You can have a massage before putting on a dinner jacket and enjoying a world-class meal
For a train ticket with a fare of £11,000 per couple, you’d expect the world, and a luxury travel says it will deliver just that. Luxury brand Belmond will debut The Britannic Explorer for a three night journey through Wales this year.
Anyone boarding the Britannic Explorer is advised to not only pack walking shoes but a dinner jacket or cocktail dress. It is the first luxury sleeper train to operate in England and Wales and even includes an onboard spa.
Guests will sleep in incredible looking suites, tuck into world-class dining with menus drawn up by a Michelin-star chef, and enjoy excursions including hikes in the Welsh countryside, a luxury pub and clay pigeon shooting. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here
Prices start at £11,000, based on a double cabin for three nights, including excursions, meals, wine and alcoholic beverages on board.
The three night route through Wales will travel from London Victoria with stops in Llandrindod Wells and Machynlleth, via Haverfordwest, Porthmadog and Barmouth, before returning to London via the Cotswolds.
The itinerary says that on day one people will be checked in before having an afternoon tea, crafted by Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan which includes Welsh teacakes and Bara Brith.
On day two, people will arrive in Pembrokeshire, they will leave the train at Llandrindod Wells for a guided hike including lavender fields, a pond dip or sauna. They will rejoin the train to travel the Heart of Wales line, going through Carmarthenshire and Powys into Eryri National Park.
“Highlights on the Wales route include a picnic- style lunch featuring delights like rarebit and leek tart,” the company say. “Each dining experience onboard will reflect the landscape outside the train’s windows, using the freshest local ingredients to create an immersive culinary journey that celebrates the diverse flavours and stories of England and Wales.”
Dinner will be a “celebration of seasonal British fine dining, perfectly paired with an enchanting entertainment line up” with the night spent near Barmouth.
On day three, guests are offered a trip to the wellness suite, or lie-in followed by brunch. They will stop in Machynlleth. “Machynlleth is a hub of creativity, sustainability, and exceptional cuisine. Our Concierge’s curated black book of excursions offers a range of active pursuits such as clay pigeon shooting,” the itinerary reads.
They will eat lunch while travelling through Montgomeryshire, passing Welshpool before crossing the border into Shropshire. Wind down through the Midlands to reach Moreton-in-Marsh.
From there, they will go to England, where the first stop is for an “exclusive party” in The Fox in Oddington, owned by Daylesford farm shop and will eat Scotch eggs and sausage rolls, local ales and artisan liqueurs, and be taught how to pour a pint.
The final day involves breakfast as they travel through Oxfordshire, arriving back in London in the early morning.
The dates the three-night journeys are taking place in Wales are:
- July 21
- August 4
- August 18
- August 25
- September 1
- September 15
- September 22
- September 29
- October 20
- November 10
Routes will then pause for the winter period and continue in March 2026.
The Britannic Explorer will debut in July 2025. Luxury accommodation onboard starts from £11,000 based on a double cabin. This includes a 3-night itinerary, excursions, meals, wine and alcoholic beverages on board.