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A starry sky at night, with a train track going into the distance

Sleeper trains and ferries

Flight-free made easy

All transport and accommodation included

Journeys you’ll love

Created by sustainable travel experts

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Top sleeper train breaks

  • Sleeper train to Sicily

    Turin, Chambery, Rome, Milan, Syracuse, Naples, Catania, Paris

    Ever seen a train board a boat? Under clear night skies, the Intercity Notte sleeper train glides across the Strait to Sicily so you can wake up to island life.

  • Harwich, Hoek and the Hague

    The Hague, Hoek van Holland

    Drift through the night in a private cabin on the overnight sailing from Harwich to Hoek van Holland, before heading to the Hague: all the charm of a Dutch city, with a sandy beach.

  • Along the Atlantic

    Bordeaux, Santander, San Sebastián

    Watch the sun rise as you dock into Santander on Spain’s north coast after a serene overnight sailing from Portsmouth.

  • Explore Cornwall

    St Ives, Falmouth, Penzance

    Soak up the Cornish coast by day along the scenic St Ives Bay line, and by night as you traverse along the Night Riviera, lulled by the sound of the sea.

  • Italian cities by sleeper train

    Turin, Chambery, Rome, Milan, Zürich

    Wake up to Rome. This trip will see you stopping off in Turin and Milan, with an overnight journey on the InterCityNotte sleeper train through Italy.

  • Sleeper to the Highlands

    Oban, Fort William, Glasgow

    By way of the Caledonian sleeper from London to Fort William, savour an overnight journey to the wild Highlands for Scottish exploration.

Palma, flight-free

The azure water of the Balearics is nearer than you think. After a leisurely journey through France to Catalonia, an overnight sailing will have you waking up to Mallorca.

See trip

How long does it take?

Here’s the minimum time you’ll need for a relaxed round trip starting from London. We do other departure stations, too!

Frequently asked questions about sleeper trains

What exactly is a sleeper train?

A sleeper train (or night train) is a train that combines travelling with a place to sleep. You’ll usually get on at night, after dinner and you will get off in the morning at your new destination.

There has been a renewed interest in sleeper trains as a sustainable and comfortable alternative to air travel for medium to long-distance journeys. Several countries, particularly in Europe, maintain and have even expanded their sleeper train networks to meet the demand for overnight travel with comfortable accommodation.

What room will Byway book for me?

We book standard private cabins on overnight journeys. Depending on availability, that may be a whole private couchette (which usually has four to six berths) or it will be a private 1-, 2-, or 3-berth cabin. On sleeper trains, we will book a cabin with shared toilet facilities, but if you’d like to upgrade to a cabin with a toilet and/or shower let us know in advance and we can check if this is available on your route and book it for the price of the upgrade.

Are sleeper trains/ferries included with Interrail or Eurail passes?

Most sleeper trains are covered by Interrail and Eurail passes, but require reservations at an additional cost. The price depends entirely on the train operator and for many sleeper trains that offer different cabin classes, the type of cabin you’re in will depend on the class of your Interrail or Eurail pass. For sleeper ferries, they are not usually included with your Interrail/Eurail pass, so these are booked separately.

More FAQs

Sleeper trains 101

Read more about sleeper trains

If you're curious about what to expect on an overnight train journey, read our in-depth article on sleeper trains.

Read more

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