{"id":15660,"date":"2026-04-17T05:13:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T05:13:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/15660\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T05:13:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T05:13:14","slug":"i-went-in-search-of-britains-best-railway-pubs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/15660\/","title":{"rendered":"I went in search of Britain’s best railway pubs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Missed your connection? Train delayed? It happens to us all (dare we say far too frequently). But those annoying travel glitches can be turned into positives if there\u2019s a good drinking hole <\/a>nearby. And, across the country, there are some excellent pubs with in a stone\u2019s throw of the station. Renowned expert Phil Mellows <\/a>selects his top 20\u2026<\/p>\n

Bank of Conwy, Conwy, North Wales<\/p>\n

Housed in a nicely restored Grade II-listed former bank building, the Bank of Conwy<\/a> stands on the corner opposite the railway station at the heart of this beautiful seaside town with a castle overlooking the harbour. It opened as a pub in 2015 and has warmly embraced modern craft beer, featuring, among others, brews from Wild Horse Brewing down the coast at Llandudno. There are a few good cask ales on the pumps, too, for those of a more traditional disposition.<\/p>\n

Black Isle Bar, Inverness<\/p>\n

A couple of minutes\u2019 walk from Inverness station, this buzzing sociable bar showcases beers from Black Isle Brewery<\/a>, one of only a handful of all-organic breweries in the UK, alongside a whole lot more. In fact, there are no fewer than 26 taps pouring a variety of styles from around the world. The bar has gained a good reputation for its pizzas, too, and there are rooms upstairs if you want to send some time here, exploring the Highlands. I can\u2019t mention the secret garden, though.<\/p>\n

New FeatureIn ShortQuick Stories. Same trusted journalism.<\/p>\n

The Australia, Porthmadog, Gwynedd<\/p>\n

Catch a train on the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway and land up in Australia. The Australia pub<\/a>, that is. Nobody\u2019s quite sure how it got that name but there\u2019s a strong seafaring connection here, dating back to the 1850s. Since 2017, it has served as a tap house for the town\u2019s Purple Moose Brewery and pours a wide range of cask and keg beers crafted just up the road including the splendid Dark Side of the Moose.<\/p>\n

Brew Tavern, Nottingham<\/p>\n

Come out the front of Nottingham station and to your left, within what used to be a shelter for cab drivers, you\u2019ll find Brew Tavern.<\/a> For such a tiny venue, the beer range here offers an exciting choice. As I write, the list (continuously updated online) incudes local cask ales from the likes of Black Iris, Liquid Light and Bang the Elephant alongside a hard-to-find Kernel IPA. And the craft taps feature an authentic Czech lager as well as Brew Tavern\u2019s own house lager and, wait for it, a Triangular Swiss Chocolate Tiramisu Imperial Stout from the Low Key Barrel Project.<\/p>\n

\"TheChester Station Tap Room was a neglected station building (Photo: The Chester Station Tap Room)<\/p>\n

Chester Station Taproom, Chester<\/p>\n

There can surely be no better use of an old, neglected station building than to turn it into a pub, and Chester brewery Spitting Feathers<\/a> did just that in the spring of 2025, making full use of some previously hidden Victorian architectural features to create a great space. You can also sample the brewer\u2019s beers, on cask and keg, as well as some well-chosen guests, and, as a bonus, it opens for breakfast from 7am (you can\u2019t drink until 9am) with a menu featuring sausages made with pork from pigs fed on the brewery\u2019s spent grains.<\/p>\n

Devonshire Arms, Cambridge<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve lost a lot of backstreet pubs in recent years, but in Cambridge<\/a> an unusual number seem to have survived, including this welcoming gem off Mill Road which is well worth the short walk from the station. Originally called the Midland, to celebrate the new railway of the same name, it was renovated by Milton Brewery in 2010. Today you can appreciate its high ceilings and unusually tall windows, as well as the full Milton range on the pumps plus locally made sour beers from Pastore. There\u2019s a Caribbean kitchen to boot.<\/p>\n

