How long can you handle being on a train?

[FlambeGarlic14]

Inverness to London on the ‘Highland Chieftain’ in 1st back in December.
No numb bum syndrome until Watford Junction!

 

[Paul Jones 88]

2.5 hours on a 375 was very pleasant, however, 1 hour on a 390 was miserable.

 

[greyman42]

As long as required by the journey. Unless it is a voyager when the time limit is 15 seconds.

I have actually come to like the voyagers during covid when they have been more or less empty and you can pick your seat. Reasonably comfortable seat by modern standards and nice big windows.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I have actually come to like the voyagers during covid when they have been more or less empty and you can pick your seat. Reasonably comfortable seat by modern standards and nice big windows.

I don't overly mind them either, but they do need to take a couple of rows of seats out of each coach and space the remaining ones better, or replace them with a thinner-backed model. While I'd prefer half-and-half table and airline seating, "Coach D" shows just how good one can be when some thought goes into the seating layout.

 

[Peter C]

My longest train journey is only about two hours and after that kind of time, I found myself starting to get a bit bored. I expect when I next go on the trains again - having not been on a train since late-January 2020 - I'll be quite happy to spend ages on the train though

-Peter

 

[Purple Orange]

Almost 10 hours old, almost 2 thirds of people on here love being on a train. How representative of the wider travelling public that is, I don’t quite know. I suspect not representative at all.

 

[Ianno87]

Almost 10 hours old, almost 2 thirds of people on here love being on a train. How representative of the wider travelling public that is, I don’t quite know. I suspect not representative at all.

Most normal folk will tolerate it if they have something to do - e.g. Read/ watch films / sleep etc.

 

[Starmill]

I don't "love" being on the train for longer than five hours in one go, as by then the enjoyment starts to wear off even for me without a break. However I can do it in the right circumstances, so I've answered the longer that than five hours option.

 

[Cambus731]

I haven't read through the thread, but this is a very black and white question and I don't think I can give an equally black and white answer.Assumming there isn't disruption then most days I am happy to sit on a train, potentially for hours, especially if I'm comfortable and the scenary is good or I habe a good book/magazine or something interesting on the internet to do. On the other hand if i'm going home and there is disruption I can get wound up, especially if I am on early shift the next day.
For example I spent all day on the Perth to Kings Cross train last October, but I had a couple of interesting books and the internet, food & water and I was off the next day so I was happy and I didn't mind that it was delayed for an hour between Hitchin and Kings Cross.
On the other hand I have yet to try the ironing board seats of the new trains that GWR have introduced.
Unfortunately a lot of people on trains do seem to be getting more anti-social and are too thick to realise that other people find their childish hip hop non music to be most unpleasant.

 

[superalbs]

I've done quite a few 12hr+ sleepers, including a couple 18hr+. I really enjoyed it, and would be happy to do them again, or even longer ones.

 

[Mikey C]

I've done quite a few 12hr+ sleepers, including a couple 18hr+. I really enjoyed it, and would be happy to do them again, or even longer ones.

I'm not sure sleepers entirely count in this sort of discussion, considering you have a bed and will be asleep for much of the time!

 

[superalbs]

I'm not sure sleepers entirely count in this sort of discussion, considering you have a bed and will be asleep for much of the time!

Well, for the 24hr one I didn't sleep for all that - nice may that have been!

 

[superalbs]

I've also done a few 9hr/10hr journeys on day trains, and found them perfectly enjoyable.

 

[joncombe]

I put all day caveat being without wearing a mask. I did Trondheim to Bodo in Norway for instance a couple of years ago and loved it. Nice to cross the Arctic circle by train. I Think that was 10 or 11 hours or so on the same train

 

[D6975]

Back in the late 80s I would do a 7 day Freedom of Scotland and spend almost all the time on trains. If I wasn't on a train, I was waiting for one, de-rancing at one of the stations that had showers or getting fodder.

 

[Trackman]

I voted all-day.

But today I've been on my first ever Northern class 331.
I was waiting for Jeremy Beadle (god bless him) to enter the carriage as a ticket inspector.
25 minutes was 25 minutes too long.
At least it has big windows and a good PA. There it stops. Northern line Tube trains have a better ride.
I suppose I could put up with a 142 or a 15x all day, but no to a 331.

 

[43096]

I get bored even in business. The only reason I don't on a train is the constantly changing scenery.

Take up cloud spotting!

 

[Gathursty]

I went on the 05XX Shrewsbury to Cardiff via Llandrindod Wells as far as Bridgend before I cracked.

 

[185143]

Very much depends on the traction and what alternatives there are. I've happily spent the night in the old sleeper seats from London to Inverness and would have gladly done the return leg the following night I slept so well and had such a good trip.

Similarly anything more than about half an hour on a 150 or similar and I've had enough. I remember doing Leominster to Chester on a standing room only 150 which was absolutely sweltering one Sunday a few years ago. That was horrific. An excellent allocation for a Cardiff-Holyhead service...

I found whilst doing Manchester-Edinburgh on a 397 the other day that once we'd gone a bit past Lockerbie I was starting to get a bit restless and ready for off. I once spent 7 hours on a 397, Manchester-Edinburgh and immediately back and by about Oxenholme on the return leg I was feeling it a bit.

 

[Ianno87]

I went on the 05XX Shrewsbury to Cardiff via Llandrindod Wells as far as Bridgend before I cracked.

I think the only time I've truly "cracked" was on a direct Ely to Liverpool Lime Street journey. Bailed at Liverpool South Parkway to do the rest of the way on Merseyrail.

One of the reasons why I'm sceptical about "passengers always prefer direct trains" claim.

