Belmond’s exquisite Britannic Explorer is an exceptional new luxury sleeper train promising cinematic journeys through England and Wales. The onboard design evokes the best of British luxury with reimagined Rubelli fabrics, art-deco like wooden pannelling, and big soft furnishings that would work just as well as a period backdrop for a murder mystery penned by Agatha Christie as they would a weekend journey through the British countryside.
Intriguingly, the Britannic Explorer train is the first luxury sleeper train to traverse the English and Welsh border. Routes include UK staples like the always stunning Lake District, the coast of Cornwall, and routes that go deep into the lesser-known Welsh countryside: places like Eryri National Park and scenic Llandrindod Wells.
What to expect on board the Britannic Explorer Luxury Train
There are 3 cabin types: twin suites, double suites, and plush grand suites that have marble dining tables for in-cabin dining, and names inspired by English gardens (Elder, Valerian, Juniper). Indeed, natural inspirations are abundant: green carriages, organic light fittings, and wallpapers sketched with leaves, reflecting the verdant countryside.
Peer through the large windows and you’ll see the inspiration in real time, with the scenery unfolding as a living fresco of beaches carved by the elements, country houses perched in laboriously manicured gardens, and the mesmerizing scenery of the Lake District.
Along with a spa, there are two elegant dining cars, where the kitchen team, led by Chef Simon Rogan (of 3-Michelin-starred L’Enclume), weave together exquisite dinners from seasonal British ingredients. Each dish is put together with ingredients plucked from iconic British locales, with standouts like St. Ives Bay Spider Crab and Devon Duck, and there’s an ice cream menu with whimsical local flavours such as oak and wild cherry.
The bar, found inside the observation car, hosts a creative cocktail menu inspired by Victorian apothecaries, and there’s an afternoon tea with ingredients tailored to the route you’re traveling on.
See a sample onboard dining menu.
Further Reading: Our Favorite Train Trips in Europe (Plus When to Take Them)
