Sheldon Cooper of the Big Bang Theory is one of my favourite TV characters. He has many quarks, one of which is a near insufferable obsession with trains.

I share his sentiment, only without the craziness of Sheldon.

Train is my favourite method of travel. It's more spacious than car, faster than boat, and you don't have to arrive hours ahead of time to clear security and customs. Not to mention the stations are often located in city centres as opposed to remote airports.

I remember taking the train through China with my parents when I was a kid - the stations were dirty, the trains were dirtier. The rides were bumpy and if we ever took an overnight train, my parents would spend most of their time worried about their belongings being stolen. Thankfully, train travel has come a long way since then. Now, most railways are well-connected and the train cabins are well-furnished. These days I look forward to train travel as a treat.



My love for traveling by train was one of the many things I discovered in Europe. During my 8 months there, I purchased a 2 month Eurail pass and used it every chance I could. Taking the train allowed me to enjoy the scenery whenever I travelled. The crowds at the stations and the whistling of the trains also added a nostalgic touch of industrialism to my time abroad. In fact, I love train travel so much that I have a Train Travel Bucket List. One of the many things on that list is to take "the Canadian" from Toronto to Vancouver, traveling through Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, and Jasper along the way. This train ride is perfect for me since I've been splitting my time between Toronto and Vancouver for the last 2 years.

I highly recommend train travel to anyone who wants to indulge in a comfortable and relaxing travel experience. Now I'm hoping we can indulge in some dialogue, what is your preferred method of travel and why?