The train as the holiday: Britain's Christmas and weekend journeys, and what they cost

In Britain a train journey can be the holiday rather than the way of getting to one: a seven-course lunch in a 1930s carriage, Christmas markets with no steering wheel and no parking, a night in a cabin crossing the Highlands. The range is enormous — from £67 for a table for two to £8,950 per person for three nights. Here is what each costs, and when people actually book.

What does a day trip from London cost?

The best known is the British Pullman, a rake of restored 1920s and 1930s carriages. Journeys are day round trips, departing from Platform 2 at London Victoria, though some run from other London stations — the itinerary says which.

Operator prices: The Great British Sunday Lunch from £485; The Golden Age of Travel and the Murder Mystery lunch and dinner from £535; Bath at Christmas and Blenheim Palace at Christmas from £635; Christmas Lunch by Steam from £685; Canterbury Christmas Carols from £690; Highclere Castle at Christmas from £750. The New Year's Eve journey is from £565.

One detail that catches people out: the prices are labelled "per adult / Table for Two". A solo traveller, or a party of three, may not pay that rate — worth confirming before you pay.

What if you are not starting from London?

The northern equivalent is the Northern Belle, which picks up across the north of England and Scotland. Its Christmas Lunch on 19 December 2026 leaves Leeds at 11:30, Wakefield Kirkgate at 12:15, Huddersfield at 13:00 and Manchester Victoria at 13:45. The fare is £445 per passenger.

That covers the round trip, a champagne welcome, a seven-course lunch with a British cheeseboard and port, a bottle of wine per couple and strolling musicians. Upgrades cost extra per passenger: Moët & Chandon Class £95, KRUG Class £195, and a private table for two £105.

Departure times are provisional and confirmed by Network Rail seven days before travel. That is normal for charter trains, but it is a reason not to book tight connections.

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What does a Christmas train cost for a family?

Far less, because these are heritage railways rather than restaurants on rails. On the Severn Valley Railway, Santa's Steam Specials run from 28 November to 24 December, leaving Kidderminster between 10am and 4.30pm.

You pay for the space, not the head: a table for two is £67, a table for four £133, a private compartment for four £140 and a compartment for six £210. Arley is about thirty minutes each way, and the whole experience lasts at least two and a half hours.

It includes a theatre show at Arley, a present for every child and a gingerbread treat for all passengers. Children under two do not count towards the group size, travel free and still get a present, and every child also receives a free "Freedom of the Line" ticket for a day out in 2027.

Can you go away for a weekend with a cabin?

Yes, but this is a different order of spending. The Royal Scotsman runs round trips from Edinburgh Waverley lasting two to seven nights: A Taste of Scotland with Tom Kitchin is two nights, The West Coast and The Highlands three, Heritage Homes & Gardens and the Scotch Malt Whisky Tour four, and the Grand Tour of Scotland seven.

The operator does not publish fares on that page. For scale, a travel seller offering the same cabins lists a three-night western Highlands round trip from £8,950 per passenger.

When do people book?

Earlier than you would think. By mid-October 2026 one festive-journey seller already shows almost every Christmas date as sold out, at both ends of the price range. These trips go on sale a long way ahead, and by November or December you are choosing from what is left.

On money up front: Northern Belle takes a 15% non-refundable deposit when you book more than eight weeks before travel. Cancellation terms differ by operator, and that is the clause to read before paying rather than after.

What should you check in the listing?

Three things. What the price covers — a person, a table or a compartment. Where it departs from: one charter journey may pick up in four or five cities, each with its own time. And what is included: the expensive journeys usually bundle all food and drink, while family trips cover the ride and the show and nothing else.