Train Travel – Tips & Tricks
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Getting The Most Out Of Train Travel
Whenever you mention “tips and tricks”, the most immediate thing which springs to mind is “saving money”. Of course, that is important these days, money is in short supply for many of us, but there are different tips and tricks which we can use to make our train travel not only more affordable, but also more comfortable.
“FASTER than fairies, faster than witches,
Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches;
And charging along like troops in a battle,
All through the meadows the horses and cattle: . . . .
. . . And here is a mill and there is a river:
Each a glimpse and gone for ever!”
From a Railway Carriage – Robert Louis Stevenson
There’s something intrinsically romantic about train journeys, and that’s not all . . . .
According to experts (I mean real experts, not those self styled experts which frequent Billy Bobs Bar . . . as well as a thousand other bars . . . every Friday night), right, well, according to experts who have studied this stuff and have qualifications – train travel is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to travel.
Train travel can get you a long way in a short time, hassle free. So let’s see how you really can get the best out of train travel with a few tips and tricks.
Saving Money on Train Tickets
There are several ways in which you can save money on train trickets;
- Check online to search for the cheapest fares – if you’re not tied down to travel at a particular time or day then you might find cheaper travel alternatives at unpopular times
- Book in advance – that’s often a great way to save a few bucks
- Buy a rail pass – rail passes are a great way to save money for regular train travellers. If you travel regularly by train then you really need to look into. Passes are available for limited time periods (21 days / 15 days / 7 days) and are often tied to rail journeys around a particular state or area, but hey, if it happens to be where and when you’re travelling you could really save some cash.
- Look into splitting the tickets for your journey – and don’t necessarily imagine that a return ticket is cheaper than single fare journey tickets in each direction. Prepare to be amazed . . .
How bonkers is that? I’m not sure whether that happens in all countries, on all railways, but it’s certainly worth taking a look.
Other Train Travel Tips & Tricks
- Take a snack – this depends on the length of your train journey of course, and the type of train your travelling on, ’cos some rail services serve food and some trains don’t. It’s always best to take a snack along with you just in case, especially if you’re going to be sitting on the train for some time.
- Keep Safe – this is particularly aimed at anyone who is going on a long train journey, an overnighter. Petty thieves can and do wait until you fall asleep before they rifle through your belongings or clear off with your bags completely, so it’s always best to secure any large bags with zipper locks, and even to cable lock your bag onto the luggage rack. All of your small valuables need to be in a smaller bag on your lap – passport, money, something like a fanny pack is a good idea, securely strapped around your body so you’ll wake up if anybody starts to interfere with it.
- Be Comfortable – your new skin-tight jeans might look great, but are they really gonna’ be the most comfortable attire for an 8 hour train journey . . . . soft, loose clothing will be much better, I’m sure you’ll agree. If you’re concerned about looking a mess when you eventually land at your destination and meet the love of your life who you haven’t seen for weeks, then freshen up and change into new clothes just before the end of the line . . . nobody will tell, I promise!
- Limit Your Bags – trains travel is not like flying or jumping in the car . . . you have to transport the bags yourself, so bear this in mind when you choose your travelling bags and when you start filling them to the brim with stuff which “may come in handy”. Remember that you will often have to lift your bags over large gaps onto the train so even if you have a bag with wheels you’ll still have to lift it, and a rolling suitcase is no use to you if it’s too wide to fit down the narrow aisle of the train.
- Research Your Journey – know where you’re going, what stations you will be passing through and any changes you might have to make along the way. I know, the ideal scenario is to board the train in one station and sit there blissfully unaware of what’s happening until you arrive at your chosen destination the following morning when the dude in the official looking hat blows a whistle, shouts “end of the line” and you can disembark, but sometimes you have to change trains . . . and you need to know where and when to make the connections.
I’ve always found train journeys to be really exciting, maybe because the only time I’ve ever really travelled on a train is when I’ve been going somewhere “special” . . . but trains do bring out the child in me, and by following these few simple train travel tips & tricks they can bring out the child in you too.
All aboard . . . .
Hmmm, a couple of extra tips there for you, very interesting . . . .