Whether you’re travelling across the country to see a loved one, go on vacation, or just have a long business commute, it’s essential to plan your journey to ensure you get the most out of it. Here’s some advice on how to plan the perfect long distance railway journey.
Have your tickets ready
The number one piece of advice when planning a long journey is to book train tickets in advance. There’s absolutely nothing worse than the last-minute stress of trying to book your tickets before the train leaves or finding that prices have increased or, the worst, tickets have sold out. Save yourself a whole load of anxiety and make sure you have your tickets ready to go several weeks before your trip is due to take place.
Pack like a pro
Have you ever travelled somewhere and found you’ve forgotten your wallet/keys/toothbrush? If so, you know how it can simply ruin an otherwise good time. To prevent anything from ruining your journey, make a packing list several days before you set off. Don’t just check it once, but make sure you go through the list multiple times before your trip and once again on the day of your travels.
Pack entertainment for the journey such as books, crossword or sudoku puzzles, a games console, your mobile phone/laptop/iPad and chargers, a camera and some headphones. Aside from entertainment, you’re going to want a comfortable travel pillow, snacks and perhaps a blanket if you’re intending to sleep on the train. Other essentials include body care products like deodorant, face wipes, mints or gum, a hairbrush etc.
Plan for any stops or changes in advance
One piece of advice that’s not to be underestimated is to make sure you know way ahead of time if you need to change trains. Often, you might only have a few minutes to switch platforms and jump on another train so wherever possible be prepared with train and platform information to help make the process as smooth as can be.
You might find that a journey planner helps you to stay on track of where you are and when you need to get ready to depart a train. The planner should also tell you which platforms you need to be at and how long you have between trains, which is useful if you want to grab a coffee or a bite to eat before switching trains.
Leave with an open mind
While you can’t plan who’s going to sit by you on a train, you can have an open mindset about it. Rather than repeating “why me?” when the city’s chatterbox decides to sit next to you, think about what you could learn from the individual. Make an effort to start a conversation with those around you and see what opportunities arise. The odds are, you’ll leave feeling glad you connected with another human, even if that wasn’t on the day’s agenda.
That’s it from us but remember – have fun and stay safe.