 

[beardedbrit]

Around four hours - London to Glasgow/Edinburgh is my comfort zone these days. In my misbegotten youth I survived a 36 hour through train journey from Munich to Athens - second class, student fare, no couchettes. Route was Austria-Llubjiana-Zagreb- Belgrade-Skopje-Thesssaloniki-Athens. Probably impossible since the breakup of Yugoslavia.

 

[py_megapixel]

At least it has big windows and a good PA. There it stops. Northern line Tube trains have a better ride.
I suppose I could put up with a 142 or a 15x all day, but no to a 331.

Wait till you try their diesel-powered cousins.

If you think a 331 is akin to a Pacer, a 195 is akin to a Pacer which has derailed and is running on a steep and especially poorly-maintained cobbled street.

 

[HST274]

Personally I am very tolerant but I think context is everything. I would happily do a day trip only on trains but I prefer multiple changes, as it adds almost an excitement. An example of this is when me and my family went to Sicily by train and whilst by the end my companions tolerance was waning, I was still buzzing. On the other hand I have also travelled on two tin can class 153s coupled together packed full in peak hour which was 40 minutes too long (the train being 40 minutes) and that was not pleasant. Another factor is whether it is new surroundings. Then I could even bare a pacer.
-Robert

 

[zero]

If it's a new route, I have 2 seats to myself and a supply of food I can sit on a train for a week. For the past few years I have gone to Switzerland for about a week every summer and I spend every day (around 5am to 10pm) taking trains as part of an "all the lines" quest. As connections in Switzerland are reliable I plan the whole trip in advance and it usually works out with only minor tweaks. Probably 75% of the time is spent on public transport and the rest is walking around a town when there is a long interchange time, or walking to a mountain railway etc.

I am also doing this in the UK but the itinerary has to be less ambitious. The type of train makes no difference really, it's only unpleasant when it's too crowded.

If referring to only one train, the first time I did London to Aberdeen in the daytime I was perfectly happy staying in my VTEC 1st class seat for the whole journey (maybe 2 toilet breaks) and was constantly supplied with food and drinks. However on subsequent trips to Scotland I get bored very quickly because I've seen both east and west routes from all 8 perspectives (up/down, forwards/backwards, left/right of train).

 

[Techniquest]

I haven't yet read the posts on this thread, I do find it interesting though. Years ago, I'd have had no issues with spending several hours in a day on a train.

These days I find myself bored quickly, many possible reasons for that but I've never come up with a conclusive answer. I've spent a lot of hours pondering this question, I can assure you!

Nearest an explanation I can get for my hatred of staying indoors for longer than an hour or two (apart from when sleeping, of course) is the two weeks of self-isolation forced onto me by a housemate in November 2020. I still say it's grossly unfair he got his freedom after 10 days, and I had to ensure 14 days...Granted, he only had mild symptoms and all was fine and good. Until the day I got the news I had been dreading for months, that I'd have to isolate because of someone else, I had been well on the road to recovery with an injury to the legs. All of a sudden, all my daily training rides had to stop and 14 days later I was more than ready to get out of the house. It was another couple of months before I was able to get back into cycling, and even now I'm still not quite right, but I manage.

So what does that have to do with the railway? Well until that fortnight, I didn't mind being indoors. Granted, I still needed stuff to do to keep me occupied, sitting in front of a TV or whatever drives me crazy. Really don't care about most of what's on there, or the streaming services, although I have just remembered The Goldbergs is back on with a new series Strongly expect it to be the last season. An enforced fortnight indoors felt like a prison sentence to be honest!

The point of my long post is that I don't really like being on a train for long these days. I have Ledbury to Paddington in one sitting coming up on Monday, and while I am strongly looking forward to my first visit to Brunel's Cathedral in many months, I dread to think how I'll pass the time. I'll have the stunning scenery between Colwall and Oxford to enjoy, particularly around the Malvern Hills, but generally all I'll be thinking about is my visit to Sussex and where I'll be going on the bike. It was meant to be Brighton-Bognor Regis on Monday, but the weather forecast for next week looks seriously grim with the wind! Not to mention thinking about the ride through Central London from Paddington to Farringdon as part of my connection to Brighton...

So, my final answer, well it honestly depends! I'm perfectly happy with anything up to around 20 minutes, after which I get fidgety, after around 30 minutes that gets worse. If I'm continuously occupied, it'll be fine!

 

[yorksrob]

I do find that a long train journey can be enhanced with the ability to visit the buffet car.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I do find that a long train journey can be enhanced with the ability to visit the buffet car.

Even better is a proper sit down bistro like DB's.

 

[yorksrob]

Even better is a proper sit down bistro like DB's.

Yes, I did use XC's HST bistro service for breakfast once when they had one briefly. It was very good.

I'd planned the same for the journey back, but got bowled out by a Voyager

 

[XAM2175]

I've not voted because my answer is hugely affected by the nature of the journey - the atmosphere in the carriage, the stock itself, the scenery, how I feel overall, etc etc. As a rule though I'm generally good for up to four or five hours.

I have gone for much longer - a few eight-hour DMU trips (but with lovely scenery and a well-stocked bistro), but at the same time there are some shorter trips that are deeply tedious (carriage full of loud people, terrible seats, you know the drill).

Distractions like a bistro do help, and I'm a major sucker for a sit-down restaurant car like DB's Bordrestaurant or SBB's equivalent.

As an aside, my most-special trip so far was also one of my longest: eleven-and-a-half hours in single-occupancy sleeper with a panoramic window on a clear night with a full moon. Add a hot dinner, a few glasses of wine, and a screaming VP185 no more than 20 metres away? Pure bliss, even if I was a very tired lad the next day