Pullman Dining Car First Great Western in Richmond upon Thames

This is a unique experience that happens to be available at a really convenient train time, and the food on board is excellent, as is the premier service. It is an experience I’d highly recommend.

Whilst meet and greet at the station could be improved a lot (confusion as to tables, readiness etc), the rest of the service was great. Very friendly, attentive and hard working staff + great food.

Excellent lunch from Plymouth to Paddington Station. Service was superb. Food was delicious, upscale French quality. I’ve done the Amtrak traditional dining as well, this beat it. Great wine list. Filet steak was cooked perfectly medium rare, really tender. Such nice scenery heading back to London. Dining on a train is my favorite type of dining. Nothing beats it, including international business flights.

Went on the GWR Pullman dining train from Exeter to London tonight. Was a great experience. I had the ham hock followed by the steak and then the cheeseboard. Would thoroughly recommend t it.

What a treat,great service,good food and fabulous views on way to London,would highly recommend ,everyone should try it.

I had dinner on the 1904 from Paddington To Exeter. From the outset, the experience was outstanding. My reservation was made without any trouble, and I was allocated a comfortable single seat at the rear of the carriage. I had the ham hock terrine, the fillet steak and the cheese plate. All 3 courses were excellent - the steak in particular was delicious. I accompanied my meal with a bottle of shiraz/malbec blend which was very decently priced at £19. The staff were all very friendly and created a genuinely warm and welcoming atmosphere. I won't hesitate to make another booking on my next trip to Exeter.

Based on previous experience, I chose this service to enjoy the Pullman lunch menu - I enjoyed the fillet steak with Guinness sauce and The cheese platter was really enhanced by glass of lovely port

No idea why GWR don’t promote this more! 3 courses - genuinely tasty fresh food - sourced along the railway regions, fabulous wine list reasonably priced and the staff were fantastic… all for £44. Two courses for £37 but I opted for a cheeseboard. Buy standard then pay for your food - you end up first class!

My wife and I recently had the pleasure of lunch on the GWR Pullman silver service from Plymouth to London.It was a terrific experience and one we had wanted to do for a long time and we weren't disappointed.The staff were a delight and made us so welcome and the food was really very good and the cost quite reasonable for such quality food and service. We shall certainly use this unique train travelling experience again.

Excited to find ourselves on a train with Pullman dining , we already had first class tickets . Went to the dining carriage and a lady with far too much fake tan literally ran at us demanding to know if we had a reservation , when we informed her we did not she said we would have to share a table with a couple still eating their lunch despite the carriage not being even half full . We asked if we could come back later and have a table for 2 only to be rudely told no it’s now or never , with still almost 3 hours of the journey left it didn’t make sense so we refused and had sandwiches in the first class carriage instead . I never know why these companies spend millions developing a product to destroy it by having rude uninterested staff work in it If FGW are the slightest bit interested it’s the 1554 from Newton Abbot to London on the 7th May 24

There is little to add to the excellent reviews already posted about this sevice. We finished off few days in London with dinner of the GWR Pullman from Paddington to Cardiff. Excellent food, very well presented and served by the super lovely team headed by long-standing Pullman steward Diane. Can recommend both the Cod and the Coq au Vin mains on the current menu. I also had lunch on the Cardiff to Paddington run recntlyy and can throughly recommend both the Bordeaux Supeieur and the Rhone Blanc Famille Perrin, on the current wine list. Also enjoyed reminiscing with Diane about the South Wales Pullman services back to the 1980's! All GWR need to do now is to put those state of the art kitchens on their Hitachi trains to more us and reintroduce the Great British Breakfast service!

Wonderful, from welcome onto the train to when I got off. Food top quality - better than most restaurants I have been to, menu has lots of lovely options. Excellent service, friendly and chatty. Very reasonable considering quality of food. GWR this is the best experience I’ve ever had on a train, thank you for bringing something special to the railways.

This is Britain’s best kept secret. Great grub and wine made even better by the fantastic service from Diane, Marc and Vicki. Magic.

