An historic overnight rail service will begin calling in the West Midlands next year.
Birmingham International station in Solihull has been added to the Caledonian Sleeper route on the West Coast Main Line, connecting the region up directly with the Scottish Highlands.
The operator calls it "the most significant timetable change in over three decades" and hopes it will strengthen tourism, business and economic ties between the regions.
The service from Birmingham International will commence on the evening of January 15 and travel to Aberdeen, Fort William and Inverness.
This initiative is part of Caledonian Sleeper's broader strategy to adapt and grow in response to market needs.
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The Caledonian Sleeper service is an overnight train journey between Scotland and London Euston which is operated by Scottish Rail, a company owned by the Scottish Government.
It runs five different routes six nights a week, travelling in both northbound and southbound directions, encompassing more than 40 stations across the quintet of journeys.
They typically commence at around 9pm and take up to 12 hours, with Birmingham International featuring on both northbound and southbound services, offering a non-stop journey between the station and London Euston.
An overnight service has been running on the West Coast Main Line since the 1870s.
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."
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker added: "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."
Becky Frall, head of tourism at the West Midlands Growth Company, added: "The launch of the Caledonian Sleeper to Birmingham offers another great rail option to the city and the wider region, opening the door for more people north of the border and along its route to take a cultural break bookended by ease of travelling in comfort by train."
