In the early 1840s, Queen Victoria became the first British monarch to travel by train in her own dedicated royal saloons. More than 180 years later, King Charles III is poised to bring this storied tradition to a close.
According to the Royal Household’s latest financial report, the royal train — known for its distinctive claret livery — will be decommissioned by March 2027 as part of efforts to ensure “best value for public money.” Going forward, senior royals will increasingly rely on helicopters and scheduled train services for official engagements and travel between royal residences in England and Scotland.
James Chalmers, Keeper of the Privy Purse — the official responsible for royal finances — acknowledged the end of the train’s service as “the fondest of farewells,” adding: “In moving forward, we must not be bound by the past.”
He also noted: “The royal train has been part of national life for many decades, loved and cared for by all those involved.”
The decision will be felt most deeply in Wolverton, Buckinghamshire — the world’s first railway town — where royal trains have been maintained with pride and precision since the first carriage was built in 1842.