GWR Pullman Dining: Great Food on One of Britain’s Best Trains

This review covers my Pullman Dining experience on a Great Western Railway (GWR) train from Plymouth to London in the UK.

From Plymouth to London by train

After a wonderful trip to Cornwall, I was travelling back from Penzance to London in GWR First Class.

Rather than travelling on a direct train all the way to London Paddington, I decided to break the journey in Plymouth and catch a later GWR train from there to London.

I did this because the next GWR service from Plymouth to London offered Pullman Dining, one of the best onboard dining experiences on British railways.

Having to wait an extra two hours at Plymouth between trains was therefore hardly an inconvenience, as I was certainly looking forward to trying the food and drinks in Pullman Dining, having heard great things about it from other rail travellers.

GWR Pullman Dining

For those unfamiliar with it, GWR Pullman Dining is the exclusive onboard dining experience available on a select number of Great Western Railway trains.

GWR Pullman Dining is one of the few traditional dining car experiences left on British railway tracks, alongside the restaurant wagon on the Caledonian Sleeper and First Class Dining on a select number of Transport for Wales (TfW) trains.

The GWR website has a good overview of the services that currently offer Pullman Dining.

At the time of writing, the GWR trains with Pullman Dining available are the 13:03 and 19:04 departures from London Paddington to Plymouth, as well as the 17:48 service from London Paddington to Swansea.

In the reverse direction, GWR Pullman Dining is available on the 13:15 and 18:16 trains from Plymouth to London, and the 12:22 service from Swansea to London.

Of course, you don’t have to travel the entire route to enjoy Pullman Dining, as you can also use it when travelling between, say, London and Exeter or Cardiff and London on one of these services.

Further down this article, I’ll explain which passengers can access GWR Pullman Dining and how you can reserve a table.

Boarding the train

After a bit of waiting, the GWR train that would take me from Plymouth back to London finally arrived at the station.

Just like my previous ride, this Great Western Railway train was also a British Rail Class 802 built by Hitachi, known as an InterCity Express Train (IET) by GWR.

However, on this train, the front first class carriage was designated as the Pullman Dining coach.

Pullman Dining is essentially a dining experience in a standard first class carriage, although it is specially set up for the occasion by GWR staff with proper tablecloths, glassware, and china.

The friendly Pullman Dining manager told me that the staff needed a bit more time to set up the carriage for this afternoon’s lunch service, and advised me to take a seat in the first class coach just behind, as they would make an announcement over the PA system once they were ready to welcome guests.

Plymouth to London Paddington
GWR InterCity Express Train – Departure: 13:15 – Arrival: 16:29
Duration: 3h14m – Distance: 362 kilometres

Departure from Plymouth

Even though I had to wait a bit longer before I could enjoy some delicious food and a much-needed drink, I was in good spirits as we departed from Plymouth – not only because of the upcoming GWR Pullman Dining experience, but also because I was looking forward to the scenic ride through Devon.

From my seat, I watched the suburbs of Plymouth slowly give way to a landscape of rolling hills as we made our way towards our first stop en route in the town of Totnes.

Ready for lunch

Just before we arrived in Totnes, the Pullman Dining manager announced over the PA system that the front first class coach on our GWR train was now ready for lunch service, and we could take a table.

Although I was travelling alone and the solo seats on the left-hand side seemed like the best option, I asked if I could sit in one of the bays of four seats on the right-hand side of the train, as I knew that side would offer the best views on our route through Devon.

The Pullman Dining manager said it was perfectly fine, as long as I didn’t mind sharing the table with other passengers if many others joined for lunch, which I was of course perfectly fine with.

However, there weren’t many other takers on this day, as besides me there was just one couple and three other solo travellers, so I ended up with the entire table to myself.

Although a regular first class coach is used for GWR Pullman Dining, it was at least beautifully set up for mealtime, with proper white tablecloths and glassware on each table, which certainly added to the elegant atmosphere.

Menu

At each seat, a printed menu was beautifully presented inside a proper cover.

GWR Pullman Dining features a regularly changing menu, always highlighting seasonal dishes and locally sourced ingredients.

You can choose either two or three courses from a set menu, which at the time I was travelling cost £30 and £35 respectively (currently, the prices are £38 and £46).

Note that if you want to select the steak dish as your main, a £15 surcharge applies.

A wine list was also provided, with most half bottles priced at around £17, while a standard 75cl bottle would set you back about £25.

Of course, it’s also possible to order a beer or cider if you prefer.

Bread, water, soft drinks, and coffee or tea after the meal are all complimentary, which is certainly a nice touch.

You can see the menu from my trip in the pictures below, or simply visit the GWR website to view the latest version.

