TRAIN COMMUTER ESSENTIALS

Train commuting essentials are the items which help make a long train commuter better.

As someone whose travelled via commuter train services for many years, I learned that we do have some control over the quality of our commute.

I know – in most cases it’s still a very long, often uncomfortable trip, but if we’re properly equipped, it doesn’t have to be a complete waste of time and in some cases, can even be enjoyable!

But I also learned that without a certain set of items, the commute can be a real drag.

One benefit us commuters have over other passengers is preparation.

We bring with us everything we need to make the time spent on the train as comfortable and enjoyable as possible, and for people who are struggling to deal with their own journeys, I bring you my list of 16 items which I consider my train commuting essentials.

1. Wireless Earbuds

Wireless earbuds are the ultimate train commuting acccessory.

When purchasing a pair of wireless earbuds for train commuting, look for the following features:

• Long battery life (at least 6+ hours): On average a train commuter sits on the train for 2-3 hours per day. Add to that day to day use at work, on the way to and from the station etc and it’s going to gobble up your battery time. Most sets now come with a chargeable case which effectively doubles their lifetime.
• Ergonomic design: Shop around for a pair which suits you – the earbuds will be in your ears for many hours each day which with the wrong pair, can be uncomfortable.
• One step pairing: Wireless devices CAN be a pain in the butt to pair to other devices, but they don’t have to be. This is more relevant if you’re switching between your phone and laptop (very easy with Apple products – ie Phone to Mac Airbook)
• Wireless charging capability: Simply put your earbuds back in their case then place them on the wireless charging pad – no more cables dangling everywhere afterhours, adding to your commute logistics.
• High quality stereo sound with bass performance: Ultimately you’re using these for audio, sound quality absolutely matters! There’s a huge difference in sound quality between cheap and quality earbuds. Solid bass performance can make a considerable difference to your music enjoyment.
• Active noise cancelling: If you can block out the sounds of other people it will drastically improve your ability to audio.

We reccomend:

For a great, cost-effective pair of wireless earbuds combining all the features above features, the top-rated TOZO T6 true wireless earbuds are a solid option.

I’m currently using 3rd Generation Apple Airpods which only continue to get better with each version. They’re a little more of a money investment but given how much I use them, they’ve paid themselves off in spades.

Tip: I still recommend carrying a pair of corded earphones in your bag as backup, just in case your wireless earphones run out of charge. For me personally, not having access to audio instantly makes the trip very hard to deal with.

Check our round-up of the Best Corded Earphones with Mic

2. Electronic Tablet

Smartphones are great, but the extra screen space of a tablet can drastically increase train commuter productivity or enjoyment. Compared to laptops, tablets add much less weight to your commuter bag and are comfortable to use on your lap.

If you’ve opted for an iPad, a magic keyboard cover and electronic pencil can transform the train into a mobile office and hell, might even reduce tomorrow’s workload.

Also look for:

• Cellular connectivity: In this day and age wifi coverage is usually fine, but cellular connectivity can guarantee you’ll always have internet access – aim for 5G or 4G LTE minimum.
• Overall hard drive capacity: Cloud storage makes life a lot easier but the more hard drive space the better – 64GB is generally the minimum, while 256 – 512 GB will give you a lot more room – albeit more expensive. If you’ve got the cash, go for a 1 or 2 TB option, pricy but so much space!
• Accessory options: Not all brands support accessories like smart keyboards. I like Apple products personally, as by using one you’ve got access to not only every type of accessory, but they’re generally a very high (or at least consistent) quality. At the bare minimum get a decent case for your tablet so it’s not getting scratched in your commuter bag.

We reccomend:

Given how much use you’ll be getting from this, if you have the money, I’d suggest going staight for the latest generation iPad Pro (currently 6th Gen). These are a fantastic tablet with a degree of flexibility in its price depending on whether you go with the wifi+cellular option, and the size of the storage space.

