Before You Travel
A day on the Northern Belle is meant to be effortless. This page covers the practical detail so that nothing on the day comes as a surprise.
The Northern Belle is a private luxury train, not a scheduled service, and it runs around one hundred excursions a year over the national rail network. That shapes several of the answers below, from when your timings are confirmed to why departure stations move around the country through the year. Everything here has been checked against the operator's current terms and traveller information. If a question is not answered, call our reservations team on 0333 405 0192 and we will find out for you.
On the Day
Timings and check in
All timings shown on this website are published by the operator for guidance. The Northern Belle runs within the constraints of the national rail network, and its final path is not confirmed by Network Rail until roughly five to seven days before departure. Tickets and itineraries cannot be issued until those timings are received, and they are then sent to you by email.
We recommend arriving at your boarding station at least thirty minutes before the scheduled departure time. The train cannot wait, and boarding is a considerably more relaxed business with a few minutes in hand.
Because these excursions operate within the wider railway, please allow generous margins if you are arranging your own onward connections at the end of the day. Neither the operator nor Luxury Trains can assist if a delay disrupts a connection you have booked separately.
What to wear
Smart casual is the order of the day. Jeans and trainers are not appropriate in the carriages. For dinner excursions, more formal wear is customary, and a jacket for gentlemen never looks out of place. Comfortable footwear is worth thinking about on any journey that includes time on your feet at a house, a garden or in a city.
Some journeys carry their own dress code because of where they go. Royal Ascot requires a hat or a substantial fascinator for ladies and a suit with collar and tie for gentlemen in the Queen Anne Enclosure. Cheltenham is smart and country chic. Outdoor visits in November and December call for a warm coat, since a good part of the day is spent outside. The dress note for each journey is shown on the relevant excursion page.
Seating and tables
Every carriage is fitted out in the vintage Pullman manner, with each row of seats forming a table for two and, across the aisle, a table for four. Carriages seat 42 guests, with plenty of room to move around and enjoy the sociable atmosphere of the train.
Parties of two are seated at a table for four with another couple unless the table for two supplement is paid. The Northern Belle has a limited number of tables for two, so a request can be taken but not guaranteed. Subject to availability, a table for two can be secured for a supplement of £105 per passenger. Tell us when you enquire and we will check what is left on your date.
If you are travelling as a group, seating is arranged together wherever the layout allows. Families are seated in a designated area of the train.
Smoking and mobile phones
The Northern Belle operates a strict no smoking policy throughout the train, and this includes vaping. Out of consideration for other guests, please keep mobile phones silent in the carriages and take calls in the vestibule.
Dining and Dietary Requirements
Your fare includes all the meals and drinks described in the itinerary for that journey. As standard, every journey now includes a Champagne reception on boarding, caviar blinis, the sommelier's upgraded choice of wine with your meal, a glass of port with the award-winning British cheeseboard, and Fortnum & Mason tea with petits fours. A selected range of additional alcoholic drinks is available to purchase on board.
The Northern Belle is the only luxury train in the world to serve a true à la carte menu, so your dishes are chosen on the day rather than fixed in advance, and everything is cooked to order. Menus change with the season and are built around British produce.
Dietary requirements can be catered for, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and pescatarian menus and the exclusion of specific ingredients such as nuts, onions and dairy. Please tell us at the time of booking, and in any event no later than fourteen days before departure, so that supplies can be loaded while the train is on tour. We regret that meals requiring strict religious observance in their preparation cannot be provided.
Accessibility, Children and Pets
Mobility
Guests with slight walking difficulties can be accommodated, and staff will help you to your seat. The vintage carriages cannot be boarded in a wheelchair, though folding wheelchairs can be stored during the journey. We recommend travelling with a companion, and some journeys are not suitable for guests with disabilities.
Medical needs
Any medical condition that may require assistance must be declared before booking. The operator requires an up-to-date certificate from your doctor no later than five days before departure, and asks that you travel with a companion able to provide the assistance you need.
Children
Most journeys make a memorable day out for all ages, and there is a selection of trips tailored to families, who are seated in a designated area of the train. Do talk to us about which journeys suit younger guests, since the longer excursions are a full day at the table.
Pets
Pets cannot be brought on board. Guide dogs are the only exception and must be arranged in advance. Most Northern Belle journeys are long days, and they are not suitable for animals.
Luggage and Lost Property
On day excursions the allowance is one suitable piece of hand luggage per passenger. Please do not pack fragile or perishable items, cash, jewellery, precious metals or other valuables. Any loss or damage should be reported within 72 hours. Lost property is held for one month and then donated to charity.
Departure Stations and Transfers
The Northern Belle departs from more than thirty stations across England, Scotland and Wales, and the pattern rotates through the year. A journey that boards at Liverpool Lime Street one month may board at Norwich, Cardiff Central, Grantham or Edinburgh Waverley on its next running, which is why it is worth checking several months if you want a departure close to home. Every departure station for every remaining date is listed on our calendar pages.
Excursions are scheduled to depart from and return to the stations shown in the itinerary. Very occasionally, engineering works mean the train has to use a different station, and we will let you know as soon as any change is confirmed.
Most excursions with an off-train visit include a coach transfer, either to the destination itself or as part of a guided tour, accompanied by a guide. Wherever practical, the train uses the nearest mainline station to the destination. Full details come with your booking confirmation.
Booking, Payment and Cancellation
Tickets must be booked in advance. There is no facility to buy on the day. Reserve through our UK reservations team on 0333 405 0192 or by sending an enquiry, and we will hold seats while you decide.
Payment Schedule
- Deposit
- 15% of the cost of your arrangements at the time of booking
- Balance
- Due no later than 12 weeks before departure
- Late bookings
- Full payment is required if booking within 12 weeks of departure
- Groups of 12 or more
- 15% on booking, a further 35% at 120 days, the balance at 84 days
Cancellation Charges
- 56 days or more before departure
- 15% of the total cost
- 55 to 21 days
- 30% of the total cost
- 20 to 3 days
- 70% of the total cost
- 2 days or less
- 100% of the total cost
Amendment Charges
- 56 days or more before departure
- One free amendment, then 10%
- 55 to 21 days
- 30%
- 20 to 3 days
- 50%
- 2 days or less
- 75%
No refunds are given for passengers who do not travel or for unused services. A booking can be transferred to someone else you introduce, provided we are told at least fourteen days before departure and the amendment fee is paid. Full terms are set out in our booking conditions.
Gift Vouchers, Groups and Charters
Gift Vouchers
Vouchers can be bought for any amount and redeemed against any journey, which makes them an elegant present for someone hard to buy for. See our gift voucher page or call us.
Group Bookings
Parties of twelve or more qualify for a group discount and can be seated together. Payment terms for groups differ slightly from the standard schedule and are confirmed in your group quotation.
Exclusive Charters
As long as there is a railway line, the Northern Belle can take you there. Companies charter the train for product launches, celebrations and thank-yous. Destination, menu, itinerary and entertainment are all yours to command.
Weddings
The train does not hold a wedding licence, but a blessing can take place on board after the formal marriage by special arrangement. Anniversaries and proposals are very much part of the Northern Belle's stock in trade.
Charter the Whole Train
An exclusive charter puts the entire Northern Belle at your disposal, with the route, the timings, the menus and the entertainment shaped around your event. Tell us the occasion and the budget and we will put a proposal together.
Still have a question? Our UK specialists know these journeys inside out and are happy to talk through anything not covered here.
Send an Enquiry