A Train to the (sub-)Tropics

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England’s Night Rivera Train


Hi All (two of you actually reading this (Hi mum and dad!)) 

Sorry for going AWOL on you for a while. Life got a little crazy and with new lockdowns being announced in London in December I had to scrap and rearrange several travel plans I had in the works. Now that everything is easing up a bit hopefully I’ll actually have some stuff worth writing about. And I’ve now submitted most of my coursework for uni, just have to do my dissertation it’s fiiiinnnneeee

(credit  KC Green)

Due to all the aforementioned life events the second it seemed that the second the UK would actually begin reopening in April I booked myself on the first train to the Scilly Isles. A full write-up of that will be coming soon. 


The London Paddington to Penzance Night Riviera train is one of two sleepers trains in the UK. Personally, I feel that the cabins are a reasonable price from what you get, but if you’re on a budget you may want to consider sleeping in a chair. (If they would introduce a couchette system I, and my wallet, would appreciate that greatly, please and thank you).

Paddington is a well-appointed station easily accessible by the Bakerloo and Circle tube lines, as well as national rail if you are coming from further afield. It's also a good place to pick up a picnic or beach reading if you forgot to pack it. Pleasingly you can say “Hi” to Paddington on the platform before getting on the train (marmalade sandwiches not provided).



Hi Paddington 

The staff are all lovely and incredibly helpful, and were all very good at sticking to the Covid safety measures in place. Due to it being a relatively new service the trains are all new and very well appointed. I didn’t get the chance to try out the bar and dining cart but it did look very nice with a lot of room to hang out in as I walked through after checking in. However given the trains run for only about 6 hours in either direction I’d rather spend that time sleeping anyway.

Each cabin sleeps a maximum of two, with a second bed that folds down from the wall (and can have interconnecting doors if you’re travelling as a family). Inside it has everything you need to have a comfortable night’s sleep, complete with a sink, plenty of plugs and small space to hang your clothes. If you’re travelling with lots of luggage you may struggle to move around (the corridor is also extremely narrow). I did notice that some people left their suitcases at the end of the cars. As it is I think there would be a certain degree of choreography required for two people to get changed in the cabin. 




There are no showers on the trains themselves but the lounge in Penzance does have some very nice showers that you can use while waiting for the Scallion ferry. Breakfast and dinner is included in the cost of the ticket (as well as free nibbles and a shower at Penzance).
If you were so include you could also grab breakfast from a cafe in Penzance, but due to covid restrictions most were not open when I was traveling


My only small gripe about travelling on the Night Riviera service is that they’ve got these very luxurious satiny bed sheets. Luxurious and slidey, so you are suddenly intimately aware of the corner you go round at about 4am.  Whoever made that decision should be fired for stupidity.
If you’re a light sleeper you may also want to pack earplugs, but personally, I like the sound of the train chugging along in the background.



Ultimately there is something deeply calming to me from the gentle rocking of the train lulling me to sleep in London to then wake up to the golden glow of the sun over the marina with St Micheal’s Mount to rising up out of the waves visible to the east of us. Or curling up in bed after a day taking in the sea air knowing that I’ll be bright eyed and bushy tailed in work on time the next morning. 


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