Train Journey Packing List Calculator

The essentials block for a train journey is short but unforgiving — forget any of these and the trip stalls. Pack your passport (six months validity remaining), insurance cards, a credit card with no foreign-transaction fees, a debit card for ATM withdrawals, phone and charging brick, and a small Ziploc of train journey basics: plasters, painkillers, antacids, tweezers.

Add printed copies of any pre-booked train journey tickets.

With a mixed climate profile, your train journey wardrobe should mix-and-match around a single colour palette. Most days resolve to the same core: two trousers, four tops, one smart layer, one shell that handles whatever the sky does.

Choose quick-dry fabrics so a sink wash can extend your supply beyond the 7-day mark without carrying a full suitcase of clean clothes. The carry-on math only works if the train journey wardrobe dries overnight — test each piece at home and cut anything that fails.

Toiletries are where most travellers blow the TSA 3-1-1 liquid rule. For a train journey, decant shampoo, conditioner, body wash, sunscreen and toothpaste into 60 ml silicone bottles. A solid shampoo bar skips the liquid rule entirely — ideal on shorter train journey security lines.

Pack a manual toothbrush (no charging needed), a small dental floss, deodorant, and a razor with replaceable blades for the train journey kit. A quick-dry microfiber towel takes up a quarter of a regular towel's space — a full 7-day train journey never needs more.

For a train journey, the must-have electronics are phone, charger and a power bank. Optional but worthwhile: noise-cancelling earbuds, an e-reader, and a compact camera. Carry two charging cables — one always lives in the train journey day-bag.

A small USB wall charger with two ports will service all your devices overnight, whatever else the train journey kit includes. Skip the laptop if you can; the weight-to-utility ratio is rarely worth it for a 7-day trip.