Travel Tuesdays: Traveling by Train

My husband and daughter slept on the train. 

Next week, my husband and I will take the train from Providence, RI to Washington, DC. Many people ask why we don't fly because,"It's faster." Or drive because, "It's cheaper." The thing is, we like the train. And we're not alone.

Over the holidays, my friend Kim and her family took a train from Massachusetts to Indiana (with a stop in Chicago). She texted me a few times during the trip and each of them said something like "I LOVE the train!" The thing is, Kim is an established "road tripper." She loves taking road trips with her family. I don't think she expected to like the train as much as she did (Tell me if I'm wrong, Kim!)

I asked her to share some thoughts about the train with my readers. She emailed me a lengthy response with quotations from each family member. Here are the highlights:

Ben - "I like that I didn't have to drive; I was rested when we arrived at our destination."

Abby (almost 11) - "I like that I can go to the bathroom whenever I want and that we brought whatever snacks we wanted. I also like that I can read on the train and not get sick." (She often has motion sickness in the car when reading).

Dylan (almost 6)- "I like the candy cane and train coloring books the conductor gave me. I like walking on the train too. And I like the pizza!"

Jon (9)- "I like the big windows and the view and walking around whenever I wanted."

Kim - "It was a long stretch of time when we had NO WHERE else to be and NO WHERE to go. I see train travel as balancing for busy hustle and bustle lives. The train offers time to relax and reflect that can not happen if you're driving and certainly can not happen when the subliminal (TSA) threat is ruling your shoes and laptops in air travel. Fellow travelers were happy and resting too. No one we encountered was cranky or complaining. There is a camaraderie that is unmatched in my experience." 

I could have spent hours writing a post about the joys of traveling by train but these five said it perfectly. If you haven't tried traveling by train, give it a try! 

We've traveled by train in the US, Morocco, and Italy. Each trip was different but there was always the rushing landscape to enjoy along with hours of uninterrupted time to read, relax, write, play games, etc.

Have you chosen a train over air travel or driving? How was it for you?

You Might Also Like:

Travel Tuesdays: Pack Your Sense of Humor

Travel Tuesdays: Top 10 Tips for Traveling With Children