on the Night Riviera sleeper train I enjoyed some pretty views over the countryside and small villages and towns.

At multiple points, the railway line runs across viaducts or high in the hills, which allows for some sweeping views from the window.

This is especially true as you approach the cathedral city of Truro, where the railway line runs across a stone viaduct some 26 metres (86 ft) above town.

From this viaduct, which at 405 metres (1,329 ft) is the longest in Cornwall, you have some excellent views over Truro and its impressive cathedral.

When travelling from London to Penzance, these views over Truro can be enjoyed from the left-hand side in the direction of travel.

At the station of Truro, you can change trains to reach Falmouth, another beloved Cornish seaside destination.

Travel souvenirs

From the carriages of the Night Riviera Sleeper Train, you can truly enjoy the beautiful scenery of the countryside, as well as small villages and towns.

To treasure the memory of this trip forever, you might consider making exclusive custom keyrings from your own travel memories.

For example, you can customise the railway scenery along the way to Cornwall, piece by piece: It could be the majestic outline of the viaduct, or the silhouette of Truro Cathedral at sunset, both of which will remind you of your wonderful British train journey and the destinations you visited in the UK.

Such a keyring not only holds the beautiful moments of the trip but also becomes a warm connection between your past travels and daily life.

Sea view

After our stop in Truro, we continued towards Penzance, stopping en route at the stations of Redruth, Camborne, and Hayle.

The Night Riviera also calls at St Erth, where you need to disembark and change trains if you want to reach St Ives, one of Cornwall’s most picturesque seaside towns.

St Erth is the penultimate station on the Night Riviera’s route from London to Penzance, and at this point, the coastline isn’t far away.

A few minutes before the Night Riviera sleeper train reaches its final destination of Penzance, the first glimpses of the sea appear on your left-hand side.

You can also see the famous tidal island of St Michael’s Mount with its castle, connected to the mainland by a causeway that floods during high tide.

Arrival in Penzance

During its final miles to Penzance, the Night Riviera sleeper train travels along a railway line built on the sea wall, offering more splendid sea views.

The Night Riviera sleeper train eventually rolled into Penzance’s terminus station right on time, having completed our 8-hour-long overnight journey from London.

Don’t let the essentials weigh you down when you embark on a journey on the enchanting Night Riviera sleeper train. Custom Lanyards UK is a stylish and practical solution. Design a simple lanyard inspired by the iconic sights of your destination in soft, elegant colours. You can also add your name or a short travel quote onto them. These lanyards attach securely to your phone or camera.

Whether you’re capturing stunning sea views from your window or exploring the charming town of Penzance upon arrival, this lanyard keeps your device within reach in style. It’s an understated yet essential travel companion, tailor-made for your unique adventure.

Penzance station

Despite Penzance being the westernmost major town in Cornwall, its station isn’t the westernmost in Great Britain, contrary to popular belief!

Indeed, the westernmost station in Great Britain is not located in Cornwall but in Scotland, with Arisaig holding this distinction.

Penzance station features a Great Western Railway (GWR) First Class Lounge where sleeper passengers can use facilities such as showers and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea.

A short distance walking away from Penzance station is the port, where you can catch a ferry to the Isles of Scilly.

You can book a combined rail and sail package through GWR that includes the Night Riviera sleeper train and the ferry from Penzance to Hugh Town on St Mary’s, the largest island of the Isles of Scilly.

The morning arrival in Penzance coincides perfectly with the ferry departure, making the Night Riviera the ideal choice for reaching the Isles of Scilly from London.

Although I considered visiting the Isles of Scilly, the exorbitant high summer accommodation prices quickly led me to decide to stay in Penzance instead.

Booking the Night Riviera sleeper train

You can buy tickets for the Night Riviera sleeper train at the station from staffed ticket offices and machines, although it’s advisable to book them online in advance on the GWR website.

This is especially important if you want to secure a sleeper compartment, as these often sell out in advance, particularly on weekends (the Friday and Sunday services) and during school holidays.

For a standard seat on this night train, you just need to buy a normal travel ticket, just like you would for any daytime train.

You can simply buy whichever second class ticket suits you best, whether it’s an affordable saver fare or a fully flexible ticket that can be changed or refunded for free.

The earlier you book your ticket, the more likely you are to find cheaper ‘advance’ saver fares.

Any available discounts, such as those for railcard holders or special child fares for children traveling with you, can be applied to the ticket.

If you want to travel in a sleeper compartment, you need to buy a travel ticket and pay a cabin supplement.

Each compartment sleeps a maximum of two people: If you travel alone, you will automatically be given a cabin for single (private) use, while if you travel with someone else, you will share the compartment with the two of you.

You can only add a sleeper compartment to your booking if you select a ‘super-off peak’, ‘off-peak’, or ‘anytime day’ fare, as ‘advance’ fares cannot be combined with a cabin.

When booking online, you can clearly see which fares can be combined with a compartment, as these fares feature the words “cabin options” above the price.

If you select one of these fares, you can add a cabin to your reservation in the next step of the booking process.

The cost of the cabin supplement depends on demand and season, with prices being higher on crowded trains during the peak summer season than in the middle of the week in winter.

The lowest available cabin supplement will automatically be applied to your reservation during the booking process.

If you want to book a wheelchair space in the seating car of the Night Riviera or an accessible cabin in the sleeper car, you have to call the GWR Passenger Assist and Accessibility team at +44 800 197 1329.