Deya Brewery & Taproom, Cheltenham Spa<\/p>\n

Next to Cheltenham Spa station, Lansdown Industrial Estate is home to Deya<\/a>, one of the country\u2019s best-respected craft brewers, and its, not one but two, taprooms. The Tappy is a big open space that stretches alongside gleaming brewing vessels and ends at a long bar with 25 draught taps pouring a wide array of styles. The Swamp, meanwhile, on the site of the original brewery, is the cosier option offering a rotating selection. If you\u2019ve not tried it, Steady Rolling Man has become a classic among modern beers.<\/p>\n

\"DeyaThe buzzing Deya Brewery (Photo: DEYA Brewing Company)<\/p>\n

Euston Tap, London Euston<\/p>\n

There is not much left of the original Euston Station after it was demolished to make way for the modern edifice we know today, but we do have a pair of lodges by the gates, built from Portland stone and etched with the destinations of trains, and in the western lodge, one of the country\u2019s most unusual pubs, the Euston Tap.<\/a> Squeezed in over two floors, it\u2019s tiny, cramped even, but offers an astonishing range of 47 beers and ciders \u2013 thanks to a cellar that stretches all the way to the lodge opposite. On a sunny day you can spread out a bit more on the adjoining terrace.<\/p>\n

Railway Brewhouse, Newton Abbot, Devon<\/p>\n

The Railway,<\/a> as it\u2019s more properly called since the in-house brewery moved to Torquay a few years ago, takes its cue from the station next door to be a mini museum to the age of steam with railway memorabilia adorning the walls. Adorning the bar, meanwhile, are five handpumps pulling ales, among them Dartmoor Brewery\u2019s Jail Ale. A beer terrace out the front is a popular spot to watch the world go by, while the pub also stages live music.<\/p>\n

The Foresters, West Worthing, West Sussex<\/p>\n

West Worthing station is unlikely to be on your itinerary, unless you live there \u2013 or happen to be a beer lover who knows that The Foresters<\/a> is right across the street. Opened in 2024, like many micropubs it occupies a former shop. Its big windows face south making it a bright and airy spot to enjoy a daytime pint from a small but sound range including local ales, craft brews and ciders. The owner used to be an actual forester, so, with all the wood, it has the feel of a carpenter\u2019s workshop rather than a pub.<\/p>\n

\"ParcelThe beautiful Parcel Yard at London King\u2019s Cross Station (Photo: The Parcel Yard)<\/p>\n

Parcel Yard, London King\u2019s Cross<\/p>\n

Make your way past the Harry Potter fans getting their picture taken at platform 9 \u00be and head up the stairs for the Parcel Yard<\/a>, Fuller\u2019s spectacular station pub. Across two floors, where they used to sort parcels before loading them on a train for distant parts, it is a maze of rooms with lots of corners to hide in and some private areas for parties and meetings. As well as Fuller\u2019s own beers, you are likely to find one or two interesting guests on the pumps, and this is also a great place to grab a bite to eat before your journey.<\/p>\n

Railwayman\u2019s Arms, Bridgnorth, Shropshire<\/p>\n

Previously a refreshment room dating from 1861, the Railwayman\u2019s Arms<\/a> is on platform one of Bridgnorth Station on the Severn Valley Railway heritage steam line. Comfortably furnished, and as much about the beer as it is about trains, there are eight cask ales to choose from, most of them brewed locally, before taking your seat to catch a glimpse of a vintage locomotive chuffing past the window.<\/p>\n

The Seadog, Hastings, East Sussex<\/p>\n

You can\u2019t miss the Seadog<\/a> across the road from the station. \u201cWelcome to Hastings\u201d, it shouts in big letters across its upper storey, and if it tempts you inside, you might not get much further on a visit to this historic Sussex seaside resort. Reopened in 2022 after narrowly escaping being converted into flats, it is a fiercely independent pub showcasing independent beers, both cask and craft, and a spicy Singaporean food menu. Upstairs there\u2019s the Doghouse Inn, a six-bedroom guest house.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Seadog in Station Road, Hastings (Photo: The Seadog)<\/p>\n