Keep in mind – the larger the storage space, the more music/movies/files you can carry with you, which can help with the lack of connectivity experienced in tunnels or between stations (which is also highly annoying when streaming movies!)

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is also a great option if you’re wanting something Windows based and closer to a real laptop experience.

3. Noise-Cancelling Headphones

If you’re looking for something a little more heavy-duty than wireless earbuds, a pair of noise-cancelling, bluetooth headphones will upgrade your commuter arsenal to the next level.

Offering superior sound quality to most comparable earphone/earbuds, they transform that noisy train carriage to an audible sanctuary where the only sound is your Spotify playlist.

When I’m shopping for noise-cancelling headphones, I consider the following features:

• Price vs quality: The old saying, ‘you get what you pay for’ couldn’t be more accurate when looking for headphones. You don’t need to pay a fortune, but good headphones are a more premium product and expect to pay at least $70 minimum for a decent pair. This can go into the hundreds for a serious set, but for a commuter pair which can be battered around in your bag, I wouldn’t recommend much higher than $70 personally.
• Active noise-cancelling: The over ear design of headphones already assists with blocking outside sound, but active noise cancelling (which uses battery power) ensures absolute silence. I love this technology, particularly on aeroplanes!
• Battery life: This is HUGE for wireless headphones in particular, you want something which not only holds a charge for a long period, but has long play-time. The larger the charge capacity the less you have the charge the headphones (although still do it daily) and the more reliable they are with heavy use. Look for a pair which offers 20-30 hours minimum playtime.
• Headphone-mounted controls: Most if not all sets these days have controls mounted on the side of the headphones, but some can be annoying to use. Some sets have very small or difficult to use buttons/sliders. I always recommend paying close attention to this particular feature before you buy and test a pair in-store first if possible..
• Microphone: Many sets have microphones mounted on the headphones which is great for giving commands to virtual assistants but with noise-cancelling headphones, not so much for phone calls! Be mindful that if you are talking on your cellphone through the headphones and have noise-cancelling activated, you’ll sound like you’re yelling to everyone else! Plus it just feels weird talking when you cant hear yourself. Many sets of headphones off the ability to disability noise-cancelling which helps here.

We reccomend:

If you’re wanting a budget friendly pair of earphones, the top-rated JLab Studio On-Ear Wireless Headphones are an excellent combination of sound quality, price and slick design. But if you’ve a little more cash to splash, grab these Sennheiser HD450SE’s (currently 32% off!)

If you’re still on the fence, we’ve rounded up 5 of the best noise-cancelling bluetooth headphones, specifically for train commuters.

4. Sunglasses

One of the drawbacks of commuting is we’re often heading home late in the day, which also happens to be when the lighting is at its most glary.

This is only made worse by the train windows which seem to amplify it.

I don’t go anywhere without sunglasses, admitedly I’m a bit of a wuss when it comes to sun glare and I’ve had the unpleasant situation of being on the train without them a few times and for me, it was like a form of torture.

But there’s other advantages to wearing sunglasses on the train beyond simply reducing glare:

• A tiny amount of privacy: Wwhen I’m having a quick nap on the train I like to hide my closed eyes behind my sunglasses.
• MASK that you’re actually sleeping: I don’t want some random passenger scoping out my bag if they think I’m asleep – even though on many of my train trips, that’s precisely what I’m doing.
• Function like a Do Not Disturb sign: Some train folk simply love a good chat – often when you’re tired and not in the mood. When wearing sunglasses, it functions like a DND sign, perfect!

We reccomend:

If you’re not particularly worried about your sunglasses getting scratched or outright losing them on the train, then any old cheap pair like from your local grocery store or gas station will do.

Personally though? I’m advocate for quality when it comes to sunglasses and don’t mind spending a little extra. The difference in lens quality between a high and low quality pair of sunglasses is substantial and for something I am wearing daily, a quality pair of sunglasses with quality lens’ is one of my non-negotiatables.

