Monisha Rajesh travelled on the Royal Scotsman from Edinburgh Waverley and said it was the “best” train route in the UK – but her followers were all saying the same thing
Liam Ryder Digital Production Editor
17:13, 29 Aug 2025
The Royal Scotsman Train heading down the River Helmsdale, one of the most exclusive salmon rivers in Scotland(Image: Martin Harvey via Getty Images)
A travel writer has described her journey on a Scottish sleeper train as ‘exhilarating’, pointing out one aspect in particular that she loved. Monisha Rajesh documented her trip on the Royal Scotsman, departing from Edinburgh Waverley and spending several days traversing the Scottish countryside. She even went so far as to suggest it might be the “best” train route in the UK.
Speaking on The Travel Diaries, a popular podcast hosted by fellow travel journalist Holly Rubenstein, Monisha recounted her journey through the Highlands. Absorbing all the sights and sounds, she said it made passengers “grin away like kids”.
This was what she said was one of the things she enjoyed most; seeing “sleeper train novices” enjoy the “genuine thrill” of being aboard the train.
The Royal Scotsman offers various routes across Scotland, but Monisha’s took her up to Kyle of Lochlash and through Aberdeenshire on a three-day adventure. The ‘Wild Spirit of Scotland’ tour is a three-night excursion that Belmond describes as a “captivating journey through Scotland’s untamed beauty”.
The train traversed the coastline(Image: Martin Harvey via Getty Images)
Monisha told listeners of the podcast: “It sets off from Edinburgh at around 2:00 in the afternoon. Within about half an hour, you are through just the stunning landscape.
“Beautiful, beautiful fields, and then starts to turn into the moors. And then you go over the Firth of Forth bridge and you’re clanking away.”
Monisha highlighted one feature of the Royal Scotsman that particularly appealed to her and her fellow travellers. She added: “And I think the nicest bit about this particular train is that it’s got an open deck at the back.
“You open the back door and it’s just, the wind is kind of slapping at your clothing. And you’re going on this bridge and you look down and you can see boats in the water and you can see the land just approaching, and you can reach out.
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“It’s a clanking, very, very massive construction, but you’re right in the centre of it. It’s so exhilarating.
“And it’s really funny seeing people who clearly have never been on trains like this before, sort of inching their way out. And then you’d look around and it’s just full of people with this massive grin on their face and the hair is all over the place and they’re grinning away like kids.
“That’s one of the things I love the most about seeing people who are kind of sleeper train novices. When they get to see all these new things and you can see the genuine thrill of being on this train, it is like being a kid again.”
Monisha revealed that “trains just have that ability to bring joy out of people” and described how the locomotive journeys to Dundee before heading back to Edinburgh.
The Royal Scotsman offers far more than just spectacular views though – Monisha outlined the various experiences on offer for guests. Passengers can explore whisky distilleries, have a go at clay pigeon shooting, embark on walking excursions and visit historic battlegrounds.
The view from the Royal Scotman’s observation car(Image: Martin Harvey via Getty Images)
She continued: “It’s a lovely kind of wrap around tour, I guess, of Scotland.” However, one particular detail left people gobsmacked.
Users on TikTok, where Monisha’s podcast appearance was shared, were taken aback by the hefty price tag. The most affordable journey on the Royal Scotsman sets you back £5,800 per passenger, based on a double cabin, for a two-night ‘Taste of the Highlands’ trip.
The three-night trips start at a whopping £7,700 per person for a double cabin. While many TikTok users agreed that the train experience looked “amazing”, others expressed their shock at the cost.
One user exclaimed: “How much? Aye, ok! That’s a naw then.” Another chimed in: “Nice, but the price.”
A third commenter echoed the sentiment, saying: “Oh wait no I just saw the price. Yikes.”