How to board and ride the InterCity trains
There is a strategy for boarding a train? Are you nuts? Don’t you just get on and sit in your seat and away you go? In Part 4 of our InterCity Train Guide we give you the ins and outs of riding the train.
InterCity Train Guide
Part 1: Buying Tickets
Part 2: Reading Your Ticket
Part 3: Finding Your Train
Part 4: ✓ Riding the Train (current)
Step 1 — Let everyone get off first
- Stand beside the door.
- Let passengers exit.
- Don’t block the doorway.
- If the door doesn’t open look for a push button either on the door or along the door jamb
Not every car is the same. Besides first and second class there are a number of different cars on InterCity Trains.
Step 2 — Get your luggage inside quickly
- Look immediately for luggage storage.
- If you have a large suitcase, use the luggage rack by the door or center of the coach.
- Don’t walk halfway through the train looking for the “perfect” spot.
- There are a lot of people behind your
- Keep the aisle clear.
Step 3 — Find your seat
- Look for Seat number
- Seat reservations above the seats (if applicable)
- Sometimes seats face backward
- It’s okay to politely ask to swap if someone agrees
- If there is someone in your seat, politely show them your reservation. It is often an honest mistake because passengers board quickly. If the seat isn’t reserved, or there is confusion, the conductor can help.
Step 4 — During the trip
- Use headphones
- Keep voices down
- It is ok to bring food onto the train
- If you are going to use the WiFi be sure to utilize a good VPN.
- If riding backwards bothers you ask someone if they would mind trading seats. It’s fairly common.
- Enjoy the ride! The scenery.
Step 5 — Getting off
- About five to ten minutes before you stop:
- Gather your belongings
- Put your backpack on
- Retrieve your luggage
- Move toward the door if practical
- Be ready to step off promptly because many trains stop for only a minute or two
Food Car
🧳 Don’t be Surprised
Many InterCity trains stop for only one or two minutes – be ready to get off
It’s not like the dining cars in the movies. Don’t expect a full-service restaurant. Most InterCity trains offer sandwiches, snacks, coffee, soft drinks, and a limited selection of hot food. If you want a larger meal, it’s usually better to buy food in the station before boarding.
- Limited food and drink offerings
- Mostly from vending machines
- Coffee is available
- Some snacks
- Larger train stations will have a better selection of food that you can take on the train with you than the train will have.
Pay attention to the overhead signage
Keep an eye on the overhead signs. They will tell keep you up to date on the status of the trip, and inform you of the upcoming station.
Enjoy the ride!
One of the great pleasures of traveling through Europe is watching the countryside roll by. Unlike flying, the journey itself becomes part of the vacation. Relax, enjoy the scenery, and use the travel time to plan the next stop on your adventure.
