There’s a certain romance attached to train travel, especially for longer journeys. While your regular two-hour hop from Manchester to London may not be the most luxurious experience in the world, travelling by rail still somehow holds that esteem.

Perhaps it’s the old-fashioned period dramas that have given us the idea of trains having private suites, an Art Deco dining car, and flowing Champagne, when in reality it’s a meal deal, a cramped seat, and some prison-like lighting.

Sleeper trains take that idea one step further, offering the chance to pass out for the night and wake up in a brand new city.

It’s a concept that has long captured the imagination, with films and TV often showing some glamorous depictions of a hotel on tracks. To the surprise of many, despite the UK’s smaller size, there are still two sleeper services in operation.

The Great Western Railway’s Night Riviera from London to Cornwall and the Caledonian Sleeper, which links London with Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William.

The latter runs five routes, Northbound and Southbound six nights a week. Highlander trips go between London and Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William, and Lowlander routes running between London, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

But while being rocked to sleep to the sound of the track may seem idyllic, the reality doesn’t always live up to expectation. One man who recently tested the Caledonian Sleeper admitted that the experience had plenty of charm, but was let down by one main thing.

Posting to his more than a million followers on TikTok, Phil Carr said: “Have you ever been so excited and then let down by something that it hurts you? The famous Caledonian sleeper was a case of never meet your heroes, but I think I was the problem.”

Boarding the train at London Euston and heading for Glasgow, Phil dropped off his bags in one of his private bunk bed suites, complete with an en-suite and shower.

He tucked into some food and a few beers before heading back to his room to hopefully wake up in Glasgow. But in reality, he was in for “six hours of hell”.

Phil said: “The canings are clever with lights, storage, chargers, etc, but they are very tight if you’re travelling with someone, yes, you’ll split the cost, but you can’t have any secrets.”

The overnight journey is designed to feel like a hotel stay, giving you an extra day when you arrive in the morning in Scotland or London. But for Phil, that didn’t quite hit the mark.

He added: “It’s not for me. The train is not that fast and really bounces around. Why aren’t we on a 7-foot gauge? You sleep sideways to the direction of travel, which made me feel quite queasy as I rolled around in the night, so I barely slept.”

Prices from the train vary. A single seat costs only around £60 to £80, while for a shared suite you’ll pay around double this amount.