As we continue to emerge from the ailing grip of the colder months, summer continues to beckon us forth, with the promise of longer days, warmer days, and day trips galore. VisitBritain anticipate that over £16 billion will be spent on domestic overnight tourism this year, to say nothing of the bounce-back of international travel. With all these trips planned, many of us are bound to spend a fair bit of time on trains, begging the question: how best to pass the time on a longer train journey?
Plan Your Trip
Whether you’re taking the Gatwick Express to the airport for an international trip, or hauling up the country on an LNER bullet train, there is one sure-fire way to pass the time that is as productive as it is fun: planning your trip for when you get to your destination.
Granted, you’ll already have a fairly clear idea of what you’ll be getting up to on the other side – but on the train you can refine your plans into something a bit more concrete, and get excited about your plans all over again. Bring a pen and pad, and you can even draw up an itinerary for each day or location.
Bring Headphones
Headphones or earbuds are a must-bring in everyone’s satchel, pocket or purse anyway – but all the better that you have a pair for a longer trip. Bringing a pair of headphones means you can fully switch yourself off from the outside world, and engross yourself in something else entirely.
You could actively listen to that album you’ve been meaning to give attention to, or catch up on the latest episode of your favourite podcast. You could even pre-download episodes of a series, and watch them during your journey. This way, you won’t be affected by any loss of internet connection.
Bring a Book
A common complaint amongst friends nowadays is that many of us do not get much of a chance to read. Between the busy nature of our days and the vice-like grip our phones appear to have on our attention-spans otherwise, there never seems like a good time or excuse to get engrossed in a good book.
Well, if you find yourself at a loss on a longer train journey, this could be a golden opportunity to re-introduce yourself to the good old-fashioned pastime of reading. Trains are a much calmer ride than other forms of transport like cars or buses, making reading a much less difficult or disorienting experience. Besides, you’ll get so engrossed in your current chapter you won’t want the ride to end!