These retro sunglasses by SUNGAIT are super popular but for me, I’m pretty loyal to Ray-Ban and specifically, Ray-Ban Wayfarers, even more specifically, Tortoise/G-15 Green 🙂

Tip: protect your sunglasses from scratches when on the train
I keep my sunglasses in a microfiber sunglass pouch when commuting. They’re cheap, protect the lens from scratches when in your bag or pocket, plus can be used to clean the lens. Sunglasses are not cheap and by doing this you can drastically prolong your pair.

5. Commuter Bag

There’s no item more essential to us commuters than our bag.

The type or style of commuter bag can be key in determining whether it’s a comfortable journey, or an unpleasant one and is a balance between finding enough space to bring our key items, plus also factoring in the items we need for work.

We also need to balance the amount of gear we bring with us against the bulkiness or weight of the bag itself.

A good commuter bag needs to:

• Carry your essentials: Let’s face it, the point of our bag is to carry those items we deem essential on the train, plus what we need for work. (and there’s generally a LOT of them)
• Not take up too much physical space: Room is limited on the train and a bag that’s comfortable sitting across your lap may be heavy when forced to stand, or difficult to navigate a crowded car (ie be able to exit!)
• Be comfortable to carry: An overstuffed or heavy bag is awkward to carry but can also cause injuries to the neck, shoulders, back and arms. It’s important to find a style that suits your body type, or one which works for your particular commute. A bag selected for sitting across your knees (like a messenger bag) may not neccessarily work as well if you’re always standing.
• Look good: Because we’re taking the bags into the workplace, they also need to look somewhat professional.

There’s many styles of commuter bags, some of the most popular are:

• Messenger bags: My preference, a slim often stylish commuter bag which can be worn over the shoulder or cross-body so the messenger bag snuggles nicely into the small of your back. I particularly like the versatility of the design which allows me to easily move from seated to navigating a crowded carriage without the bag itself causing me problems.
• Backpacks: Great for carrying a lot of items due to the larger interior space, backpacks can be great on the train but can have the drawback of being bulky in crowded carriages. There’s a range of smaller more stylish backpacks which are becoming increasingly popular with female commuters, nestling comfortably into the back yet still fully-featured.
• Laptop bags: Perfect if you’re taking your laptop to and from work with extra padding to keep it protected. The main downside is most laptop bags are designed for carrying laptops only, not factoring in things such as lunchboxes, umbrellas, drink bottles and headphones in which case they’re often used in conjunction with another bag. (which can be problematic)
• Tote bags: Usually more popular with female commuters, tote bags offer a large space for carrying a variety of items and can be carried like a traditional handbag. Some modern totes come with straps that brings them closer to messenger bags, the biggest drawback being, if overfilled, totes can be heavy and a serious cause of arm and shoulder strain.

We reccomend:

Bag choice is completely subjective, but as mentioned above, my personal choice has always been messenger bags – particularly leather messenger bags for their extra durability and weather resistence.

I most commonly use my messenger slung across my knees (perfect for resting my phone or kindle on) and is super easy to switch to my side or back when exiting the carriage.

The only downside of the messenger is they’re quite narrow by design which means I cant take things like large novels (or any novels), lunch boxes etc and are limited to narrow drink bottles. (check out this amazing A5 memobottle – specifically designed for bags)

But in saying that, I have used messenger bags for many years and they’re rarely let me down – plus they look great with business attire.

Check our picks for best messenger bags for train commuters

6. Water Bottle

I don’t need to tell you the importance of staying hydrated – particularly on longer train commutes.

A purposely designed travel bottle will save you money by no longer needing to buy water, won’t leak in your bag and will be easy to clean. Having water on demand will save you embarrassment if you’re hit by one of those coughing fits (particularly bad in the post-covid days…you feel like some kind of plague bearer!) or to help swallow some Advil to knock out that headache.

