Rail travel

Rail travel includes everything from heritage steam trains to high-speed bullet trains, from sightseeing or dinner trains to the convenience of speed as a means of modern transport.

Railroads emerged in the 19th century as the first widely available means of fast land transportation, before the rise of the automobile, and have put their mark on most countries and cities. Canada was unified only by rail until the Trans-Canada Highway was completed in 1961; in Russia, the Trans-Siberian Railway was the only form of land transport from Europe to the Pacific until a Trans-Siberian Highway opened in the early 21st century.

The availability and quality of rail infrastructure varies greatly between countries. While countries such as Germany, Japan and China have excellent rail networks both in and between cities, passenger rail service in the United States – once a world leader in rail transport – has fallen far behind its road network, and some countries are completely devoid of rail. In the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, long-distance trains are slow, infrequent, expensive and often delayed, meaning that they are primarily intended for tourists with a lot of time and money on their hand to take in the passing scenery at a leisurely pace, rather than an actual practical travel option; if you are pressed for time or on a budget, flying or driving yourself usually works out to be cheaper and faster. In most other developed countries, rail is the primary option for intercity (and intracity) travel where available, although buses may be cheaper. In many developing countries, trains are a relic of the colonial era and are often run-down, slow and unreliable, but are used by many locals as they cost much less than flying or buying a car.

Public transportation networks are often made up of regular trains and commuter trains, together with urban rail systems such as metro and streetcars, as well as buses.

Trains are often the fastest option on distances of 100–800 km (62–497 mi). Compared with planes, a rough first estimate is that a train is faster than a competing air-service if it takes three and a half to four hours or less, as getting on a train usually doesn't require being at the station more than some fifteen minutes prior to departure. While trains are slower than planes on long distances, they provide you with a ground-level view of the territory you're visiting, and allows you to stop on the way.

On shorter distances, travel to and from the station – although often centrally located – adds significant time, and a bus or car can be faster. However, trains are often well integrated with the local transport system, so it is often easy to transfer to a metro, tram or bus (or a bike-sharing bike) for the last distance, while a car driver may struggle to find parking or even to navigate one-way streets.

Prices range from cheaper than even a full car – in some countries that highly subsidise public transport – to comparable to or even higher than cheap airline-tickets. Especially high speed trains can be as expensive as flying. When comparing prices, note additional fees such as for compulsory seat reservation or for certain forms of payment. In some cases the price depends significantly on the level of service and the time you book. Depending on region, fares may be calculated by distance, speed, type of train or by market demand.

If you can, book in advance. In many countries you benefit from a substantial discount, and on popular routes at certain times, longer-distance trains can be fully booked. For some trains, tickets bought aboard incur an extra fee, or there may be no ticket sale on board. Some discounts may depend on the way you buy the ticket. Tickets bought online may have to be exchanged into a physical one at the station or just printed by yourself. Sometimes showing the ticket in your app, browser or as a screenshot is enough.

Many countries offer passes, allowing several journeys to be made within a region, the most well-known probably being the European rail passes Interrail. Check the price of a pass compared with single or return tickets on the legs you intend to travel – the passes aren't always cheaper, especially when seat reservation etc. are taken into account.

Many airlines in North America, Europe and Asia have entered into cooperation with railways to offer through-tickets from the airport to some or any stations of the national network. This can work out to be a steep discount compared to separate tickets or a connecting flight for the last leg of your journey. See Rail air alliances.

Reserving a seat, where optional, will usually incur a small surcharge — if so, you will have to decide whether or not the train will be empty enough for seats to be readily available (and whether you would give up your seat anyway for somebody in bigger need).

Many trains have first class seating. This can be affordable in some cases, or very expensive in others. You are paying (typically) for a wider seat and a much emptier compartment. The "perks" offered to first class ticket holders are usually fairly minimal (for example, free tea and coffee, better entertainment or newspapers). Do not travel in first class unless you have a ticket or other permission to do so. In some countries (such as Belgium), pregnant women have first class access at no extra cost.

Overnight services may offer berths. These must usually be booked in advance and incur a surcharge, often very moderate compared to a hotel night.

