Frequently Asked Questions

Travel days will vary depending on the distance we cover during the day and the motive power. For travel days, we aim for journeys to last between 5-10 hours, where possible. Timings for each excursion will be advised once they are bookable.

Excursions on leisure days are a bookable extra, for which a supplement applies – unless otherwise stated. Excursions need to be pre-booked and paid for prior to departure.

On board the train, we do not enforce a formal dress code and instead advise that you dress for your own comfort. Temperatures can vary so passengers often opt for wearing layers which can be added or removed as required. We advise bringing a waterproof jacket, umbrella, sunglasses and sturdy comfortable footwear if you are joining any walking tours or plan to do your own exploring. Overall, it is important to dress for the weather in your destination, so check weather reports before you travel.

We usually offer a variety of optional excursions on the leisure days, usually three or four options to include a railway related excursion, as well as to local attractions or cultural experiences. If you prefer to explore at your own pace, or forego excursions and simply relax at the hotel, the choice is entirely up to you. Some information about local attractions and sightseeing to explore independently will be provided with your passenger information.

Our tours are very suitable for people who are travelling on their own. Solo travellers will be seated on a shared table for four in Five Star or Four Star, and in a shared compartment for up to six people in Three Star. There is a single supplement for solo travellers which is charged to us by the hotels for the use of a room for sole occupancy. This is listed on the packages page of each tour.

The seating configuration on our trains lends itself to parties of 1,2,3, 4 or 6, but of course, we welcome groups of any size. If you have questions about how your party will be accommodated, please contact our dedicated reservations team.

To travel on a Belle Trains holiday, you must be a minimum age of 14 years accompanied by an adult or 18 years of age unaccompanied.

You can view the different packages available on each tour on the relevant page of our website.

We can cater to most special dietary needs if we know in advance, preferably at the time of booking. If you’re worried or suffer from food allergies, please feel free to contact our dedicated reservations team by telephone on 01284 330123 or by email at enquiries@belletrains.co.uk before you make a booking.

If your requirements mean that you have additional requests for your hotel rooms during the tour, please make this request at the time of booking.

For most tours, an optional escorted (no-fly) transfer from London is available for a supplement. For more details, visit the ‘Travel Connections’ page for your chosen tour.

On some tours, additional nights can be booked at the beginning or end of the holiday. For more details, visit the ‘Travel Connections’ page for your chosen tour or contact our dedicated reservations team.

Luggage courier service is included for one piece of luggage per person (may be subject to weight restrictions) between hotels on most of our tours. However, we kindly ask that you double-check the specific tour details on our website, as arrangements may vary. Please note the following important information: Luggage courier service is not provided at airports, on optional Eurostar connections or optional transfers by ferry or service train. It is not included for hand luggage — many guests travel with a day bag with essentials, and these remain your own responsibility throughout the tour.

You can book online on the packages page of the relevant tour, or by calling our dedicated reservations team on 01284 330123 (open Monday-Friday from 0930am to 430pm).

We accept all debit or credit cards. Passengers can make card payments by telephone as part of a telephone booking or once they have made their reservation online. The other payment method we accept is bank transfer.

Should the passenger(s) choose to cancel their booking, charges will apply. Please see the holiday terms and conditions for each tour.

For passengers living in the UK, tickets and luggage labels will be sent by post. For passengers living outside the UK, tickets and luggage labels will be available to collect at the start of the tour. Approximately 7-14 days prior to departure, all passengers will receive an email with joining instructions.

All our tours do require an entry level of unaided mobility and physical fitness, so everyone can enjoy their holiday with us to the full. To support our passengers in establishing the suitability of tours, Belle Trains has classified each element for each holiday based on the activity levels, found on our mobility requirements webpage.

Yes, of course. While most hotels have power points next to the bed, please let us know so we can make sure your requirements are met at each hotel. If you require distilled water to fill up your machine, some hotels may be able to provide this at an additional cost. Please let us know at the time of booking. We recommend you carry your CPAP machine with you on your travel days, in case of delays with luggage delivery.