It's Time to Book a Train as Your Next Coworking Space

With the rise of remote jobs giving professionals the ability to work from anywhere, train travel has shifted from "dead time" to productive time; this means that for digital nomads, trains have become a mobile office and a destination in and of themselves. 

Trains may not always be the fastest way to travel, but when the world is your workspace, what’s the rush? With onboard Wi-Fi and outlets, many trains are now making it easier than ever to stay connected to your laptop and to your clients. And when you want to take a break, it’s pretty easy to chat up fellow passengers, most of whom are fellow travelers from all over the world and have fascinating stories to tell. 

But the best part about traveling by train is that you can see more of the world while you ride. It’s one thing to travel to a specific city and settle there for a few weeks at a time, but if the appeal of being location independent is having the ability to explore new places - then why not explore every nook and cranny of every region you visit? Trains let you do just that (while not missing deadlines).

An added bonus for environmental buffs like myself: railway travel results in less energy consumption and produces less harmful pollutants than does traveling by motor vehicle or by air. 

So as you plan the logistics of your next trip, consider stepping out of your usual coworking space and utilizing a train as your new office with a view.

Helpful links:

Nomad Train - Trans-Siberian 

http://nomadtrain.co

From September 12-26, 2018, you can travel with like-minded nomads from countries all around the world across Russia to Mongolia on the Trans-Siberian Railway. The organizers will provide you with a 35Gb SIM card to use on the train, and set you up at coworking spaces in all stopover cities, so you’re guaranteed to stay productive while on this historic journey.

Amtrak - US

https://www.amtrak.com/home.html  
Amtrak is the way to go if you want to experience the continental United States, including the District of Columbia, and three Canadian provinces. Most Amtrak trains provide free Wi-Fi but do not support high-bandwidth actions such as streaming music, streaming video or downloading large files.

Cross Country Trains - England/UK

https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/

This cross-country expedition lets you experience Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol, Cardiff, Newcastle, and Reading. You can buy Wi-Fi while onboard in increments of 1 hour up to 24 hours of use.

Rail Europe - European Rail Travel

www.raileurope.com/  
This site connects you with a network of trains to and from 23 major cities across Europe - including trips to Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, France, Netherlands, Ireland, United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Croatia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Czechia, and Greece - this is the way to go if you plan to do a lot of sightseeing during your nomadic journey. Your Wi-Fi options will vary according to which train line you choose.

Renfe - Spain

http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/index.html
Renfe has trains that run to and from more than 200 destinations across Spain, France, and England. Wi-Fi isn’t available on all of Renfe’s trains, so if you’re planning to explore Spain by rail, play it safe and bring a SIM card onboard.

Russian Trains - Russia

https://www.russiantrains.com/  
The historic Trans-Siberian railway is on a lot of traveler’s lists, and this line will take you across Moscow, Saint Petersburg or Nizhny Novgorod, Helsinki, and Vladivostok. Some Russian trains offer a Wi-Fi movie service, but as for Wi-Fi itself, you’re going to want to get a SIM card if you plan to do any work.

China Ticket Online - China

https://www.chinaticketonline.com/trains/  
Talk about an adventure - China's newest high-speed train runs from 200km/hr to 350km/hr!  These trains run to and from Mainland China to Beijing and Shanghai. Trains to and from Hong Kong to Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. International railway connections from China to Mongolia, Russia, North Korea, Vietnam, and Kazakhstan. The newer trains have both Wi-Fi and USB ports in the cabins *swoon*.

Korail - Korea

http://info.korail.com/mbs/english/index.jsp  
The 2018 Winter Olympics aren’t the only reason to visit Korea. Experience a new culture as you travel to and from 38 different cities including Geoman, Seoul, Osong, Daejeon, Suwon, Miryang, Busan, Pohang and more.