train travel – As fall travel peaks, etiquette expert William Hanson outlines the seven most common ways passengers ruin the journey for everyone else.
The golden foliage of autumn draws thousands to the rails each year. but the scenic backdrop often struggles to compensate for the passenger sitting in the next seat. As trains fill to capacity this season. the unspoken social contract of public transit often dissolves into a chorus of speakerphone calls and cluttered aisles.
British etiquette coach William Hanson has spent considerable time observing the friction points of rail travel. His guidance. developed in partnership with the booking app Trainline. identifies seven specific behaviors that turn a simple commute into a social collision. The objective is rarely malicious; it is usually a failure to acknowledge that a carriage is a shared, limited space.
For many, the most abrasive habit remains the use of speakerphones. While the desire to avoid pressing a device against one’s face is understandable. the resulting cacophony forces an entire carriage to participate in a private conversation. Research from Trainline suggests that while only one in ten passengers reports being bothered by phone use. the collective impact remains a nuisance. The advice is simple: save the call for the platform.
Physical boundaries are the next frontier of transit tension. Spreading personal belongings across empty seats is. according to Trainline. the single most annoying behavior reported by over a third of travelers. Bags belong in your lap, on the floor, or in designated luggage racks. If you find your reserved seat occupied by a stranger’s luggage, Hanson advises a measured approach. Reasonable communication typically results in the bag being moved without incident.
Personal hygiene and sensory disruptions round out the list. Putting feet on seats—regardless of whether shoes are removed—is a violation of shared space. as feet carry germs onto a surface used by hundreds of others. Similarly, olfactory intrusion is a major factor in passenger comfort. Hanson specifically warns against eating fragrant foods. with oranges cited as a prime example of an item that can be objectionable to those nearby. If you must eat, prioritize odorless snacks like nuts, sandwiches, or grapes.
Auditory awareness is equally critical. Loud music bleeding through headphones is the most uncomfortable issue for many travelers, turning personal playlists into public annoyances. Furthermore, the presence of pets requires a heightened level of social awareness. Because a quarter of passengers feel uncomfortable sitting next to a dog. owners should proactively engage with neighbors to gauge their comfort. If a pet owner arrives second to a seat. it is their responsibility to move if a passenger is uncomfortable; if the owner is already seated. the choice to relocate falls to the newcomer.
Ultimately, the etiquette of the rails comes down to rhythm. When entering or leaving the train, the physics are clear: let those departing the carriage exit before attempting to board. The doors provide plenty of warning, and the process is smoother when passengers prioritize the flow of movement.
These behaviors are fundamentally about awareness. As Hanson notes, humans tend to mirror one another; approaching a fellow passenger with hostility almost guarantees a matching reaction. A bit of reasonableness, he suggests, is the only way to ensure the journey remains civil for everyone on board.
This report, originally published in September 2024 and updated in October 2026, serves as a reminder that manners are the invisible ballast that keeps the experience of travel from tilting into chaos.
train travel etiquette William Hanson rail safety travel manners public transit etiquette