Top Travel Safety Tips

Top Travel Safety Tips

As convenient and enjoyable as train travel is, it's important to always take the necessary safety precautions when travelling. Preparing for each journey accordingly will help to prevent the risk of injury, theft, or other damage.

We've listed our top train travel safety tips to ensure you always feel well-prepared for your journey. Feel safe and secure by following these steps to become more vigilant as you travel.

Pack light

Our top tips for travelling begin with packing light, as this will ensure your luggage is easier to lift and carry. The platform for your train may be some distance from the station entrance, so you may tire out quickly with heavy luggage in tow. And carrying lighter luggage also helps to lessen the likelihood of any trips or falls.

For security, having a lock and key on your luggage is important too, plus any additional straps that can attach your bag to an elevated rack to avoid it moving around or even falling.

If you require assistance when travelling, you can contact Grand Central in advance to ensure we can offer you the help that you need. We can arrange for someone to meet you at the station entrance to direct you to your scheduled train, help you on and off the service, and assist with your luggage.

Plan ahead

Always be aware of your platform number ahead of time to ensure you're not rushing around trying to find your train. Running in the station can cause you to fall over or bump into other people, potentially causing injury.

With safety in mind, avoid changing trains at night where necessary. With fewer staff on later shifts and fewer commuters around, it may not be as easy to get the attention of someone else, should anything happen.

Keep a personal bag

If you're having to store your large luggage bag, always carry a personal bag at all times to ensure your valuables are secure. These could include your phone, cash, cards, and keys.

In addition, always keep your train tickets and other travel documents close by too, so you can easily access them when needed. If you lose your train tickets, you may be asked to repurchase them onboard. Alternatively, download the Grand Central app to buy your tickets and store them in your own digital wallet.

Use marked pathways

You should never cross the train tracks to get to your platform, no matter how much of a rush you're in. Instead, use the stairs and marked pathways provided to ensure you can get to your train safely.

As you wait for your train, be sure to stand away from the edge of the platform, as you could accidentally fall onto the tracks, causing fatal or life-changing injuries. Many stations have marked lines to show the limits of how near you can get to the platform's edge.

Listen to announcements

Always be aware of any announcements, both at the station or onboard your train service. The staff will notify you of any updates to your train arrival times, cancellations, and station activity.

It's also important to make the train staff aware of anything suspicious that you've spotted, whether that be unattended luggage or someone acting unusually. All rail passengers can contact the British Transport Police to help keep the rail network safe.

If you're looking to plan your journey ahead of time, use our website to book your Advance tickets to ensure you're well-prepared and able to secure the best value tickets. Our Advance ticket offering is typically available up to six months in advance and across all our services in the North East and West Riding.