Britain does not have the vast distances of India or Australia, yet it has produced three of the most distinctive luxury trains anywhere in the world. The Royal Scotsman has spent more than three decades threading the Scottish Highlands at walking pace, pausing for whisky, castles and clan history. The British Pullman turns a single day into a journey through the golden age of rail travel, all within reach of London. And the newest arrival, the Britannic Explorer, is Britain's first true luxury sleeper train, built to show guests Wales, Cornwall and the Lake District from a private carriage.
Through the journeys we arrange, we find these three trains answer different questions. Guests ask us which train best captures Scotland's romance, which gives a taste of vintage rail glamour without committing to an overnight trip, and which is best for a proper multi-night escape into the English and Welsh countryside. This guide sets out how each train works, where it travels, and how to choose between them.
The Royal Scotsman: Scotland at Its Most Theatrical
The Royal Scotsman departs from Edinburgh Waverley on journeys ranging from two to seven nights, and it remains, in our experience, the most immersive way to see the Highlands without ever touching a steering wheel. Guests wake to views over lochs and glens, then step off for excursions that might include a private visit to Culloden Battlefield, a tasting at the Strathisla Distillery — the oldest working distillery in the Highlands and a source for Chivas Regal — or a champagne reception inside Stirling Castle.
Longer itineraries push further into the west, past Eilean Donan Castle where three lochs meet, and along the white sands of Morar. Shorter two- and three-night journeys concentrate on the classic Highland loop out of Edinburgh, making them a natural add-on for anyone already touring Scotland or extending time in the city before or after boarding. Every journey is fully inclusive of accommodation, dining, wine and off-train excursions, so the daily rhythm is simple: eat, explore, return to the train, repeat somewhere new the next morning.
Our guests most often ask whether the Royal Scotsman suits a special occasion. It does — cabins are compact by hotel standards but the public cars, especially the observation car at the rear, are built for lingering with a dram in hand as the glens slide past. Full details, including seasonal departures, are on the Royal Scotsman train page, and our Royal Scotsman journal carries first-hand accounts from recent departures.
The British Pullman: A Day Inside the Golden Age
Where the Royal Scotsman asks for several nights, the British Pullman asks for one exceptional day. Based at London Victoria, it is the sister train to the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, sharing the same 1920s and 1930s heritage carriages, restored with marquetry, mosaic floors, crystal and brass fittings that reward a slow look around the cabin as much as the view outside.
Most Pullman itineraries are full-day return trips of five to ten hours, often themed around a destination or a season — race days, garden visits, castle tours, or festive lunches in winter. It is also, notably, used as the London leg for guests joining or leaving the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express on its route toward Paris and Venice, which makes it worth considering even for travellers whose main journey lies elsewhere in Europe.
We find the British Pullman appeals most to guests who want the atmosphere and craftsmanship of a heritage train — the white-linen lunch, the liveried stewards, the sense of occasion — without the commitment of packing for multiple nights away. It also works well as a taster before a longer luxury rail holiday, or as a gift experience for a birthday or anniversary. See current day-trip themes on the British Pullman train page and read recent reviews on the British Pullman journal.
The Britannic Explorer: Britain's First Luxury Sleeper Train
The newest of the three, the Britannic Explorer, launched in 2025 as Britain's first purpose-built luxury sleeper train, built on rolling stock previously used by Belmond's Grand Hibernian in Ireland. It departs from London Victoria on three-night journeys into Wales, Cornwall or the Lake District, with six-night itineraries available for guests who want to combine two regions in a single trip.
The train carries eighteen cabins, including three Grand Suites with double beds, personal butler service and ensuite bathrooms — a notable step up in space compared with older heritage stock. As with its sister trains, meals, drinks, accommodation and off-train excursions are included, and the excursions lean into landscape and craft: coastal walks in Cornwall, literary and lake-district scenery around Windermere, and castles and coastline in Wales.
We think of the Britannic Explorer as the natural choice for guests who love the idea of the Royal Scotsman's slow, excursion-led pace but want to explore England and Wales rather than Scotland, or who prefer a newer, more spacious cabin category. Full itineraries and seasonal availability are on the Britannic Explorer train page, with guest accounts on the Britannic Explorer journal.
Choosing Between the Three
The decision usually comes down to time, region and appetite for multi-night travel:
- For Scotland and the Highlands — choose the Royal Scotsman, departing Edinburgh, for two to seven nights of castles, distilleries and Highland scenery.
- For a single unforgettable day near London — choose the British Pullman, ideal as a standalone treat or as the London chapter of a longer Venice Simplon-Orient-Express journey.
- For Wales, Cornwall or the Lake District — choose the Britannic Explorer for a three- or six-night sleeper journey with generous suites and coastal or countryside excursions.
All three depart from within easy reach of central London or Edinburgh, so combining a British itinerary with time in London or a few extra days in Edinburgh beforehand is straightforward. Guests building a longer European rail trip sometimes pair one of these British trains with a continental journey — the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express toward Venice, or the Danube Express further east — to make the most of a single transatlantic flight.
Planning Your Journey
Departure dates, cabin categories and current pricing vary by season and route, so we always recommend checking the individual train pages for the latest availability, or browsing upcoming departures directly. Our team is glad to help match the right train, region and season to your trip — reach us via contact and we will talk through the options. For further destination inspiration once you have chosen a train, our destinations guide covers the wider regions each journey touches.
