Train Travel Vs. Air Travel: There Are Clear Advantages To Railroads

The hectic holiday travel season is here, so why not consider doing so by train? Yes, air or car travel are not your only options to move around.

Train travel is not for everyone, mostly because you must have the time to do it. In today’s hectic world we want to get to our destination as quickly as possible, hence, air travel is the preferred mode of transportation in the 21st century.

However, the fact that most people go from point A to point B in this manner, means over crowded airports and planes, with long waiting lines and barely any room to move for hours on end. Enter train travel.

If you have some flexibility and time, you should seriously consider traveling by train this season. It will change the way you look at the whole experience for several reasons.

For one, you actually have leg room when you travel by train even if you don’t have a private cabin. You can move around and visit the dinning car or the lounge, which allows you to enjoy the vistas, something worth your time and the main reason many choose to travel by rail.

You can also get to know your fellow passengers which is a lot more conducive, as when you travel by train you are usually enjoying yourself and not rushing, similarly to what happens on a cruise. Since travelers are not in a hurry, there is more chances to find common topics of conversation while enjoying the sunrise or sunset.

Food is definitely much better by train travel than what it is on board a jet liner. Passengers don’t get much for their money as airline companies cut costs across the board, with added fees and less service, making the experience less than pleasant.

Train travel in the United States is not what it is in Europe and elsewhere, where people move at ease with a mode of transportation that is safe, clean, and punctual. But those who use it frequently, swear by it.

In general, train travel is cheaper than air travel, but you will need to be flexible with your time. Also, there are no baggage fees, what you see is what you get and you can actually eat a full meal in the comfort of the dinning car.

Another advantage of train travel is that stations are usually located in the heart of big cities, as opposed to out-of-the-way airports, which make your day even longer and more expensive. As an example, an Amtrak single round-trip coach ticket from Chicago’s Union Station to New York City’s Penn Station starts at $104 and takes 27-hours to complete, but when you arrive, you are in the heart of the city.

Do you travel by train in the U.S. or elsewhere?

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