This time last year I enjoyed lunch on the "Golden Hind" which is Great Western Railway's flagship inter-city train service between London and Plymouth, and I didn't think that the experience of tucking into a four-course meal with wine whilst the verdant countryside of Somerset and Devon whizzed past the picture window at 100mph could be improved upon in any way. Earlier this evening I was travelling by rail from Portsmouth to Swansea via Reading. In spite of the fact that GWR's journey planner made no reference whatsoever to a Pullman Restaurant on the "Red Dragon" train from Paddington to Carmarthen, and the station announcements at Reading made no mention of one either, there were indeed catering facilities tucked away in the rearmost First Class carriage of this ten-coach Hitachi InterCity Express train. The Pullman Dining crew welcomed me on board with open arms, carrying my heavy holdall and stowing it away between the seat backs, before finding me a table for one and taking my dinner order. Which was pretty good considering that I was travelling on a Railcard-discounted Standard APEX ticket! I opted for the Ham Hock Terrine (GBP 6:00) as the Starter, Chicken Breast with Sage Stuffing (GBP 27:50) as the Main Course, Chocolate Torte with Black Cherries in Kirsch (GBP 6:00) as the Desert and a tasty GBP 6:00 Welsh Cheeseboard with Pear Chutney (plus a glass of Port for a very reasonable GBP 5:50) for Afters. Chilled mineral water and hot coffee were complimentary and unlimited. I cannot fault the attentive service offered by Vikki, my Waitress, whilst the Chicken Breast on a bed of Braised Artichoke was cooked to perfection by a Chef working under pressure in a cramped galley. It's such a shame that nine of the eighteen seats in the Restaurant Car remained empty throughout the near three hour journey to Swansea/Abertawe. The half-bottle of Claret which went so well with three out of my four courses was a snip at GBP 15 whilst the only thing missing from a wine list which would not have disgraced the dining room of a top London Gentleman's Club was either a fine Sauternes or an elegant Barsac to go with my Chocolate Torte. Pullman Dining (along with the "Night Riviera" Sleeper train) is one of the two jewels in Great Western Railway's increasingly tarnished crown and it's a shame that it's not offered on other services, such as the "Cathedrals Express" from London to Worcester and Hereford via Oxford. Although I hesitate to give out what should be confidential information, for anyone travelling on a Standard (Class) ticket, it's a ridiculously cheap way of getting a First Class upgrade at peak travel times on journeys between south Devon/South Wales and London!

As ever, a fantastic experience from Diane and Marc. How are they always just so... wonderful?! The food is lovely and oh my goodness the steak!? *chefs kiss* But honestly, with the level of service we get from Diane and Marc. The food isn't even the reason we use the Pullman Service. Even after not taking the train for months and months you feel like you're meeting old friends the moment you step into the carriage! Top Tier!

What a fabulous hidden gem … found completely by accident … staff are extremely friendly and can’t do enough for you … the food is fantastic quality and excellent value for money … I can’t praise this service highly enough … thank you so much

This has long been on my bucket list and it didn't disappoint in any major way. The staff were absolutely outstanding and the reaction to the tip we left told me that many passengers don't bother to tip! I was a wee bit disappointed at the disposable tablecloth but the meal was excellent, as was the wine. A wonderful way to watch the world go by, took me back to my childhood when serious dining was available on most mainline routes.

After reading reviews on Tripadvisor and my parents 50th wedding anniversary, I decided to book the GWR Pullman service from Swansea to London Paddington. The experience was fantastic- Diane & Marc went out of their way to ensure we had an enjoyable meal as a family . Recommend to anyone !

Excellent service and lovely meal on both legs of a journey to and from Plymouth. We dined last year and thought we would do it again and weren’t disappointed. The price is about what you’d pay in a good restaurant, but there is something special about eating good good on the move. Only thing to be aware of is that despite booking you’re unlikely to get any food until about 45 minutes into your journey from Plymouth in the afternoon. The booking system is a bit unreliable. Our return journey was showing as unavailable until about three days before we were due to travel. Glitches like this appear to be an all too frequent issue and something GWR need to sort out. You might not get the menu that’s on the website either, or the one you are sent by email.

The only way to travel! This was our first experience of the GWR Pullman Dining, and what a wonderful experience it was. From the assistance with our luggage when boarding, to our beautifully presented table with white table cloth, proper cutlery and crockery and real glasses, our first impression was one of why haven’t we done this before The menu was small and select with something for everyone, with an excellent choice of wines. I can highly recommend the steak, cooked to perfection, with the attentive service of the team, my wine and water glasses were topped up continuously throughout the journey For the very first time, we arrived at Paddington relaxed, refreshed and feeling our time away had already started I would never consider the hassle of airports or driving to London again We would also like to thank each of the Pullman team for making this experience so totally special and one we look forward to enjoying again in the very near future Thank you all

Really pleasantly suprised by this. Friendly staff, good service, good value wine. The food wasn't bad, but was expensive for what you got, but I guess they've realised people will pay for the novelty factor. Slighly chaotic booking system, which could better explain how it works when you're on the train, as nobody seemed quite sure when it was going to open, or how long you'd get to eat your meal. It certainly made the 4 hour trip back from Cornwall much quicker.

