7 Crucial Train Safety Tips When Traveling Solo

This guide encompass useful train safety tips for solo travelers aims to help you navigate the potential downsides of public transportation with confidence.

I love taking public transportation whenever I travel and traveling on a train solo can be incredibly rewarding. It’s, in my opinion, the best way to experience a city or town. You stand alongside locals, interacting with people from all walks of life. Gazing out the window reveals the non-touristy side of a place, an aspect I deeply enjoy.

However, as I discovered during a recent solo trip, public transportation, especially in the United States, can sometimes attract individuals whose behavior can be unsettling. These individuals might randomly ask for money, give intimidating looks, or disrupt the atmosphere by smoking weed, eating, or even urinating on the train.

7 Train Safety Tips

1. Stay in the first train car near the conductor

Based on my travels in New York City, Chicago, Jakarta, Tokyo, and other major cities, I’ve observed that the first train car often appears to be the cleanest and most orderly. This likely stems from the presence of the conductor (the train operator) and sometimes other train staff in the first car. For instance, in Chicago, I witnessed the conductor directly addressing a passenger caught smoking, something absent in subsequent cars. Interestingly, articles reporting violence on trains rarely mention incidents in the first car. While the presence of cameras in non-front cars certainly helps, unfortunately, they might not always deter disruptive behavior.

2. Do not make eye contact with someone suspicious

To avoid unwanted attention or potential harassment, consider minimizing eye contact in public spaces. While making eye contact naturally initiates communication in many situations, it can also invite unnecessary interaction, especially with individuals who appear unsettling or potentially dangerous. In such cases, politely avert your gaze or subtly acknowledge their presence without direct eye contact. Once you make eye contact, they may follow by asking you for money or worse, something that leads to you being in danger.

3. Remove your headphones or earbuds

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of maintaining situational awareness, especially while traveling solo. This crucial step can help you avoid danger or unpleasant situations. When you’re preoccupied with music, news, or podcasts, your awareness of your surroundings diminishes. Remember, your goal is to stay safe and avoid putting yourself in avoidable situations.

If listening to something is essential, opt for headphones or earbuds with ambient sound capabilities (also known as “hear through”). These allow you to enjoy your audio while remaining attuned to your environment.

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4. Avoid wearing high-end clothing

Everyone wants to look good, I get it but when you’re traveling solo in some cities, especially in the United States, it’s best to leave your high-end clothing including jewelry and name brand shoes at home. I personally see some suspicious people walking through the train car and checking out a person’s Jordan shoes or their Gucci purse. Avoid getting attention from the wrong people. Of course this tip isn’t valid for cities in Japan, South Korea, Switzerland where you can wear whatever you want and not be a victim of crime. For a complete guide on how to find which countries are safe to travel, click here.

5. Avoid super late night trips

While traveling solo, consider avoiding late-night train rides when fewer people are available to assist you in emergencies. While dangerous situations can occur at any time, the likelihood increases during late hours when most people are asleep. Additionally, with reduced staff, fewer open stores, and decreased pedestrian traffic, there may be less immediate support available.

6. Lessen your phone screen time

When traveling, smartphones become essential tools. We use them for GPS navigation, restaurant reviews, staying connected, and entertainment. However, on public transportation, it’s wise to limit phone usage. Similar to listening to music, excessive phone use reduces your situational awareness. Instead of staying alert and avoiding potential issues, you become engrossed in your screen.

On top of this, there is tons of news about people’s phones getting snatched right out of their hands while riding the train and minding their own business. Do not let this happen to you or else you will be a huge mess!

7. Trust your instinct

Trust your instincts! You know yourself and the situation you’re in better than anyone. If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to act. Get off the train or move to another car. Building self-awareness and confidence empowers you to make good decisions. If someone seems suspicious or potentially dangerous, listen to your gut and move away without second-guessing. This skill is crucial for all solo travelers and one of the most important train safety tips you’ll acquire.

Closing Thoughts

There are some of the best train safety tips about train safety as someone traveling solo you could read. These tips are from my experience traveling to various countries across the world and it’s a basic guideline to avoid being in an unpleasant situation.