FANCY sipping champagne and tucking into a five-course dinner while bowling along at 70mph aboard Britain's most luxurious train?

Well, that's what's on offer when the 1930s Northern Belle Pullman train, once part of the iconic Orient Express group, passes through Hereford tomorrow (Wednesday, November 16)

Passengers are paying £390 for the journey from Cardiff to Manchester.

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Tickets include round-trip travel, a welcome drink, a three-course brunch, morning tea and coffee, free time to explore Manchester and the Christmas market, a champagne reception, a five-course dinner, a bottle of wine per couple and tea, coffee and petit fours.

The Northern Belle sets out from Cardiff Central station at 7.07am on Wednesday, December 14, hauled by a vintage diesel locomotive.

It will leave Newport at 7.31am before passing through Abergavenny at 7.56am, Pontrilas at 8.07am and Tram Inn at 8.12am.

The train will stop in Hereford for five minutes in Hereford at 8.20am for staffing reasons before passing Shelwick Junction at 8.28am, Moreton on-Lugg at 8.31am, Woofferton at 8.48am, Bromfield at 8.55am and Craven Arms at 9.02am.

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It will arrive into Manchester Victoria at 11.48am.

Manchester's Christmas Markets have been attracting thousands of visitors to the city centre every year since 1998, and the company says it offers mouth-watering international food, drinks and delicately crafted Yuletide gifts.

After exploring Manchester Christmas Market, a champagne reception awaits. A sumptuous dinner accompanied by our sommelier's choice of wine will be served to passengers.

The train will leave Manchester Victoria at 4.34pm.

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The train will pass through Craven Arms at 7.03pm, Leominster at 7.17pm, Moreton-on-Lugg at 7.26pm and therefore at 7.32pm.

It will then go through Tramm Inn at 7.43pm, Pontrilas at 7.48pm and Abergavenny at 7.59pm before arriving back into Cardiff Central at 9.11pm.

Actor Bill Nighy described the Northern Belle as the "Grand Dame of luxury travel" when it featured on Channel 5's "The World's Most Scenic Railways" programme last year.

But passengers are being warned they'd better look smart if they want to catch the train – jeans and trainers are banned!