When looking for a good travel water bottle, consider:

• Size: Water bottles come in all shapes and sizes but for commuters, we don’t need a lot of water and a smaller bottle will be more easily carriable.
• Made from safe materials: Make sure your water bottle is BPA free to ensure it doesn’t deteriorate from use and those nasty chemicals make their way into your body (more of this below).
• Is easy to wash: You don’t want a water bottle which has a million parts and is a pain to wash because you absolutely need to wash your bottle on a regular (ideally daily) basis.
• Is leak-free: Go for a bottle which has a leak free spout and lid. Most often you’ll carry your water bottle in an outside pouch on your commuter bag, but if you’re carrying it inside your bag, the last thing you want is water all through your bag!

We reccomend:

There’s hundreds of water bottles to choose from at Amazon but my personal choice is this A5 memobottle, specifically due to its narrow, bag-friendly design (also BPA free)

What is BPA free and should I be concerned about it?
BPA refers to a chemical called Bisphenol A which is a common element of resins and plastics (hence why it’s often in things like drink bottles). It’s not known as a definitive danger to humans, but in various animal studies there was a link between high levels of the chemical and infertility, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

In plain English – the chemical BPA can be released from the product when exposed to heat – aka the heat you’re using to clean your water bottles. Ultimately, it’s better to be safe than sorry and if you give me a choice, I’ll take my products as chemical free as possible!

7. Comfortable Shoes

On the good days, we’re able to sit for most of the train commute – but on the bad days (and they happen frequently) – we’re forced to stand.

Even worse, in a super-crowded train carriage, standing straight isn’t always an option!

A good pair of shoes can make a HUGE difference here.

This is even more important if you’re wearing hard-soled business shoes all day, a pair of purpose-bought commuter shoes can give your feet a well-deserved breather, not to mention can prevent ongoing foot and ankle pain.

Though in saying that, even with the best shoes, standing for an hour on a moving train carriage will wear get all of us in the end in which case a cheap foot spa might be the only solution!

We reccomend:

Something comfortable like these highly-rated women’s loafers will do the trick (also available in men’s) I currently use a pair of New Balance Fuelcore sneakers – call me silly, but I dont like the look of white sneakers when I’m wearing business pants and these black, New Balance sneakers blend in perfectly.

8. Corded Earphones

We tend to live by our chargers these days, in the office and at home, but running out of batteries can and does happen and to avoid that, I always carry a back-up set of corded earbuds with me.

Sound is the key to so many activities – from music to podcasts to movies and being without it – well I just can’t be one of those people who is happy for the carriage to hear what I’m listening to on speaker!

The great thing about corded earbuds is that they:

• NEVER run out of batteries!
• When coiled are light-weight and take up very little room in your bag.
• Are my preferred means of taking phone calls (make sure you get a set with a built-in microphone control).
• Have surprisingly good sound quality.

You may think carrying both types is excessive but when it comes to audio, this commuter takes no chances.

We reccomend:

As an iPhone user I’m very happy having a pair of corded earphones because they’re comfortable in the ear, terrific sound quality and the mic and control is very easy to use. If only Apple would stop changing the damned connections however…. (I’m still using lightning, but if you’ve got the latest iPhone, USB-C earbuds are what you’re looking for)

If you’re happy to splash a little more money and get an even better pair, my little brother swears by his Beats Flex (that yuzu yellow design though!)

Tip: Protect your earbuds – they’re fragile.
We put together a guide on how to get the most life out of your earbuds: how to clean and protect your earbuds as it’s not uncommon for them to die just after the 12 month warranty has expired. We’ve also rounded up the best 7 corded earphones with mic if you’re looking for other options.

9. Warm Coat

Trains can be cold, really cold and prior to boarding, shivering your butt off on the platform is a thing. I also find that on those super cold mornings where it’s even darker and more miserable than normal, the train is almost always delayed or cancelled! (grrr)

I have to make a small admission here, I actually look forward to the colder months as when I’m snuggled into my padded puffer jacket, it’s usually the most comfortable I ever feel on trains – but perhaps I am also just weird.

