A long train journey can be one of the most enjoyable ways to travel – or one of the most uncomfortable. The difference is usually preparation. Here’s what’s worth having with you before you board.
🧳 Before You Go
- Power bank and charging cables – Plug sockets on trains aren’t always where you need them, and sometimes they don’t work at all. A charged power bank means your devices last the journey regardless.
- Kindle or a book – Screens are fine for short stints, but a long journey is the perfect excuse to actually read. A Kindle holds enough for any trip; a paperback takes up less space than you’d think.
- Tablet or phone loaded with downloads – Don’t rely on train wifi. Download what you want to watch before you leave – Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and most streaming apps let you save content offline.
- Insulated water bottle – Trains get warm, especially in summer, and a plastic bottle of water from a station shop turns tepid within the hour. An insulated bottle keeps water cold for hours and saves you buying drinks on board.
- Portable fan – Carriages can get stuffy, particularly on busy services or older rolling stock. A small USB or battery-powered fan takes up almost no space and makes a real difference on a warm day.
- Snacks – The onboard shop isn’t always stocked, isn’t always open, and is never cheap. Pack something decent before you travel and you won’t end up hungry two hours in.
💡 Things Nobody Tells You
- Book a seat with a table if you can – it makes eating, reading, and working considerably easier, and they go quickly on popular routes.
Found something that should be on here? Drop it in the comments – we update this list regularly.