December 17, 2021, 4:45 am | Read time: 4 minutes
On trains, a lot of strangers come together in a confined space. That’s reason enough to keep a few things in mind–to avoid making the journey unnecessarily annoying for yourself and others. TRAVELBOOK lists eleven things to avoid when traveling by train.
1. Annoying others with your phone on the train
Whether in the phone area or elsewhere on the train, it’s a bad idea to choose a new ringtone. It annoys all fellow passengers! Also a no-go: playing phone games with sound or continuously typing messages with keyboard sounds on. As you can see, there are several things to consider with your phone on the train–otherwise, you’ll quickly draw the ire of other travelers.
2. Getting too close to fellow passengers
Due to COVID-19 and the potential risk of infection, it’s especially relevant, but generally speaking: You shouldn’t get physically too close to your seatmate or bombard them with conversation if they’re clearly not interested in closer contact. Are their responses particularly monosyllabic? Then it’s best to leave them alone.
3. Sitting with the wrong crowd
For the bowling buddies, the ladies from the bachelorette party, or the kids on a school trip, the train ride might be a blast–but not for fellow passengers in the same compartment. If you can’t stand loud shouting, giggling, alcohol breath, and/or music blaring from a boombox, it’s best to avoid sitting with any of the aforementioned groups–or make a quick exit if they join you in the same compartment. If you prefer peace and quiet, the family compartment might not be the best choice either.
4. Sitting in the wrong area
Deutsche Bahn offers special quiet areas where, according to their website, “phone calls, ringtones, loud music (even via headphones), or other noisy activities are not welcome”–so if you want to use your phone here, expect fellow passengers to be unimpressed. If you plan to have long phone conversations with your mom, girlfriend, or business partner overseas, you should choose a seat in the phone area of the train. According to Deutsche Bahn, these compartments supposedly have “optimized mobile reception.”
5. Choosing the wrong travel time
To make the train journey as pleasant as possible, timing is crucial in several respects. If you want to save money on a reservation and avoid a long search for a seat, you should avoid heavily crowded trains, such as on Friday or Sunday afternoons. Also, never travel before, or worse, after a soccer game when the train is a shuttle to/from a stadium.
Also interesting: 9 Tricks to Guarantee a Seat on the Train
6. Don’t rely on cell reception on the train
Especially when the train speeds through rural areas, reception often drops–or isn’t optimal for streaming movies or music. Tip: Download movies and music at home or wherever you have Wi-Fi to listen offline, if your streaming provider allows it. Although the train now offers free Wi-Fi on ICE trains, personal experience shows it’s not always reliable.
7. Blocking seats with luggage
In a half-empty train, it might be okay to place your backpack on the seat next to you. But once seats start filling up, you should store your luggage under your seat or in the luggage rack. Anything else is rude–even if it means not maintaining social distance.
Also interesting: Quite bold! 8 Tricks Some Use to Keep the Seat Next to Them Free on the Train
8. Wearing the wrong clothing
On the train, as in a plane, you should be prepared for anything: Sometimes it’s too cold when the air conditioning is on full blast, sometimes a bit too warm, especially when the summer sun shines through the window. And in winter, the heating occasionally fails. So it’s best to go with the tried-and-true layered look to add or remove clothing as needed.
9. Sitting next to the door
In ICE trains, it’s okay, but in Intercity trains, it’s better to avoid sitting directly next to one of the doors between two cars. Especially on routes with many stops, it’s better to find a seat where passengers aren’t constantly passing by.
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10. Taking off your shoes
Also a smelly no-go: taking off your shoes on the train, especially if you’re barefoot. It’s unappealing for everyone. And you should never put your bare feet on another seat. Gross!
11. Unpacking onion rolls & co.
Many people pack snacks for longer train rides, which is fine since not everyone can or wants to afford the snacks and meals in the onboard bistro/restaurant. However, for the sake of fellow passengers, you should avoid eating particularly strong-smelling foods like onion rolls, kebabs, or meatballs.