Trains and adventures
And that's when I decided to read about the train I was traveling on. I had no idea a surprise was waiting for me.
Everyone has their own train story. And sometimes more than one.
For a long time, I avoided traveling by train. Simply because I had no experience with it. Railway stations made me feel uncertain. I struggled to find my way around and constantly worried that I wouldn't find the right platform, especially when it changed just a few minutes before departure.
But life gradually introduced me to trains. And now I often plan my journeys across Europe by rail.
One day, I decided to travel to London entirely by train.
The route looked like this: Kyiv — Lviv — Warsaw — Amsterdam — Utrecht — London.
Everything was going perfectly until I boarded the train to London. The boarding process felt almost like an airport: security checks, waiting areas, ticket control, and only then access to the platform.
I took my seat and watched the scenery through the window. We were already traveling through France, and everything felt calm and beautiful.
Then I decided to read a little about the train I was on. That was when the surprise arrived.
I discovered that we were about to enter the Channel Tunnel, and that for about 20 minutes the train would be traveling underwater.
When I booked the ticket, I had absolutely no idea.
The train passes through one of the longest underwater tunnels in the world. The tunnel is about 50 kilometers long, and its deepest point lies approximately 75 meters below sea level.
And there I was, reading all of this just a few minutes before entering the tunnel. Perfect timing…
Almost immediately, we entered it. The internet disappeared. And there I was, slightly shocked by this new information, traveling beneath the sea while looking at the passengers around me.
Everyone was completely calm. Some were reading. Some were working on their laptops. Some were simply taking a nap.
And somehow I felt like I was the only person treating this as a major event. That thought made me smile.
Still, I didn't fully relax until daylight appeared outside the window again. The landscapes returned. The sun was beginning to set.
And I thought to myself: well, that's another story for my collection of travel adventures.
But that was far from the only adventure trains have given me.
One day, my mother and I arrived at the wrong station in Germany. Well, almost the right station. We simply got off a little too early. It was my mistake—I hadn't checked the route carefully enough.
We had to quickly change our plans, continue the journey, and find the correct platform.
By the time we were riding the escalator down to the train, there were only two minutes left before departure.
We practically jumped into the carriage. The doors closed. And the train started moving.
That was another moment when I realized that staying calm helps much more than panicking.
And that checking the station name twice is never a bad idea.
I also remember a train journey to Warsaw.
During an inspection, I was asked to open my backpack. The woman checking it looked inside and told me she was impressed by how neatly everything was packed.
I smiled and said that it was simply the result of years of traveling with just one backpack.
I used to travel with large suitcases and carry far too many things. Now almost every item in my backpack has its own place.
Maybe that's one of the reasons traveling has become so much easier.
Over time, trains stopped feeling unfamiliar or intimidating.
Now they mostly surprise me and make me smile.
I am fascinated by train carriages with dedicated spaces for bicycles. I enjoy seeing dogs traveling with their owners.
And not long ago, I even had the chance to remember what it feels like to travel on the upper berth of a sleeper train.
Every train journey has its own special atmosphere. You look out the window. You watch people. You read. You think. And for a little while, there is nowhere you need to rush.
There is something special about traveling by train
Thank you for reading!
