Is anyone else sick of travelling on trains?

[Youwantlove40]

I know i need to learn to drive. Took the slow train to London from the Midlands as I can't afford the high-speed one.
No option to reserve a seat, luckily I got one as it's busy. People having loud phone conversations, constantly moving around and hitting the back of your seat.
A woman sat next to me and ate a prawn sandwich, why would you do that.
Tons of people rushing on 20 seconds before the train leaves, expecting a seat.
People not moving their bags from seats when they can see it's very busy, I doubt they've paid for 2 seats.

Cramped, overpriced, noisy, just generally unpleasant. Most journeys are the same unless it's very quiet. Does anyone else feel like this?
Every time I go abroad, I find trains cheaper and more pleasant, and actually on time.

I've been travelling on trains on a regular basis since 2008 and the behaviour on trains has got so much worse. I remember probably 15 years ago if you could hear someone's music leaking slightly from their headphones people would roll their eyes, now they just play music and videos out loud on speaker.

People would also be happy to move bags and phone conversations would be kept to a minimum - not now.

I'm not discounting the lack of seating, cleanliness of the trains or other issues but it is the behaviour of others that are making it so much worse (from my experience)

Honestly, I quite like a train. They mean I can keep a really impractical sports car just for the occasional times I want to drive for pleasure, and then when I need to actually get somewhere I can forget about parking and just sit back and relax in my seat with a G&T and an audiobook.

I also think British versus European trains are a good example of how people are completely wrong when they say stuff like “the UK is really unfriendly towards children, European countries are so much more tolerant.” They aren’t. If you let your kids shriek and cause havoc on a train in e.g. Portugal or Italy, you’ll soon have everybody wagging their fingers and telling you what a poor job you’re doing of your parenting - hence why trains in those places are so much quieter - everybody damn well makes sure they don’t get the finger wagging and the judging by making their kids shut up!

Yep. On one of my rare days in today. I forgot it was half term (despite having children of my own!!!). This morning was filled with lots of screaming children with feet on seats, huge suitcases in the middle of the aisle, people talking on their phones, children playing games at top volume on their iPad, buggies obstructing the doors (even in the carriage with a toilet so there’s lots of buggy space) etc. Dreading my commute home tonight - it’ll be about 6, so the stinky KFC brigade will be out in full force.

TBH most of the issues I find on commuting come from children and their parents who are either too lazy or too entitled to parent properly. Without children on trains, commuting is fine.

I've just come back in from picking up DD from work and I can assure you that at times, driving isn't much more fun. Seemed like the sun had encouraged all the dickheads out for a drive, put it that way. DD takes a bus into the city to work after I drop off and that can be hell too some days.
Our UK trains always seem to be absolutely filthy whenever I take them. The toilets are often unusable they are that bad. Having recently used public transport in a few other countries, ours is an embarrassment in comparison. Or should it be the way we behave on public transport is the embarrassment?

I love travelling by train because it offers so much people watching opportunities.
Last time I went on the train there was a young woman sat across the aisle from me, she looked completely out of place on a commuter train in small town Finland, dressed head to toe in pink, including pink earmuffs, pink handbag, and pink phone. Not cheap looking pink either, but looked like some kind of fashion icon. She got out her phone and her (pink) headphones and started to listen to music but didn't realise the headphones weren't plugged in properly so her music was playing to the whole carriage and it was show tunes! It was just amazing, I was watching her waiting to see when she'd realise her music was playing outloud but she was completely oblivious, and being Finland, everyone was too polite to say anything for a good half hour, until the old man opposite finally plucked up the courage to tell her.

Same train, but sat opposite me, was a man who kept looking around and making notes in a notebook. He had a bag with him, with what looked like an egg box in. At one stop he got off with the bag, handed it to a man on the platform, who gave him an envelope, then he got back on and went back to making notes in his little notebook.

I love travelling by train. I do Liverpool to Birmingham once a month and they are really reliable, only downside is they got rid of first class, but the old first class part of the carriage is still there so I always sit there. Bigger seat and a plug socket.

I need to go to Edinburgh next month. I can get the train home (advance ticket, fixed train) for £8.95 in standard class with a Railcard, but will probably pay the £50 and go first class.

I love being able to sit and work with no distractions for a few hours.

Yep, my train journey yesterday was a prime example of people in the quiet carriage sitting for an hour and an half and having loud conversations together or via mobile. No self awareness.

Train travel can be great depending on the train and the time of day. You can read your book, watch a film or just stare out of the window. However, anywhere with the general public can be a nightmare sometimes. Why do people insist on watching videos or listening to calls without headphones? So unbelievably rude.
Also some of the train companies are awful, as mentioned by pp, the Cross country train between Newcastle and Birmingham is horrific. 4 carriages and about 10000 people, it's been the same for over 10 years but the company obviously doesn't give a toss as they keep raking in the cash.

It's luck of the draw. If you're travelling with someone else and get good seats, or by yourself and get two seats to yourself, and remember your travel flask for a decent hot coffee at the station, just before you get on the train, and you're travelling a scenic route like the Plymouth line or along the river to Oxford or Manchester to Sheffield though the Peaks, it can be just lovely. Much better than driving.

If you're commuting Croydon to London during rush hour with your face crammed in someone else's armpit or sat on your bags in the corridor with kids because there's been travel disruption and all your reservations are cancelled, then yes it's shit.

I want a car for convenience but I don’t mind trains.

However I always take the fast one and sit in premium economy / first class.

The slow train London - Midlands or the fast train in economy make me want to self-harm. Awful!

I go everywhere by train, and most services in the UK are great. There are some awful services though, and it does help if you know which trains and carriages will be quiet.

Thats stupid cross country for you I don’t know why they are so mean with their carriages. GWR are much better. Generally I like trains. We went by train to Copenhagen but much to my surprise the trains were busier with soo much luggage carried and they didn’t run particularly on time. Also often there were no refreshments. Also the scenery of Nothern Germany and Denmark is quite boring!!