a thread to discuss traveling by train, why it is the best, and how to do it better.railrat.net - amtraktrains.fyi - all the trains
new acela is decent. wish they could run one to chicago and south to atlanta and miami.
I prefer to travel by train mostly because of the sleeper options, in India for example sleeper trains are probably the only peace you'll get in the country.Eurail has sort of fallen apart because of the sunk cost in Spanish services, usually I bus Europe. As soon as you've got to take connecting services the appeal of trains evaporates. Long haul rail, scenic rail, either that's what you want or it isn't. The trans Siberian, ghan, its an experience in its own right. Sometimes you want to pack your own amenities, wool blanket, battery pack Thermos/heater, you can't really wash anything so extra undergarments are usually called for but you might not need heavy waterproof clothing. Dry soap and microfibre strongly recommended and you will still wants day pack/laundry bag depending on what luggage can be secured. So probably business luggage. Train and ferry work well together. Risk of drugging on trains is still a notable threat because a mix of locals and internationals will probably stillhave access to carriages. Rohipnol can be sprayed onto you so it's not just things you might eat. Be wary of ointments, oils, perfumes and items like hand sanitisers/wipes. Consider how/if you can signal distress while onboard. Who you can lock out of a carriage/berth should also be considered in the context of where you might get locked in. It's an issue fairly specific to trains, and rather then a general risk gangs commit these crimes in spates. Air tags are great for luggage but put them on items rather then the bag, thieves often just upend a tourists bag into a duffel bag and leave the bag.
>>2885611being drugged sounds bad. i dont think i will leave the USA
>>288574310-20% of americans are on long term antidepressant use so there's a very good chance you're already pretty drugged
>>2885865long train trip would cheer them up
Train routes are so limited compared to bus routes in most of the world. So while buses have none of the grand cruising style of a train or the soulful scenery that is found along railroad tracks, the Real Traveler can't help but prefer riding road transport for the simple reason that it opens up so much more of the map to exploration. Even in India, a country with one of the most extensive railway networks in the world, I resorted to traveling almost exclusively by bus, because everywhere I wanted to go was only accessible by bus.
>>2886321pfft. real travellers walk. maybe swim
>>2886321i am not so adventurous. the train usually drops off in the middle of town and walking from there is good enough for me.
