Railroads first appeared in America during the Industrial Revolution. The facilitated the transport of goods and materials throughout the country. They also allowed people to travel quickly to places that were previously inaccessible to them. However, today, train travel is basically obsolete. There are roads everywhere; car transportation is the preferred method of traveling. However, in England, trains are still very popular. If one wishes to go into London for an afternoon, one cannot drive there; the traffic is horrendous and parking is nonexistent. One must take a train and then use the Underground for a small price. Train transportation in England is better than car travel because it is fast, cheap, safe, convenient, and comfortable.

My dad lives in a town called Harpenden, which is North of London. By car, the journey into London would take about forty-five minutes. By train, however, the journey consists of a ten-minute ride above ground and a five-minute ride on the Underground train. My sister and I have gone on this trip alone many times. If we want to go shopping or visit friends, we can travel to any place in London within half an hour. If one wishes to travel somewhere very far away, such as France, one can choose not to go by car; one can take a train that is very fast and cut their travel time in half.

Train tickets are extremely inexpensive. Each adult ticket is about £10 and each child ticket is £5. This price is very little compared to the cost of the mechanical maintenance of a car and the price of gas. There are also discounts for buying tickets in bulk or buying monthly passes. People that use the train to go to work every day wisely purchase monthly passes. In order to buy a child ticket, one must be fifteen years old or younger. I recently turned sixteen, and will have to start buying adult tickets. 

Since trains run on tracks, there is virtually no possibility of crashes occurring. Cars, on the contrary, are extremely unsafe. Cars are driven by people, who may become distracted, be mentally unstable, or be unskilled at driving. Long-distance trips involve long periods of driving, which increase the chances of a collision. Some people feel uncomfortable driving for a long time. Trains may be an alternative for these people. In England, bullet trains are available for long journeys. For example, one can take a bullet train trip from London to Paris, France that lasts about two hours. This method of transport also happens to be eco-friendly.

Another advantage of train travel is its convenience. Trains come frequently at regular intervals. At the train station, there are seats, newsstands, shops, and delis. While waiting for a train, one can sit comfortably and read a magazine, or eat a delicious salami and mozzarella sandwich. The central train station in London, King’s Cross St. Pancras, contains a large number of stores, including book stores, boutiques, cafés, drug stores, chocolatiers, and restaurants. The atmosphere in King’s Cross St. Pancras is happy and relaxing, whereas the mood of car rides tends to be stressed. One can sit in Starbuck’s and even make new friends.

For train rides that last more than a day, sleeping cars offer a comfortable way of sleeping. They have cabins that are equipped with beds. These beds are much more comfortable than car seats. Also, there is no need for a designated driver; every person that is traveling can sleep at night.

Train rides are more advantageous than car rides because they are less stressful. They are less expensive, faster, safer, more convenient, and more comfortable. Taking a train instead of taking a car can save people money and allow them to travel peacefully and without stress.