Luxury rail travel in Britain has just received a fresh seal of global approval.

The Northern Belle, a 1930s-style luxury train that glides across the UK on day and short-break excursions, has been voted one of the world’s top 10 rail journeys in the 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards from Condé Nast Traveller, ranking fifth worldwide and ahead of some of the most storied trains on the planet.

For travellers seeking an indulgent way to see Britain’s coastlines, country houses and cathedral cities, the accolade highlights a journey defined by scenic routes, elaborate onboard dining and deep royal and heritage connections.

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A British Luxury Train Now Among the World’s Elite

In the latest Readers’ Choice Awards published by Condé Nast Traveller, the Northern Belle placed fifth in a list of the best train trips on Earth, just behind Switzerland’s Glacier Express and above the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, long considered the pinnacle of European rail glamour. The top 10 also included icons such as India’s Palace on Wheels, Australia’s Indian Pacific and Africa’s Rovos Rail, placing the British day train in rarefied company.

The recognition is a coup for a train that does not cross continents or wilderness frontiers, but instead reimagines Britain’s own rail network as a stage for slow, experiential travel. Launched in 2000 as part of the Orient Express group and later sold to private owners who continued to run it in the same style, the Northern Belle has spent a quarter of a century building a reputation for lacquered Art Deco elegance, personal service and destination-led itineraries rather than simple point-to-point transport.

Industry analysts say the ranking reflects not just nostalgia, but a broader shift in how travellers want to experience rail. Instead of overnight cabins and long-haul routes, many are opting for curated day journeys and special-event trains that concentrate luxury into a single, meticulously choreographed experience. The Northern Belle’s success, they argue, lies in making the train itself the main destination, with the British countryside as constantly changing scenery through picture windows.

Carriages with Royal Lineage and Country-House Style

Step aboard the Northern Belle and the first impression is of a rolling country house rather than a conventional train. The seven Pullman-style carriages were painstakingly restored by British craftsmen specialising in marquetry, murals and mosaic work. Polished inlaid wood, handcrafted panelling, brass luggage racks and Art Deco lamps frame tables laid with starched white linen, cut crystal and fine china.

Several design details nod directly to royal and aristocratic heritage. Some decorative motifs and fittings are inspired by historic Royal Train interiors, while the overall aesthetic draws heavily on the golden age of British Pullman travel, when private carriages regularly carried members of the royal family and heads of state. Although the Northern Belle itself is a modern creation, its style and standards are closely modelled on that tradition, with plaques in each carriage detailing the historic inspirations behind the décor.

Capacity is deliberately limited to around 250 passengers, spread between intimate tables for two or four. The intention, according to the train’s operators, is to foster a club-like, sociable atmosphere in which staff know guests by name and diners can circulate between courses, pausing to listen to the strolling musicians or watch a magician at work. That sense of conviviality has become one of the line’s calling cards, frequently cited in guest reviews and operator testimonials.

Gourmet Menus Created for a Moving Fine-Dining Room

If the interiors set the tone, the dining is what often turns a Northern Belle excursion into a talking point. The train has positioned itself as the only luxury rail experience in the world to offer a genuine à la carte menu, with passengers able to choose their dishes on the day rather than being restricted to a fixed tasting sequence. Behind the galley doors, a team of chefs works from scratch with seasonal British produce in kitchens far smaller than those of any city restaurant.

The recently appointed Food and Beverage Director, Brian Clark, brings a high-profile pedigree, having cooked for royalty, presidents and celebrity clients including Madonna. Menus across the 2025 season feature ingredients such as Royal Siberian caviar, grass-fed Hereford beef and carefully sourced British seafood, supported by patisserie that has drawn particular praise from repeat passengers. Wine pairings are curated to match the route and time of year, with a strong emphasis on French Champagne and classic European labels.

Signature experiences include seven-course Sunday lunches and festive feasts where the sequence runs from canapés and caviar blinis to a cheeseboard served with port, followed by petits fours, Fortnum & Mason tea and a Northern Belle signature coffee blend. For those wishing to elevate the indulgence further, a Laurent-Perrier Class upgrade adds vintage Champagne on boarding, an enhanced wine selection and a full bottle of Laurent-Perrier for each couple.

Scenic Day Routes Across England, Scotland and Wales

Unlike transcontinental luxury trains, the Northern Belle is built around day and short-break journeys originating from cities across Britain. In 2025 its published schedule spans departures from London, Norwich, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Swansea and other regional hubs, making it accessible to travellers without the need for hotel nights or extensive planning.

Classic scenic runs include steam-hauled specials over the famous Settle and Carlisle line, regarded as one of England’s most dramatic railway routes, weaving through the Yorkshire Dales over stone viaducts and high moorland. Other itineraries trace Welsh coastal scenery en route to resorts such as Llandudno and Conwy, or cross the border to Scotland for sweeping views on the approach to Edinburgh and the Highlands.

Many journeys are expressly themed around destinations and events. The train acts as a mobile drawing room to historic houses such as Chatsworth, Harewood House and Arundel Castle, allowing guests to disembark for private or timed-entry tours before returning to the table for dinner. Race-day specials to events like Royal Ascot and the Cheltenham Festival combine Champagne breakfasts on the way out with celebratory suppers on the return leg, turning logistics into a central part of the occasion.

Festive Departures and Special Events Through 2025

The line’s growing global profile has coincided with an expanded calendar of special journeys. In late 2025 a series of Christmas-themed departures will run from cities including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, Norwich and London, offering a red-carpet welcome, live festive music and multi-course lunches or dinners as the train completes circular routes through winter landscapes.

