Words by Fathima Abdul Kader    Photographs from Various Sources

Meeting Mark Smith, or The Man in Seat 61 was a chance encounter. What started off as research on the various means of travelling, took us to the story of this ex-railway man from Britain who has travelled the world only by railway and ships and helps others to do the same. In the era of “staycations” and exotic destinations that are more exciting than the journey getting there, Smith is a tad different. He is a man who enjoys the journey to a destination much more than the place itself. In Mark’s own words he “ran away from Oxford to join the circus (as British Rail was referred in those days) as soon as he could”.

From working as a station manager in various railways in the UK and ending up with the Department of Transport, he has had a long career. After his many years of travels around the world in trains and on ships, he started his website in early 2000 to share his experiences and knowledge on the use of the railway system and offers support to people who wish to do the  same. Smith has received numerous accolades for his website and almost got signed to start a TV series called The Man in Seat 61. He has also written two books, one of which is an essential handbook for train travel from the UK into Europe and a second one about train travel opportunities around the world. Smith lives with his wife, two children and two cats in Buckinghamshire and manages his website full time.

With so many means of travel, what made you choose rail?

Travel isn’t just about getting there; it’s also about the journey. The world seems to have forgotten that. I enjoy being treated like a human being: sleeping in a bed, eating in a restaurant, not being tied down, having room to move. And above all, seeing and experiencing where I’m going.

When was the first time you travelled on a train?

I travelled to school by train every day from my home town to the next big town – all of 7 minutes. When I was 13 I saved up the mighty sum of £2.73 for a child-rate cheap day return to the Isle of Wight, and disappeared for the day without my parents’ knowledge. Why the Isle of Wight? I don’t remember, perhaps I thought it would be my first solo overseas trip!

“The Man In Seat 61 “- What is the story behind the name?

I left London by Eurostar, the highspeed train from London to Paris. At the start I did a trip from London to Tokyo via the Trans-Siberian Railway, to Marrakech via Madrid and Tangier, to Istanbul and Aleppo and Damascus. It became a sort of tradition to ask for seat 61, one of a pair of seats at a spacious table for two which lined up perfectly with the window; the best seat in the house.

You still love to travel by train and ferry while people opt for flights. What do you enjoy most about travelling by these means?

I could think of so many little moments I enjoy, but if I have to pick just a few, they would be a glass of wine or two and getting to relax with a good book, meeting new people and getting an insight into other countries and cultures.

Which is the most luxurious railway experience you have ever had?

The Venice Simplon Orient Express is probably the most luxurious train I’ve taken; it uses vintage 1920s carriages and links London with Paris and Venice. I wondered if any 24 hour ride could be worth £2,000, but on that occasion back in 2003, I got far more than I bargained for. Taking my (then) girlfriend of 6 months to Italy on this train, affordable thanks to an end-of-season discount, we accidentally got engaged somewhere in a snow-swept Brenner Pass. And here I am now with a wife, two kids, two cats and a large mortgage. Powerful magic, these trains!

And, which has been your worst train travel experience?

Commuting to work by train – or by any other mode of transport – is never fun. But that’s about it. Even journeys on the most elderly and run-down trains in countries such as Egypt or Burma can be fun, and a real experience which you don’t get when you hide inside the tourist ‘bubble’. A trip from Aswan to Luxor on a truly decrepit train in 1990 remains one of my most treasured memories, for both the scenery along the Nile Valley and the Egyptian schoolchildren who had me read to them out of their English textbooks.

How would you convince someone to give train travel a try?

So often people think that air is the only option, indeed the whole travel industry seems geared up to promote flights, flights, car hire and more flights. It’s often just a case of explaining that an overland rail option exists, telling people what it’s like and how to go about it. Once they try it, they usually want to do more travel by train!

Which are the places that you are yet to visit and would like to?

I’d like to visit Peru, Kenya, Indonesia, Queensland, Ooty, Goa and Kerala, of course.

Who has inspired you to be a traveller?

Everyone has their heroes; mine are TE Lawrence (of Arabia) and Wilfred Thesiger.

Which are your favorite routes while travelling in India?

I’ve travelled some 6,000 miles around India by train, but sadly I haven’t yet been to Kerala.Two hill station routes are favourites of mine from India: Kalka to Shimla and New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. Both are amazing experiences, with a fabulous place to stay at the end of the ride, up in the Himalayas. The Delhi-Jaisalmer Express warrants a mention, just for the fairytale walled city at the far end, out in the Thar Desert. After touring so much of the north, I’d love to see some more of the south.

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