Do you talk to people on trains?

[WTAFFF]

This is lighthearted and I’m not judging you either way but I’d like you to please help me settle a difference in views.

We (DP and me) live up north. We are both from Newcastle. DP went to York for work and was telling me that a woman sat down next to him and immediately introduced herself.

I travel on trains regularly and have never introduced myself to my seat mate. I’m now wondering if I’ve been rude!

Do you introduce yourself to your seat mates on trains? I’d find it a bit unusual but I do have Aspergers so I am never sure if I am behaving correctly.

Thanks in advance.

Die hard southerner here and ive done 3 different commutes into London and on every one have had a gang of hardened train buddies. Happens slowly but its weird when you sit/stand next to the same people for an hour a day not to acknowledge them. Delays tend to be tje cayalyst

Age range of about 30yrs and we all have a mix of chat and work/Netflix/reading. Plus the odd birthday breakfast!

I'm happy to chat but I stop (or don't start) if the other person is clearly not interested.

Sometimes- depends on the neighbours. I used to on those old trains with six people to a compartment, especially on a long journey. It seemed rude to ignore them completely. My gran was from the North too and she always talked to everyone and that has rubbed off on me. I now live in Italy and it is expected that you at least say good morning in train compartments, lifts etc.

Only when something goes wrong.

@SpinjitzuMaster - that sounds lovely!

I have no idea if she fancied him. Tbh, I doubt it. He is a nice man and I love him but he isn’t Brad Pitt or anywhere close.

Oh dear god know. I am polite, will keep an eye on their belongings if they go to the loo etc, but I absolutely do not want to get in to conversation.

Never ever introduced myself but as long journeys unfold have had some absolutely brilliant memorable chats/laughs.
Takes a while For me to work out whether neighbour is someone I want to talk to or whether it might be nightmare !

Know?? No.

No, would never introduce myself to some random on the train.

Nope, maybe a quick hello as they sit down thats it.

Talk to no-one unless its to tell them their in my reserved seat (happened yesterday, again...)

God, no. I’m a stereotypical southern London commuter who believes that trains should resemble Trappist monasteries. I don’t even like people talking to one another, let alone me.

That said, I am very polite and would always help someone who needed it / interact with a small child etc.

I find most chat unnecessary and draining. I do what I need to do to be social or helpful because I value that, but I won't entertain others for the sake of keeping their boredom at bay.

I chat to old ladies on the local train in Yorkshire. Why not? People are interesting and it's nice to be nice. Sometimes they have good stories.

I'm not chasing them down and harassing them with my presence or anything. I don't do it on the tube.

Oh god no. If someone sat next to me and started talking I'd feel uncomfortable and I am a chatty person. I'd just want to stick in my head phones and relax

I wouldn't introduce myself, but a few months ago I was on a train coming back to London from Devon where an elderly gentleman was beside me. We spoke nonstop until we reached Paddington.

He was absolutely lovely and just needed someone to talk to. So if your uncle came to see you and your son in Canary Wharf around October to give you your Xmas presents, say hi from me.

Does ‘in my head’ count.
That convo is sometimes continuous and includes ‘ffs get your feet off the seats’ ‘this is the quiet carriage’ (this sometimes becomes audible), etc etc.

Yes, sometimes on long train journeys.

Often on buses in London.

I ha e been in situations on trains and planes where AFTER conversation has started we have introduced ourselves.

On one occasion pulling out of a station a woman (from the Midlands as it happens!) came up ask if I liked chatting while I travelled I said yes and we talked for about 2 hours.

As I got up to leave at my station she called on her son to help me with my luggage - he'd been sitting on his own further down the carriage!

Much less likely to happen now with mobile devices.

God no! I would briefly smile at the person next to me if they were already seated when I got on. I try to close down conversations if they start them. I’m very introverted though. I have a 5 hour train journey later this week and am hoping for absolute solitude to enjoy it 😉

It depends. Sit down & introduce myself - no. Chat about the weather, crowding, the news, late services, the random drunk further down the carriage shouting obscenities - yes, probably, if it looked like the other person / people were up for chatting as well. Quite happy to sit in silence, though.

I'm from the North, as it happens. DH & I have been on public transport all over the country & there are friendly, chatty people everywhere. A lot more people happy to chat in the North though, I don't know why. Maybe the South is just too stressful & Southerners need their brain space!

Irish and we're a very friendly, chatty bunch, but would never introduce myself to random strangers on a train! Join in sing songs after a few nights out, fine, but not introduce ourselves sober to strangers!

In Italy I have been offered a sandwich from a family's lunchbox!

No and I would be horrified if someone did this to me.

When I rule the world I will make it illegal to talk on public transport.

No, not at all. I get on, get on my kindle or whatever and ignore but then I've always been a private person.

I travelled from Carlisle (very northern) to London. Train had come from Glasgow. It's a 4 hour journey. Didn't say anything for the first hour except are these seats taken. I was sat next to my BF we were chatting.

A lady opposite was on a phone call. She hung up, big smile on her face, said excuse me and offered me a can of G and T. She said she'd just got off the phone with her sister who had just got engaged and wanted to toast. The person opposite me was a stranger and the 4 of us talked for the next 2 hours. Was brilliant.

Every journey is different.
Sometimes I say nothing
Sometimes I say a pleasentry

I talked to a man next to me on a plane because we were both solo travelers and he seemed very nervous. He was emigrating from Ireland to NEW ZEALAND to be a sheep farmer there and had never flown before! He was changing at Dubai I was going in holiday!