MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK's Royal Train era coming to an end

The monarch gave “the fondest of farewells” to the train, which includes a carriage specially created in the 1980s

King Charles III has decided to decommission the British royal train, a tradition since the Victorian era, as part of cost-cutting and modernization efforts. At the King’s request, the proportion of Crown Estate profits used to fund the monarchy has been reduced from 25% to 12%.

The decision, announced in the royal family’s annual financial report released Monday, will see the nine-carriage convoy, used only twice last year at a cost of £77,969, retired by March 2027, due to its £1.2 million annual upkeep. The royal family will instead rely on two new helicopters for travel, deemed more flexible and cost-effective.

James Chalmers, Keeper of the Privy Purse, described the move as “fiscal discipline” to provide value for taxpayers. The train, with historic carriages from the 1980s, will undertake a farewell tour and may be displayed in a museum.

“The royal train, of course, has been part of national life for many decades, loved and cared for by all involved,” Chalmers said. “Just as many aspects of the work of the royal household have been modernized and adapted to reflect today's world, so too has the time come to bid an emotional farewell, as we seek to be disciplined and forward-thinking in the allocation of funds,” he added.

The Sovereign Grant, funding royal duties, remained at £86.3 million for 2024–25 but will rise to £132 million in 2025–26 to complete Buckingham Palace’s £369 million renovation. Royal travel costs increased by £500,000 to £4.7 million, and payroll rose by £2 million to £29.9 million, as a result of over 1,900 royal engagements -with more than 93,000 guests attending 828 official events at royal residences- and sustainability efforts, including a 2% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.