Royal Scotsman luxury tourist train acquired by Orient Express
Orient-Express Hotels has acquired the remaining half of The Royal Scotsman luxury tourist train from the L&R group for £1.4 million.
OEH will also assume around £1 million of debt.
The company acquired the initial 50% ownership of The Royal Scotsman in April 2005 for £700,000. It was originally intended that the additional 50% would be acquired in January 2008.
The Royal Scotsman is one of three luxury Orient-Express tourist trains in the UK. The British Pullman operates in the south of England in association with the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express continental train. The Northern Belle operates from a base in Manchester.
The deal brings the luxury tourist train operations to six within the company worldwide. The others are the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in Europe, the Eastern & Oriental Express in South East Asia and the Hiram Bingham in Peru.
The Royal Scotsman accommodates 36 passengers served by a staff of 18, including two chefs, as it travels through Scotland. The train currently operates from April through October and has been in operation since 1985.
Nick Varian, the company’s vice-president, trains and cruises, said: “The Royal Scotsman established itself as a Scottish travel icon more than 20 years ago and fits very naturally with our trains portfolio.
“We became involved in the sales and marketing of the business two years ago when we acquired a stake and we have been able to expand the customer base within Europe, although Scotland will always be a favourite with guests from America as the train remains one of the best ways to experience Scotland’s scenic beauty, as well as its cultural and sporting highlights.”
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026