Anyone who has often traveled by train, be it for private or professional reasons, will be familiar with at least one of the following scenarios: Even though you have booked a seat in the quiet area, a passenger is entertaining the entire compartment with his loud telephone conversations. Or the person sitting next to you enjoys a kebab, the intrusive smell of which permeates the entire train. It’s just as annoying when the one socket that two people always have to share is permanently occupied. Not to mention the hard cushions that some people have probably felt sore about sitting on. To make long train journeys more bearable, there are practical travel gadgets.

Anyone traveling alone by train usually does not go unnoticed on highly frequented routes: If you have someone sitting next to you, they can look at your smartphone display at any time (whether intentionally or unconsciously) and see everything you are doing on it: writing messages, taking photos watch or stream videos. If you want to protect your privacy, you can attach a special “Anti Spy” privacy film to your cell phone to protect it from prying eyes. It prevents people sitting right next to you and looking at your smartphone from being able to read it – while you see everything on the display as usual. The film is available for (almost) all common cell phone models.

Technical devices such as smartphones and headphones, tablets or laptops are important companions for travelers – even on the train. The problem is: the longer a trip lasts, the higher the likelihood that each battery will need to be charged sooner or later. However, there is only one socket per row of seats, which two train passengers have to share. And even if you don’t have a seat neighbor, the plug is only suitable for one adapter. For this reason, a charger with multiple outputs is a sensible purchase for long train journeys, as it allows you to recharge multiple devices at the same time. Alone or even with the person sitting next to you.

The smartphone has long since ceased to be an ordinary telephone, as it is not only used for making and returning calls, but also for writing, surfing and streaming. The last point in particular is sometimes quite annoying on long train journeys when you have to hold your cell phone in your hands for hours to watch a film. It is much more convenient if you have a special holder for smartphones with you, an ideal travel gadget for plane and train journeys: This is attached to a table or seat using a clamp holder and holds the cell phone in portrait and landscape format for you. According to the manufacturer, the clamp is suitable for iPhone 15, 14, 13, Samsung Galaxy, Pixel and Huawei.

To keep drinks warm for up to six hours or cold for up to eight hours on long train journeys, you can take a double-walled thermal mug with you when traveling. According to the manufacturer, this should be 100 percent leak-proof, so you can easily store it in your bag or backpack. During the journey you also have the opportunity to have the cup refilled with a fresh drink in the on-board restaurant – for a fee, of course. This model with a non-slip silicone base is available in different colors, and the practical travel gadget can also be provided with additional text of your choice (such as the name).

On long train journeys, it can happen that travelers take a short nap (in an upright position). Unfortunately, there are usually no proper headrests on the seats, so some people have probably woken up with a tense neck. To prevent pain, an ergonomic pillow like this one is recommended. Available in three different sizes and six colors, the foldable model is intended – according to the manufacturer – to offer maximum comfort. Depending on how you hold your head, the neck pillow can provide double support.

For children, long train journeys are often boring because their mobility is severely limited. But even adults don’t enjoy sitting still for hours with little to no entertainment. To (perhaps) shorten the waiting time and make the journey a little more exciting, there are games for train travel: 120 pages contain popular classics such as Tic Tac Toe, Cheese Box and Hangman. If your children are still too young for this, there are also special books for trains (from 7 years). It’s all about topics like puzzles, painting and playing.

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