A Belmond Train · Day journeys
British Pullman
The golden age, for a day — Round trips from London Victoria
The British Pullman is the one train on this list you can do in a day, and it is the reason a lot of people fall for rail travel in the first place. Every journey is a round trip out of London Victoria — Belmond's own index labels them all day round trips — so there are no cabins, no berths and no overnight legs. What there is instead is a rake of restored Pullman carriages, each one individually named, panelled in marquetry, and older than almost anything else you will eat lunch in.
The story starts in the late 1970s, when James Sherwood bought two 1920s Orient Express sleepers intending to restore the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. The Pullman carriages he prepared to cross the Channel never ran in mainland Europe; instead the rest of the train was assembled by craftsmen in Britain, and in 1982 the British Pullman made its inaugural journey. The lineage runs deeper still — the first Pullman coach entered service in 1874, and George Mortimer Pullman brought the business to Britain from America.
The carriages carry their own histories. Audrey was damaged in a Second World War air raid in 1940 and has since carried the Queen, the Queen Mother and Prince Philip. Cygnus first ran in 1951, was often reserved for royalty and visiting heads of state, and was reimagined in 2021. The train also still does a job for its sister service: Belmond runs it as the British leg of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, carrying guests between London and Folkestone.
The journeys
The Golden Age of Travel
Day round trip
The signature run into Kent — Canterbury, Dover and Folkestone — leaving London Victoria late morning and back by early evening. Also offered behind steam.
A Moving Murder Mystery Lunch
Day round trip
Theatre staged through the carriages over lunch, and the journey that sells fastest with groups. A dinner version also runs.
Historic Oxford, Bath and Blenheim
Day round trips
Separate journeys to Oxford, to Bath, and to Blenheim Palace at Christmas, each with time in the destination before the return leg.
Highclere Castle and Chatsworth
Day round trips
Great-house days, with a Christmas edition of the Highclere journey.
Nyetimber, Nutbourne and Bombay Sapphire
Day round trips
English sparkling wine estates and the Bombay Sapphire distillery, with the tasting built into the day.
The Great British Seaside
Day round trips
Whitstable and Broadstairs, run as separate journeys — the most relaxed days on the calendar.
Michelin-Starred Chef Dinner Series
Dated one-offs
Guest-chef dinners on named dates rather than a standing route. These are the hardest seats on the train to get.
The carriages
The named carriages
Each carriage has a name and a history of its own — Audrey, restored after wartime bomb damage, and Cygnus, in service since 1951 and reworked in 2021, among them. Seating is at tables in the open carriages.
Private compartments
A small number of enclosed compartments, which Belmond also calls private coupés, sit inside specific carriages. They are the closest thing to a private room on a day train and they are limited.
Celia, the Private Carriage
A private dining and events carriage by Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, seating twelve. It is hired whole rather than by the seat.
British Pullman Reception
The dedicated lounge on Platform 2 at London Victoria, where journeys begin. Some departures leave from other London stations.
Booking this train
Meals and drinks are comprehensively included, with premium pours available to buy. There is a dress code and Belmond enforces it: no denim, trainers, baseball caps, collarless T-shirts or shorts, and the guidance that you can never be overdressed. Timings are approximate because the train runs on the national network — the Kent journey is timetabled at roughly 10:55 out and 16:10 back. Children are welcome on suitable journeys and are seated together. A cabin-sized overnight bag is stowed by staff; anything larger needs notice. Because it is a day trip rather than a week, this is the one Belmond train that can often be arranged inside a few weeks — the exceptions being the murder mystery dates, Christmas journeys and the guest-chef dinners.
Questions, answered
Does the British Pullman have sleeping cabins?
No. It is a day train, and every journey is a round trip that starts and finishes at London Victoria the same day. The accommodation is seating at tables in the named carriages, with a small number of enclosed private compartments. If you want a Belmond sleeper in Britain, that is the Britannic Explorer or the Royal Scotsman.
How is it connected to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express?
Directly. Both are Belmond trains, and the British Pullman runs the British leg of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, carrying guests between London and Folkestone before they join the continental sleeping cars. Its carriages were originally bought in the 1970s as part of that restoration project.
What is the dress code?
Firmer than most people expect. Belmond asks guests to avoid denim, trainers, baseball caps, collarless T-shirts and shorts, notes that you can never be overdressed, and reserves the right to refuse boarding. Treat it as a lunch at a serious restaurant rather than a train journey.
Can the train be hired privately?
Yes. Celia, the Private Carriage designed by Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, seats twelve and is taken as a whole for a private lunch, dinner or celebration. Larger private hires can also be arranged — tell us the occasion and the numbers.
Enquire
Hold a cabin on the British Pullman
Tell us your dates and we will confirm live availability, hold the strongest cabin category, and plan the hotels at either end around the journey.
Start Planning