Top Ten Best Things About Train Travel
Trains are among my favourite forms of transportation of all time. There's just something so charming about travelling with a train so I thought I should make a list about the top ten best things about train travel. With that being said here is the list.
Hands down, train travel is one of the most comfortable forms of public transportation. Almost every other mode of transportation has one or more cons. Cars? You have little to no space, and it's extremely unsafe. Buses? Slightly worse because they are also incredibly slow, and the seats are very uncomfortable.
Airplanes? I've never been on one, but from what I understand, you aren't allowed to walk at all and have to sit in a small seat for seven hours straight. Ferries? Well, they're a decent alternative to trains as you can move around freely and enjoy nice views of the ocean. They're a worthy opponent, but trains are still the best. You can move around freely, the seats are amazingly comfortable, and the overall feeling of being on a train is just awesome. This is the top reason, in my opinion.
Trains are the fastest forms of transportation on land. Sure, airplanes are faster, but that's not the point here. If you need to get to work, trains are the best type of vehicle you can take. For example, a ride from Stockholm to Norrtälje takes about one hour by car, but with a train, it would be half as long. It's great.
Once, when we went to Seattle, the travel time was reduced by an hour.
Since trains are a form of transportation on land, you can see so many awesome landscapes. Sure, airplanes have views too, but trains offer better ones. On airplanes, you're stuck looking out of the window high above the clouds with little to no impressive views. Since trains are on land, you can see awesome landscapes. Excellent!
No wonder there are trains that people visit just to see the landscape. You can even buy souvenirs on some of them. One of these trains in my country travels between a famous castle and a riverside.
Trains are perhaps the most eco-friendly form of transportation. Airplane travel, for example, is only half as eco-friendly. Don't even get me started on standard cars, which are a bane to the environment.
Paying for a train ticket is as easy as it gets. Long-haul trains may require reservations, but short trips are easy. You can simply stumble upon a train station, buy a ticket right there, and you're free to go. It's amazing how simple it is.
Efficiency is one of the most important factors, and train travel is certainly efficient. Train stations are located close to city attractions, and they take you through the core of the city. It's great!
I don't know about the UK or US, but here in Sweden, buying a train ticket is very cheap. In Stockholm, a one-time ticket costs around 30 kronor (or $0.30). That's incredibly cheap, and I've heard it's affordable in other countries as well.
It's amazing. Trams and buses can get stuck in traffic as they cross roads, while trains just follow the rails and are the only ones on them. This means they can go much faster than a bus or tram. It's a great advantage.
You can take as much baggage as you like on a train ride, and it's free. You don't have to pay a fee for baggage, unlike with airplane travel, where most airlines charge travelers a fee for bags. That's just great if you ask me.
Unlike airports, which are often located on the edge of the city, train stations are located within the city. So if you live in the city, you just need to take a walk to catch a train. It's very convenient.
Many pieces of European literature (novels, poems, short stories) are about trains or contain important scenes involving train travel. In a Hungarian story, it even metaphorically represents the stages of life and our relationships as people get on and off. You can't really read about people taking the bus or a taxi in novels, can you?
I feel more euphoric and nostalgic before boarding a train than I do at an airport.