3 Safety Tips When Traveling Alone By Train

Train travel is one of the safest modes of transportation. Aside from being safe, it is a convenient option, has fewer chances of delay, and allows you to enjoy various wonderful scenery.

Furthermore, compared to air travel, train travel also offers less hassle when it comes to booking tickets and checking in. Nowadays, you can easily take a train from DC to NYC or wherever your destination is by booking a ticket online. Moreover, you also don’t have to go through a lengthy check-in process as you go to the station.

Are you interested in hopping on a train for your next trip? Traveling via train can be a fun and convenient option. However, just like any other mode of transportation, you must know what to do to ensure your safety, especially if you’re traveling alone. To help you, keep the following safety tips in mind as you travel alone by train:

3 Safety Tips When Traveling Alone By Train

1. Stay Away From People That You Think Looks And Acts Suspicious

A train is a massive vehicle that can accommodate many passengers. With that said, you may encounter different kinds of people while traveling. They’re strangers overall, and observing them is the only way to check them out. Follow your intuition and keep your distance from people you think can potentially cause you harm, like:

  • Armed Men

Train stations conduct inspections before they let their passengers inside the train. Some may bring their weapons with them, but facilitators only approve the act if they include them as part of passenger luggage, which they can’t get inside the room where they stay. They can only retrieve what they have after reaching their destination.

Weapons can be a valuable tool to protect oneself from threats, but one can also utilize them to oppress others. Suppose you see a person or a group still having weapons like a sharp knife or a firearm inside the train. In that case, consider moving to the train’s other room.

  • Sneezing/Coughing People

The potential harm other people can inflict on you isn’t limited to violence because it can also be in the form of contagious diseases. The antigens that cause such an ailment can spread through air and physical contact. Many of them may not be life-threatening like the flu, but they can weaken your body, making it prone to possible complications. If the person near you is showing symptoms like coughing and sneezing, keep your distance from them, too.

  • Sex Offenders

One of the most common train-related crimes involves sexual harassment as well, typically in the form of groping, an act of touching another individual sexually without their consent. Sexual offenders likely move in groups and attack women who are all by themselves. If they face resistance from the victim, they often use threats that instill fear, disabling them from fighting back. It can be one of the scariest experiences anyone, particularly a traveler, could ever have.

It’s difficult to determine if a person is a sex offender because they can be anyone who wears formal attire or something else. To ensure your safety, consider sitting beside children or near a place where you can quickly get help.

If a stranger inside the train is touching you intentionally, breathe deeply to help you keep your composure and move away. Many victims feel helpless and become frozen when getting groped and keeping your mind calm is critical for saving yourself from such a dilemma.


2. Stay Near A Considerable Number Of People

Traveling alone could mean disaster because you don’t have a companion you can rely on in case of emergency while on the train. To cope with this disadvantage, consider staying near a crowd of people. This way, you can quickly get help in case someone causes you harm. Aside from this, criminals are likely to sneak into dark, unprotected places. Other people’s presence lessens the odds of you getting into trouble with dangerous entities.


3. Do Not Sleep While Traveling

Traveling on a train, especially by yourself, can be relaxing because it accelerates smoothly, thanks to its railways. Also, if you’re near the vehicle window, you’ll likely see fantastic scenery, eventually making you sleepy. Even so, try to stay awake. When sleeping, you’re most vulnerable to attacks because you won’t be able to watch after yourself. Consider reading books to entertain yourself while drinking coffee instead.


A train can travel at astounding speeds and offers convenience and comfortability—making it ideal for transportation for most travelers. Even so, passengers who travel alone can still fall prey to several inconveniences. To cope with such a dilemma, consider following the tips mentioned in this article. Have fun, and stay safe!