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Food + Drink

A Festive Celebration On Board The British Pullman

It’s been a long-held dream of Citizen Femme writer Lucy Pearson to travel on board the legendary Orient Express; this week her wishes came true as she boarded the British Pullman for a festive journey from London.

To me, there’s something irresistible about the romance of luxury train travel – the elegance, the nostalgia, and the opportunity to see the world at a slower, more intentional pace. And it seems I’m not alone. Around the world, luxury train travel is experiencing something of a renaissance.

There’s no denying it: trains (though admittedly not the cross-country kind we’ve become accustomed to in the UK) are a swoon-worthy way to slow travel. From the rugged outback of Australia to the breathtaking heights of the Peruvian Andes, luxury rail journeys have become bucket-list experiences for those seeking to explore new terrains in a unparalleled extravagance.

 

Nowhere is this elevated form of travel more fitting than during the festive season – a time tailor-made for the old-school glamour of trains. And few experiences capture the magic of Christmas quite like a lavish festive lunch aboard the British Pullman. A storied train that’s sister to the iconic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, it offers a quintessentially British way to celebrate the season in unparalleled style.

The journey begins at London Victoria Station, where an old-school waiting room is bedecked in festive finery. Nutcrackers flank the entrance, and there’s plush seating, warm apple juice and mince pies on offer. Adding to the Yuletide charm, a glamorous 1920s-inspired trio serenades guests with classic Christmas carols. Even before boarding, the train’s arrival is a spectacle, and each Art Deco carriage exudes an almost otherworldly elegance. Polished wood panels, intricate marquetry and plush upholstery set the scene for an experience that feels both intimate and impossibly grand.

The stewards, dressed in immaculate uniforms, welcomed us onboard, and stepping on the train felt like going back in time with eleven distinct carriages, each with its own storied past. We were in Minerva, a striking Edwardian-style carriage first built in 1927. Minerva’s history is as rich as its interiors – she served routes such as the Devon Belle Pullman, was stored during World War II, and was refurbished in 1951 for the Golden Arrow service. In 1953, she even carried visitors from Dover to London for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.

As the train began chugging out of the station, the magic truly began. Glasses of free-flowing Veuve Clicquot sparkled in the glow of the vintage carriage, served in old-fashioned cut crystal. Fellow passengers were all dressed to impress in their festive best – fur stoles, velvet gowns, intricate lace, and dapper smoking jackets – and the atmosphere was one of effortless glamour, a rare and dazzling spectacle that felt worlds away from the bustle of London. Outside the window, the city’s urban sprawl gave way to chocolate-box high streets festooned with fairy lights and rolling, bucolic fields, showing a side of England that seems almost too idyllic to be real.

The highlight of the experience, however, is, of course, the food. The five-course feast begins with mulled-wine-cured salmon served on potato flatbread, followed by a show-stopping turkey complete with chestnuts, pancetta and all the traditional trimmings. There’s a decadent chocolate yule log and cranberry compote, and a festive cheeseboard, hand-rolled truffles, finished with tea and coffee. Each course is paired with a selection of wines, chosen by a sommelier to complement the flavours on the plate.

During the five-hour round-trip, glamorous magicians make their way through the carriages, performing jaw-dropping card tricks that you truly have to see to believe (I can’t have been the only one Googling magic tricks once the trip had ended). The table settings are also worth a mention: made up of sparkling glasses, fresh flowers, stylish Christmas crackers and white linen tablecloths.

As the train winds its way back to London, the carol singers return for a final performance, the perfect conclusion to a ride steeped in Christmas merriment.

The British Pullman’s festive lunch is more than just a meal – it’s an opportunity to pause, and an ode to the importance of slowing down and savouring the season, in a way that feels genuinely meaningful. At a time of year that often feels hurried and chaotic, there’s a nostalgia to the journey and a sense of being transported not only through the countryside but also to a time when travel was an occasion in itself, not just a means to an end. It’s an invitation to step into a world imbued with elegance and tradition, where the magic of Christmas is brought vividly to life.


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