Train Travel

[rjsob58]

We are considering taking a train to visit family. The trip is about 15 hours with lots of stops, but no transfers - we'd stay on the same train. We would get a sleeper car which is more expensive, but would give us our own private space and bathroom.

Even with our own sleeper car, I've heard news reports of possible spread through standard ventilation. I've seen news reports with packed airplanes, but nothing about trains.

Anybody travel by train recently? Would you consider this "high risk"?

 

[pj.mask]

About the only travel we would consider is car. Even then - hotel rooms and gas stations seem like a risk.

Others have no problem flying in a plane shoulder to shoulder without a mask.

Just depends on your level of risk tolerance. The last news I heard is that this virus can transmit as aerosol. That means even after the infected person is gone there can be enough virus in the air to get you sick.

Haha just thinking, if you really want to go, wonder if a portable hepa filter in your cab could mitigate.

 

[Aerides]

I think train travel is only marginally less risky than flying - if you took a 5 hour train ride vs. a 5 hour flight.

15 hours I bet you will absolutely not spend the whole time in your sleeper cabin. Those things are tiny. And then there's back home again.

And then there's meal cars, so kinda like being in a half empty plane and an indoor restaurant, for a few days.

Personally, the whole "travel to see family" means you accept a risk, but then drag that risk along with you to whomever you are visiting. because if you catch something on the trip on the way there, you are probably going to be asymptomatic for most of your visit, then turn around and go home, possibly having infected those family members. Unless you plan to quarantine after you arrive, which has a whole other logistical challenge.

 

[Sunset]

We have done an overnight train from NY -> Chicago before Covid-19.
The sleeper room is really really small.
It is also extremely JERKY when trying to sleep at night, they have a harness to help prevent a person from falling out of the top bunk at night, it jerks so much I now understand the reason.
The trains here in USA are slow... driving will be faster.

If I were doing your trip, I would go via car, even rent a car you can drop off once you get there. Drive a little over 1/2 way, stay overnight in a hotel and drive the rest the next day.

There is no way trains have heppa filters, and you cannot open the window, so they probably recirculate the air.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Longer the journey the later it runs. In your risk calculations, plan 30pct longer travel time. Be impressed if you do better.