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The boss of the iconic Caledonian Sleeper has hinted at the possible next stops as the train begins journeys from Birmingham.

Last week the Sleeper called at Birmingham International, collecting passengers from Birmingham at 10.44pm on Thurdsay and transporting them to Scotland for the first time.

As the first sleeper service linking Birmingham to Scotland in three decades, it marked a significant milestone for Caledonian Sleeper. Prior to the service's launch, Managing Director Graham Kelly told the Express that additional stops were under consideration, though nothing had been finalised and talks remained at an early stage.

When questioned about whether the Sleeper might call at Manchester - the biggest city on the west coast currently bypassed by the train and situated directly on the London Euston to West Scotland line - he stated: "We need to look at that from a 'number of coaches' point of view. Manchester is an interesting option." According to Mr Kelly, the primary obstacle regarding Manchester's inclusion centres on scheduling complexities.

"It comes down to timings. Can you land a timing that works? From a timing perspective, would consumers board at that time? It's something we'd need to look at. I'd expect (the stop in Manchester) would be around 1am (going North) and maybe 4.30am coming down the other way."

Regarding further potential destinations, Mr Kelly indicated that Scottish locations were most probable. "Do we look to expand with any other destinations in Scotland? It's very much in the early thoughts and planning stage and not something we're far enough down the line with. It's very much in our thoughts for the 2026/27 rail year, for 2030 onwards."

At present, Manchester has no sleeper train services departing from or arriving at the city. Should the Caledonian Sleeper extend its route to include Manchester, it would provide an excellent overnight alternative for passengers heading to Scotland or London.

During Thursday evening's Birmingham service, travellers were treated to an authentic Scottish display by Lorne MacDougall, the celebrated bagpiper hailing from Kintyre, Scotland. Among the inaugural passengers was well-known railway enthusiast Francis Bourgeois, who was making his way to Inverness.

"It is the culmination of a huge amount of work and effort of the team at Sleeper, and across the industry," Mr Kelly continued. Birmingham has been incorporated into the current timetable as an additional stop, with no extra carriages required.

"The UK rail network is a busy place. There's been a huge amount of work done on train paths, where trains go and when," Mr Kelly said when discussing the complexities of introducing a fresh stopping point. "It's not as easy as saying 'I'm going a different way tonight'. Both at night and in the morning, we've had to work with Network Rail to retime services, to allow us to have this path going through Birmingham International each day."

According to Mr Kelly, the Sleeper generates seven times less CO2 than comparable car and aviation routes. Throughout 2025, the rail service operated at 90% capacity. It is anticipated that the new Birmingham stop will push that figure nearer to 100%.

Regarding ticket prices, Mr Kelly stated there were "no plans for an increase".

On the challenging subject of the Sleeper's seat option, which requires passengers to sit upright in a non-reclining seat for the entire journey, Mr Kelly explained that UK rail standards prevented the use of reclining seats, though cabin lighting had recently been reduced following customer feedback.