Sample Christmas lunch itineraries, currently priced from around 395 pounds per person, include round-trip journeys from Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley in November and December, with carriages specially decorated for the season. Passengers typically remain onboard throughout, settling into armchairs for a seven-course festive feast that includes Champagne, wine, dessert, cheeseboard and coffee service, accompanied by a strolling magician and entertainers.

Beyond Christmas, the 2025 programme features Mother’s Day lunches, Champagne afternoon teas, summer excursions to seaside towns such as Torquay, and full-day itineraries to cultural events like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. A long-established highlight is the “Historic Edinburgh at Leisure” journey, where guests enjoy brunch with cocktails on the way north, spend several hours at liberty in the Scottish capital, then rejoin the train for a Champagne reception and six-course dinner during the return run.

Royal Connections, Heritage Roots and Modern Ownership

While the Northern Belle is now privately owned and operated, its roots lie firmly in the world of royal and aristocratic travel. The train was developed at the turn of the millennium as the day-excursion counterpart to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and the Belmond British Pullman, using refurbished British Rail Mark 1 and Mark 2 carriages styled to echo classic Pullman stock and the Royal Train tradition.

Much of the craftsmanship involved in the refit came from the same marquetry specialists responsible for work on historic Pullman and royal carriages. Although these are modern coaches engineered for today’s rail standards, they carry the aesthetic DNA of trains that once regularly transported monarchs, prime ministers and visiting dignitaries. The operators have continued to cultivate those associations, drawing attention to design flourishes and service rituals that recall official state rail journeys.

The royal thread extends to the clientele. The train’s current culinary leadership has a track record of state-banquet cooking, and the line actively markets itself as offering a standard of hospitality fit for royalty, without putting specific names to past guests. This positioning resonates strongly in international markets where the British monarchy retains powerful soft power appeal, helping to attract overseas visitors keen on a quintessentially British experience built around ceremony, afternoon tea and country-house formality.

What the Global Ranking Means for UK Rail Tourism

Travel industry observers say the Northern Belle’s ascent into the world’s top five rail journeys is significant for UK tourism, traditionally associated more with heritage steam lines and commuter networks than headline-grabbing luxury services. The recognition places a British day train in the same conversation as multi-night, ultra-luxury products in Africa, Asia and the Americas, underscoring the potential of shorter, more accessible experiences for high-spending visitors.

Tour operators report growing interest from North American and European clients in adding a single-day luxury rail excursion to wider itineraries that also take in London, Edinburgh and major heritage sites. The train’s flexible schedule, with departures from numerous regional cities and the absence of overnight cabins, makes it easier to incorporate into standard holiday packages than more logistically complex long-distance trains.

At the same time, the ranking reflects a domestic appetite for special-occasion experiences. Birthdays, anniversaries and multi-generational family gatherings make up a significant share of bookings, particularly on Sunday lunch and Christmas departures. For many British passengers, the Northern Belle offers a way to experience the romance of the Orient Express era without leaving the country, at a price point that, while high, remains below that of the most exclusive overnight trains.

FAQ

Q1. What is the Northern Belle and where does it operate?
The Northern Belle is a luxury, 1930s-style British train offering day and short-break excursions across England, Scotland and Wales, typically operating circular or out-and-back routes from major cities rather than fixed long-distance lines.

Q2. Why has the Northern Belle been voted one of the world’s top rail adventures?
It was ranked fifth in the 2025 Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards for train journeys, praised for its opulent Pullman-style carriages, exceptional onboard dining and carefully curated scenic and event-based itineraries around the UK.

Q3. What kind of journeys can passengers book for 2025?
The 2025 schedule includes steam specials over the Settle and Carlisle line, visits to stately homes and castles, race-day trains, “Historic Edinburgh at Leisure” trips, Champagne afternoon teas, Sunday lunches and a series of Christmas market and festive dining journeys.

Q4. How luxurious is the dining experience on board?
Meals are prepared fresh in the train’s kitchens by a brigade led by a chef who has cooked for royalty and presidents, with multi-course menus featuring seasonal British produce, caviar, fine meats and elaborate desserts, paired with Champagne and carefully chosen wines.

Q5. Are there royal connections to the train?
While the Northern Belle itself is a modern train, its design is directly inspired by historic Pullman and Royal Train interiors, and much of the craftsmanship was carried out by artisans who have worked on royal and state carriages, creating strong stylistic and ceremonial links.

Q6. Do passengers sleep on the train?
No. The Northern Belle is focused on day and short-break journeys, so guests travel in armchair-style seats within dining carriages and, on most itineraries, return to their departure point the same day or after a single night in off-train accommodation.

Q7. What is the dress code on the Northern Belle?
The train encourages smart daywear, reflecting its country-house atmosphere, and typically asks guests to avoid casual items such as jeans and trainers, especially on lunch and festive departures.

Q8. How much do tickets usually cost?
Prices vary by itinerary and season, but recent examples for Christmas lunches and festive circular journeys start at around 395 pounds per person, with more elaborate packages, race days and long-distance day trips costing more.

Q9. Who is the Northern Belle best suited for?
The experience is popular with couples celebrating special occasions, groups of friends, multi-generational families and overseas visitors wanting an immersive, high-end British travel experience built around fine dining, scenery and heritage.

Q10. How can travellers add the Northern Belle to a wider UK trip?
Because the train departs from numerous cities, many visitors simply align one of its published dates with their time in Britain, using it as a standout day within a broader itinerary that might also include London, the Cotswolds, the Scottish Highlands or major cultural events.