The British Royal Train Will Be Retired in 2027

Train travel is almost synonymous with British culture. But in March 2027, the current British royal train will be decommissioned, and senior royals will instead depend on helicopters and scheduled trains to travel around the country and between their residences.

“The process to decommission the Royal Train, in anticipation of the expiry of the current contract in March 2027, will commence during the year,” the Sovereign Grant Annual Report 2024-25 states. “This decision has been made due to: the cost associated with the storage and maintenance of the Royal Train versus the level of usage; the significant level of investment which would be required to keep the Royal Train in operation beyond 2027; and the two new helicopters providing a reliable alternative.”

The current train was built in the 1970s and is in need of tailor-made refurbishment that would most likely cost tens of millions of dollars. The original royal train was built for Queen Adelaide, the widow of King William IV, in 1842. In 1869, Queen Victoria commissioned a bespoke train vehicle for herself, since she saw touring the country as an important part of her duties. For her Diamond Jubilee (a celebration of the 60th year of her reign) in 1897, the Great Western Railway built a train of six vehicles for Queen Victoria’s use.

Some people are surprised that King Charles, who is known for his environmental activism, would oversee the discontinuation of the train in favor of less sustainable options like helicopters. The announcement also comes, ironically, weeks before Britain will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of public rail travel in the country. But in the last year, the royal train only made two trips, compared to 55 private charter flights, 141 helicopter journeys, and a number of scheduled flights.

However, the U.K. isn’t alone or completely unique in its decision. Other European monarchies have let go of their royal carriage trains over the last 25 years, with only Denmark and Norway currently retaining them. And even in those two countries, the trains are rarely used.

Train lovers and fans of the British Royal Family will have a last chance to see the royal train before it goes out of commission. Before its 2027 retirement, the Royal Train will make a final farewell tour of Britain, allowing the public to see it one more time as it passes. It is unclear what will happen to the royal train after it’s decommissioned, but significant train cars are often preserved in museums, so there may be opportunities to see and visit this train again, sometimes in the future.