Indulge in a 12-seat private dining room on rails, blending Shakespearean fantasy, West End glamour and British craftsmanship for bespoke journeys from London Victoria.
After several false starts, The British Pullman luxury train is finally making its mark. And early this summer, it will be dialling up the drama with Celia, a new private dining and events carriage dreamed up by filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and Oscar‑winning designer Catherine Martin. Set inside an original 1932 Pullman car, Celia is a fully self-contained little world on rails – think cocktail bar, lounge, dining room and mini stage for up to 12 guests and designed for milestone dinners, big birthday toasts or just a vintage-tinged, wildly indulgent night out.
“Creating Celia was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, allowing us to push the boundaries of creativity, luxury, and uniqueness,” says Luhrmann. “Stepping inside the carriage is like being transported into another world, and one in which guests are invited to become part of the story. Celia, at its heart, is a magical mystery tour – a traveling dining experience for friends or an intimate celebration, filled with food, music, wine, laughter, and performance.”
The moodboard is 1930s West End meets vintage cinema, with a generous splash of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. “Celia” herself acts as a fictional muse: a glamorous leading lady gifted her own Pullman carriage in 1932 after a star-making turn as Titania, Queen of the Fairies. Every flourish and fabric choice spins off her imagined life, blurring the line between Belmond’s heritage train travel and a Baz Luhrmann film set.
Running with its own dedicated servers, Celia will be hitched to all British Pullman journeys from London Victoria, with guests able to personalise everything from off board elements to one-off private chef menus using top-notch British seasonal produce. Inside, the space shifts easily from intimate dining room to performance nook or dance floor, so evenings unfold cinematically, from aperitif to curtain call.
Behind the theatrics is a serious roster of the best of British makers: marquetry experts, bespoke furniture designers, glass studios, embroiderers and heritage tableware brands have layered in velvet seating, floral oak marquetry, theatre curtains and hand-painted, flower-strewn ceilings to create an interior that feels rich, romantic and more than just a little bit fantastical.
Prices: Starting from £15,000 for private use of the Celia carriage, British Pullman, A Belmond Train, England.
