A little training in training

I thought I would give all of you folks a little education in the greatness that is train travel!!!   When I first had the opportunity to ride a train here in Eastern Europe, I thought it would just be an adventurous cool thing to do.  What I found out is that it is the best way to travel assuming that you aren’t going too far away.   Right now, I’m on the train to Bratislava, Slovakia.  Every time I do this, I’m disappointed when the train reaches the station.   I’ll list some of the reasons for you:

1)       Trains almost always leave on time (you can set your watch by it).  I think I’ve been delayed once in the 20+ times that I’ve ridden on the train.

2)       There is no check-in, waiting room, or arriving 1 or 2 hours early.   As long as you step on the train 5 seconds before it pulls away, you aren’t late. 

3)       For the most part, it is a smooth, quiet ride. 

4)       There is usually plenty of leg room and you can stretch out (unlike an airplane).  Right now I have a group of 4 seats to myself (2 seats facing forward, 2 seats facing backwards).   I have my feet on the seat in front of me and if I wasn’t typing this, then a nap would be no problem!!

5)       You can stand up, walk around, sit down, change cars, etc . . .   Your aren’t tied to a certain place for the whole trip

6)       Scenery – The windows are big and the train goes at a good speed for looking around.   On this trip, we went by a castle north of Budapest.  It is on a cliff overlooking the Danube River and it was totally covered with snow.  Breathtaking!

7)       There is no end to what you can get done.  Thank-you notes, catching up on email, reading a book, having a meeting, playing computer games, listening to music, etc . . .   Most of the reason I’m not ready to get there is that my productivity drops as soon as I step off the train.

       You don’t arrive tired – When I drive or fly somewhere, I’m always wasted when I get there.   With riding the train, I’m more refreshed.

9)       No need for pre-purchasing the tickets (unless you need a sleeping car or special reservation).  Just walk up to the ticket booth 15 minutes before the train leaves and you are all set!

10)   CHEAP – $18 round trip to Bratislava is what I paid this morning (it is a little over 2 hours one way).   Driving costs over $100 because of the cost of gas.

11)   Dining Car – anything from a light snack, cappuccino, to a full meal.  It is a little expensive, but lots of fun.

Get my point?   I’m thinking of booking a trip each month even if I don’t have to go anywhere.  I’ll just ride up and back in a day just to get to spend the time on the train