UK’s luxury trains count as among the best in the world , which is why bookings have already been sold out in advance even before lockdown orders came down. Not surprisingly, luxury train journeys in Great Britain’s famed trains do not come cheap, and are in fact quite expensive. A day of travelling the way British royals do costs £250 at the very least and even higher than £500.
Actually it’s likely that the prices will be hiked since additional safety measures have been added, while the trains have been giving permission to resume their luxury transport service at reduced capacity. According to Gary Franklin, the Vice President of Belmond Trains and Cruises, social distancing is still implemented in carriages, where a dedicated steward is assigned to each carriage to ensure safety; whilst offering guests with the same intimate services offered under normal conditions.
Many of Great Britain’s rich folks have booked tickets in advance and they went ahead with staycations plans in their country houses in rural areas.
The Belmond British Pullman Named the Best Luxury Train in the World
Last March 2021, Condé Nast Traveler’s 2020 Readers Choice Awards named the Belmond British Pullman as the world’s best provider of luxury train journeys. The train’s 11 carriages epitomize the glitz and glamor of the 20s and 30s era, as the art deco of each carriage was restored as reminders of the Golden Age of travel. Each carriage has been assigned a name related to a particular memorable moment in Great Britain’s rich history.
After all, some of the well-loved carriages maintained with utmost care and attention, had transported many members of Royal families and Heads of State around Great Britain during the 1920s. Moreover, the Belmond British Pullman train and its sister, the iconic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, have been immortalized in numerous films, television shows and literary works. Two of the carriages named “Cygnus” and “Perseus” became quite popular after they were used as locations for a 1979 Dustin Hoffman starrer, “Agatha.”
The Continuing Popularity of Luxury Train Journeys
Luxury trains remain popular up to the present despite the availability of airplanes as a means for faster travel. Lovers of luxury trains assert that airplanes and sea voyages cannot offer the scenery and sophistication that their favorite trains provide. Planes do not have the same antique panelings adorned with plush curtains, polished brass and fresh-cut flowers in every carriage. In fact the curtains in UK’s luxury trains reflect the heritages and traditions of each generation.
While many homeowners in the UK want to adopt the same design principles used by luxury trains, in decorating their homes, interior decorators and curtain designers often find such tasks challenging. More so if the homeowner’s choice of furniture is covered by fabrics that are not suitable for curtains.
Nevertheless, there are companies like Englanderline (https://englanderline.com/curtain-makers-london/ ) that offers not only custom-made curtains but also bespoke headboards, cushions, roman blinds and other soft-furnishings. At the same time the company maintains a team of in-house designers who can help homeowners attain the kind of luxurious living spaces they desire.