Wine time

I decided to go for a light lunch, choosing just two courses – haddock for the main and the chocolate and whisky tiramisu for dessert – accompanied by a half bottle of Villa Montes Sauvignon Blanc from Chile.

Moments later, the waitress returned with my bottle of wine and a large bottle of cold water, which was certainly appreciated on what was slowly becoming a warm summer day in England.

Along the coast

After our stop at Newton Abbot station, the railway line through Devon reveals its most scenic stretch, following the shores of the River Teign to Teignmouth, from where it runs parallel to the sea.

It was precisely for this reason that I asked to be seated on the right-hand side of the train, as it’s from there you can enjoy sweeping views over the river mouth and sea.

Of course, when travelling the other way around from London to Devon, make sure you sit on the left-hand side in the direction of travel for the best views.

Dawlish Sea Wall

Shortly after the GWR train leaves Teignmouth behind, the most famous stretch of the South Devon Railway begins.

The train now crosses the Dawlish Sea Wall, a concrete barrier built to protect the town of Dawlish from high waves and storms coming from the sea.

As the Dawlish Sea Wall is built right beside the sea, it almost feels as if you can reach out and touch the water from the train, with the seashore located just next to the railway line!

The Dawlish Sea Wall is one of the most iconic stretches of railway line in southern England, and there is no better way to experience it than from your table in GWR Pullman Dining while sipping a glass of wine.

Towards Exeter

Around me, the first passengers in GWR Pullman Dining were being served their starters.

Since I had skipped this course, I had to wait a little longer for my main dish to arrive.

That certainly wasn’t a problem, as I was enjoying the relaxed journey and there was still plenty of time left until our arrival in London.

We had now left the sea behind and were running inland along the River Exe towards Exeter, the cathedral city that also serves as the county town of Devon and arguably the most important intermediate stop between Plymouth and London of our GWR train.

Food is served

Soon after our stop in Exeter, my main course was served.

I had chosen the herb-crusted haddock, which came with creamy leeks and potatoes, along with baby broccoli.

The dish was beautifully presented and tasted superb, pairing perfectly with the white wine

Time for dessert

After I had finished the haddock, one of the friendly GWR train attendants cleared away my plate.

As I took in the fine views from the train window while we were passing through Somerset, with the sun finally breaking through, my dessert was served.

I had chosen the chocolate and whisky tiramisu, which tasted every bit as delicious as it sounded and was the perfect way to finish what had been a superb meal.

A cup of coffee

We made steady progress towards London, and as we approached the border between Wiltshire and Berkshire, it was time to enjoy some complimentary tea or coffee.

Although the offer of a glass of port sounded appealing, I decided to pass on this, knowing there would be more drinks to follow later in the day.

Arrival in London

While I finished my coffee, we arrived at Reading station, the penultimate stop on our journey from Devon to London.

As we made our final dash towards London, I was presented with the bill for the delicious meal, which I paid by card.

A little later, we reached platform 1 at London Paddington station – the same platform with its iconic clock from where I had set off westwards on the Night Riviera sleeper train to Cornwall just a few days earlier.

GWR Pullman Dining certainly made a great conclusion to my trip west across England.

Now it was time to head north, as I needed to head from London Paddington to Euston station for my Avanti West Coast train to Manchester for the second part of my England train trip.

How to reserve a table in Pullman Dining

Passengers with a GWR ticket in first class (or any first class rail pass) can reserve a table in the Pullman Dining car online free of charge up to one hour before departure.

Passengers in second class cannot make advance table reservations for GWR Pullman Dining, but they can use the service if places are available.

If you’re travelling in second class, speak to the Pullman Dining manager on board the GWR train to check availability.

Although this means you’re not guaranteed a table if you have a second class train ticket, it does make GWR Pullman Dining one of the best ways to upgrade your journey to first class – as for the price of a delicious meal, you also essentially get a much better seat and complimentary soft drinks, water, and tea or coffee.

Note that Pullman Dining is only available from Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays and peak travel periods such as the Christmas holidays.

Conclusion

GWR Pullman Dining offers one of Britain’s best train travel experiences, with excellent food and drinks served by friendly staff.

If I had been served the same food in a restaurant, I would certainly have been extremely pleased with the quality – and given that it was all prepared and served on a train, it felt like an even greater achievement.

It’s not just the quality of the food that makes GWR Pullman Dining such a great experience – it’s also about the overall enjoyment of eating a superb meal on proper china, with wine served in proper glassware, while admiring the fine views from the window.

If you need to travel by train from London westwards towards Devon or Cornwall, I highly recommend taking the GWR Night Riviera sleeper train in one direction and enjoying GWR Pullman Dining on your return, as together they make for a truly memorable journey.

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