George Kimm, a UK travel and food content creator, took the Great Western Railway (GWR) Night Riviera from London Paddington to Penzance and shared his experience on Instagram
A man who documented his experience on a sleeper train from London to Cornwall left social media viewers stunned when he revealed how much he paid for his small solo cabin.
George Kimm, a UK travel and food content creator, embarked on an overnight journey from London to Cornwall via the Great Western Railway (GWR) Night Riviera, sharing his experience on Instagram. Departing from London Paddington, the train arrives in Penzance the following morning after a journey slightly longer than eight hours.
The travel enthusiast shared his candid review of the trip, but it was the cost that left his Instagram followers gobsmacked. It comes after images show the cheapest seaside spot in England is full of abandoned £40k homes ‘nobody wants’.
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George booked himself into a “very cosy” solo cabin on the train, complete with a single bed, a table that doubled as a sink, a wardrobe, and under-bed storage, which he found “very useful”. GWR also provided some amenities, including soap.
He pointed out that the toilets were located outside the cabins, but other than that, he felt the train company “really had thought of everything else”. The London-based content creator added: “Before we left London Paddington I had a look in the onboard bar where you can sit down, relax. They also provide free tea and coffee with biscuits and when it comes to going to sleep, I actually had a really good experience.”
After getting settled and having a look around, George watched the train depart from the station before heading to bed. He revealed that he loved the sounds and motion of the train, as they helped him fall asleep.
When George awoke the following morning, he had breakfast, which was included with his cabin. He chose a cup of tea and a sausage bap, commenting that it was “very delicious”.
The travel enthusiast added: “And it was so lovely to have my breakfast whilst watching the countryside whizz by.” He concluded his Instagram reel by revealing the cost of his journey and cabin, saying: “My ticket cost £119 and an additional £149 for the cabin.”
George believed it was “such a cool experience” falling asleep in London and waking up in Cornwall. He felt that it was “honestly so worth it” and something that he would definitely do again.
The Instagram post has garnered an incredible one million views, thousands of likes and more than 400 comments, Cornwall Live reports. One user highlighted: “£75 return to Paris, just saying.” George responded: “Totally get it. This was a bucket list trip.”
Another commented: “Looks fun but the price is insane.” A third amazed viewer questioned: “Omg… how much?” Someone else even branded the price as “criminal.”
Despite the steep price, some viewers found a silver lining. One remarked: “This looks like a great experience but it’s very costly for a return journey. I guess the benefit is both journeys are during the night so you aren’t losing out on any holiday time.”
Another chimed in: “Would love to do this! ! Honestly would see the cost as part of the holiday, so special.”
Great Western Railway Night Riviera passengers can snag an airline-style seat at no extra charge when they book a ticket for the train, with prices for a single cabin starting from just £49 per customer.