Top 3 of the best Dining Cars in Europe

Written by Thibault Constant

Published on November 5, 2024

Although they have been in decline in France since the 1980s due to lack of profitability, dining cars are still very much in evidence across Europe. Not to be confused with bar-cars (which offer only pre-packaged snacks and drinks), they continue to serve freshly cooked hot meals at the table. Here's an overview of the dining cars still in operation on European trains!

Dining cars

What are we talking about?

Before we reveal our top ten, a few words about the dining car. The idea of the dining car dates back to the early days of rail travel, when a trip from Paris to Lyon could take more than 10 hours. In those days, it was essential to feed passengers and offer them a moment of relaxation.

Some countries, such as France and Spain, have completely done away with this service in favor of high-speed rail travel, but many countries are still very attached to this unique experience!

Voiture-restaurant en Suisse

Being able to leave your seat to enjoy a hot meal during the journey is part of the appeal of dining cars. Not only does it offer a welcome break, but a visit to the dining car can often occupy one or two hours on a long journey. For my part, if my train is equipped with a dining car, I never hesitate!

Petit déjeuner en Pologne

What's it like to eat in a dining car?

Most of the dining cars mentioned in the rest of this article operate like real restaurants. You enter the car, a waiter greets you and seats you at a free table (you may have to share the table with another passenger if the restaurant is full, but this can be a great opportunity to meet people - I've met a lot of people myself thanks to dining cars!)

Once you've settled in, make your choice from the menu, often placed in the center of the table, and a waiter will come and take your order. All that's left for you to do is enjoy your meal, glass of wine, beer or coffee, admiring the scenery through the window or playing cards with your friends.

Once you've finished your meal, simply settle the bill and return to your seat.

Espace de restauration en Suisse

A few tips for the road:

• If you don't have much time before you arrive (45 minutes to 1 hour, for example), let the waiter know so that he can speed up the service and cash in quickly. This will allow you to vacate your seat in good time.
• Don't forget to take your personal belongings with you when you leave your seat, as luggage storage is available in the dining cars.
• Interrail travel tips: for Interrail travelers, trains with dining cars can be a real bargain. These cars have no assigned seats. If you can't find a seat in first or second class (only on trains without compulsory reservation), you can sit in the dining car, provided you eat! So, if your train seems full and you don't have a seat reservation, check out the dining car: there might be a seat available!

La voiture restaurant à bord des ICE est un bon endroit pour s'assoir en cas d'affluence

How do I know if my train has a dining car?

The easiest way is to check on the Vagonweb website by entering your train number. If you see that your train has a dining car, there's a good chance it's equipped with one (although it's of course always possible that the dining car is closed or absent).

The best dining cars in Europe

Now that you know what dining cars are all about, here are our top 3:

1. Poland: PKP - WARS

First, the PKP dining cars (operated by the WARS subsidiary of Polish Railways). You'll find them on many national trains linking major cities (EIP, EIC and IC), as well as on EuroCity trains linking Berlin to Warsaw.

Prices are very affordable (count around twenty euros for a starter, main course, dessert and drinks) and the menu is very comprehensive, with many Polish dishes as well as a wide choice of soups. Everything is prepared and cooked on board the train.

Pierogi à bord d'un Varsovie - Berlin

2. Czech Republic: ČD - JLV

With a service very similar to PKP WARS, the dining cars of Czech company České dráhy (via subsidiary JLV) offer their services on many international trains (EuroCity and Railjet) and most domestic InterCity trains. These EuroCity trains also run in Germany, and you can try out the dining car between Hamburg and Berlin (as I was able to do with Tolt), but also between Berlin and Dresden.

Once again, prices are affordable. So you can treat yourself to delicious Czech specialities (their schnitzels are prepared on board). And the icing on the (Czech) cake: they also have a beer tapping machine so you can enjoy a good draught, even at speed!

Repas avec Tolt entre Hambourg et Berlin

3. Finland: VR

Rare enough to be noted: in Finland, you'll find dining cars on absolutely all InterCity and night trains! The food is not freshly prepared as in the previous examples, but the quality is still very good. And what a pleasure it is to be able to wake up in the morning and eat a hot meal while admiring the snow-covered landscapes streaming past outside your window!

Omelette au petit matin en Finlande

4. Bonus: what about elsewhere?

Of course, it's not just in the three countries mentioned above that you'll find dining cars. In particular, you'll find excellent dining cars - with fresh, affordable food - on many Hungarian trains.

In Austria, you'll also find a good catering service on board all Railjet trains. Again, the food is not freshly prepared, but the value for money is very good.

And closer to home, Germany's Deutsche Bahn and Switzerland's SBB railroads also offer excellent dining cars on board their trains (DB: ICE and SBB: IC and EC).

Petit déjeuner en Suisse

The food isn't freshly prepared and prices can be a little higher (especially on SBB), but the service is still decent and the quality is very satisfactory.

There you go, all you have to do is try for yourself! And to find out more, take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Night Trains in France and Europe.