Drinking on the Saturday night train?

I once got the first train to London from Cumbria on a Saturday which leaves at 6.40am. There was a group of guys already on the beers who must have got on in Glasgow where the train starts at 4.40am. They weren't actually very disruptive but I did wonder how the rest of their day went when we arrived at Euston...

Its not new at all but I loathe it. Find it intimidating and irritating in equal measure.

Hate the menace and entitlement of drunk men at the best of times. Hate being in an enclosed space where you can’t get out, being made to feel like a killjoy because I don’t want some pissed up arsehole yelling football songs in my ear. Being made to feel boring for wanting to read a book or listen to music.

I can’t think of an obvious solution: drunk men gonna drunk men. But I do avoid like the plague.

Sounds about right. If I’m setting a date for something that requires train travel to London, I always check the football fixtures first - if any of my city’s teams are playing in London, I avoid that weekend, or pay a little extra for first class if it’s not too unreasonable.

Thank goodness alcohol is now banned on the London Underground.

Was coming on to say this!! Have had some fabulous times on that journey.

Not so much in Glasgow itself though which is really grim 😬

Banning alcohol is not the answer.
Banning prissy karens with kids might be.

The last train back to home from London when I was a teenager was affectionately called the vomit comet. That was 20 years ago, so I don't think this is new or surprising!

Not just night trains. Happened in the middle of the afternoon going from York to Scarborough a few years ago

Whist to some degree it’s expected yes, I don’t like it. A few times I’ve gotten trains to a local town and forgotten that it’s a march day. Those journeys are always awful. Last time the train was absolutely packed and more and more loud drunk men kept trying to pile on. I would have expected staff to intervene, but no.

I don’t know about family coaches but nobody ever bothers to be quiet on quiet coaches & the staff do nothing to enforce the rule. I wish they would.

Drinking in public and on trains has been banned in Scotland for years. However if people are wanting to drink they will do it. Makes me mad when they start annoying people shouting , being intimidating to others then get off train leaving all their empty cans bottles etc behind.

Sounds like the tourists who bring their big cases onto the Piccadilly line at rush hour & are surprised that it’s crowded.

Sometimes they take up 2 or 3 seats with their luggage & have to be asked to shift it round so someone can sit down.

The Saturday night trains sound like a nightmare though.

YADNBU. People can be really fucking selfish. It must be horrible for staff too.

Yesterday they were lobbing empty beer cans across the aisle at each other in a very full carriage.

My DD and I were just trying to get home from our outing and sitting across from 2 older ladies - older than me I mean. The shouting, swearing, the lobbing of cans, the loud singing - it was really uncomfortable and train so full nowhere else to move to.

Even if you have had a night out (or in this case a daytime bender) it’s really important to be self aware and regulate yourself around other people.

Not everyone wants to chat or sing with randoms.

There were babies in prams and you are lobbing around beer cans in a confined space for a laugh? What if someone had been hit?

It really was awful. In the afternoon. I can’t imagine what the last train would have been like.

I don't like it. I get nervous around drunk people, especially men. No I don't want to get involved in your noisy drunken conversation- we have nothing in common. No I don't need to "relax love", I was perfectly relaxed until you came in here and started shouting and swearing at the tops of your voices. Honestly, you're damned if you interact with them and damned if you don't.

I'd be really pissed off if they ban alcohol on trains though. Not only do I have to suffer obnoxious drunks, I'm to be deprived of my miniature bottle of wine while I read my book? Fuck that.

Never noticed any issues myself, lots of fun jollity nothing untoward. It’s one of the nice things about train travel, being able to socialise on board.

Oh yes, the shit faced express! Been like this forever- singing, dancing, fights, late night junk food, people trying to chat you up, people being sick. I try and avoid the train after 11pm if I can help it.

This is akin to all the people that visit London during the school holidays - who then take the 5.30pm train home with prams and numerous small kids and are incredulous that it’s packed.

Who would have thought it! People trying to get home from central London at rush hour.

Almost like a like train after football 🙄

Mid-afternoon is a bit much, but on a late-night train it’s to be expected to be honest. People don’t stop being drunk just because they boarded the train home. So it’s best avoid if it’s not your cuppa tea.

I was travelling back from Sheffield with my youngest son (12 at the time) after going to visit my eldest at uni for the day. The train was packed with drunken football fans. I would say that journey ended up being the best train journey I’ve ever taken. Everyone was in good spirits, people were up for a laugh and a chat and I saw no evidence of disrespect to travellers who didn’t want to partake. They even offered me a drink, which was kind of them (I declined as I rarely drink these days, but appreciated the offer).

I can see how it would be intimidating if you aren’t the sort of person that would just join in, or don’t like to chat to strangers.

What a stupid post.

Of course OP knows she can a book an earlier train but she is just entitled to use a later service in peace, like any other paying customer.

You say does OP not remember a night out? Is public transport a venue for a night out? Do all nights out have to involve loud, drunken anti social behaviour?

Your post reads like rage bait.

@Trainbrainpain i completely agree with you. London bridge to Surrey yesterday mid afternoon was ridiculous with all the loud, loutish drunken behaviour.

My DD (12) was very unsettled by it.

Horrible behaviour.

I love a Saturday night train home. Last time I had to console a lady next to me who had a recent and serious cancer diagnosis. I didn't love her situation. But I love that it's the train where people chat openly to those around them.
(I didn't like getting it with young kids after a theatre show and rarely allowed that to happen as it's not really a suitable atmosphere with effing and jeffing and occasionally raised voices.
There were lots of big rugby and football matches yesterday. So may have been more lively than usual.

I used to catch the fast train on a Friday evening from Kings Cross to Edinburgh every week (going home for weekend) and all the business folks had the wine out. It was great.

They usually have a family coach and a quiet coach don’t they??