NO SOONER have we settled into our first class seats on the London Euston to Glasgow Virgin train than a smiling attendant brings us tea and coffee and asks what we would like for breakfast.
When something sounds too good to be true, it pays to ask the question, “Is it free?”.
Our attendant assures us it is before offering us a choice of the Great British Breakfast, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, eggs Benedict or Florentine, porridge and honey or fresh fruit salad and yoghurt.
Having just tumbled off a long-haul flight from Australia and travelled straight into London to catch the train, the prospect of stretching out in our comfortable reclining seats and enjoying a fabulous breakfast to boot seems miraculous.
Just minutes later we are tucking into bacon, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms and sausages, fruit juice, toast and bottomless cups of coffee as the view from our window changes from Greater London to green fields.
Passengers travelling first class on Virgin trains at other times can enjoy brunch or lunch and dinner, with vegetarian and gluten-free options available. Dinner, for example, might be chicken and chorizo stew, chickpea and spinach curry or lemon linguine with poached Scottish salmon.
You can buy individual tickets for travel but if you are planning to spend some time travelling around the UK, it is better to get a BritRail Pass that can be bought from Rail Europe in Australia before you leave.