We decided to opt for the 7.05 train from Exeter to London Paddington, and have dinner in the dining car. We purposely chose this option, rather than an earlier train and dinner in London instead. Imagine our disappointment when boarding the near empty dining car, to be told they couldn't seat us, as they had no food on board, completely ridiculous. On that evening (Thursday 25th May), there were 3 other people who also wanted the dining car (that we know of), so goodness knows how much revenue they lost that evening. We normally spend in the region of £150 on the train. Such a disappointment. I thankfully had a cool bag with picnic food from M&S (for the next day), so we were able to eat that on board, along with a bottle of wine we had brought with us. The trolley didn't arrive in our carriage until we were 10 minutes outside of Reading, and it didn't have any wine or ice available, so we couldn't even order a drink (who wants a warm G&T? Seriously we have just got the dining car back (after covid), and if it carries on like this, we will lose it completely, because nobody will be able to rely on it, and will stop using it altogether (maybe that's GWT's plan).

Good food and good service. A nice addition to a long journey. Only runs on a couple of services a day.

On day 6 of a 7 day all line rover, I had high expectations that this would be one of the highlights of my little self-indulgent trip. And it absolutely was. First class comfort, exceptional food and service which you enjoy with the constantly changing scenery effortlessly speeding by. I ordered the smoked haddock and crab salad (a large serving) followed by the steak. I have to say I was hesitant about paying an extra £15 for the piece of rump but it was absolutely worth it. The dauphinois and cubed beetroot were delicious. As for the steak, I asked for it to be cooked medium rare, tending to rare. Fairly specific but it was executed to absolute perfection. Very very impressive. The half bottle of Bordeaux Superieur seemed to have a few more glasses than usual which is why I didn't make it to a glass of port at the end - probably the only disappointment of the experience! I rounded the meal off with cheese, as tempting as the bread and butter pudding sounded, but was told that was fairly heavy. It was a good call. The whole experience was top notch and as others have said - I will do it again. I have already recommended this to quite a few friends. It would be great doing this with a few friends - heck why not even book out the whole dining carriage?! And taking it a step further, why not book a return trip to Cardiff and get back to Paddington in time to take the night sleeper to Penzance (which I had done on the first day of my 7 day rover). Finally, two call outs must go to 1. GWR for operating this service and delivering it so well and 2. the dining team on board. Others have also mentioned this but they helped make the experience . I was served by Mark (apologies if his name ends with a "c") - someone who seems to love his job and that shows very clearly. Absolutely loved it and will be back to do this again with at least 1 other. Thank you GWR (the only thing I would say you need to improve upon is the Paddington lounge on Platform 1).

Please don't ever get rid of this wonderful service. The worst thing about this wretched virus is not having lunch or dinner as the best views in England slide past one's window. Hurry back!

Lovely lovely great service food hot and very good standard. Quite easy to enjoy the ride. Shame it is not available on weekend’s.

Como viajero habitual en trenes de larga distancia alemanes, franceses y suizos, los británicos suelen dejar mucho que desear.¡Este viaje único, de Paddington al suroeste con el servicio Pullman, cambia todo eso!De alguna manera, el chef logra crear una comida increíblemente cocinada en una pequeña cocina de tren. La comida es simplemente deliciosa. Por lo general, me abstengo de pedir bistec en un restaurante y prefiero buscarlo y cocinarlo yo mismo en un fuego de carbón, ¡esta es la excepción!El servicio es una combinación perfecta de la cordialidad británica y la primera clase internacional. Espere que los acompañamientos se sirvan en comunidad con una sonrisa y que los asientos sean comunes (en mesas de 2 o 4 personas) lo que lleva a una buena conversación sobre la comida. Por lo general, evito a las personas para que todos los introvertidos puedan relajarse, esto funciona.Elijo deliberadamente este servicio siempre que puedo.

excellent excellent great service wonderful food well served well prepared and hot really good always made to feel welcome and good old fashioned customers service

The Pullman restaurant car on the 0557 Swansea to London makes the commute a pleasure. Superb food and exceptional service from the team, every time.

Superb breakfast experience on the Pullman dining carriage. The food / ingredients were delicious, Diane and her team were so friendly & the “experience” of restaurant-quality food whilst whizzing along on the train made it a real treat!

Had my first experience on dining in the Pullman carriage and can safely say it was one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had. Glamorgan sausage was a highlight but the whole experience was simply perfect.

I last reviewed the Pullman service not too long after the whizzy new trains replaced the venerable 125s. My impressions and experience then were of watering down and lack of attention. I am very pleased to say that the staff have got to grips with the new trains and now are delivering the lovely service they used to do. The food is excellent, the drink too and the staff so friendly. The seats are still poor compared with the leather luxury of the old trains but perhaps this will, one day, be resolved. However, use this service, it isn’t cheap but to travel from Devon to London with the ever changing scenery outside and a properly cooked meal in front of you, is an utter old world delight. Other train companies cannot compete with their microwaved lookalikes. Well done GWR, but don’t you dare dumb down this service.