The key point however, don’t get caught out by the temperature/weather in or out of the train, invest in a decent jacket.

Look for a coat / jacket which is:

• Weather proof: We’re talking wind-proof and proper fleece lining and won’t end up saturated if caught in the rain.
• Hooded: Keep the bitingly cold wind out of your neck!
• Zip’s up to the chin: Snug as a bug in a rug.
• Nice deep pockets: When zipped to the chin, hood up and hands in pockets, ice cold weather becomes a distant memory.

We reccomend:

I swear by my lightweight puffer jacket similar to this classic hooded puffer by Tommy Hilfiger. This light down puffer by Orolay will offer similarly winter happiness with its interior cuffs and thumb holes to keep the warm in and the cold out.

10. Travel Mug

Save money on coffee, make your own and take it with you on the train.

Cut down your morning rush, make your breakfast smoothie at home and then then drink it on the train.

The benefits of a good travel mug are obvious but like a water bottle, it’s worth spending a little more to ensure it’s made from safe materials and wont leak, because no-one wants to be that person on the train with the bag full of smoothie.

There’s 3 main things you’ll want to look for in a portable travel mug:

• Leak free design: This applies to both the lid or hole/spout you drink from, and the seal between the lid and the mug itself.
• BPA free: Like travel water bottles, you want to ensure your travel mug is not made from potentially harmful chemicals.
• Easy to wash: Travel mugs can be surprisingly intricate in the way they’re designed which also can make them a pain to clean. Many mugs are designed in such a way that they’re as easy to clean as possible.

We reccomend:

This beasty 20 oz YETI Rambler mug will be perfect for most train commuters but be careful not to leave it INSIDE your bag or you’ll be that person. It also comes in 19 different colors.

For more great travel mug options check our Best Travel Coffee Mugs for Commuters

11. Portable Phone Charger

If you don’t have the luxury of keeping your cell phone plugged into a charger at work or can be away from charging points for large parts of your day, a portable charger can save you from that fate worse than death…flat battery. Simply keep it in your bag and plug it into your device when needed. Just be sure to keep the portable charger itself charged!

When buying a portable charger look for:

• High capacity: A charger which can hold around 26800mAh of power will charge most phones up to 6 times over, or tablets up to 2 times.
• High speed charging: Various portable chargers can be extremely slow to charge your device making it somewhat pointless.
• High speed recharging: Something around the 6 hour mark for a full recharge of the portable charger should be what you’re looking for, allowing it to charge comfortably overnight.

We reccomend:

The Anker PowerCore 26800 Portable Charger which you can find at Amazon will suit most commuters with their charging needs. It has all of the features listed above and also comes with 2x USB micro cables, a travel pouch and an 18 month warranty.

Check our run-down of the best portable phone chargers for commuters.

12. Lunch Box

I always take my own lunch into work – I simply don’t have the disposable income to be buying food every day – and it’s not particularly healthy!

I try and avoid plastic bags wherever possible, but also find the protection of a good lunch box keeps my food from getting crushed.

This is particularly important given I usually have a banana every day – and mushed banana in my bag…bad.

I’ve tried a few different lunchboxes over the years and usually look for:

• Seal-able: You do NOT want your lunch box leaking in your bag.
• Microwavable: Not mandatory but extremely useful if you’re re-heating your food at work.
• Light-weight: The lunch box can take up quite a bit of space in your commuter bag, you want one as light as possible.
• Re-usable: Because we’re all about sustainability.
• Has multiple compartments: Helps to avoid soggy food!
• Scratch-free design: This will stop you scratching the heck out of the lining with cutlery and makes it much easier to eat straight from the lunchbox.

We reccomend:

This Leak-proof Bento Box is the perfect portable lunch solution, made from BPA free materials, microwave safe and is easily washed – because the last thing you want to be doing after a long day at work is dealing with a difficult to clean lunchbox.

13. Compact Travel Umbrella

Do you know one of the main things that I hate about train commuting? Getting rained on before I get on the train.

