UK’s fanciest train journey that’s one of the ‘best in the world’ has champagne service, musicians and six-course dinner
ONE of the UK’s poshest train trips lets passengers enjoy champagne and six course dinners – if you can get a ticket.
The Northern Belle imitates the luxury of the 1930s while travelling through the UK countryside.
Onboard are seven carriages, each named after a British castle or stately home.
Dubbed “Britain’s Most Luxurious Train” on the website, new for 2024 is a champagne reception, along with caviar and blinis, Fortnum and Mason tea as well as a cheeseboard with port.
It travels around the UK, with departures including London Victoria, Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool among others.
Sadly you won’t be able to spend the night on the train, although some trips include an overnight stay at a nearby hotel.
It was even named as one of the “the best train trips in the world” last year by Condé Nast Traveller magazine – the second year in a row.
They said: “The meal services are exquisite, offering fine dining crafted mostly from UK suppliers so you can enjoy classic British fare as the heaths, meadows and dales roll on by.”
One of the most popular train journeys is the Settle & Carlisle Steam Special, which featured on the Channel 5 programme “World’s most scenic railway journeys”.
Passengers get a mimosa cocktail, a three-course brunch, champagne reception and canapes, a six course dinner, tea and coffee and a bottle of wine onboard.
Starting from £495, tickets have already sold out for April, with a few dates in June and August still available.
Want something more affordable? There is also a Champagne Afternoon tea experience.
This includes round trip train travel, full afternoon tea including champagne, tea and port, as well as onboard entertainment including magicians and musicians.
Tickets start from £295 but again have sold out for a number of dates this year already.
Another fancy train journey in the UK is the four-night Welsh Dragon holiday, run by Steam Dreams Rail Co.
Travelling from London Paddington through Wales, there is an onboard bar as well as a dining car with a specially made menu.
Starting from £995pp, the steam train trip is set to run this September.
The Royal Scotsman in Scotland has also been named one of the best train journeys in the world.
The luxury train has a dedicated spa carriage, an observation car, and fine dining onboard.
Another world-famous train journey is the Caledonian Sleeper which links London to the Scottish Highlands.
Passengers can even pay extra for cabins with ensuites or to have breakfast in bed.
Otherwise here are the four best train journeys in the world, revealed by the Sun Travel team.
Three scenic train journeys you can take in the UK
Cornish Coast – One trip that rail enthusiasts seem to love is along a stretch of the Cornish coast and takes just 10 minutes to complete.
The route from St Erth to St Ives only stops at Carbis Bay en route to its final destination, but the views out the window for the whole journey are pretty spectacular.
Another highlight of the journey is that St Ives station is situated right next to Porthminster beach, meaning the sand and sea can be accessed almost immediately.
Meanwhile, the station is less than a ten minute walk into town, where the harbour, shops, galleries and pubs can be explored.
Durham to Edinburgh – Another train route that people in the UK love is the East Coast train line between Durham and Edinburgh, with coastal views and city landscapes among the sights that can be seen out the window.
Newcastle, Berwick, Lindisfarne and Durham Cathedral are all among the highlights on that route.
Scotland’s West Highland Line – While Scotland is home to plenty of famous landmarks and top attractions, it also has one of the most breathtaking train routes in the world.
Scotland’s West Highland Line has previously been dubbed the best rail journey in the world by Wanderlust – and it’s easy to see why.
The journey from Glasgow to Fort William is one of my favourite train routes – and I’ve interrailed through mainland Europe.
With mountain landscapes, serene lochs, wistful moors, and wildlife all visible through the train window, it’s certainly a route all holidaymakers should consider doing at least once.