# MISC | Entertainment on trains



## timsewell (Jun 13, 2007)

Hi

First post and I'm asking for help on a feature I'm writing. I'd like to hear from members around the world about the entertainment and information systems they are finding on trains in all categories - urban, commuter and long-distance/high speed.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Tim


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Korea's KTX intercity trains have overhead televisions that broadcast local shows during the trip between Seoul and Busan. Audio is provided on the seatrest so the train cabin itself is fairly quiet.

Hong Kong's KCR trains (urban) are also equipped with overhead televisions but the audio is broadcasted in the intercom system.


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## RSG (Jul 7, 2006)

On Sydney suburban trains, we have a variety of entertainment. Fat guy picjing his ear, woman complaining to other woman about their husbands and businessman trying to manage briefcase, laptop and huge Herald paper while standing up in the overcrowded train.


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## pwalker (Feb 19, 2007)

On one of Amtrak's most popular trains, Amtraks's Coastliner, they have comedians and magicians on board (altleast as of a couple years ago)...
Kinda depends on your mood...if you are feeling good (perhaps with the enhancement of a couple of adult beverages),it can be fun, but more importantly, fun for the kids. Still one of the great railroad runs, L.A. to Seattle. Do it!


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## Tawny (Sep 1, 2006)

The Heathrow Epress has TV's at the end of the isles displaying BBC News and the odd sport and comedy clips. The journey is only 15 minutes so it's there's not much that they can show you. On the journey in to Heathrow, as you are passing through the aiport tunnel, there are TV screens in the tunnel walls that display windows vista adverts.


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

The long-distance trains in Australia (couple of days, 1000's of km) have a pride of place for the piano ... I've taken a few of these journeys. Last time I was checking them out on the internet they were offering electronic entertainment as well.


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## Jonesy55 (Jul 30, 2004)

The commuter trains here in Birmingham, UK have local TV news on screens in the carriage, I find it quite annoying as I try to read my book..


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## EricIsHim (Jun 16, 2003)

Hong Kong's MTR has LED display board with news, weather, stock market info and ads. Free newspaper, classified post, and magazine are also available to pick up inside the station area, and a lot of people to read those during the journey.

The airport express train has individual LCD TV on the back of each seat with news, weather, stock, flights and airport info, and ads.


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## Prestonian (Sep 11, 2002)

Virgin trains in the UK have a headphone socket at every seat with a selection of audio programmes you can tune in to. It ranges from BBC radio, Virgin Radio, to specially made programmes for the train. You can also buy/rent board games, books and magazines from the onboard shop. You don't tend to get TV on the trains though. GNER has a restaurant car which I find very nice.


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

Not a train but a tram ... we had a theatrical performance here in which the audience sat on the tram, while the performers enacted a drama as they interacted, getting on and off at each stop ... never saw it, don't know if it's still running.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

EricIsHim said:


> The airport express train has individual LCD TV on the back of each seat with news, weather, stock, flights and airport info, and ads.


Airport Express got rid of the individual PTVs. But there are larger TVs at both ends of the cabin now.


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## EricIsHim (Jun 16, 2003)

hkskyline said:


> Airport Express got rid of the individual PTVs. But there are larger TVs at both ends of the cabin now.


Oh Boy... I didn't know that. Haven't taken it for long since airport bus is more convenient for me anyways.

Too bad the PTVs are gone from a passenger point of view; but they do cost a lot to fix if anything goes wrong. Putting the big one in definitely helps the maintenance cost.


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## skytrax (Nov 12, 2006)

In Lisbon we have screens even on the platforms and sometimes you can see live theatre in the train.


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## oberoende (Dec 2, 2007)

In Sweden more and more trains provide wlan access.


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## eusebius (Jan 5, 2004)

Until about 18 months ago, on NL trains you would have east european musicians who had swapped the street for the trains. Now it's just WiFi on trains and stations, and blahblah on a screen.


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## iampuking (Mar 10, 2007)

What's wrong with a good book?

And i'm not a pensioner, honest.


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## eusebius (Jan 5, 2004)

What's wrong with being a pensioner?


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## iampuking (Mar 10, 2007)

Nothing. I wanted to make sure no-one judges me from their predujices and instead judges my words.


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## BIL (Aug 2, 2008)

Some Swedish night trains have a cinema onboard where they show popular movies.


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## SeyMan (Oct 25, 2008)

I've heard that there are trains running during night time on the Paris - Biarritz route that have some cars converted to nightclubs/discothèque (I think it's an iTGV, but I can be wrong).


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