With just a few months to go before The Britannic Explorer makes its long-awaited debut, the new luxury sleeper train’s general manager Hendrik Huebner says that the project “is very much on schedule”, which is not something that most UK rail travellers are used to hearing.
The Britannic Explorer, which is currently being fitted out in Scotland, will become the first luxury sleeper train in England and Wales when its starts operating three routes from London on 4 July.
“It looks like a train now and we’re currently building the cabins, kitchens and staff accommodation,” Huebner told TTG Luxury. “We’ve partnered with Albion North who have come up with an amazing concept that will be quintessentially British.”
“There is a sense of mystique that hotels don’t always achieve – it’s unique the magic of train travel. We’ve had absolutely tremendous interest from the UK and US markets - showing the huge appetite for more trains and boats by Belmond. We’re in the forefront of the slow travel movement that’s on everybody’s minds.”
But what can luxury guests expect when the train makes its debut this summer and how will it compare to Belmond’s well-established trains such as The Royal Scotsman and Venice Simplon-Orient-Express?
The train
The Britannic Explorer will offer a total of 18 cabins, including three Grand Suites, giving the train a total capacity for up to 36 passengers.
The Grand Suites with their full-length mirrors and marble dining tables give passengers plenty of space to take in the views of the British countryside. They also offer private dining on request, one spa treatment per guest and the services of a personal butler.
The other 15 suites will offer a mixture of double and twin beds, all with en-suite facilities.
The train will also include two restaurant cars, Malva and Samphire, with menus created by Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan, who is one of the pioneers of the farm-to-fork movement. Meanwhile, the train will also have its own onboard spa offering treatments.
Huebner said The Britannic Explorer would be “slightly more modern” than the Royal Scotsman and travellers would still “recognise it as a Belmond property”.
“We are striving to marry British heritage and culture in a modern interpretation,” he added. “It’s about showing off the new Britain to our customers. It will be a bit like a private members club on wheels.”
The routes
The train will alternate between three distinct three-night itineraries this summer to Wales, the Lake District and Cornwall, which all depart from London’s Victoria station on either Fridays or Mondays.
The Wales route travels to the Pembrokeshire coast and Eryri National Park (Snowdonia), before returning to London via the Cotswolds.
While the Lake District itinerary visits locations such as Workington, Penrith, Derwentwater and Ribblehead Viaduct before heading south again via Belmond’s Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons in Oxfordshire.
Finally, the Cornwall route travels all the down way to Penzance with stops in St Ives, Lostwithiel and Fowey among others.
“When you look at the experiences and British countryside they offer, these routes make perfect sense - there’s a huge amount of nature and rich cultural heritage,” explained Huebner.
“We’re currently in the process of developing all of our experiences on each of the routes. They will be very immersive and highly curated with every little detail taken care of.”
Some experiences have already been “locked in”, such as an exclusive evening meal in a traditional Cotswold pub in Moreton-in-Marsh as part of the Wales trip, and a meal at Hauser + Wirth Somerset’s gardens and restaurant on the Cornwall itinerary. A wild swimming excursion will also be available in the Lake District.
The trips can be combined back-to-back to create a six or even a nine-night itinerary, added Huebner. The seasonal train will run until 30 November in 2025 and then return to service in March 2026.
Onboard dining
Huebner said that the aim of the trips was to allow passengers to “really disconnect and reconnect with other people and nature”.
This will also be reflected in its onboard services including Rogan’s modern British cuisine with a focus on sustainability and using local produce.
“The food experience will be recognisable as Simon Rogan’s food,” explained Huebner. “It will be extremely seasonal, very sustainable and sourced locally as much as we can.
“We’re very conscious of our carbon footprint and the more we can get from Britain the better.”
How to book it
Britannic Explorer prices start from £11,000 based on a double cabin including a three-night itinerary, excursions, meals, wine and alcoholic drinks on board.
