I had a 5* dining experience on a normal GWR train
“Just so you know, we have a Pullman dining carriage on this train” an announcement came over the GWR 13:03 service from London to Plymouth’s speakers. “We’re serving two courses for £38 or three for £46. You’re welcome to join us”.
A smile crossed my face, as I was already in the Pullman carriage. I’d booked in advance – and between Paddington and Reading, I was the only person there.
What’s GWR Pullman dining?
The carriage was simply a first-class carriage, with tablecloths, silverware and a glass and bottle of water on each seat. Due to the configuration of the GWR first class carriages, there were tables suitable for groups of two, four or solo diners.
On the table, there was a menu. On the Pullman dining experience, you simply order two or three courses from the menu and dine on board the train.
The food is tasty and well cooked, and it harks back to a nostalgic era of railway travel.
The food options
Like most Pullman menus, there wasn’t a huge variety of options – but I never mind that, as it usually means what is cooked is made to perfection.
Here’s the menu that I had (note: this is subject to change).
I opted for the heritage carrot salad for starter – it was a roasting July day and the soup may have overheated me!
This was delicious – pesto, hibiscus beetroot, fennel and sunflower aren’t generally a flavour combination I’d think of, but it was a fine-dining style portion and I enjoyed every bite.
I’m vegetarian, so I only had one option for mains – the aubergine birria. While tasty, I did find this course a little out of sync with the rest of the menu – it was a tex-mex style course that was more reminiscent of pub grub than the stylish other courses.
For dessert, I chose the chocolate brownie. This was delicious, literally melting in my mouth as soon as I took a bite.
All meals are served with water and bread and butter, and a chocolate at the end. Soft drinks are complimentary; alcohol is chargeable.
The service
Service was on par with an award-winning restaurant.
As soon as I stepped into the carriage, I was greeted warmly and shown to the adjacent first-class carriage to wait. I was then called through when the waiters were done setting up.
The waiters were attentive and friendly, bringing my food out quickly and answering any questions I had.
Once I’d finished my meal, I requested my table to be cleared so I could use my laptop. This was, again, done quickly and efficiently.
The journey
We slipped out of London and arrived at Reading, where three others – a couple and solo diner – joined the carriage, having heard the announcement. The waiters confirmed where we were disembarking to ensure the meal ran on time (they took payment at the stop before disembarkation).
This is a journey I’ve seen dozens of times, as I frequently travel from London to Devon, where I live – but taking it in while gorging on a three-course meal made it all the more pleasant. Time literally flew!
In contrast to the often hectic standard class, this carriage was calm and zen, a step back from the stress of commuting.
Upon arrival at Exeter St Davids station, an attendant helped me with my case, and I rejoined real life – after what felt like an almost meditative experience on the GWR train!
How to book
There are two ways you can have this experience:
- Book a first class ticket, then make a Pullman dining reservation here. You’ll be guaranteed a seat.
- Book a standard ticket on the times when the Pullman service runs (it’s usually 2x per day in each direction on the London to Plymouth and the London to Cardiff line. But please check here for up to date times).
When boarding, if you have time, head to the Pullman carriage (for me this was coach K) and enquire about spaces. If they have space, they’ll let you on.
If you don’t have time to do this before boarding, ask the train attendant. If there’s space, you can either walk down through the train or move carriages in Reading.
You’re not guaranteed a seat in the Pullman restaurant by doing this, but you’ll save money as you don’t need to book first class. It’s effectively a first-class upgrade, with a meal and excellent service, from £38!
Pullman Dining is available on GWR trains Monday to Friday all year round, excluding bank holidays.
If you’re travelling for less than 50 minutes, you won’t be able to dine in the Pullman carriage – the experience is only available on longer journeys.
Would you try this?
The food, service and experience make this possibly the best way to travel from London to the West Country, and I’d definitely do it again (although I’d do it the second way rather than booking next time!).
For another unique GWR experience, read about the London to Cornwall sleeper train here.
