Northern Belle will roll out the red carpet for a magical pre-Christmas day out
One of the world’s top trains will pull out of Hull Paragon station later this month, taking passengers on a luxury journey to Scotland for some festive enjoyment. Northern Belle, hailed as “Britain’s poshest train”, will carry Christmas shoppers eager to take in the first day of Edinburgh’s spectacular Christmas markets.
A spokesperson for Northern Belle said: “It will be Champagne all the way from the moment people board the 1930s Pullman-style Northern Belle over a red carpet while a tartan-clad piper plays at the station. It will be an early start, but it promises to be a magical day out.”
The event is taking place on Saturday, November 15. Northern Belle is scheduled to leave Hull at 7.25am.
Edinburgh claims its markets – spread out across Princes Street, George Street and Castle Street – are the “crown jewels” of the festive season. As well as stalls selling unique crafts from all over Scotland and Europe, there is a family funfair, a big wheel, a covered skating rink, street entertainers and loads of festive food and drink.
“Not that the Northern Belle’s passengers will need the food,” the spokesperson said. “They will be served a leisurely three-course brunch during the journey to Scotland.
“Then, after returning to the train at 5pm, there will be more Champagne and caviar before they tuck into a sumptuous six-course feast on the way home. There are only a few seats left on the train – but you’d be Christmas crackers to miss it.”
The Northern Belle has recently been voted one of world’s top five trains by the readers of the prestigious Condé Nast Traveller magazine. Last year, when featured on a programme for Channel 5, narrator Bill Nighy described it as the “the grand dame of luxury travel”.
The train will not be back in Hull again after this trip until August 1, 2026, when it will take passengers to the traditional Welsh seaside resort of Llandudno. Fares on the Northern Belle start at £395.
For more details and to book, see northernbelle.co.uk