Well GWR what can I say, I don't have enough words of gratitude and appreciation for such a wonderful service we had on Wednesday 12th February from London Paddington to Plymouth on the Pullman Dining Service which departed at 13:04.The food was exceptional, tasted delicious, beautifully presented and served. A restaurant on wheels perfect for seeing our beautiful countryside.My partner and I were engaged at Dawlish Station on her Birthday, Sunday Januaty 19th.GWR saw our photos taken by Jimmy, Alex and Kerry, who were simply brilliant, so friendly, they even made us a cup of tea and spoke to us for approx 2 hours.GWR Head Office subsequently offered us the opportunity to be their guests on the Pullman Service & an extra treat the Night Riviera Sleeper from Penzance back to London Paddington.Matt at Penzance again was brilliant, very friendly and made us feel so welcome.The train crew on the 13:04 from Paddington to Plymouth were exceptional, so much praise for them, attentive, professional and so friendly, Cristina, Ryan and Teresa to name a few, all staff were brilliant.The sleeper service (2145 Weds 12th, Penzance to London Paddington) again was excellent, staff were lovely, especially the Lounge crew and Train driver Simon.I feel passionate myself about customer service and the ability to care for your customers whatever the age group.GWR were and are amazing, a family feel like company and amongst all the negative comments on reviews and social media spare a thought for the dedication the staff have to offer.Take time to compliment, few too many do, when a train is late negativity surfices.Thank you so much GWR for creating a memory for Alexandra and I to cherish forever.To all at GWR "Thank you" inparticular Dan & John

I've now tried the dinner service from Paddington and the lunch service back from Plymouth. Both were very positive experiences. The food and wine were decent quality and the service, ably led on both occasions by James, was second to none. The prices are perhaps not for the faint-hearted but if you have a long trip to/from the west-country I would suggest giving this service a go. You will probably find that the journey time appears shorter and that you arrive at your intended destination with a smile on your face. Many thanks to all the on board team.

This is the second time that I’ve reviewed this dining experience over the last few years.The principal change has been the trains, which has meant fewer available seats, and although I loved the large leather seats of the previous trains, in terms of the dining experience with Pullman, the experience is not diminished in the new carriage.The breakfast (I’ve had both the full Pullman English breakfast and the vegetarian - both are equally good) is absolutely superb. It is served beautifully hot, in a way that is akin to a Mayfair restaurant and is incredibly tasty, locally-sourced food. The staff are very friendly, professional and warm. I highly recommend!

An elegant way to travel. Food good and excellent service. Not surprisingly a little on the expensive side but worth trying and would recommend.

We had fabulous meal on the 21st of January 20 , the food was amazing this service was better than you would get in a high end restaurant. Well done GWR

Me encantó este servicio a Plymouth, obtuve el 13. 04 de Paddington. ¡fue increíble! ! !Comida de tres platos, comida genial, sabía delicioso y muy, muy bien presentado! ! !El servicio fue simplemente increíble, no parecía tan ocupado, lo cual fue una pena, ya que necesita estar ocupado, pero tal vez solo en la época del añoEl personal era mejor de lo que podría haber imaginado y todo salió a la perfección. Buen vino servido y comer en un tren rápido (eléctrico para leer y luego diesel después) fue brillanteHicimos el servicio de desayuno en el camino de regreso y perfectamente preparado.Recomiendo encarecidamente tener el servicio de almuerzo o cena como un regalo

Pre reservado. . . . pero el entrenador solo estaba medio lleno. . . solo ocho, dos experimentados y amables empleados que sirven, un elenco de otros cocinando y ejecutando el servicio de carritos, excelente desayuno galés solo 18. 00, café ilimitado, una experiencia muy placentera, solo deseo GWR, tuve este servicio en más trenes, realmente esperé para realizar este servicio, el tren funcionó con energía eléctrica de arriba a Cardif, muy suave, muy rápido. . . .

Cogí el tren temprano a London Paddington frente a Taunton y tomé el segundo desayuno sentado en el GWR IET.

Travelled on the Pullman Friday 6/12 and tonight 9/12. Breakfast on Friday on the 1045 London - Swansea superb, seamless service, excellent food, and great value. Tonight's 1803 Plymouth - London wasn't so great. Food was OK, but for the price paid it should be perfect. The service was polite and friendly but not nearly so slick. I'd definitely go for breakfast again but couldn't recommend dinner.

1803 Paddington to Penzanze. Fabulous service and brilliant food. Good to see our old friend Mike the chef again, steak was perfect as always.

