The British Pullman, A Belmond Train, has revelaed a cinematic new dining carriage designed by beloved filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and Oscar-winning costume and production designer Catherine Martin.
If Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream were reimagined as a Baz Luhrmann film, its setting might very well take place in a sumptuous railcar. But there’s no need to imagine. Celia, a new private dining and events carriage, has officially launched aboard the iconic British Pullman, A Belmond Train, carrying guests through bucolic English countryside with theatrical flair.
Exquisitely crafted and endlessly creative, Belmond’s Celia is set within an original 1932 Pullman carriage where a whimsical world inspired by vintage 1930s theatre and Shakespearean romance awaits. The 12-guest carriage has its own cocktail bar, lounge, and dining and entertainment area, offering a dream-like setting for private dining and intimate events.
The design concept behind Celia
The dining carriage was designed by Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin. (Credit: Ludovic Balay)
Co-designed by world-renowned Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and Oscar-winning costume and production designer Catherine Martin, the carriage is a playful, meta-fictional space nodding to London’s 1930s West End theatre and Shakespeare’s famous A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The design concept follows the narrative of Celia, a fictional West End muse dreamt up by Luhrmann, who was gifted her own Pullman Car in 1932 in honour of her brilliant performance playing Titania, Queen of the Fairies, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Baz Luhrmann’s distinct design style can be felt throughout the carriage. (Credit: Hugh Stewart)
“Stepping inside the carriage is like being transported into another world, and one in which guests are invited to become part of the story," Luhrmann commented. “Celia, at its heart, is a magical mystery tour – a travelling dining experience for friends or an intimate celebration, filled with food, music, wine, laughter and performance. All of this unfolds as you drift through the countryside, feeling as though you’ve stepped inside A Midsummer Night’s Dream."
Ruby-red curtains inspired by theatre add to the ambience. (Credit: Ludovic Balay)
Soak up views of the rolling English countryside from plush purple couches. (Credit: Ludovic Balay)
Design details seamlessly flow into the bathroom space. (Credit: Ludovic Balay)
“Celia gives travellers the rare opportunity to inhabit the nostalgia of another era," Catherine Martin says. “Onboard I imagine people eating, dancing and falling in love, taking photographs, celebrating life’s great moments and adventures – all within a world that offers a pause from the chaos of everyday life."
The style of the Celia carriage
Whimsy can be found in intricate details throughout the carriage. (Credit: Ludovic Balay)
Luhrmann and Martin have painstakingly integrated details of Celia’s life, Shakespeare’s play and the British countryside into the carriage’s sumptuous design – all while imbuing it with their extravagant signature styles. Elaborate fabric over custom timber parquetry graces the ceiling, while heavy theatre-style curtains create an element of cinema and surprise. Celia’s interiors also feature floral motifs, oak-wood marquetry and velvet upholstered furniture, all woven together by a palette of deep greens, yellows, reds and purples.
To honour The British Pullman’s heritage of British craftsmanship, Luhrmann and Martin worked extensively with British artisans including marquetry experts Dunn & Son, bespoke furniture designer Bill Cleyndert and embroiders Hand and Lock.
What can guests of Celia carriage expect onboard?
Dedicated stewards serve cocktails and champagne to guests. (Credit: Ludovic Balay)
Celia offers up to 12 guests at a time the opportunity to journey through bucolic countryside in a self-contained private carriage with dedicated stewards. Travellers will depart from London’s Victoria Station and be able to personalise their onboard and offboard experiences, with a private chef available to design custom menus on request.
Depending on guests’ wishes, the carriage can morph into a theatrical space for performances, a dance floor or a haven for elegant dinners and bespoke cocktail hours – guests are invited to let their imagination lead the way, as Luhrmann and Martin have done.
Weekly travel news, experiences insider tips, offers, and more.
The details
Step into Celia’s exquisitely crafted world onboard The British Pullman, A Belmond Train. (Credit: Ludovic Balay)
Experience: private use of Celia carriage aboard The British Pullman, A Belmond Train
Departure location: Victoria Station, London
Price: from £15,000 (AU $29,000), including use of Celia and transfers within Greater London
Tick the box next to "International Traveller". That's it.
