‘Game-changing’ train seat that can be converted into lie-flat bed unveiled

A train seat that can be converted into a lie-flat bed has been unveiled in a bid to transform rail travel.

Designers of the DreamSuite said it could boost comfort for budget passengers on overnight sleeper services and long-distance daytime journeys.

The seat is being developed by consultancy Future Travel Studio, which received £275,000 of funding from the Department for Transport and innovation agency Innovate UK last year.

A prototype was revealed at the Derby factory of train manufacturer Alstom on Thursday.

The UK’s two overnight sleeper train services connect London with Scotland and the South West.

They both feature a combination of private cabins beds – which are sold at a premium price – and regular train seats, which many passengers select to save money but find difficult to sleep on.

Future Travel Studio said DreamSuite had been created as a “middle-ground option”.

It claimed this could offer 60% more capacity than sleeper cabins – meaning savings could be passed on to passengers – and be more comfortable than conventional seating.

The seat can be converted from an upright position to a flat bed with a length of six feet and two inches using a mechanical system.

It features a privacy screen – enabling flexibility for solo travellers and couples – and space to hang clothes and store bags.

It has been designed to meet UK rail safety standards, and could be fitted to existing carriages.

Designer Nik Lusardi, whose previous roles include creating Virgin Atlantic’s first-class seats between 2004 and 2016, told the PA news agency: “What we’ve been trying to do is democratise this kind of product on rails.

“We want to make this attainable for everybody, not just business passengers and people who’ve got deep pockets.”

He said DreamSuite was a “game change” as his experience of UK trains was that the seats are “all a bit hard, they get uncomfortable after about half-an-hour”.

He added: “We are very passionate about sustainability.

“We think there’s a bit of a tsunami coming around this kind of product.

“People are gravitating more towards train. This product makes train travel a more compelling argument.”

Alstom managing director for the UK and Ireland Nick Crossfield said: “By integrating advanced, flexible seating options into existing rolling stock, we’re helping to unlock new opportunities for both daytime and night-time rail services while supporting the industry’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

“DreamSuite truly is a game-changer.”

Future Travel Studio said it hoped to launch a pilot programme for DreamSuite, paving the way for commercial use.

Mark Smith said it is a “product that people are familiar with” from business class air travel, which is “perceived as upmarket”.

But he expressed concern at the potential downgrade in security compared with a lockable sleeper cabin.

Mark Smith, founder of international train travel website Seat61.com, said there is potential for the design to be deployed in continental Europe but it’s unlikely to be used in the UK.

“I don’t think it will happen in the UK,” he said.

“Although there’s growing demand for sleepers, and although the Caledonian Sleeper runs fully booked (between London and Scotland) almost every night, they are maxed out for 16 vehicles, they can’t add extra cars to their trains.

“Would they bother fitting these in place of their existing seats?

“I think that would be nice, but I don’t think they’ll think that’s worthwhile.”