Tips for rail travel at the station · At the station in Tips for rail travel
All Destinations | Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | Hotels
At the station in Tips for rail travel
At the station in Tips for rail travel
Be on time, or early. Though trains have a reputation for running late, they always seem to run early when you are running late to catch them. If you have bought the tickets in advance turning up 10 min before departure is more than enough. Bear in mind that trains often close the doors a minute before the official time of departure.
Many trains (especially faster ones) call for very brief intervals at smaller stations, sometimes as short as 30 seconds. Have all your luggage at hand and be prepared to board quickly. Tuck away loose pieces of luggage like drinks, maps, guidebooks and coats before the train arrives to ensure a smooth boarding procedure.
Please don't run if you can avoid it.
Do not walk on the tracks except at an authorized, 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.
Stay behind any yellow lines on platforms except when you are actually boarding.
Stand well back from the platform edge when express or through trains pass the station. They can generate a lot of suction 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 a pram with you (or, for that matter, anything else with wheels or rollers), keep an eye on it, make sure the brakes (if any) are engaged and position it parallel to the tracks. This will minimize the risk of rolling on platforms which slope slightly towards the tracks.
A radio controlled watch can be a useful device for frequent rail travelers. Trains in Western nations normally depart pretty much on the second of timetabled time, and "railway time" is synchronized with "atomic clock time", which radio controlled watches use. A normal watch is often wrong by a couple of minutes, which can make a big difference in the world of trains. Knowing in confidence that you still have 120 seconds to get from platform 1 to platform 12 will save you from having to run and experiencing unnecessary stress. Radio controlled watches can be purchased cheaply online. Synchronized mobile phones and PDAs will also do the job.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Tips for rail travel
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Tips for rail travel - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Tips for rail travel hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
>>> SEARCH FOR DEALS <<<
WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Tips for rail travel Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.