After a long week away, I managed to get a pullman dinning seat (via my standard class ticket) on my journey from paddington to Plymouth.

Una maravillosa manera de pasar el viaje de Swindon a Swansea. Excelente comida que incluye huevos escalfados perfectamente cocinados, un servicio atento de la brillante tripulación de Diane, Eddie y Mark como siempre y, en general, una experiencia de primer nivel.

Great service from the start. Allocated seat straight away although they were still trying to get the train ready. Given menu and offered drinks as soon as we left. Only disappointment was the menu was not what had been published on the website. Scallops followed by steak, with both courses being fantastic. Steak was perfectly cooked. Will definitely use the service again.

I am sure that for those that were able to eat it was very nice. However for those of us on a “separate” train it was somewhat frustrating we couldn’t make our lunch reservation. I have no words for the complimentary food we were served, it was retro 80s British Rail and went mostly in the bin.

An amazing experience, joined breakfast with just a standard ticket and the staff could not have been more welcoming. The food was brilliant, possibly the best breakfast I’ve had. Had the whole dinning car to myself!

Had breakfast on way to London from Cornwall and then lunch from London West on separate trips. As always the staff, the service and the food was superb. Good restaurant quality food served by very attentive staff. Highly recommended.

Got onboard the 0800 Swindon to Paddington direct service- I took the opportunity to dine in the Pullman carriage.

Well done GWR. Superb service and my compliments to the excellent staff who make it what it is. Outstanding.

Cracking food and amazing consistent friendly service well worth doing especially for the reasonable cost

Travelled again on the 10:45 to Cardiff and as ever enjoyed a magnificent breakfast in GWR Pullman carriage. The food is fantastic but the service is spectacular. Edward leads a warm, friendly and highly professional team who simply can’t do enough to make sure the dining experience is perfect......and they achieve that EVERY time. I wish we could get service like this in all the restaurants in London!!

Fine dining on the train is a rarity in the UK these days. Back in the days of GNER I could have fine dining on most of the trains they operated from Glasgow to King’s Cross but then East Coast decided to scrap the restaurant and replace it with complimentary first class dining. It’s good for complimentary but didn’t meet the fine dining we used to have with GNER.

Serendipity found me travelling on the 10:45 from London Paddington to Swansea, and for the first time I had the opportunity to try a Class 800 dining car.

I’ve wanted to try out the GWR Pullman service for a long time - and today the timing of the 07:36 from Bristol Parkway was perfect for my trip to London - ok so I was a bit late for my meeting because I intentionally got this train to experience the welsh breakfast!

Excellent silver service dining meal on the 19:03 from Paddington to Plymouth. Great food and menu choice served to your table as you speed along. Nothing too much trouble for staff. Far better value than dining in town and travelling later. Pre - booking is appears to be a necessity as several late comers were turned away. This can be easily done on GWRs website.

Shrouded in uncertainty and not widely publicized the Pullman service is available from Exeter to London Paddington.

The Pullman is a British rail dining restaurant as it’s best. Classics such as smoked salmon and a fillet steak are transformed into something extravagant and elegant on this service. On this occasion Jane who was the host managed a full and first class service along with Chris the chef who cooked a superb lunch.

You know, it's still possible to feel special when traveling by train in the UK. Book yourself into pullman dining on GWR. It may look a bit pricey but, in my view, it's worth every penny. The food - from west country sources - is freshly cooked, served in the old-fashioned way, the wine list is good, the service friendly, and the company of other diners affable. And, what's more, you're eating up the miles at 100 mph while you're doing it! It was a special treat to myself while on a week of rail travel all over the UK. And it turned out to be a highlight!

Scallops, duck break, claret and coffee for under £60 including a tip.

I’ve tried the Welsh brunch Pullman a couple of times (1045 ex Paddington) and this has been excellent. I’ve always wanted to experience the West Country route and enjoy a lovely lunch and the fantastic scenery between Exeter and Newton Abbot. I was holding a standard super off peak return to Plymouth and was nervous that I would not get a seat on a September Thursday lunchtime. I checked on realtime trains and positioned myself on platform 1 at Paddington before the 1203 Penzance train was announced. One of the friendly “customer hosts” advised me to take a seat in the last standard class coach and hopefully I would get a seat in the Pullman dinning coach. As it turned out there were only 2 bookings for First class passengers and so I was called to the rear coach of the IET at 1150, 10 mins before departure. In the end no one else wanted to dine despite several calls up to Reading. The staff were extremely friendly and professional. They advised meal service would start at Reading which was ideal for a 1203 departure. The pace of service was spot on and the last coffee was served on leaving Exeter. The chef was visible throughout and was very proud of an additional offer of Ewe’s cheese. My meal cost £73 plus tip including an indulgent bottle of SA Shiraz. This may seem extravagant. However to experience silver service is a bonus in itself. When you consider the logistics and staffing costs then the pricing is great value. Notwithstanding the breakfast menu on early services (£18) is also incredible value. The menu and food can be seen on the photos. I was allowed to stay in my 1st class seat until Plymouth. I don’t believe GWR publicise the service enough and many potential customers have already brought their own lunch supplies for the journey as they know the normal trolley service (no buffet on the iET) is pretty woeful. The crew also advised that the 2 x 5 car IETs do not lend themselves to an up sell as 50% of customers do not have access to Pullman Dining.