The Royston, Broadstairs, Kent<\/p>\n

Chosen by the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra)<\/a> as best pub in the South East in 2025, this micropub is full of character, creatively decorated with something to catch the eye everywhere you look. Five cask beers are served from a chilled cabinet in the bar itself, to add extra theatre, and it\u2019s one of those places that\u2019s so small you can\u2019t help but chat to the locals. If anyone invites you to visit the toilet, don\u2019t be scared \u2013 it really is worth seeing, even if you don\u2019t need to go.<\/p>\n

Ryrie\u2019s Bar, Edinburgh Haymarket<\/p>\n

Hop off the train one stop from Edinburgh Waverley and Ryrie\u2019s Bar<\/a> is conveniently smack in front of you, a splendidly restored Edwardian pub of polished wood, gleaming brass, antique mirrors, parquet floors and stained-glass windows. On the bar you\u2019ll find a line-up of some of Scotland\u2019s finest cask ales, along with whiskies, of course, and there is hearty menu of nourishing dishes to fuel you on your trip.<\/p>\n

Sheffield Tap, Sheffield<\/p>\n

The entrance on platform one isn\u2019t always open but it is no trouble to walk round to the front and, even if you don\u2019t fancy a pint, take a look around this marvellous restoration of Grade II-listed Edwardian refreshment rooms <\/a>that had lain neglected and almost derelict for decades. If you do fancy a pint, the main bar serves a great range of beers from world classics to local cask ales \u2013 including some brewed on the Tapped Brew Co kit within the marbled walls of the former first-class dining room next door.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Snug in Carnforth is right next to the tracks (Photo: The Snug in)<\/p>\n

The Snug, Carnforth, Lancashire<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s something in my eye.\u201d \u2026 \u201cTry pulling your eyelid down as far as it\u2019ll go.\u201d \u2026 \u201cThen blow your nose.\u201d Yes, the romantics among you can now relive this scene from Brief Encounter, which was filmed at Carnforth station, over a pint at the Snug<\/a>, a micropub that\u2019s opened in the old waiting room. Owned by local brewery Q Brew, it\u2019s small, yet atmospheric, and showcases a constantly rotating selection of independent beers on the five handpumps. And, who knows, you might just fall in love and miss your train\u2026<\/p>\n

The Three Guineas, Reading<\/p>\n

Reading has become an unlikely craft beer destination in recent years, but you don\u2019t even have to leave the station to find a decent brew. The imposing original entrance and ticket hall \u2013 designed by the great engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1840 \u2013 has been transformed by Fuller\u2019s into a beautiful pub. The Three Guineas<\/a> serves breakfasts from 8am and a full menu from midday, or you can drop by for a beer and watch all the people coming and going from the extensive terrace on the plaza (assuming they call it that in Reading).<\/p>\n

York Tap, York<\/p>\n

York is one of the country\u2019s better-looking railway stations, and its on-site pub<\/a> is a more than suitable match. A lovely spot to relax among some fine Edwardian architecture with lots of original features, including a domed glass ceiling in the main bar. Opening from 10am this former tearoom now specialises in beer with a constantly changing range of well-kept cask ales, modern craft and continental specialities. And if that\u2019s not enough to draw you in, there are also excellent pies.<\/p>\n

Victoria Tap, Manchester Victoria<\/p>\n

Every railway station should have one of these. A comfortable pub serving good beer just inside the main entrance for when you\u2019re waiting for a train or have just got off one. A sibling of Manchester\u2019s Piccadilly Tap, the Victoria Tap<\/a> opened in 2013, a long, narrow bar offering five ales on cask plus 10 craft beers on the tap wall behind. There\u2019s seating under cover outdoors, too, and that valuable accessory for any station pub, a screen showing live train information so you won\u2019t miss your connection. Unless you secretly want to, of course.<\/p>\n

Phil Mellows is co-author, with travel writer Kate Simon, of Beer Breaks in Britain<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t