OMG don’t even get me started on having wet socks/shoes before starting the day.

Don’t get caught in the rain! Just don’t!

A travel umbrella is such an important part of my commuter kit because even though it doesn’t rain all that often, those times it does can be just _the worst_

When buying a compact umbrella, I look for:

• Size matters: The smallest umbrellas compact down into something tiny and handheld but when opened offer very little coverage. This might be fine if you’re not in the rain a lot but if you’re wanting actual protection, consider a slightly larger umbrella.
• One button, automatic operation: This doesn’t sound like much but when you’re commuting, being able to quickly open or close your umbrella with the press of a button can be a serious convenience.
• Wind proof design: See all of those other commuters whose umbrellas have inverted at the slightest on-set of wind? Don’t be one of them, buy an umbrella built to withstand all elements.
• Proper water repellency: Get an umbrella which is quick dry and water resistant. Carrying a sopping wet umbrella onto the train can be as bad if not worse than getting caught in the rain without an umbrella!
• Waterproof jacket: As above, when the umbrella is wet, you want to be able to shove it into something that will contain the water – NOT dripping on you/the floor or inside your bag.

We reccomend:

I love this award winning teflon coated umbrella by Repel, particularly the yellow version! Repel puts an emphasis on water-repellency which makes a considerable difference on the train, plus it’s a good size, super strong and has automatic open and close functionality.

Also check our 10 Best Compact Travel Umbrellas For Commuters

14. Pocket Tissues

Small and often overlooked are the good old tissues.

In the past I’ve been caught out by sneezing. Just randomly, I’ll sneeze a couple of times and then I can NOT stop my nose running.

I suddenly became that person – that horrible, horrible person, who was sniffing non-stop while my fellow passengers looked at me with scorn.

The problem being, somehow if you dont blow your nose, it never goes away! I know, disgusting, but it taught me a valuable lesson – NEVER not have tissues in my bag. EVER!

Grab yourself an 18 pack of travel tissues and don’t be me.

Alternatively, if you’re a parent, you’ll already know how utterly useful it is to have baby wipes on you AT ALL TIMES! (for both baby and non-baby related incidents!) I’m going to admit right now, both my commuter bag and car have packets of baby wipes, and they’re not for my little one anymore 🙂 Grab yourself a mini-travel packet, you’ll thank me later.

15. Makeup Bag

Some mornings are just plain difficult, and that mad dash for the train can mean things like putting on makeup, breakfast etc, just don’t happen.

A travel makeup bag will solve at least half of these problems, whilst also helping keep your cosmetics organized, and make it easy to find what you need while on the move.

Your bag should be compact yet easy to carry with plenty of internal pockets and dividers to keep things in their sectons and not moving around.

A good makeup bag will be:

• Shake-proof: You don’t want your makeup moving all over the place leading to chaos!
• Light-weight: As with most commuter essentials, size and weight are particularly important.
• Good internal pocketing that’s customizable: Your bag needs to hold a large range of make-up in their own individual sections. The more this can be customized to your own needs the better.
• Wear-resistant: Your travel make-up bag will likely see a lot of use and the better quality the material the longer life you’ll get out of it.

We reccomend:

This highly rated makeup bag by Rownyeon is made from premium materials and has 3 seperate layers for maximum cosmetic organisation. Also a fantastic gift idea.

16. Painkillers

Having to endure the rigors of a long daily commute can be bad enough let alone doing so while enduring a headache. After a long day of work when you’re tired, your heads thumping and you just want to be home, take comfort knowing you’ve painkillers handy.

Get yourself a travel pack of advil and relax.

And that brings us to the end of our Train Commuting Essentials. If you’re not actually a commuter yourself but on the hunt for the perfect gift for someone who is, check our Gifts For Train Commuters. I hope at the very least, this article has helped make your long commute suck just that little bit less.

If you have any items which help your daily commute, I’d love to hear about them below!

Happy commuting!