Lovely experience with onboard brekkie today. Food was amazing and the staff onboard: Marc, Eddie and Vickie are just lovely. Highly recommend, although actually thinking I should keep this little gem a secret so it doesn’t get too busy. Great value, food and service #FullAsAnEgg

All be it being some six weeks ago I travelled from Port Talbot on your service to Swindon. From the moment you step onto the train you are welcomed and exceedingly well looked after by Edward and his attentive colleagues. The food is of the highest standard (Welsh of course) and prepared and presented in a professional way. I was so well looked after that there was no need to ask that the staff were so professional and made sure that nothing was left to chance. My only regret that the driver drove so quickly that I was in Swindon so quickly and would have loved longer to enjoy my experience.

I had lunch on the London - St Erth route. Diners were told to go to the dining car immediately we boarded. The staff were busy with the trolleys for the rest of the train - it might have been better if they had sorted this out before asking people to go to their tables.

Maybe it’s a well kept secret or maybe not, but it’s really nice to eat dinner on the train whilst travelling home after a long day in London. If you get a chance to experience the GWR Pullman don’t miss it.

Bravo to Great Western Railway for bringing back an elegant as well as delicious dining experience that brings back the romance of rail travel.

The only scheduled dining service left in the UK is a real treat: excellent food, cooked fresh onboard, elegantly served by a great team of staff. I had scallops, a perfect rare fillet steak and berry crumble: all were delicious, really good quality food.

So good I did it twice – again.

We dined between Newton Abbot and London on a Friday lunchtime. Staff were extremely friendly and attentive, supporting a very good menu on offer. Quality of the food was, in the main, very good indeed, if I was being picky I'd point out that the duck should have been pinker and service sliced and displayed properly, rather than as a single "chunk" - maybe one for the chefs to look into? However the food was plentiful, vegetables cooked perfectly and the scallops in the starter were extremely tasty. There was no rush between courses which was good, and we heard other passengers saying the same thing during the journey. It is a shame that the facing single seats have been lost on the new trains, but I appreciate that when the trains were ordered by the government its civil servants probably had little interest in the dining experience the trains would be providing (or maybe none of them have any friends so they've never wanted to share a meal as a couple). We had booked ahead so were guaranteed a seat, but on the train there were spare places. However the team said that the evening trip from Paddington was fully booked, so it is advised to reserve a place, especially on busy services. Thoroughly recommended - what can be better than a restaurant where the view from the window changes every few seconds?

I had booked a trip to Swansea and myself and the group I was with decided to dine in the Pullman cart.

Tuve un largo día de trabajo en Plymouth, así que decidí disfrutar de una cena al estilo Pullman. La comida y el servicio fueron excelentes. Elegí budín de champiñones al vapor. . . . . sublime. Hubo un momento en que estábamos adyacentes al mar. Una experiencia tan maravillosa. No puedo esperar para volver. Gracias a todo el personal. Servicio de poilita a la antigua.

Yet again another cancelled dining service . How many more times are GWR going to let people down . This time a blocked sink ! REALLY ! ( Paddington to Penzance - 19.03 )

We travelled on this train from victoria to Folkestone with on board dining.

If you read my previous reviews I have and would continue to be an avid user of this service. No better way to travel from Devon to London than with silver served, cooked from fresh food. Today was the first time I have eating in the new train sets. I have already experienced the dreadful seating both in standard and first class, when compared to the old 125s. I hoped that having a good meal and a drink would take my mind off this issue but it didn’t. The food is still good. However, the whole ambience is far from Pullman. All the airline style seats face backwards so couples cannot sit across from one another unless at a table for 4 and all these airline seats stare at the lavatory with its constantly opening and closing maw! Nothing exudes comfort and the whole package now feels over priced and unloved. What’s the future for this service? Well, one off visitors may be impressed but diehards like me are sadly disappointed and put off. I haven’t given the review one or two stars because the staff are trying under ‘hopeless kitchen conditions’ their words not mine, to bring the service that they were once very proud of. Shame GWR, sort out your ‘hidden gem’ and bring back stylish dining not an overpriced cafe.

