One of the world's poshest trains is coming to South Wales in December - and you could be onboard dining out in luxury.
The 1930s Pullman-style Northern Belle – once part of the iconic Orient Express group – is set to run trips from Swansea and Cardiff on Friday, December 13.
Champagne-sipping passengers lucky enough to secure a ticket will enjoy a seven-course Christmas lunch during their journey as the vintage diesel locomotive travels through the wintry UK countryside.
The train’s own resident musicians will entertain passengers during the journey, while an extra touch of magic is added by a conjurer who gets up to his tricks as he strolls through the carriages.
“We like to think the Northern Belle harks back to the golden days of rail travel – an era when nothing was too good for the pampered passengers.
“We even lay a red carpet across the station platform before they board and are handed their first glass of champagne.”
The Northern Belle is regularly voted one of the world’s Top Ten trains, while one of the individually hand-decorated carriages is used to form part of the Royal Train.
It is even rumoured to contain the late Queen Mother’s favourite seat.
Actor Bill Nighy also described the train as “the Grand Dame of luxury travel” when it featured on Channel 5’s The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys.
How to book tickets for the Northern Belle?
Head to the Northern Belle website and select the Swansea and Cardiff Christmas Lunch trip.
From there you will be able to buy your tickets. But you better be quick, as there are only limited seats left.
✨ Step Aboard The Northern Belle for a Christmas Journey Like No Other ✨
— Northern Belle (@northernbelletr) October 9, 2024
Seats for this enchanting journey are filling fast, and the spirit of Christmas is calling you to join us.#NorthernBelle #ChristmasJourney #FestiveTrain #LuxuryTravel #HolidayMagic pic.twitter.com/9y7O96V97Q
Tickets include:
- A round-trip on the Northern Belle luxury train
- Welcome Champagne reception including canapés and caviar blinis
- Seven-course Christmas lunch
- Bottle of wine per couple
- On board entertainment
- Fortnum & Mason tea and Northern Belle blend coffee
Prices
Tickets for the Northern Belle Christmas experience cost £395 per passenger.
You can also upgrade your ticket to:
- Laurent-Perrier Class - for an additional £95 (per passenger)
- KRUG Class - additional £195
For more information on the Northern Belle experience visit the website (a link to which can be found above).
When is the Northern Belle coming to South Wales?
The Northern Belle's Christmas Lunch trip will depart from Swansea Station at 11:55am on Friday, December 13.
It will collect more passengers from Cardiff Station, before departing there at 1pm.
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After departing Cardiff, the Northern Belle will travel on to Gloucester, then Swindon before heading back.
This route is called "the Golden Triangle around the Severn Estuary".
After a day of festive merriment and fine dining onboard the Northern Belle, passengers will be returned to Cardiff and Swansea stations at 5.35pm and 6.50pm respectively.
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