Saturday, April 28, 2018

How to get a seat on a train, and fewer steps at stations

You can book a seat on intercity trains such as the GWR (Great Western Railway) going West from Paddington in N W London usually via Reading to Wales.

On other trains with first come first serveld seating such as the MRT. In Singapore I watch the queue all the way along the platform and join the shortest queue. Then as the train flashes past as it comes in I watch to see if the far end carriages have more spaces. I might have time to run along the platform or I might just jump in the nearest carriage and walk along inside a train until I find a seat.

Stations with Easy Changes
London, England
From London underground you can get a list of changes with step-free access for wheelchair users and people with sticks or just not keep on walking.

Singapore
On the Google maps get directions website in Singapore I was able to choose 'least walking' options. A similar choice is on the London, England underground and bus travel websites.
Some stations have very easy changes. It's worthwile marking them on your map for future use. In Singapore MRT I found a very easy change at McPherson. City Hall is a popular interhcnage. It's worthwhile noting whether your best option is changing at City Hall or Raffles Place (depending on which line in which direction).

I know from experience that on some stations the lift (elevator to Americans) saves you a lot of walking. But on other stations the lift is in the middle, so you walk beyond the base of the escalator, then come out behind the top (Newton MRT in Singapore).

A little nifty forethought, and you can save time and energy.


Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
I have other posts on trains and railway stations. Please bookmark and share links. Thanks

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