Fantastic service and a fabulous breakfast. Highly recommend this if you get a chance. Was very busy so best to book

¡Qué experiencia verdaderamente maravillosa! ! Atendido por un personal apasionado y amable (Marc y Julie en particular!) Comida cocinada a la perfección absoluta y posiblemente el mejor desayuno que he tenido. Nada fue demasiado problemático: ¡GWR lo ha entendido perfectamente! ! Muy recomendable ??

Frente a la reticente perspectiva de tener que viajar con GWR, decidí reservar una reserva de Pullman para al menos experimentar lo que se llama lo mejor de lo que esta empresa reprensible tiene para ofrecer, aunque solo sea para aliviar el dolor de un cinco y uno Viaje de media hora con ellos.

We used the GWR Pullman on the train from Paddington to Cornwall, and it was amazing. Getting to the coach was, to say the least, a battle on a crowded Cornwall train, but it was well worth it. Old fashioned silver-service from a friendly and knowledgeable staff, superb food - how they managed it on a train I will never know! It isn't cheap, but it is worth the price, and it really sets the tone for the whole subsequent holiday. Space is limited, and it is only on 2 trains a day, but if you get the chance, do try it.

Always wanted to do this, and it didn’t disappoint. Clean modern restaurant carriage, and the staff were terrific. We never had to ask for more drinks, as they were there offering even before we knew we wanted another drink.The food was excellent. There were four of us and two had lamb and two had the Dover sole. All of the dishes - including starters and cheese and biscuits - were absolutely delicious. Top marks to the chef! Kevin and his team provided the most excellent service throughout the entire journey. Nothing was too much trouble for them, and they were friendly and approachable throughout. Many thanks to all for a most enjoyable day.

Mi esposa y yo viajábamos de Londres a Cornwall, así que aproveché la oportunidad para reservar el 12. 03 para reservar una mesa en el GWR Pullman del que tanto había escuchado. Fue absolutamente excelente. En el embarque en Paddington, el personal está dispuesto a guiarlo hasta el Pullman Dining Car y a acomodarse con el menú para pedir el almuerzo. Supongo que podría haber hasta 16 personas en cualquier sesión. Puede que esté equivocado, pero cómo el Chef lo hace todo mientras corremos

it makes a wonderful start to a holiday in the West Country. We treat ourselves to a meal at least once a year. The food is excellent and the service friendly and efficient.

I used to be a regular walk-up customer to the GWR Paddington-Penzance Pullman dining. On the old Intercity 125s this was always a luxurious and relaxing pleasure because of the spacious interior and big comfy leather seats. This has all gone with the new Hitachi trains - the dining car feels cramped and the seats are not that different from standard. The point here is that the food has never been 'fine dining' - but has always been consistent quality, good 'hotel' food (a miracle considering how the chefs have to prepare the meals!) So when you remove the relaxing and luxurious ambience of the old 125 carriages, Pullman no longer seems worth paying the price. To add to this, on my journey (08/05/19) we had to jump out of the dining car at Plymouth and walk down the platform when the train was divided. But I do want to praise the Pullman staff....on old and new trains they have always been great - friendly and attentive. Such a shame they've been let down by the new train design. If I feel the need of luxury in the future, think I may just get a decent sushi and bottle of fizz and then wait for standard class to thin out a bit (Taunton should be fine).

Caught the 1303 train from London Paddington to Totnes last week to have another experience of the Pullman Service from Great Western Railway.

Superb service, excellent food and all on the move!

A night out on Friday and what can I say, fabulous staff, food and service. The pictu3res say it all really. Thanks to all at GWR who continue to provide such a tremendous experience.

If you're ever travelling from London to the South West (or back), you should check out the timings for the GWR Pullman service and consider fine tuning your timings to catch one of these services.

Very pleased to have another opportunity to enjoy Pullman dining. Some of the memorable touches seem to have gone : the monogrammed crockery and the linen tablecloths and napkins. The service was excellent on a busy lunchtime service and the starter was really nice but I made a mistake in choosing the steak. I had read so many glowing reports of this that I decided to try it. Having asked for it to be medium rare it was actually medium and a little tough. The lady at the same table had ordered the same and sent. It back. I wish that I had done the same as hers was replaced without any question. It must be difficult to cook for about 15 people in a confined space at 125mph. Overall it was very enjoyable and a delightful experience but it did not quite live up to the first Pullman experience I had (but maybe repeats never do)

A superb meal severed by brilliant staff, fast efficient and friendly, my thanks to Marc, Vicki, Edward and Neil the chef for a Great Wonderful Ride go GWR

I was fortunate enough to secure a seat for the last orders at Taunton, I had the full monty English breakfast. The service was also First Class, food was excellent and as much as I could cope with, excellent quality, courteous staff, just an outstanding start to the day. When you think that you will most likely want a meal at your destination (Paddington) this will set you up for the rest of the day and when you consider that anything you buy in London by way of a meal will be much more than the great value of the Pullman Breakfast. You know it makes sense, enjoy the best, traveling from the west. Recommended

I had the pleasure of dining with GWR Cardiff to Paddington this morning and indulged in a fantastic breakfast. Good price, great food and exceptional service.

