Night Riviera Train from London to Cornwall

One of the few sleeper trains in the United Kingdom, this service runs from London Paddington station to Penzance in Cornwall.

The London–Cornwall service leaves Paddington at nearly midnight, and pulls into Penzance around eight hours later. With the drive taking around six hours and domestic flights to nearby Newquay adding the hassle of check-in and security, the train is the best way to reach Cornwall.

If you are on a budget, book a standard seat. For improved comfort, splash out $54 extra on a sleeper cabin, so you can get a proper night’s sleep as you rumble through the English countryside. The train, run by Great Western Railways, offers all of the facilities you would expect, with charging sockets in every cabin and a hotel-style card keys for security.

Cabins were refurbished in 2018, so things still have that nice new feel. It’s well worth getting a cabin so you arrive refreshed and ready to explore Penzance, within striking distance of Land’s End and the famous surfing beaches of Cornwall.

You can also visit St Michael’s Mount and its castle, only accessible at low tide, and head down the coast to Prussia Cove for some great hiking before hopping on the train back to London.