If possible, try to avoid commuter rush hours. For local trains, this typically means travel on trains due to arrive at a reasonably large town or city between (roughly) two hours before and one hour after the traditional start of work, and departing between an hour before and two hours after the traditional end of the workday. Still, rush hour trains tend to be more frequent, and if you don't mind standing, you're more likely to have good connections in peak periods.

In western countries, trains are often crowded on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons. Some lines, especially high speed lines, are frequently used by "weekend commuters" and thus particularly prone to overcrowding on Friday evenings and Sunday evenings. Especially local services may be reduced in Sundays and public holidays, and services may even be non-existent on some public holidays.

The days immediately prior to "family holidays" (Thanksgiving in North America, Christmas in Europe, the end of Ramadan in Muslim countries, Chinese New Year in China, Golden Week in Japan, Easter Week in Latin America, etc.) are especially prone to crowding as well as higher prices.

Sometimes there are a few discount tickets or special discounts apply for certain days, times of the year or hours of the day, when demand is low. You may want to plan ahead to take advantage of the discounts and less crowded services.

Services in the late evening or early morning are often sparse and may not be as safe. Local services may have a night surcharge. In countries with flexible pricing, taking the "red-eye" on a long-distance service may save you considerable money, just as it does in aviation.

Overnight services usually have sleeper cabins or couchettes, but often also normal seats. Travelling overnight may save you a hotel night and a travel day. Intermediate stations may have odd departure and arrival times (read: in the small hours of the night) and some of them may be skipped altogether.

Train stations tend to be centrally located, especially if built before automobiles became common, Some newer stations, such as typically for high-speed lines, may be farther away, but well-integrated with the local transport infrastructure, such as having a metro station below the train terminal. Some airports have dedicated train stations, usually served by a local train to the main station.

Some services require you to validate your ticket before boarding your train, on boarding or before entering the platform area. There are often machines for that on the platform or in the train. Fare inspectors tend to be humourless, and little impressed by any excuse you may have for not having a valid ticket. If your ticket isn't on paper, make sure that your device isn't out of battery when the ticket is to be inspected.

Be on time, or early. At many stations, if you have bought the tickets in advance, turning up 10 min before departure is more than enough, but allow more time if the departure station is large and unfamiliar. Longer distance (inter-city) trains often lock the doors 30–60 seconds before departure. Sometimes an earlier arrival is necessary, for example in China where there are security and identity checks before boarding, or for the Channel Tunnel between England and the continent, where border checks are done before boarding.

Familiarise yourself with the layout of the station. Usually tracks or platforms are continuously numbered starting with one, but there are exceptions and odd layouts are not unheard of. Sometimes a part of the tracks is subterranean, which may or may not be indicated on your ticket. Some tickets don't indicate the platform, but leave it to you to check the displays at the station – and sometimes the track has changed since the ticket was printed.

Stand well back from the platform edge, except when you are actually boarding, behind any yellow lines. This applies especially when express or through trains pass the station. They can generate a lot of turbulence as they pass. Face the platform edge if you are wearing a backpack, so the pack won't be caught by a moving train.

If you have anything with wheels or rollers with you, keep an eye on it, make sure the brakes (if any) are engaged and position it parallel to the tracks. This will minimise the risk of rolling on platforms which slope slightly towards the tracks.

Do not cross the tracks except at an authorised, controlled crossing or under the direction of staff. Look both ways before crossing, even if warning devices are operating. Do not cross against warning devices.

Many trains call for very brief intervals at smaller stations, sometimes as short as 30 seconds. Have all your baggage at hand and be prepared to board quickly. Tuck away loose pieces of baggage like drinks, maps, guidebooks and coats before the train arrives to ensure a smooth boarding procedure.

Find out if the class or car you are boarding is in the front, middle or rear of the train and position yourself on the platform accordingly. Ask the staff on the platform. In some countries, stations are divided into zones and diagrams show you what zone your coach number corresponds to; for Japan and China's high-speed trains, even the exact positions of the doors are painted on the platform.

At busy stations you may need to make sure that you board the right train: there may be another one at the same platform just a few minutes before yours.

If your car doesn't stop where you expected it to, you may have to hurry – don't run if you don't have to, but make sure you get onboard with the other passengers.