Some train operators offer complimentary meals in first class so you might wonder what makes it worth paying for Pullman dining. It may be expensive but it is worth it, the quality is restaurant standard all served to you at 125 MPH.

I was booked on the 07:31 from Newton Abbot to Paddington and reserved a seat in Pullman Dining, The staff where incredibly friendly and welcoming. The choice of food was good, and it didn't take long between ordering and having it place on my table. The price was actually excellent considering that amount of food you are offered(certainly more than I could manage). I certainly will be using this service again in the future.

Unfortunately my Pullman experience was cancelled by GWR and so I was disappointed not to be able to try the service. Having been in contact with the GWR Social Media team they have been most helpful in resolving this issue (much moreso than the standard customer service) and so I am now looking forward to rebooking with my sister in the future.

Pullman dining on GWR Wales to London Paddington, it’s amazing, Diane, Edward and their team look after you so well and service an amazing breakfast.. shame it’s not on more trains!.. come on GWR it would be great!!..

GWR Pullman dining may only be on a few trains. But those trains are some very special reminders of an era when train dining wasn’t about packet sandwiches and overpriced items from the trolly.

We travelled down to Plymouth and had taken the step of booking ourselves into the Pullman for lunch. It was a fabulous experience, both the food, the staff, the wine and our fellow travellers made the event very special. The outside weather was a little challenging but we were able to look out on the snowy scenes quite snug and safe. Although there was a delay it didn't disturb our enjoyment as it simply enabled us to extend our convivial chat with our fellow travellers (Chris and Brenda).

I know I’ve only reviewed this a few months ago but it was such a great service on the 1.03 from Paddington on Friday that I’m writing again. Scallops, perfect, steak cooked beautifully and before you know it you are in Exeter. Just a gripe about the wine list, the Chablis is off and there is a Muscadet instead, no comparison. On the plus side the cheese has taken a big upturn with the inclusion of a ewes milk soft cheese that is sublime.

A lo largo de los años he usado el Pullman hasta Cornwall muchas veces y siempre me ha parecido un lujo excepcional. Sin embargo, en las dos últimas ocasiones lo he reservado, como un regalo especial para cada una de mis hijas, se ha cancelado. 24 de mayo de 2018 y 28 de enero de 2019. En ambas ocasiones se recibió un correo electrónico poco antes del viaje, culpando a la falta de equipo. En la segunda ocasión pudimos esperar una hora en Plymouth para un segundo Pullman, y como siempre, el servicio y la comida fueron excelentes y es una forma muy especial de viajar. Pero me temo que no lo volveré a reservar. El costo de un boleto de primera clase para 2 personas lo hace más costoso que conducir. Llegué a la conclusión de que el estrés de no saber si el Pullman realmente pasará supera el posible placer si lo hace. Así que le doy 4 estrellas por la comida y el personal, que son realmente ejemplares, pero GWR realmente no merece estrellas por vender boletos de primera clase que prometen un servicio que no pueden entregar de manera confiable. Así que ese es mi último viaje de Pullman.

We travelled from Penzance to London and had to break our journey at Plymouth. We took the 1255 departure and decided to enjoy lunch on the journey. It was well worth the decision. The staff are outstanding and made all the diners welcome with helpful suggestions and enthusiasm. They were knowledgeable including the source of beef and fish. What a contrast to many restaurants. The meal was absolutely FIRST CLASS. It was superbly cooked especially when you consider it is prepared on a high speed train in a narrow space. We could not fault the beef or fish courses and the starters were excellent. The wines were appropriate for the food and well served. The service was superb - unhurried and timely. The staff have great interpersonal skills and are a credit to GWR. We agree about the seating comfort of the new trains. We were lucky enough to be on the old HST format so you feel in luxurious surroundings. The new IET seating is disastrous - rock solid with no suspension in the seats or backs. I cannot believe it was ever trialled over a long route. It just does not give a first class experience. I mention this from a constructive point of view because the Pullman Dining should not be missed - fabulous food served by fabulous people.

Fantastic food on the move - not sure if the new class 899's will offer the same level of service or food