Airline-style train seats that convert into a bed can't come soon enough – Scotsman comment

Trying to sleep in an ordinary train carriage is a singular challenge

Trying to sleep in an ordinary train carriage is a challenge for many people (Picture: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

For anyone who’s ever had the misfortune of making a long, overnight train journey in an ordinary carriage – the listless, endless hours of trying but failing to find a comfortable position to catch some semblance of sleep, then seemingly drifting off just minutes before your alarm signals the imminent arrival at your destination – this news will come as mana from heaven.

Plans are being developed to create airline-style seats that can be transformed into a bed you can actually lie down on. The Future Travel Studio expects to have a prototype of its “DreamSuite” seating ready by September next year, after getting funding from the UK Government.

This would enable people to get some sleep without buying a pricey cabin ticket, while also reducing the costs for the train company, so it sounds like a win-win. The Caledonian Sleeper did previously look at a similar idea only to shelve it on safety grounds, but there surely must be a way to make it work. It’s an innovation that legions of weary train travellers have long been waiting for.