Difference between revisions of "Train"

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==If you're in an organised [[Hitchhiking competitions|hitchhiking competition]]...==
 
==If you're in an organised [[Hitchhiking competitions|hitchhiking competition]]...==
  
[[Image:Trainaschaffenburgtonürnberg.jpg|thumb|right|300px|translation: "All aboard! But please only with a ticket." ...heeheehee.]]
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[[Image:Trainaschaffenburgtonürnberg.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Photo taken while hitchhiking a train in Germany. Translation: "All aboard! But please only with a ticket." ...heeheehee.]]
  
...then it is very possible. Choose your train and wait at the platform. When the train arrives, work out who the conductor is and run up to him/her. Explain your situation (using an 'international language' such as English often works best, unless you can speak the conductor's native language well), show them some documentation for your competition and don't be afraid to beg. Telling a story about a dangerous experience two hours ago on the roadside (true or not...), and how much you want some safe and secure travel after the traumatic experience, works well. By this time, the train is now running nearly a minute late and there is a good chance that the conductor will say Yes, because he needs to end the conversation and keep the train moving. So get in, sit back and relax :).
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...then it is very possible. Choose your train and wait at the platform. When the train arrives, work out who the conductor is and run up to him/her. Explain your situation (using an 'international language' such as English often works best, often better than speaking the conductor's native language), show them some documentation for your competition and don't be afraid to beg. Telling a story about a dangerous experience two hours ago on the roadside (true or not...), and how much you want some safe and secure travel after the traumatic experience, works well. By this time, the train is now running nearly a minute late and there is a good chance that the conductor will say Yes, because he needs to end the conversation and keep the train moving. So get in, sit back and relax :).
  
 
[[User:tmoon|Tom]] and his two team-mates tried using this trick when travelling through the [[Netherlands]] and [[Germany]] on [[Sheffield]] University's 'Bummit' hitchhiking competition. 9 out of 13 conductors we asked said Yes, and let us travel as much as we needed on their trains. It didn't work when the train was either crossing an international border, or it was a high-speed train, or the conductor just didn't want to bend the rules...
 
[[User:tmoon|Tom]] and his two team-mates tried using this trick when travelling through the [[Netherlands]] and [[Germany]] on [[Sheffield]] University's 'Bummit' hitchhiking competition. 9 out of 13 conductors we asked said Yes, and let us travel as much as we needed on their trains. It didn't work when the train was either crossing an international border, or it was a high-speed train, or the conductor just didn't want to bend the rules...

Revision as of 22:38, 4 June 2008

It's hard to hitchhike on trains. But there are ways to get free train rides.

If you're in an organised hitchhiking competition...

Photo taken while hitchhiking a train in Germany. Translation: "All aboard! But please only with a ticket." ...heeheehee.

...then it is very possible. Choose your train and wait at the platform. When the train arrives, work out who the conductor is and run up to him/her. Explain your situation (using an 'international language' such as English often works best, often better than speaking the conductor's native language), show them some documentation for your competition and don't be afraid to beg. Telling a story about a dangerous experience two hours ago on the roadside (true or not...), and how much you want some safe and secure travel after the traumatic experience, works well. By this time, the train is now running nearly a minute late and there is a good chance that the conductor will say Yes, because he needs to end the conversation and keep the train moving. So get in, sit back and relax :).

Tom and his two team-mates tried using this trick when travelling through the Netherlands and Germany on Sheffield University's 'Bummit' hitchhiking competition. 9 out of 13 conductors we asked said Yes, and let us travel as much as we needed on their trains. It didn't work when the train was either crossing an international border, or it was a high-speed train, or the conductor just didn't want to bend the rules...

Train hopping

In the United States, train hopping is still quite popular. In many states it's easier than hitchhiking.