The Best Train Traveling Tips To Know So You Can Save Money

If you’ve never traveled by train, I’ve got the best train traveling tips to peak your interest in this old way of travel.

One of the downsides to road trips is that someone has to do the driving, and the driver rarely gets to see all the sights along the way!

If you have spare time, I encourage you to consider traveling by train to get to your destination.

This is one of the least popular ways to travel in the US. But overseas, you’ll find that people get to different countries by train all the time!

It can be a fun way to get to your destination and see a few sights along the way.

So let’s dive into these train travel tips. So you can be in the know before you purchase those tickets and save some money too.

I’ll share how to save money on train travel so you don’t go broke before you travel and while you’re traveling on a train.

Plus, I’ll share the best train travel essentials so you’ll have what you need and not have to pay for overpriced items and services.

Here are a few train traveling tips for traveling by train.

Be Sure To Pack Snacks

Depending on the length of your trip, some trains will have dining cars. But be prepared, the prices are going to be through the roof!

If you are looking to buy snacks, you may find less than appealing options. The selection will be minimal at best.

Plus, you should know that you’ll be paying outrageous prices for snacks or meals. So bringing your own food is one way on how to save money on train travel.

If you are stuck on a train for 12 hours, the last thing you want is a bunch of hungry passengers.

My best train traveling tips are to be prepared by packing plenty of things to snack on during your trip.

Here are some other things you should know about train food before you go.

Pack Some Toiletries In Your Bag To Freshen Up

After a long travel day, the first thing you are going to want to do is to grab a shower. However, you can’t do this on a train.

The next best thing you can do is freshen up.

I will bring some wet wipes to wipe down with, and some of my beauty products to freshen up with. It’s these train traveling tips that will make you feel human again.

After a long day of sitting, sometimes you may need to retouch your makeup. Or just clean some of the oil off of your face to freshen up. It’s these train travel essentials that will get you freshened up and feeling good to go after the ride is over with.

Look For Discounts

Some train companies have cheaper rates for military, AAA members, students, seniors, and even children!

Sometimes you’ll be able to score some deals or join a guest reward program to help you earn points for every ride.

Before you book, look to see if you can find any discounts to use on your trip. It’s how to save money on train travel just by looking! There may not be many, but it can’t hurt to look.

It’s these train traveling tips to look out for when you go to buy your tickets.

Looking for a train trip? Check out these 6 train trips you can take in the United States!

Buy Tickets In Advance

I’m sure you have seen in the movies where someone walks up to the ticket counter and purchases the last minute ticket, but that doesn’t work well in real life.

You can buy tickets on your train company’s website and even get your tickets delivered to your cell phone.

While reserving a coach seat in advance may not happen, but if you are traveling in coach, your seats will be reserved based on your party size.

Don’t miss out on your next ride because you waited too late with these train traveling tips.

Make Sure Your Devices Are Charged Before You Board

Depending on what train company you travel with, you may have a hard time finding an outlet if you need one.

Some coach cars have outlets at every seat, but not always.

If there are limited outlets, you can bet there will be a long line of people waiting to use them.

With these train travel tips, keep your devices fully charged, and bring your battery pack if you will be traveling for a long time.

Be Prepared For Delays

Just like with any mode of transportation, there are sometimes delays.

Freight trains will always get priority on the tracks. This means you may have to wait for them to come through. And that means that longer routes will likely have a few delays.

With these train traveling tips, you should plan to have a few delays built into your trip just as a precaution.

Get Familiar With Rest Stops

When you are traveling by train, not all stops are the same.

Some stops are not designated rest stops, and if they aren’t, you won’t be able to get off the train.

These rules are strictly enforced, so don’t even try to sneak off just for a minute.

If you’ve never traveled by train before, I suggest you do it at least once with these train traveling tips.

If nothing else, just do it once to say that you did it. You may even find that you like it more than driving or flying!

So I hope you’ve learned these train travel tips so you can be in the know before you purchase those tickets and save some money too.

You should learn how to save money on train travel before you go so you don’t go broke while you’re traveling on a train.

And you’ll have the best train travel essentials so you’ll have what you need and not have to pay for overpriced items and services.

For the rest of the posts in our insider travel tips series, check out the insider tips for cars and planes.

YOUR TURN: Are there any other train traveling tips that you would share with others? Let me know in the comments below!

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