Platform 1 at Paddington Station isn't where I'd normally be at 11pm on a Monday night, but I'm here for a good reason. I'm about to take the Great Western Railway's Night Riviera Sleeper from London to Penzance in Cornwall, at the tip of Britain's south-west peninsula.
I have been visiting Cornwall since I could not walk. I have taken the regular train, the bus and the chaos of the summer traffic jam by car more times than I can count.
But I never thought about it take a sleeper train as an option so far. Turns out this was a big mistake.
A beautiful sunrise and excellent service
I'm early, so I grab a complimentary drink and some snacks in the luxurious GWR first class lounge. After a while someone comes in to tell us that the train is ready to board.
I take a few photos of the train, the crew tick my name off a list and I'm led to one of the 57 cabins on board. There's a quick tour of my accommodation for the night. I'm shown the call button to summon a member of staff at any time for more drinks and snacks en route.
The way I am traveling alone the second bunk bed in my cabin has already been converted into a single bed.
There are plenty of charging points, a light, a window to watch the city slip away and although there is no en suite bathroom there is a sink under a desk. There are no showers on board but you can book one for the morning in the first class lounge at Penzance.
The crew are incredibly helpful and take individual times and orders for breakfast from each cabin. The choice ranges from a bacon sandwich to sweet rolls and of course coffee, tea and orange juice.
Further down the corridor I hear them arranging for a passenger to have his breakfast in the lounge car early the next morning. He wants to be awake in time to see us drive over Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Royal Albert Bridge in Plymouth. The crew thinks of the right moment to wake him up and does so.
A surprisingly good night's sleep
Finally, at 11.45pm sharp, we drive out of Paddington, taking our first steps towards the southwestern tip of the UK. As darkness engulfs the bleak industrial landscape of London's suburbs, I take this as an opportunity to explore the lounge car - for the exclusive use of sleeping passengers I get something to drink, but it's the busiest place I've seen all evening, so I head back to my cabin.
The bunk bed is a bit narrow but comfortable: there are no thin blankets or flimsy pillows and the mattress is soft. I sleep surprisingly well, rocked by the gentle movement of the train.
Travelling in June means I wake up at 5am to the sunrise - just as the train passes through Dawlish in Devon. This section of the line is famous for running right next to the sea and I am treated to some incredible views of the Channel as we make our way to Penzance.
Sitting in the lounge car drinking coffee as we continue our journey Devon to Cornwall is a great way to wake up. We pull into Penzance, greeted by the view of St Michael's Mount, at 7.50am. Much better than a six hour drive or trying to catch an internal flight to the south west coast.
How do I book a ticket for the Riviera Sleeper?
The Riviera Sleeper is one of two remaining sleeper trains on the UK national rail network. The other is the caledonian sleeper. It was first established in 1983 and has been around in one form or another ever since. The cabins and lounge car benefited from a refurbishment just before the pandemic, making them feel clean and modern.
The train runs from London to Penzance six days a week. The journey time is 8 hours and 5 minutes on weekdays and 8 hours and 59 minutes on Sundays.
Booking a ticket can be tricky: you need a regular travel ticket and a sleeping car surcharge to enjoy it to the fullest.
The price of both tickets varies depending on the day of the week and time of year. In total, the two tickets cost from £125.40 (€148) one way or £228.40 (€269) return in a single bed or from £114.90 (€136) one way or £207.40 (€245) return per person for two people sharing a cabin.
In addition to the sleeping car, there are regular train cars with standard seats. Here you sleep, sitting, if you do not have the booking completely correct. These tickets are much cheaper but it is certainly worth spending a little extra money to have the rare British sleeper train experience.
Finally, with experts in sustainable travel Byway Book the sleeper train and my two night stay at the Beach Club hotel in Penzance took the stress out of trying to figure out the ticket website. I used their online booking platform to choose exactly what I wanted, then everything was done for me and emailed to me.
Is it difficult to explore Cornwall without a car?
One of the most frequently asked questions I get about travelling to Cornwall by train is how best to get around and see the sights.
Penzance itself has some great attractions, including the nearby St Michael's Mount and the Jubilee Pool. This seawater lido has an area heated to a glorious 30°C+ by hot water extracted from a 410m deep geothermal well - the first of its kind in the UK.
Penzance is also a great hub for onward travel by ferry, bus or train to several popular spots in Cornwall including St Ives and Sennen Cove or even the Isles of Scilly.
Bus timetables are sometimes more of a suggestion, but I highly recommend the route that goes around the very tip of the country.
For £7 (€8.27) a day, the Land's End Coaster takes you on a scenic journey over cliffs, through bays, through old tin mines and around Zennor Head to St Ives.
If it's a rare British day without rain (or you're feeling brave with a heavy coat) then the best seats are on the open top deck. Hop off at any time and hop back on to complete the loop back to Penzance.
Another option that I think is great, if you are able to, is to embrace the pace of slow travel and just walking. After dropping my bags off with the wonderful hotel staff at The Beach Club while they prepare my room, I make the 5km trek to Mousehole for a late breakfast.
As I eat pancakes and drink coffee, I watch tourists struggle to park and squeeze through the narrow streets of the fishing village. I'm reminded once again why a car isn't always the best way to experience all that Cornwall has to offer. And I think the sleeper train is my new favourite way to avoid it.
The writer was a guest of Byway on the Night Riviera Sleeper from London to Penzance.
