The experience of traveling by train really has a charm of its own. As opposed to airplane travel, the means of transportation preferred by Americans, train travel presents quite a few advantages, from financial, ecological and recreational points of view. Choosing trains to reach your destinations will offer you a memorable experience every time, while turning you into an authentic traveler instead of just a mere tourist. This is why we have decided to stack up our favorite 9 reasons to travel by train. Discover them all below and think twice before wasting time and money by purchasing airplane tickets. Bon voyage!
1. Enjoy Luggage Space
We have all faced the financial burden of traveling by plane with luggage. All travelers must pay a baggage fee according to the weight of their bags. Some airlines can charge as much as $65 for just one 34-pound piece of luggage. The great feature about train travel is that you do not face any weight limit whatsoever and you can carry your entire luggage completely free of charge. This will not only save you money, but you also won’t have to wait forever in order to pick up your bags after your trip.
2. Sight-seeing in Movement
Another fantastic advantage you enjoy if you travel by train is that you have the chance to see breath-taking landscapes from the comfort of your seat. Although airplane travel also offers an exceptional view, you usually only get to see the clouds. By train, you can enjoy the sheer beauty of nature and gorgeous scenery right in front of your eyes. Trust me, you won’t be planning on taking a nap while on a train trip: the view will be too spectacular for you to resist.
3. Save Money
Remember what we said about saving money on luggage? Well you should know that by traveling via train you will also be saving money on your tickets. A LOT of money. Train ticket fares can be up to 50% cheaper than plane tickets, and with a lot less stress and hassle. Even more so, many train operators offer a wide range of deals and discounts for military workers, children, students and seniors. If you are in one of the demographic categories, you should really try taking the train more.
4. Get Social
What can be better than making friends while you travel? As getting around by train is a more intimate experience than its airborne counterpart, you benefit from great conversation with your fellow compartment-mates. Most trains have rows of seats facing each other, so you will be able to discuss freely with other passengers. If you’re traveling abroad, trains offer the chance of getting to know the locals and discovering hidden gems and elements of their culture just by having a casual conversation.
5. Travel Eco-friendly
Who says that you can’t be friendly to the environment by traveling? Even though walking or bike-riding as the best eco-friendly solutions for travel, you should know that trains are a lot less harmful than other popular means of transport, like airplanes or automobiles. Studies show that the carbon emitted by trains is less like to damage our surroundings than the carbon emitted by airplanes. This is due to the fact that carbon from trains does not directly emit in the upper atmosphere. If you’re traveling a long distance and can’t walk or bike, you really should consider taking the train to do your part in protecting the environment.
6. Save Time
If you tend to travel by plane, you already know how much time you lose with the entire process. From traveling to the outskirts of a city and spending a fortune on a taxi, to arriving at the airport at least 2 hours beforehand, to waiting ages to check in and go through security… all of these will cost your whole hours of your precious time. If you travel by train, you usually can enter the station just half an hour before and stroll to your designated platform and hop on.
7. Go Underground
Who ever said that trains can only take you from city to city or country to country? One of the most efficient means of local transport is definitely the underground metro or subway. Whether you’re in a big city in your own country or visiting capitals abroad, the subway is the best solution for getting around. It’s the fastest way to travel inside a city and it’s really affordable. If you’re staying for just a day, you have the chance to buy a 1-day pass and ride around as much as you like. Also, many metro stations around the world still have awesome trains decorated with graffiti and street art, which will make you appreciate the system from a different point of view.
8. Enjoy Comfort
We all know that traveling by airplane or car can get quite uncomfortable at one point. If you’re on a plane, the only way you can stretch and move around is by walking the small isle to the bathroom, whereas traveling by car involves frequent stops for moving around a bit in order to avoid numbness. Trains, on the other hand, allow passengers to get up and walk around freely throughout their entire trip. If you’re traveling to a different country by train, you probably will enjoy a great restaurant where you can get a bite to eat while admiring the scenery from the window.
9. Travel Interrail
Interrail is probably one of the most awesome features about traveling in Europe. For those of you who do not know, interrail is based on hopping on and hopping off as you please, with 1-country, regional and even global passes. Eurail is a great option for traveling this magnificent continent by train, and the options really are limitless. You can really get spontaneous with this form of travel and end up visiting multiple countries for great prices and conditions. Choose to create irreplaceable memories and really consider taking the train the next time you are planning to travel.
Photo credits: Oldblog.luxetravel.com, Boards.cruisecritic.com, Walls4joy.com, Dailymail.co.uk, Atulmaharaj.wordpress.com, Theguardian.com, Travelwithagingparents.com, Fatcap.org, Topholidays.net, Slo-zeleznice.si.
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