Before boarding a train, wait, on either side of the doors, until all passengers getting off have alighted. Trains will not depart if there are still people queuing to get on, even if it means they're a minute late, unless there is an explicit rule spelled on the ticket stating that the train may skip scheduled stations in case of delay – such an exception can be very frequent services at rush hour, where a few seconds delay can cause many following trains to be delayed, but in this case the next train will not be far behind.

Give way to encumbered passengers, such as people with lots of bags, people with children and people in wheelchairs. Offer them a hand if you can if they're struggling.

Do not enter or leave any train that is moving or while the doors are closing. If someone is stuck in the door, alert the guard. Many modern trains have a safety interlock, which prevents the driver starting the train if the doors are not fully closed and locked, but they can fail. If the train does begin to move, operate the emergency stop/door release lever/button. Do this only in an emergency, as once the train is stopped this way it may need to be inspected from end to end.

Many trains, particularly commuter services, have some device to see if somebody is still trying to board or alight. Often this comes in the form of a photo sensor in the door, that may be triggered by people standing to close to the door. Get away from the door once you're on board, as you might otherwise trigger the sensor, keeping the doors from shutting and thus holding up the train.

Tuck away your baggage as much as you can. Don't let it block the aisle or the seats for other passengers. There may be baggage racks at the ends of carriages for larger items, or overhead space for smaller bags. Sit down at your seat. If you want to check out the rest of the train, such as going to the restaurant car, wait with that until everybody has settled.

If you don't have a seat reservation and the train is lightly loaded, you can usually just sit anywhere. Exceptions include compartments for a more expensive ticket class and seats marked as reserved. Whether you should sit down close to strangers or not depends on local culture as on any public transport, although people on long-distance services may be more prone to make an acquaintance.

If few seats remain, seats can be reserved and reserved seats aren't marked in any way you can see, you may want to ask staff, if available. Otherwise, you may choose to just sit down, risking to have to move as the one who reserved it has made their way there. Alternatively, you can try to keep out of the way at first, and choose among those remaining. If all seats are taken, just try to find a safe place to stand or squat. Do not occupy the roof, the toilet, the baggage racks or the space under the seats or tables.

Trains offer a wide variation of amenities. Some trains offer airline style entertainment systems, Wi-Fi and power sockets. Others offer very little by way of facilities, some not even toilets.

Standards of train toilets vary widely, from very basic or even utterly unhygienic to spotless and modern. There may be an accessible toilet.

Some trains have a compartment for families with children, perhaps with a playing corner, children's books and a suitably equipped toilet. There may be baby formula heating equipment. On trains without such a compartment, children may still be given some entertainment. Carry your own anyway.

Almost all railways allow you to bring your own food and eat it en route. For money-conscious travellers, and travellers with dietary restrictions, this is often the best option. Choose food that won't make a mess and clean up after yourself. See also Packed food.

In some countries people may enter the train to sell food. It may also be sold through windows or on the platform during a (short) stop. This is usually cheap but at your own risk of travellers' diarrhea. In high income countries these people are usually railway employees or officially licensed, with their selection of food and drinks mostly limited and overpriced.

In most long distance trains there is some form of dining car (labelled any number of terms) with food ranging from microwaved junk-food to freshly cooked local specialities depending on the train. Of course expect to pay more for smaller portions than you would for comparable food outside a train.

In some trains (usually the "premium" category i.e. high-speed first class) you can get food served at your seat. If it is included in your fare, don't expect too much. Sometimes you will have to pay more than in the dining car. In China, you can use an app to order food from restaurants at some intermediate stations en route to your destination on long-distance trains, and it will be delivered to your seat when the train makes its stop. In Finland you can likewise use an app to get food delivered to your seat, but the selection will be that of the train; on overnight trains, you can order breakfast to your cabin.

In Japan, ekiben (駅弁), essentially a boxed meal meant for consumption on trains, is sold at major train stations and on board long-distance trains. Many cities take pride in their ekiben, which often feature local specialities. The ekiben tradition was exported to Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule, and it continues today in the form of the Taiwan Railway Bento (臺鐵便當), which in its most traditional form consists of a stewed pork chop on rice with a braised hard boiled egg, some tofu and vegetables.

