Rail, Road or Flight?

9th day of #Blogchatter daily write challenge  

What is your preferred mode of travel? In my time (I am a senior citizen), I have travelled quite a lot by road (bus/car) and train and less by flight. Each of these modes have their advantages. As for example, if the destination is very far away, the plane is the best or perhaps the only bet. When I started my career in VISL Bhadravati we had the choice of going by bus or train from Bangalore to Bhadravati. which was 250 Kms away. It took six hours by bus and the journey was tedious. There were no airconditioned buses then. There was only one train which left very late in the night from Bangalore and reached Bhadravati very early in the morning. Depending on your need and urgency you choose between the two modes. If you were coming from Madras by Brindavan that reached Bangalore at 2PM, you may not like to waste time waiting for the train that leaves at 11PM. Instead, you may choose to take an immediate bus to reach home by night on the same day. 

Other things remaining equal, if the destination can be reached by an overnight journey by train, I would vote for the train any day. I find the road travel very tedious and find it difficult to sleep in the bus (today we have sleeper buses too!) unlike the train which has a comfortable berth to lie on. You get food at the stations and can conveniently use the toilet when the need arises. The bus, when travelling from Bangalore to Kochi has only a single stop (at times no stop if it starts late) for food. Passengers particularly women face problems for relieving themselves. 

How about flights ? Are they not the most convenient? you may ask. Although the unwelcome guest Covid 19, has been instrumental in my using flights more often to visit Kochi , I find the airport very far away when compared to the railway station. Moreover, you have to report two hours in advance which means you have to leave home at least three hours earlier to give allowance for the traffic in the city. On reaching the destination also there is a longer travel time from the airport when compared to the railway station. 

In the train, sitting by the window, you can lazily watch the sights outside and activities on the platform of the railway station. It is said that travelling by the Mandovi Express and other trains of the Konkan railway provides breath taking sights to the passengers (I am yet to do so although it is on my bucket list). It is all the more beautiful during the monsoons as borne out by some videos on you tube. 

                                     View from the train of Konkan Railways

There are lot more opportunities to make friends while travelling in a train.Sometimes, you may end up making friends for life! Fellow passengers guide you on how to go about in a new place you are visiting for the first time. In suburban trains, people travel every day to the city and back for work. It is the interaction with the regulars including activities such as playing cards amongst friends that enable them to be not conscious of long hours of travel. It is now clear to you dear readers that for a mid-distance journey of under two days I would prefer the train over the road or air any day! Now,tell me,what is your preferred mode of travel?