How to Pack Light for Comfortable Travel on Long Train Trips

Train Travel in India is deeply woven into the lifestyle of its people. Whether it be a small commute through the local trains or an overnight trip through different states, Indian Railways is the number one choice for passengers. However, ensuring a comfortable travel on long train journeys is still tricky for many.

Long train journeys come with their own issues. A very common mistake incurred by travellers on long journeys is packing heavily. Overpacking is an issue that compounds the problem associated with long train journeys.

By using smart packing techniques we can significantly ease the problems associated with long train journeys. This blog is all about making your long train trip into a comfortable travel experience.

Issues With Long Train Trips

Indian Railways is one of the most extensive railways in the world. The vast expanse of train tracks gives way to long train journeys. Although convenient and budget friendly, these longer duration trains present a unique set of challenges:

• Limited Storage Space: For longer train journeys people usually pack heavy. However, these big size luggages are difficult to accommodate in the space below the seats or the overhead racks.

• Constrained mobility: Indians trains can often get very crowded especially in General and Sleeper coaches. This crowd of people makes mobility difficult if not impossible. The presence of huge luggages amid this makes movement even more difficult.

• Fatigue and tiredness: Sitting or sleeping in the same posture for long hours can lead to fatigue, tiredness and irritation. Lack of necessary accessories like a proper pillow, blanket or bed sheet can be a hurdle in your comfortable travel.

• Cleanliness concerns: Cleanliness levels, especially in the toilet is a big concern for travellers on long rail journeys. Because of multiple usages and unavailability of items like hand wash in the toilet, makes long trips haunting. 

• Unpredictable timings and unscheduled delays: Train travel is prone to multiple delays and changes in timings. This gets exceedingly frustrating when you are on a long train trip and have nowhere to go.

How Light Packing Insures Comfortable Travel

Long trips can be tricky, but most of the issues associated with it can be resolved with smart planning and packing strategies. Light packing can be a pivotal component of a comfortable 

travel because:

• Adapts well to the limited storage space: Big and Oversized bags can cause problems in storage due to the limited space available. By using bags of the right size and right packing techniques we can easily fit them into the constrained spaces without any issues.

• Ease in mobility: With light packing, travellers can move with freedom regardless of whether the train is crowded or not. This also reduces physical strain and keeps you calm thus facilitating a comfortable travel. 

• Stress-free boarding and deboarding: With a light luggage, travellers can dodge the crowded platforms with ease and comfortably board and deboard the train. Be it a short halt or sudden change in the position of the coach, light packing can be a substantial mobility advantage.

• Simplifies security:  With limited items to pack, it becomes easier to secure the bag. Using tools like packing cubes can help in organisation. A single lockable bag should be the preference for smart packing and comfortable travel.

• Tackle cleanliness related challenges: Train bathrooms can get unsanitary with basic necessities like hand wash being unavailable. However with smart packing techniques one can keep a small sachet of hand wash and sanitize with oneself and maintain cleanliness on long train journeys. 

• Better adaptability to unforeseen changes: Train travel is subject to unforeseen changes like change in timing or platform of arrival. With light packing one can adapt to these changes better. As for example in case of platform changes, light luggage makes the shift of platform smooth and aids in a comfortable travel. Live train running status is an important rail service that tracks train timings along with the platform of arrival.

What to carry for Comfortable travel?

We have discussed the issues with long train journeys and how light and smart packing tackles these issues and provides us with a comfortable travel. Now, comes the question as to what needs to be carried. Here’s the detailed list: 

Luggage:

• A Medium sized bag 
• A lock and chain to secure the bag
• Avoid carrying huge and heavy bags as they are difficult to carry as well as store.

Clothing

• 2-3 pairs of cotton outfits (Upperwear and Bottomwear)
• 1 pair of Nightwear
• Undergarments
• 2 pairs of Footwear: One for formal affairs and the other for comfort.

Toiletries

• Hand Wash
• Hand Sanitizer
• Paper soaps
• Deodorant
• Wet Wipes
• Toilet Paper
• Tooth Brush
• Tooth Paste
• Face Wash

Food and Beverages

• Healthy and light snacks 
• Refillable water containers
• Use RailMitra Rail app to place orders forfood delivery in train.

Electronics

• Smart phone
• Charger and Power bank
• Earphones or Earbuds

Comfort Essentials

• A Pillow
• Blanket/Stole
• Eye mask and Ear Plugs

Documents

• Identification Proof
• A copy of your train ticket (Printout or Online)
• Ample change for vendors

Smart Packing Tips for Comfortable Travel On Trains

Smart packing isn’t limited to just packing fewer items, it is much more than that. It refers to the judicious usage of the luggage space, packing techniques and deciding what is essential to carry and what is not. Some tips to ensure smart packing and comfortable travel are:

• Choose a bag of the right size: For long journeys do not carry a big luggage. Try to carry a single backpack with multiple compartments and a lock facility. It’s better for mobility if wheels are attached.

• Roll clothes instead of folding: While packing for the journey most people fold the clothes. Instead of folding, roll the clothes as rolling is a much better space efficient technique which also prevents wrinkles. 

• Use packing cubes or pouches: Divide the items you are going to carry into different sections like clothes, toiletries, electronics, etc. Pack each section in a separate packing cube or pouch. This ensures that you can find the object you need swiftly, easily and without disturbing other objects.

• Choose clothes wisely: Choose a fabric that is breathable and dries easily. Cotton and Linen fabric are the best in summers. You can add sweaters or a shawl during the winters. 

• Choose objects with multiple usages: Use objects that have multiple usages. For example your shawl can be also used as your bed sheet or your pillow cover. 

How RailMitra Enhances Your Comfort on Train Travel

We have discussed the importance of smart packing in ensuring a comfortable travel to all. However, train services also play an important part in providing comfort to every train traveler.

RailMitra, your best friend for everything related to the train, has been instrumental in making these services accessible to the general masses. Some of these services are: 

• Live train running status: Live train running status provides the travellers with the live updates of the train timings along with information related to the Platform of Arrival, Delays, Arrival/Departure timings, etc. Using these services passengers can track their train and any changes with precision and provide a comfortable travel experience.

• PNR status check: RailMitra also provides a seamless option tocheck PNR status. With this service we can access the real time status of our booking. We can easily gauge whether our Waiting List is going to get confirmed or not using this service.

• Check train time table: Train Time Table provides the official train timings. Using this tool at RailMitra we can find and compare the train timings of different trains and decide which train is best for our journey.

• Order food in train: Another important service that makes a comfortable travel experience is the ability to order delicious food in train, served directly at your seat. RailMitra provides tasty, delicious and fssai approved food in trains. 

Conclusion

Long train journeys do not need to be a matter of stress. They can be the catalyst for a soul changing experience. Using the right packing strategies, we can easily handle long journey issues related to confined spaces, lack of mobility, fluctuating train timings, etc. and shape it into a truly comfortable travel experience.

RailMitra further simplifies passenger’s worries by providing seamless services such as Live train running status, PNR check, Train time table, etc. Adhering to right planning strategies and RailMitra’s top notch rail services enhance the enjoyability of the journey and transform it into a memory that is cherished and talked about for ages.