• AnotherDirtyAnglo
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    9 months ago

    but I bet the train is still more comfortable

    It’s not. In business class, you’re immediately behind the engine – you get to hear it blast the horn multiple times at every crossing.

    And no matter which class you’re in, the freight trains have beat the piss out of almost every set of tracks, so that when you’re at speed, it just about knocks your fillings out – nevermind the idea of actually getting any work done on paper or laptop because of the constant motion.

    Your best bet is to get high/drunk before you get on the train and sleep through it.

    • LostWon
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      9 months ago

      Yikes, that’s disappointing. If the tracks are beat up by freight trains though, doesn’t that also affect the luxury riders / tourists? I guess there must be soundproofing for them?

      Trains I was on in other countries (crowded or not, higher price tiers and lower) were always smooth and quiet rides at the least. Also, I only saw crowded trains a few times, so in most cases they were quite comfy as well.

      • AnotherDirtyAnglo
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        9 months ago

        There are no dedicated tracks for passengers trains outside major cities. If you travel between Quebec City and Windsor on Via Rail, you’re almost exclusively on freight tracks. Between Montreal and Kingston is like being shaken left and right non-stop for nearly two hours. Impossible to read a book / tablet / phone, type on a laptop – eating and drinking is difficult.

        Meanwhile, the TGV/ICE trains move at over 300km/h, and the speed & motion are imperceptable, even on curves.