I love trains, and I am not going on about your average Amtrak service to somewhere and everywhere. No, I am talking about the creaky heritage carriage kind you see in all those old-school classic movies. The Orient Express, the Rocky Mountaineer, and even the ATSF Grand Canyon steamer that’s been chuggin’ away since 1901. All glorious, but which of these locomotives is truly above par? Cue The British Pullman, a Belmond Train. Like its sister trains from The Royal Scotsman to the Eastern Oriental Express and the world-famous Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, this express wagon is in a total league of its own.
The nexus of old-school glam, and swagger is the main defining factor. This train may be beautiful to look at, but its designed (and destined) for one thing, and one thing only: to party on, and hard. Debauched madness in the form of free-flowing champagne, twerking into the early hours and entertainment served with a side of glitzy razzmatazz is standard, but if like me, hardcore tipples induce a mid-afternoon OAP snooze episode, the Pullman has got you covered with its newly launched, laid back, and slower paced Sunday roast services.
Of course, anyone who visits the UK would have seen a Sunday Roast pub lunch suggestion plastered in practically every guide dedicated to the country since the dawn of print, but one that takes place on a luxe train? Rare and quite possibly never. The uniqueness of this feat is quite a momentous occasion for the nation, if not the world, which is why my gluttonous belly dragged me aboard for a day of wining and dining before a late-night showing of Deadpool x Wolverine (but that’s another story).
The adventure begins on platform one at Victoria Station. Old wartime classics blast out by an ensemble girl band in an ode to the glory days of golden age train travel. Stewards shuffle you onto your carriage, naturally. Mine for the day was Ibis, the oldest of the State Cars, which, in 2025, will celebrate 100 years of service. Back in the day, she once used to ride the rails as part of the original Orient Express that ran throughout Europe, as well as the old White Star line (now Cunard) that would take passengers to Southampton to board ships bound for America, including the likes of the Titanic.
Storied and glorious, the carriage is a vision of intricate marquetry, brass luggage racks, porcelain, wild print, crystal and silken lampshades. It’s all very pomp, and in the most regal and colourful way possible. Tables are lined up in a two-by-two- or three-seater situation, and for those more special shindigs, coupes (where yours truly sat for five hours). The route follows the English Garden, rails that follow all the old lines that snake through the county of Kent. Think rolling hills, farms full of cows, horses and sheep, big cliffs, historic market towns and landscapes flecked by wildflowers, forests and cutesy cottages passing by those great big shiny windows.
Service begins with a glass of champagne (bottomless) and soon after, starters are served. In my case, it was a gorgeous plate of Isle of Wight tomatoes and a medley of breads made by Luminary Bakery, a London-based social enterprise that supports women from disadvantaged backgrounds. Locality is at the heart of the entire menu, with much of the produce plucked straight from the vines, vineyards and farms the train passes along the way. The same goes for my wine, an English white hailing from Simpson’s wine estate.
Slightly piddled come 1 pm, the star of the show is served. Roasts on the Pullman are in a word, epic in proportion. Grass-fed English fillet and the most succulent short rib of beef are placed in perfect harmony on my piping hot plate, alongside roast potatoes, roasted veg, Yorkshire puddings, and a separate serving of cauliflower cheese. Gravy? Lashings of it. Post food coma, entertainment in the form of jazzy art-deco Gatsby-esque singers storm into the coup to keep me from falling asleep before a desert of wild strawberry baba is served. Fire up your Instagram for a throwback Boomerang.
Twenty or so minutes pass and the service finally ends with, perhaps, the best thing the menu has to offer: The Great British cheeseboard. Expect goats’ cheese, Yorkshire pecorino and blue cheese served on crackers and fruit bread. It’s all too delicious. By the time tea is served we are rolling back into London. Views of the London Eye, The Shard, Palace of Westminster and the look of bewilderment from curious passing commuter packed trains fill my mind’s eye. Goodbyes said, getting off at the platform to the sounds of jingles and jazz renditions one thought races through my head: life, in this moment, can’t get any better than this.
Top Takeaways
Location: London Victoria Station
Rating: Five-Star
The vibe: Old-school train glamour. It’s posh, storied and quintessentially British on every level imaginable.
Food + Drink: Classic British and very homely with all the classic staples and an afternoon tea service, too.
Our favourite thing about it? It’s one of the best day trips you can experience from London and encompasses everything you would expect from a classic British day out: quintessential countryside, top-notch entertainment and all the fineries in between.
What’s nearby? It’s dependent on route, but anything between London and Oxford is always a good idea.
Pricing: From 400 USD per person for a day trip lasting around five hours.
Closest Airport: London Heathrow and London Gatwick.
