Train travelling is often a cheap and very practical way to visit different cities or even countries.

But what to do on long train travels? This article presents you things to do on the train that will keep you busy and won’t bother others. I’m emphasising this as I never like it when others disturb people on long journeys, so all the recommendations for a trip by train included in this article are mindful of other people using the same means of transportation.

These train activities for adults are meant to cover various preferences so that you can find the things you’d like to do on a long train trip. So, if you chose a travel destination that you can get to by train, read on.

As you will see, some of these are fun things to do on the train, while others are incredibly productive things to do on train journeys.

The list below includes as well many solo train activities for adults. By using them you’ll be able to both enjoy your trip and make the most of your train journey.

Trip by train: 15 Things to do on the train that will keep you busy and won’t bother others

Admire the view

One of the best things you can do on a trip by train is to admire the view. Let’s not forget that there are train travel journeys created specifically for the amazing scenery.

Besides, you may travel through areas that you don’t visit very often, so seeing forests, villages, people, animals, etc. can be a very good way to unwind, relax, and forget about your daily problems.

This is one of my favourite things to do while travelling by train. I love – and always have! – admiring the view. Seeing fields, animals, villages or cities nearby.

Read a book

Another great item on this list of training activities for adults is reading a book.

Make sure you don’t have motion sickness – in which case it would be better to avoid reading a book while the train is in motion.

But if you don’t have motion sickness, you can catch up on your reading. You can choose a novel or a personal development book, or something about your profession that will allow you to learn something new.

You can choose a paperback book or use an ebook reader.

Play a game on your smartphone

I like to alternate activities when I travel by train.

Even if I love the book that I’m reading, I’ll still take breaks to admire the view and check my smartphone.

One of the things to do on a long train journey is to play a game on the smartphone.

You may say that this is not for you, but I remind you that there are plenty of mobile apps to keep you busy and train your brain. From puzzles to detective investigation games, from Sudoku to car races, and jewel-based games, there are so many options out there, including a word unscrambler fun game.

Fun, educational, entertaining – there are many games, both paid and free, to keep you busy on a long train trip. Tip: make sure you have installed some games that can be played offline, because often the mobile internet connection isn’t great during train travels, and you don’t want to be in the middle of a level or to not be able to save your progress because you cannot connect to the internet.

Do some work

One of the practical things to do on a train ride is to get some work done.

You can reply to some emails, do a little bit of research for a project you’re working on, you can write some materials or presentations, a blog post or even a book, etc.

You’ll need to make sure that no one sees any confidential data!

Watch a movie / interesting/useful videos

You need to be mindful so that the sound played by your earphones doesn’t disturb the other passengers.

If you do that, you can watch a movie/TV series or even learn something from interesting and useful videos on YouTube (when you have an internet connection available.)

Talk to the other passengers

If you notice that the other train passengers want to engage in conversations, then you can spend your time talking to them.

This could be one of the fun things to do on a long train journey and a great opportunity to find out more about the country or city they live in, but also to discover different life experiences and discuss ideas.

However, if you see that the other people don’t want to talk, let them be. Don’t be the pushy train passenger who can’t stop talking about themselves.

Listen to music

KIf you see that the other people don’t want to talk or you don’t want to engage in conversations with the other passengers, then one of the relaxing things to do on the train is to listen to music.

Be mindful of the volume – again the other people shouldn’t be forced to listen to what you like to hear.

Get in touch with family/friends via messages/emails

If there are friends or family members that you haven’t spoken with in a very long time, then you can consider writing to them as one of the useful things to do on a train.

You can compose your messages, save them as drafts and send them when you have an internet connection available.

Listen to an audiobook

I mentioned above reading a book as one of the fun things to do on the train. But if you like audiobooks, you can consider listening to one or at least part of it on your train travel. it will be a relaxing and productive way to spend your time!

Declutter your phone/Edit or delete your photos

One of the training activities that you can consider is decluttering your phone. Take a look at your apps and delete those that you haven’t used in a while.

You can also edit some of your photos – if you need to for your social media accounts or blogs.

Most importantly, you can go through your photos from your phone and delete those that you don’t like or need anymore. You’ll save space on your mobile phone, keep yourself busy, and be productive at the same time.

Read a newspaper/media outlet and find out what’s new

Another productive way to spend your time while travelling by train is to catch up with what’s new worldwide.

Read newspapers, magazines, and blogs, discover what’s new and keep yourself up-to-date with whatever is happening around the globe.

Plan your next week/month

If you have some goals that you want to reach and you don’t have a detailed schedule for your next week or month, you can create one now.

What is the best activity while travelling by train if not to create a schedule that will allow you to manage all the activities that need to be done for you to achieve your goals?

Enjoy the experience of travelling by train

Travelling by train is an experience that should be enjoyed and if you don’t use this means of transportation very often, then allow yourself to enjoy the train ride.

One of the fun things to do during a train trip is to actually discover what it’s like to travel by train: Listen to the sounds, be aware of the sensations, and take in all of the things that a train ride brings you.

I love the sounds of the train – wheels, crossing bridges, etc. In fact, when we travel by car, if I see a train, I open the window, close the radio and just listen to the sound of the train!

Take pictures

The train stations can be very interesting and you’ll have the opportunity to take photos of them. You can also take moving pictures and all sorts of other photos that will transform into interesting souvenirs.

Write in your journal / Note interesting observations

One of the tremendous time-passing activities on a train ride is to write in your journal. It has been shown that journaling helps to relieve stress and to clear the mind (and to understand reactions and feelings). So why not do that while on the train? You have the time, you are relaxed (if you don’t have noisy passengers) – and if you don’t have a good internet connection, this could be a truly beneficial activity!

If you don’t want to journal, maybe your mind, as you unwind, comes up with some solutions to your existing problems or great ideas. Or you observe things and you think they can be useful to you in the future.

You can use your Note app on your phone – or you can write on your laptop or notebook (depending on what you have at hand and your preferred writing style) – to write these great observations. This is one of the great things to do on a train.

As you can see, there are plenty of things to do on the train that will keep you busy and won’t bother others! What is your preferred activity during long train rides?

If you’re traveling by airplane, read this article on things to do while waiting for your flight.