Key facts
- The Royal Train, used by senior members of the Royal Family, will be decommissioned.
- King Charles has approved the decommissioning, citing a need for "fiscal discipline" and "value for money."
- The train was used twice in 2024, costing a total of over £77,000.
- Senior royals will transition to using two new helicopters.
- The decommissioning process is set to begin next year, with the train's maintenance contract ending in early 2027.
King Charles has approved the decommissioning of the Royal Train, a nine-carriage service used by senior members of the Royal Family, after decades of use. The decision, described by Keeper of the Privy Purse James Chalmers as an example of "fiscal discipline" and a drive for "value for money," will see the train cease operations ahead of its maintenance contract ending in early 2027.
Senior royals will transition to using two new helicopters for travel. The Royal Train was utilized twice in 2024, incurring costs exceeding £77,000. One journey by the King from Windsor to Crew to Kemble cost £33,157, while another trip between Kemble, Burton-on-Trent, and Euston cost £44,822.
Annual royal accounts show that while the Sovereign Grant remains at £86.3 million, royal travel costs have increased by £500,000 to £4.7 million. Payroll costs also saw an increase of £2 million, reaching £29.9 million. The decommissioning process is slated to begin next year.
Previously, a three-day tour by Prince William and Kate in 2020, covering 1,250 miles, cost the taxpayer nearly £48,000. The cost of the Royal Train has historically been a point of controversy, with its journeys costing £872,000 in 2002. In contrast, Prince William's charter flight to Kuwait in October 2020 to pay condolences cost £58,993, and overall royal travel in 2020-21 was £3.2 million.