By Rachel Fergusson

Copyright scotsman

Scotland’s Caledonian Sleeper train has announced a new service linking the Scottish Highlands to Birmingham in a major shake-up of the train operator’s timetable. The new service will connect Birmingham directly with Aberdeen, Fort William, and Inverness. The iconic overnight sleeper train is a key north south link, transporting passengers between Inverness, Aberdeen, Fort William, Glasgow, Edinburgh and London Euston. From January 15, Birmingham International station will feature as a calling point on the north and southbound services – linking the West Midlands to the Scottish Highlands for the first time. The operator said the change marked the “most significant” change to its services in over three decades. The first departure from Birmingham is scheduled for the evening of January 15 and will run six days a week, with no services running on a Saturday evening. The West Midlands has been historically underserved by transport options, and the new service aims to boost economic links with Scotland by encouraging travel for both business and tourism. Graham Kelly, Interim Managing Director at Caledonian Sleeper, said: “This historic timetable update marks a significant milestone in our mission to further boost sustainable cross border travel options. “Birmingham is the latest city set to benefit from our high-quality overnight train service as residents will be able to drift off in the West Midlands in their own private room and wake up to beautiful views of the Scottish Highlands. Similarly, we believe our new route will be incredibly popular with leisure tourists from Scotland given the wide range of sights and attractions in Birmingham and across the West Midlands to be discovered. Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “From next year, the region will welcome a legend of the railway – the Caledonian Sleeper. “This iconic service means people from across the West Midlands will soon be able to travel comfortably and sustainably to discover the stunning beauty of northern Scotland. “But this also means our Scottish friends can come and explore the wonderful West Midlands. That’s a win-win for our tourism and hospitality businesses on both sides of the border.” The Caledonian Sleeper was nationalised by the Scottish Government in 2023 after the decision to end the previous operator Serco’s contract, which was meant to run until 2030, seven years early. The sleeper service has been operating since 1873 and has been hailed as one of Lonely Planet’s ‘Super Sleeper Trains’.