Eleanor Edström is International Traveller’s Associate Editor. El began her career writing for national magazines including Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel, and has since developed a soft spot for wild landscapes, thoughtful design and the human stories that bring them to life. She holds an honours degree in English and philosophy from the University of Sydney, and has lived abroad in both Switzerland and France – ostensibly to sharpen her French, though the pastries made a strong supporting case. One day, she hopes to swim with humpback whales off the coast of Mo'orea.
Temperatures are soaring this summer, breaking records across Europe and the UK.
Euro summer is a feeling like no other. But when a heatwave hits? The dream trip quickly turns into a sweaty mess. Extreme heat is sweeping Europe and the UK this week, with record-high temperatures impacting travel plans across the continent.
And while Australian summers are typically hotter in absolute temperature, many European cities aren’t equipped for high temperatures, resulting in unbearable weather.
Why is it so hot in Europe?
Signs of a hot summer loomed in May, when the mercury hit unprecedented spring highs. Now, extreme high temperature warning alerts have been issued in countries such as Spain, Italy, France, England, the Netherlands and Germany.
France saw its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with an average temperature of 30°C across the day and night. This surpasses the average temperature for June, which is 15°C to 25°C. Dozens of people have died, including 40 from drowning.
In Spain, 212 deaths have been linked to the heatwave.
The UK recorded its hottest June day ever on Wednesday with temperatures soaring to 36.1°C. In an article published by the Met Office – the UK’s national meteorological service – Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Met Office Chief Scientist, shared his concerns about June’s heat. “To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply,” he said.
Heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in Europe and the UK, neither of which is prepared for such extremes. The World Meteorological Organization reported that in 2025, at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures and that the continent was heating up twice as fast as the global average.
How travel is impacted
A pharmacy broadcasting local weather data. (Credit: Getty/Dragoncello)
During a heatwave, power grids, water systems and transport networks can be affected, resulting in disrupted itineraries for travellers. In France, power outages have left thousands without electricity and early closures have been implemented for two of Paris’s biggest attractions, the Eiffel Tower (early afternoon rather than late at night) and the Louvre (two hours early). Eurostar cancelled its London to Paris and Paris to London services from the 22nd to the 25th, and major UK rail companies have been advising travellers to avoid using trains where possible, or to travel during early hours.
If a heatwave is predicted, being flexible with your itinerary and having fully refundable/changeable tickets is key, as extreme heat can force the cancellation of outdoor activities, impact rail and flight services and change the opening hours of sites and eateries.
Why does summer in Europe often feel hotter than summer in Australia?
People swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris to cool off. (Credit: Rachael Thompson)
With some of the highest UV levels in the world, Australians are no strangers to the heat, adapting well to intense weather. But our infrastructure is largely equipped to withstand soaring temperatures with climate-responsive passive design, refrigerated air conditioning or evaporative coolers, as well as swimming spots aplenty.
Buildings in Northern and Western Europe and the UK, however, are constructed to retain heat and handle frosty winters. The lack of universal air conditioning means it generally feels hotter even though the temperature on your app might not look it. During a heatwave, it can feel like you’re in a sauna as cities act like heat traps.
How to stay cool and prepare for another heatwave
Relief is expected across Europe and the UK later this week, but more heatwaves are still possible in the coming months. Summer heat typically peaks in July and August.
Public transport often doesn’t have air conditioning, and buses in particular can be swelteringly hot. If you’re heading outside or your accommodation has no air conditioning, it’s worth buying a spray bottle and a handheld fan from a pharmacy or tourist stand. Check ahead of time if restaurants and cafes have air conditioning and make a booking in advance. The highest temperatures typically hit between 3pm and 6pm, so aim to head outdoors outside of these hours.
Rising temperatures invite travellers to enter a more intentional era of seeing the world. Now more than ever is the time to embrace lower-impact “coolcations” and off-season getaways.
