Travelling on the historic Belmond British Pullman is a hard-won tick on the ol’ bucket list by itself but now you’ve got the opportunity to elevate the experience by taking part in a scripted whodunnit. Clearly taking inspiration from Agatha Christie, Belmond now offers a murder mystery experience package that will have luxury travellers hop on a journey across the English countryside with a five-course lunch and a heady dose of theatrics.
It’s surreal enough being on board the UK’s most famous luxury train as it does its dash through Kent. Layer on a group of 10 actors who walk the carriage, giving guests snippets of information about a supposed crime so guests can do their best impression of Benoit Blanc and work together to find out who killed who on the high-end vessel. It’s the kind of creative “kidulthood” activity that takes more than a few steps up from your typical session at Holey Moley or one of those exhausting escape rooms.
Immersive experiences like this don’t come by very often but they are becoming more popular around the world as artists curate surrealistic experiences that rely heavily on crowd participation. Belmond has tipped the hat to these kinds of experiences before, hosting murder mystery lunches on occasion, although the latest iteration was created specifically for this train and is the first of its kind to be tailored to the exact setting.
Belmond partnered with Private Drama Events to put the program together, squeezing it into an easy five-hour journey that departs London’s Victoria Station at 11 AM and returns by 4 PM. In between that time frame, you get that five-course lunch while also being tasked with solving the mystery. Belmond says that there is a “special prize” for the best detective, although the luxury group doesn’t specify what this actually is.
Belmond’s reimagined Moving Murder Mystery now draws much of its plot from subtle references to the British Pullman, its heritage and its craftsmanship. The characters have been written as an extension of the train’s history, so there’s little doubt the actual conclusion of the story would be tied to the train itself. According to Private Drama Events, everything from the costumes to the dialogue pays homage to British Pullman’s design features, intricate marquetry and colourful fabrics.
Belmond’s British Pullman may not be as well known as the iconic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. From photos, it looks like Belmond’s more eccentric train journey, with highly ornate carriages, one of which was remained by Wes Anderson in 2021.
Sipping on Dom P and diving into British cheese platters, all while trying to solve a murder mystery, seems like a much more interesting way to blow through some disposable income next time you find yourself in London with little to do.
The Belmond Moving Murder Mystery is available on select dates throughout the year with the next one being March 24 and the final for the year being on November 30. The package is priced at £540 (AU$980) per passenger.
