Steam Train Dining Experiences

There are literally hundreds of heritage railways around the UK and we've selected those with the most scenic routes and the tastiest food for these steam train dining experiences, including:

• Leicestershire
• Staffordshire
• Somerset
• Oxfordshire
• Derbyshire
• South Wales
• Buckinghamshire
• Nationwide - Northern Belle 

Smart casual is the order of the day on evening dinner trains, with a more relaxed feel for lunches and afternoon teas, but most people like to get dressed up as it's often a meal for a special occasion like a birthday, anniversary or family get together.

Most steam train dining cars are 'Pullman' style, with a 2 x 1 formation. That's to say, tables of four and tables of two. So if you book for two, you will be allocated a table for two, but on some occasions, you may be required to share a table for four. Bookings for four mean you will all be sitting around the same table. Parties of five and more will be seated over two or more tables in the same part of the carriage.

Access to steam train dining cars for wheelchair users very much depends on the heritage railway's facilities and capacity. Some do have lifts and ramps to facilitate access, but others (due to the age of the rolling stock and their design) require passengers to climb steps to get on the train. Once onboard in the special dining carriages, there may not be seating provisions for wheelchairs. If you're in any doubt, please contact our customer service team directly before booking on 01959 578100.

Access with pushchairs and buggies can be tricky at some stations. For steam train dining car experiences, some train operators have a minimum age of five years old, as it's not possible to install high chairs in the carriages. See each individual page for full details on minimum ages.

Dining trains run at specific times on the timetable, with the rake of coaches usually made up of the first class Pullman dining carriages, the restaurant car and other carriages for standard class passengers too. So yes, you will be booked onto a specific train and your seat will be reserved for you.

Yes! You are welcome to arrive earlier to explore the station and watch the trains and stay afterwards too. Some even offer 'rover' day tickets with your package, so you can travel on other services during the day of your steam train dining experience. This may not be applicable on evening dining trains and if there are no other scheduled services on the day of dining experience, you may be able to use your day ticket the day before or after your booking, subject to availability.

That all depends on how long the railway line is! All voyages are round trips and the pace is very much leisurely, giving you time to enjoy a meal made up of several courses before you disembark at your original departure point. See each page for the details of the journey, what you can see during your voyage and what sort of locomotives will be pulling your Pullman coaches.

Yes. A bar service offering beers, spirits and wines to accompany your meal is all part of the wonderful standard of onboard service harking back to a bygone age of rail travel! Some of the packages even include welcome cocktails and many offer wine as part of the meal. Of course, there are non-alcoholic drinks and hot drinks served onboard too.

In general, on dining experiences you'll be too busy enjoying your sit-down meal to get off at any intermediate stations you may pass through on your journey. At the end of the outward voyage, there's usually time to get out and stretch your legs before the return journey departs, as the loco has to 'run around' to the other end of the train to take you back. It's also really fun to watch this bit!

Yes. Many heritage rail operators have veggie dishes as standard on their dining car menus and it's recommended to contact the railway directly to advise them of any other dietary requirements. Depending on the service offered, passengers may be asked to make their menu choices in advance.

The rules vary amongst steam train operators, but in general, dogs (assistance dogs excepted) are not allowed in the dining cars of trains. They are, however, often allowed in the standard class carriages for normal train journeys, so you can still enjoy a day out with the steam trains in many cases, just not a specific steam train lunch or dinner trip.