Some people may be forgiven for thinking train travel was so two centuries ago. After all, if you need to get from point A to point B, the best way is to fly or drive, right? Wrong. Trains are an important mode of the transportation industry and offer many advantages that you cannot get by air or car. The importance of trains in corporate travel cannot be underestimated. 

For starters, trains have large luxurious seating for every passenger. If you travel first class on a train then you will likely have a bed, private sleeping compartments, a private bathroom, as well as on-train cafés and restaurants that also enhance the experience for the traveling businessperson. Trains also come with Wi-Fi so you can use the internet on the go. They are also often within cell signal range, and unlike a plane, you may use your phone while on the train to conduct important business on the go. 

Due to the space afforded you by trains in corporate travel, it is far easier to get work projects done and you get a chance to dialogue with colleagues in a more relaxed manner. Tables and desks for working on are in many business class sleeping compartments and the ability to sleep in a full bed while you travel can be crucial to arrive refreshed and ready for that early meeting. Traveling first class by rail is also a fraction of the price as compared to air in addition to giving you downtime to prepare for your business at your destination. 

Another reason to think trains in corporate travel is that trains can take on bad weather better than cars or planes. If your travel agency has you going through areas that have bad weather, it may be in your best interest to have your travel agents book you to go by rail. Planes cannot take off/land in heavy fogs, heavy snow, high winds, or any other extreme climatic conditions.

Your corporate meeting or venture need not be delayed due to local weather. Trains can take the fog, high winds, and snow and still get you to your destination. Although they may run slower under these conditions, they will run and not leave you stranded in an airport hoping for the weather to improve.

In addition to this, many long-distance trains offer full meal services as well. So while others wait on airport seats till the wee hours of the morning hoping for a flight out, you can have a leisurely dinner before retiring to your room and going to bed.

In that same vein of thought, trains in some cases can actually be faster than planes even without weather as a factor. If you have a flight of only 40 minutes, you might be thinking that a train cannot be faster. However, due to fewer security points when you travel by rail, you can get on the train and get going faster without having to show up the recommended two to three hours early that you do for a plane.

Without baggage claim and waiting for unloading, you can get your belongings faster. Train stations, even large ones, often have easy access to the street so you do not walk from one concourse to another. If your destination is within 300 miles, it will still be faster for you to take the train than it would be for you to fly once you factor in all the wait times you will experience as part of air travel. If you talk with your travel agent services, another thing they are likely to mention is that trains offer you a departure with significantly less hassle than by air.

As mentioned above, with trains there are fewer security procedures so the process is streamlined for your convenience. Without having to wait in line, take off shoes, or go aside for extra screening and a pat down, you may even feel nostalgic as you think that this is what travel used to be like. The ease of traveling by rail cannot be put into simple monetary terms. There are fewer restrictions on the liquids you carry and the number of items in your bag; you do not need to have the fear of what happens to your belongings once your bag is out of sight or if everything inside will come through in one piece. In short, trains in business travel offer a level of peace of mind and simplicity that cannot be priced.

If you happen to be an eco-friendly business traveler, unless you are going to bike or walk, the best way to get to your destination is by train. You may be wondering how a train that weighs many hundreds of tons can be better for the environment than a plane. The answer is simple – a train carries more people and thus per capita, your carbon footprint is lower by almost half when you travel by rail as opposed to flying. If your work requires you to travel a lot, then it pays to be environmentally conscious and to travel greener by taking the train. This is important as some groups or companies keep track of their carbon emissions for either corporate or government purposes.

The importance of trains in corporate travel cannot be expressed in mere dollars alone. Your freedom to work or relax while on the train is far greater. Greater resilience to inclement weather is also a huge boon to the cooperative traveler. Trains offer superior comfort with the free use of your cell phone, Wi-Fi, onboard restaurants, private rooms, and work areas. The time you travel is not time wasted in lines or in security. You can protect and utilize your valuable time by traveling by rail. In addition to the benefits of comfort, a greater investment of your free time while you travel, and protection from bad weather, you also can help the environment. Not only are you benefiting yourself by being able to travel first class at cheaper rates, but you are also able to help protect the environment by lowering your carbon footprint.

So for the corporate traveler of the 21st century, trains in corporate travel truly can be the mode of travel for the future. It’s worth talking to your travel agent about booking your next business trip by rail.