Travels with The Hungry Passenger

With around 20% of people choosing a holiday destination because of the food, The Hungry Passenger takes it a step further, travelling purely to enjoy the food that is on offer. Stephen Plume sits down with us to share his travels across the UK and Europe this year.

Could you outline what The Hungry Passenger is all about and what you’re trying to achieve with it? 

The Hungry Passenger is about exploring places through the railway, and the food, people and small moments you find once you arrive. It began as a way of travelling more slowly and deliberately, without flying or driving, and has grown into a wider project about how rail connects communities, cultures and everyday life.

I’m not trying to tick off destinations. I’m interested in what it feels like to arrive somewhere by train, how easy it is to move around without a car, and how local food and independent places give a town or city its character. Ultimately, it’s about showing that travelling by train can be practical, enjoyable and human, not just worthy.

This year you’ve been far and wide over the UK. How many places have you visited? 

This year alone I’ve visited around forty rail-linked places across the UK. Overall, while writing my first book, I’ve now visited well over a hundred rail-linked places and nearly four hundred places to eat, all reached by train.

Which have been your furthest-flung? Furthest south/north/east/west?

Furthest north would be Thurso and Aberdeen. Furthest south is Penzance. Furthest west is Oban. Furthest east is Lowestoft.

Each of those journeys reinforced how viable long rail trips can be when you allow the journey itself to be part of the experience.

Have you ventured further afield, onto the continent this year?

I travelled to Belgium earlier in the year. It was a useful reminder of how straightforward European rail travel can be once you commit to it, and it helped shape the direction of my second book, which focuses on European rail journeys.

What has been your favourite location?

It’s tough to narrow it down as I’ve visited over 100 places for my first book, and almost every stop has offered something memorable! Three that really stayed with me this year were Durham, Oban and Aberdeen. Durham for its walkability and sense of history right on the line. Oban for how seamlessly rail, ferry and food culture come together. Aberdeen because arriving overnight by sleeper, even in a seat, made the distance feel gentle rather than exhausting.

What has been the most surprising location?

Aberdeen surprised me most. I travelled up in the seated coach on the Caledonian Sleeper and expected a compromise. Instead, it felt like a genuinely workable alternative to flying, affordable, calm and sociable. Waking up on the coast without having gone near an airport was quietly transformative.

Is there one particular place that you would recommend as a convenient/straightforward destination that most people in the UK could get to quite easily?

Ely is a great example. It’s easy to reach from much of the country, the station sits right in the town, and everything you want to see is walkable. It shows that you don’t need a long or complicated journey to feel like you’ve properly gone somewhere.

What are your top three tips for people travelling by train in the UK?

First, plan loosely rather than rigidly. Build in breathing space so a delay doesn’t derail the whole trip.

Second, pack for comfort. Water, snacks, layers and something to read make a big difference.

Third, treat stations as part of the journey. Many are good places to pause, eat or reset, not just pass through.

I also keep a simple, lightweight train travel kit that makes long journeys more comfortable, which I’ve shared on The Hungry Passenger for anyone who finds that useful.

What are your best budget tips for keeping the cost down while travelling by train?

Book direct with operators where possible and be flexible with times.

Consider overnight trains, including seated options, as they can replace both travel and accommodation.

Don’t assume long distance means expensive. Some of the best value journeys I’ve done have been the longest ones.

And finally: are you still hungry??

Always. Hungry for the next place, the next plate of food, and the next reason to keep choosing the train.  Let me know your recommendations!

Thanks Stephen for answering our questions. You can find out more about Stephen at his website, The Hungry Passenger.