Road, land or air; whichever way you choose to travel for work, the vast stretch of 874 miles that makes up the UK, offers lots of ways to get there. However, with more than 2,563 train stations servicing the breadth of the country, train travel still remains one of the most popular options for business travel. As business travel rebounds and workers are hitting the roads again, train travel for business proves cost and time-efficient.
If you’re one of the many individuals that see the benefits of train travel for; client meetings, business events and face-to-face meetings, you’ll be pleased to know there are several benefits in travelling this way.
Read on to discover nine good reasons why train travel trumps other modes of public transport every time:
Ability to Work
One of the great advantages of train travel for business is the ability to work on-the-go, allowing you to optimise every moment of your journey. It’s something you couldn’t do by car, and is certainly restricted by air travel.
Most train operators offer plug access for laptops, and a growing number of train operators provide free WiFi access on board, including; Chiltern Railways, LNER, Southern Trains, Virgin Trains and West Midlands Railway, to name a few. This means that time spent commuting between destinations can be put to good use preparing for meetings or catching up on work.
Travel in Groups
When travelling in large groups, train travel is often the best way to arrive as a team. Whether it’s for a pitch, for a client meeting or to recce a venue, it means less time is wasted trying to coordinate logistics. You can also benefit from the extra time together, preparing for the meeting ahead. Plus, you might benefit on group booking savings too.
With duty of care high on the agenda, it may also be a considerate way for some colleagues to travel, especially if they are commuting late at night.
Arriving to a destination late? Roomex will call on your behalf to let the hotel know, so you're never left out in the dark.
Learn more.
Forward Planning
As anyone who travels for work will tell you, it’s important to have a schedule to work around, with time at a premium. Traveling by train means that you know exactly when to leave and what time you’ll arrive. As a result, you can plan meetings and all-important dinner arrangements around your schedule. Roomex is now integrated with Trainline, so users can view their upcoming and past train trips alongside their hotel bookings.
The Need for Speed
When time is of the essence, and budgets don’t extend to a private helicopter (oh well, it’s worth asking!), train travel is often the quickest way to get there. For instance, it takes roughly half the time to get from London to Newcastle by train than it does by car, and an hour less by train from Birmingham to Manchester. Plus, you never have to worry about being stuck in traffic during the rush hour commute, or having to find a parking space.
Long Journeys
While most of us are used to occasional travel by car, it’s understandable that some may prefer to avoid long trips by road. Whether for convenience or comfort, travelling by train might be a more suitable option when there’s many miles to cover. As another consideration, some employees may not have their driving licence, making train travel the most suitable option available.
Staying Green
We’ve all become more conscious of our carbon footprint in recent years; as such, it’s only right to consider our personal contribution to the environment. Research reveals that business travel accounts for 15-20% of a business’ total emissions. Train travel however is one of the ‘greener’ ways to commute, with less CO2 emitted than car or air travel. Also since trains carry a sizable number of passengers, fuel used is shared between a larger footprint.
Cost-Effective
Unnecessary spending is something we’ve all become more conscious of. With ever reducing budgets and the need to spend effectively, it is often much cheaper to travel by train, than by air and even car.
There’s also a number of discounts available to corporations, including season ticket benefits, and enterprise accounts for travel, which can help make further savings.
Enjoy a chat
Socialising is an important part of business relationships, whether over a lunch meeting or after-hours drink. The benefit of travelling by train means that you’re able to enjoy a drink without the worry of driving home. Especially during Christmas when there’s plenty of soirees and events, this is a smarter way to travel.
Book in Advance
More and more, companies are turning to online business platforms to help with business support. Whether it’s a pre-booked hotel room at a competitive price, or a management system that books train tickets - there are many savings to be enjoyed as a result.
Another benefit is that most times the cost is allocated to the company account, meaning that employees aren’t inconvenienced by the expense of travel. This is also popular with accountants trying to keep tabs on corporate spending!
So, there you have it, nine benefits of travelling by train for business. The next time you’re outward bound have a quick read to refresh your memory of all the benefits it brings.
Originally Posted 05 September 2019
Updated 16 March 2023
