6 reasons trains are the best option for UK business travellers

Most UK trains are equipped with free WiFi, meaning you don’t have to put down your important work whilst on the move. Not only that, but many services also offer tables and plug sockets at most or selected seats, meaning you can set up for an extended period and not worry about running out of charge.

Need some peace and quiet to help focus? Keep an eye out for the quiet coaches available on most services, or consider upgrading to a First Class ticket for even more space and even fewer distractions - just be sure you aren’t taking any business calls!

Time is money for business travellers. Whereas airports can slow you down with extensive check-in and security queues, not to mention lengthy boarding times, boarding the train is a walk in the park comparatively. Not only is it simple to enter the station (just simply scan your ticket or contactless payment to pass through the gates), but boarding the train very rarely involves any sort of queuing either.

Famously, you are recommended to arrive at the airport around three hours before a flight, whereas it’s pretty safe to show up 15-20 minutes before your train departs. Not only that, but train travel will often place you directly in the city centre, meaning you don’t need to worry about costly and time-consuming airport transfers. All of this adds up to mean that you stand to save a lot of time when travelling by train.

We’re all familiar with how stress can negatively impact our productivity, so ensuring you’ve got the most comfortable circumstances whilst travelling for work can mean you’re in a better mental frame of mind for whatever is expected at the other end of the journey.

By booking a train ticket, you can enjoy larger seats than planes or buses, easy access to toilets onboard and the freedom to move around - whether that’s to stretch the legs, take a call, or grab a coffee or snack. And, for the highest form of luxury, you can always purchase a First Class ticket or consider boarding the quiet coach.

Last-minute change of plans? No problem - trains tend to be pretty flexible depending on what you book. For example, Flexible Anytime tickets mean you don’t need to rush to get to your important meeting. Not only that, but you can quite easily upgrade or rebook depending on your provider and ticket type. Mistakes can happen, and there are also often refund and/or exchange options for misbookings.

There are plenty of ways to keep costs down when choosing train as your primary means of travel, especially when taking to the rails frequently. Investigate Railcards such as the Network Railcard, or the Two Together Railcard (if you travel within a pair often), as well as GroupSave and corporate travel schemes. And don’t forget that you earn Trip Coins every time you purchase a train ticket through our site or app, which will add up and earn you free tickets over time!

Trains aren’t just practical - they’re also sustainable, emitting 70% less CO₂ overall than flying. Not only are electric and hybrid trains increasingly common, but green travel policies are becoming standard for corporate expense systems. For any professional conscious of their company’s environmental impact who is required to travel for work, traversing the UK by rail is easily one of the best ways to keep pollution levels low.