In many countries there will be sleeper services at night. While you will usually pay a premium for the accommodation, you also possibly save on a hotel and "lose" less time in transit even if the total travel-time might sometimes be higher (in some countries sleeper-trains have lower maximum speeds than regular trains). Consider investing in a couchette or sleeper compartment, which are often cost-competitive with lodgings for the night. A couchette cabin has around 6 beds for sleeping and no other facilities, while a full-fledged sleeper will have two to four beds and possibly bathing facilities like a sink or shower.

To avoid the need to change trains in the middle of the night, many railroads split up and join trains during the trip. Triple check you are in the right car, especially if you are unfamiliar with the local script.

Because of the noise and the shaking of the train, the quality of the sleep may not be as good as in a real bed. Some people, however, sleep better while on a moving train. Having several persons in the same tiny room could also make the atmosphere smelly.

If no bathing facility is available, you may not feel comfortable the next day of your travel, and you may need to find facilities elsewhere.

You will probably arrive before check-in time of your hotel. If you don't want to make a return journey just to leave your luggage there, you may want to leave your luggage in lockers for the day – luckily, train stations often have them.

Especially if your destination is a second-rate or minor city along the route, your arrival time may be in the middle of the night or in the early morning. See Arriving in a new city#Get in for some tips.

Rail lines usually have no explicit weight or size limits for baggage, with some few exceptions. However, they assume that passengers can carry their baggage with them. While suitcases sometimes need to be stored elsewhere, a carry-on bag can be stored in the overhead storage, or at the seat.

On some trains the overhead racks are cramped and there may be no other storage space. On such trains, especially if they are crowded, carrying a lot of luggage can be a problem.

Some long-distance trains allow you to bring your car on the train with you, in which you load your car onto special carriages and travel in the regular passenger carriages. This is today most common in continental Europe, but is also available on a few select routes in the United States, Canada, Australia and Argentina.

• Trains travel at widely varying speeds. High-speed trains travel at around 300 km/h on dedicated lines, making rail the fastest travel mode for fairly long distances. They are in fact capable of even higher speeds if infrastructure allows it, but economic concerns usually keep speed at or below 320km/h (200mph).
• Conventional trains may travel at 150-250km/h in countries with decent infrastructure, or significantly slower in others. The same country may have both modern, fast lines and older, slower lines. The general speed limit for non high speed trains is 79 mph in the US, 160 km/h (99mph) in much of continental Europe and just around 200km/h (for specially equipped track) in Britain.
• Many countries have medium to high-speed tilting trains (sometimes called Pendolino) that allow for higher speeds on curvy tracks than normal trains. Some travelers get "trainsick" due to the movement of the train. If you fear this might be the case, try using another train.
• When crossing major urban agglomerations trains are usually faster than road transport as the tracks are less congested than roads
• Trains are typically, though not necessarily, faster than buses.
• When comparing speeds of air-travel to train-travel, keep in mind that getting to/ from the airport also figures into your travel time. In Europe most airports are outside of city-centers (especially those of low-fares airlines with Hahn (HHN ^IATA) being more 100 km from the city of Frankfurt it claims to be close to) and travel to/from them can take well over an hour. Keep in mind that security checks and boarding procedures - if they exist at all - usually take longer at airports than for trains.

Rail travellers might encounter timetables and information being available in local languages only, poorly translated information or hard to understand ticketing requirements.

Trains are generally an extremely safe mode of transportation. This is especially true for high-speed railways. The Japanese Shinkansen has not recorded a single on-board fatality in 50 years of operation (although one passenger was killed in 1995 when the train started while their hand was stuck in a passenger door). Even though it might sound counter-intuitive, high speed trains have a better safety record than "normal" trains. All trains that go above the general speed limit (160 km/h in continental Europe, 79 mph in the USA, 125 mph in Great Britain) are equipped with continuous in-cab signalling, which interacts with the trains systems and automatically applies the brakes if the driver exceeds the speed limit or is at risk of passing a signal at danger. This makes accidents caused by driver error drastically more unlikely. Furthermore, high speed lines are built without level crossings and part of the process of upgrading a "normal" line is removing or drastically reducing the number of level crossings. In some countries high speed lines are even fenced off or elevated, thus almost eliminating the possibility of something or somebody getting on the tracks.

