Book a margin, not a miracle
A tight connection can look efficient on a booking page and feel very different when the first train is late. I chose a longer transfer and checked where the next platform was likely to be. The extra time cost part of an afternoon but removed a source of worry from the whole morning.
Carry what you can lift
A manageable bag made stairs, narrow aisles and changes of platform easier. I kept the ticket, water and a light layer accessible rather than buried under clothes. Packing decisions were based on the transport and weather, not an abstract challenge to travel with the smallest possible amount of luggage.
Watch an ordinary landscape
The view included industrial yards, gardens and small stations as well as mountains. Looking out of the window gave the route a continuity that flying between cities rarely provides. Not every kilometre needed to be beautiful. Seeing the working edges of a place was part of understanding where I had arrived.
