An interesting train experience

I apologize for this post coming a few days after I said it would, the week has been busier than I anticipated. The train system in the EU is rather well....fantastic. I do not live near anywhere in the States where I could take the train so when my roommate and I decided to take a train and visit London last Saturday, I was really excited. Train rides are nice because they tend to be priced pretty cheap, well if you go during an off peak time. Do not, unless you want to shell out about 20 or 30 pounds more, try to take a train to London on a Monday. I got a round trip ticket to London for same day travel and spent the whole day there and it only cost me around 23 pounds which is roughly $37.

Anyway the main train that goes to London and most other places around Coventry is by Virgin Trains. If you can book a trip on Virgin Train lines, which you can do easily through the Coventry train station, do it. The trains are very nice, clean, and comfortable. The ride to London is very smooth and if you go during the day, you get see a lot of lovely scenery. Although it was a bit intimidating for me at first. The timetables and train platforms can have a very intimidating feel if you do not know what is going on, but once you ride on it, you tend to realize it was silly to have that feeling.

I also got the opportunity on this trip to experience a unique panic that you only tend to get from trains...well I suppose you could also get this from the bus or subway if they were comfortable enough for you to fall asleep. Either way, on the way back from London I was extremely tired, and in being so tired, I fell asleep. When I woke up, the panic came. Did I miss my stop? Where are we? It is dark so I cannot get a visual of where we are? What if I missed it, how am I getting home? Would the train company help me? It was a very scary feeling, and upon reflection, part of the reason I prefer to fly. If you fall asleep on a plane, they would wake you up and even if they did not wake you, the noise from the other passengers getting off or the landing would wake you up and ensure that you got off at the right stop. On a train, they do not know where you are getting off so they cannot just check that you are off and often the people around you are not getting off at the right stop so they are not of my assistance. Thankfully, I did not miss my stop but I made a mental note of never falling asleep on an hour train ride again.

That was my experience with trains. If you make it here and have never been on one before, I suggest doing it and I am sure you will find it to be a lovely experience...well hopefully. Cheers!