In a few developing countries like Egypt where rail infrastructure and rolling stock are inadequate and unmaintained, rail travel can often be dangerous, and accidents can be lethal. You should consider other transportation when travelling in these countries.

That being said, there are some ways to increase your personal safety:

• All trains have emergency brakes. If you see something that drastically compromises the safety of the train (e.g. a piece of a wheel piercing the floor), don't hesitate to pull it. While pulling it without reason usually incurs a fine, if you can show that you had reason to believe that the train was in danger, you are off the hook.
• This should go without saying, but: Don't step on the tracks. Especially not if the gates are down. If you have to cross at a level crossing, do so quickly, only when and where allowed, and look both ways before doing so.
• If something falls onto the tracks or your vehicle get stuck/breaks down on a level crossing, immediately get everyone clear of the tracks. If one is available, use the emergency telephone at the station or crossing to contact the signaller, who will try to stop any approaching trains if they can. Only once the signaller has assured you that all trains have been stopped should you try to remove the item or vehicle.
• In the unlikely event of an accident, the windows are usually a means of escape. On some trains, there is a red dot on the upper part of the window and a small hammer next to it. Hit the dot with the hammer to shatter the window and just push it out. On other trains similar systems exist. If railway staff are available, they should always know how to get out through the window, failing that, the process is usually written out somewhere near the window or in a safety brochure.
• Automatic doors can usually be disabled and then opened by hand. Again don't do this "just for fun" as you might incur a fine. In the event of an accident, there is usually a lever to pull or a button to push.
• When exiting the train after a derailment, especially when exiting through the window, there may be a significant drop to the ground. Keep that in mind and look before you jump. If there is fire, even a broken leg or two is better than suffocating in the smoke, though.
  • When you jump from the train, be wary that electrified overhead lines could have fallen on the train. Make sure not to touch both the train and the ground simultaneously as you could earth the wires and receive a high-voltage electric shock.

The major risk factor for the average passenger, is crime on board, and at the stations. Most trains in developed countries are fairly safe as far as petty criminal activity is concerned. However, take reasonable precautions against theft wherever you are. Ensure that your baggage is kept in your sight at all times. If you have your own compartment, lock the door from the inside when sleeping, preferably with your own lock.

Especially pickpocketing and molestation do occur at stations and on crowded trains, though usually no more than in other crowded situations.

• Public transportation – metro, elevated rail, light rail, streetcars etc. within a city and to nearby cities and their surrounding suburban and rural communities.
  • Urban rail adventures – there are interesting urban rail experiences to be had.
• Rail air alliances – while trains and planes often compete, sometimes airlines and railways cooperate.
• Sleeper trains – once the preferred way to reach many places, it is still a good way to get around in style and sometimes surprisingly cheap.
• Tourist trains
  • Heritage railways
  • Steam – while associated with heritage railways, there are still regular steam train services, especially in Africa and East Asia.
• High-speed rail – the most modern form of rail travel; capable of travelling at more than 250km/h without the hassle of getting to an airport and through security
• Enthusiast rail travel – some just are interested in rail transport of all forms

• Africa#By train
• Alexandria to Cape Town by train and bus
• Lagos-Ibadan Railway

• Rail travel in China
• Rail travel in India
• Rail travel in Japan
  • Seishun 18 Ticket (Japan)
• Rail travel in Russia
  • Trans-Siberian Railway
• Rail travel in South Korea
• Rail travel in Taiwan
• Laos–China Railway (Laos)

• European rail passes
• Rail travel in Austria
• Rail travel in Belgium
• Rail travel in the Czech Republic
• Rail travel in Finland
• Rail travel in France
• Rail travel in Germany
• Rail travel in Great Britain
• Rail travel in Ireland
• Rail travel in Italy
• Rail travel in Montenegro
• Rail travel in the Netherlands
• Rail travel in Poland
• Rail travel in Portugal
• Rail travel in Russia
• Rail travel in Spain
• Rail and bus travel in Sweden
• Rail travel in Switzerland
• Rail travel in Turkey

• Rail travel in Canada
  • Across Canada by train
• Rail travel in Cuba
• Rail travel in the United States
  • Across the United States by train

• Rail travel in Australia
  • Across Australia by train
• Rail travel in New Zealand

• Street-running trains
• Train stations that have their own articles