In this article, you'll learn the following:
Using the train for business travel is a no brainer: it’s far more relaxing and comfortable than driving, you can use the toilet whenever you need to, and thanks to onboard facilities such as free Wi-Fi, you can spend your travel time catching up on work.
Whether you have regular client meetings to travel to or a big one-of business trip coming up, getting organised and ensuring you pack all the essential travel accessories will help to make your journey as productive and comfortable as possible. From tech accessories such as headphones and portable chargers to travel pillows and water bottles for optimum comfort, read on for a list of business travel accessories that’ll ensure you have everything you need for your next business trip.
Tech accessories
Noise-cancelling headphones
Whether you want to knuckle down and focus on your work with the help of our free Wi-Fi or you need to take an important business call while en route, good headphones are an essential travel accessory. Noice-cancelling headphones are the way forward if you want to drown out any distracting background noise and get your work done efficiently.
Electronics organiser
Tangled cables are a total nuisance and unravelling them is nothing but a waste of your precious time. Save yourself the faff by investing in an electronics organiser. Not only will it prevent your wires from getting jumbles, but it can also be used to store and carry other important accessories and equipment like USB drives, memory cards, pens and chargers.
Multi-USB charger
South Western Railway trains have an abundance of plugs and charging facilities, but it always pays to carry a charger with multiple USB outlets in case your laptop, phone and any other equipment all suddenly need charging at once. That way, everything can be charged when you need it to be, and you won’t arrive at your destination in a panic because your phone has died.
Stay organised
Document organiser
Even though train travel thankfully negates the hassle of passports, it’s still a good idea to keep all your other documents together if they aren’t all digital. That might be meeting itineraries, hotel arrangements, paper train tickets – stash them in a folder or a plastic wallet and you’re good to go.
Packing cubes
If you’re going to be staying overnight on your business trip, then take the hassle out of packing by investing in some packing cubes. They’ll help you to neatly organise all your bits and bobs, from your clothes and underwear to your shoes and toiletries – tidy luggage, tidy mind! Keep the things you need on the train at the top of your bag so that they’re easy to get to and you don’t have to turn your bag upside down to find the bits you need.
Travel padlocks
Safety should always come first, and if you’re carrying important business bits then it’s a good idea to carry a travel padlock to keep your confidential documents and costly equipment under lock and key. It’s not always practical to carry all your luggage around when you pop to the toilet or get up to stretch your legs, so a good quality travel padlock will help to keep your belongings safe.
Get comfortable
Travel pillow
If you’re setting off a long journey, you’ll want to arrive at your destination feeling well rested and refreshed. Nothing beats a power nap, and the comforting motion of the train could have you nodding off in no time. Make your nap extra comfortable by packing a travel pillow – you'll be the envy of all other passengers. If you’re really committed to your nap, you could also pack some earplugs and an eye mask to drown out all noise and light.
Hand sanitiser
Hand sanitiser has never been more essential than it is now, and it’s always a good idea to have some with you when you’re travelling. Our onboard toilets have handwashing facilities too, but bring a bottle of hand sanitiser and some sanitiser wipes with you to wipe down your phone, your laptop and your table while you’re travelling – choose biodegradable wipes as they’re better for the environment.
Water bottle
Stay hydrated throughout your journey and remember to bring a water bottle onboard with you. Better yet, bring a refillable insulated bottle to keep your beverages hot or cold throughout your journey, while doing your bit for the planet at the same time. If you forget to bring water with you, you can pick a bottle up at the station – check the station facilities at any of the stations in our network so that you know what to expect before you get there.
Now that you know all the essential travel accessories to take with you on your journey, get even more organised and take the stress out of business travel by setting up a Business Direct travel account. You can book corporate train tickets across Great Britain 24 hours a day, seven days a week with absolutely no booking fee. You’ll get the lowest fares and have total control of your online account, making it easy to analyse travel expenditure and CO2 emissions.
