Living costs have surged upwards since the turn of the year. Energy, fuel and food costs are all soaring, with petrol prices hitting a record high in March.
These circumstances are forcing many people to look for ways they can keep their expenditure down and maintain their standard of living.
With car use becoming significantly more expensive and much of the population back to working in the office after the lifting of coronavirus restrictions in England, the use of public transport for commuting may well increase.
It doesn’t have to be a bad thing, though. Here are some of the benefits of making your commute by rail.
Environmentally friendly
Whether it’s making your journeys by train, bus or even tram – using any form of public transport is better for the environment.
Having a large number of people using one form of transport saves each person from producing harmful emissions by driving their own vehicles.
According to C40 and the International Transport Workers’ Federation, public transport journeys in cities must be doubled by 2030 if limiting global heating to 1.5°C is to be achieved.
Save time and money
Given the prohibitive price of petrol, getting a season ticket could make travelling to work far cheaper for you.
Plenty of employers offer a scheme that takes the cost of one of these passes out of your salary, meaning you’re not continually having to find money for commuting.
For long journeys, you’ll often find that the travel time is significantly shorter by train than it would be by car too. This is because trains can go at higher speeds and there are far lower levels of congestion on the railways than there are on the roads.
Reduced stress
While travelling by car puts you in control of the route you take, it also means you must be alert for the entirety of your journey.
When you travel by train, you can simply sit back and enjoy the ride. You can pass the time doing something you enjoy like reading a book, listening to a podcast or watching your favourite TV show.
Plus, with food and drink services available and toilets on board, you don’t have to worry about stopping for a break.
Whether you want to live a greener life or simply save some money, there has never been a better time to start making your daily commute by rail.