Need some fun ideas for no-talking train ride

The Game Room
1

I’m going on a long train ride that has a no-talking policy.
My friend is going with me but we won’t be able to physically talk
to each other so I was thinking we can just text each other over
our smartphones and have some fun.

Can you guys recommend some fun ideas we can do over the phone
texting?

How about like asking each other questions and we can only answer 1,2,3,4,5
(1 meaning I dislike it, 3 meaning neutral, 5 meaning i love it) then texting
single words like:
cola (they reply with 1 to 5 rating)
pizza
netflix
books
traveling
shopping
etc

Or maybe we can play true and false games? I make a statement they have
to guess T or F.

Or fill in the blank guessing games? I like p _ _ _ _ (answer: pizza)

etc.

2

I’m just coming in to ask what train doesn’t allow talking? Sounds like heaven to me! I could actually get some reading done without getting bugged every couple minutes :slight_smile:

3

Yes, I’d read a book!

4

I’ve seen commuter trains with “quiet cars”.

5

I’d text my friend the names of 10 celebrities and then I’d have to guess which one she was pantomiming.

6

Same here, on Metra (the Chicago-area commuter train service); Amtrak apparently has them on some routes, as well, particularly in the Northeast Corridor. Though, it seems that quiet/hushed conversations are allowed on those, whereas the OP makes it sound like talking is completely forbidden on that train (wherever it is).

7

I’d go with spit-balls.

maybe don’t use actual spit

8

I’d play cards. (That’s assuming we wanted to do something involving us interacting; otherwise I’d suggest we bring something to read.)

9

Can you play cards without talking? And what fun is in a silent card game?

10
  1. Depends on the card game and 2) I don’t see why it wouldn’t be fun. Is your enjoyment in a card game all about what you say while playing it?
11

I have to say, there is good fun in the banter (if both of you are up to that sort of “good fun.” I know not everybody likes this.) But a game of cribbage can be pretty gentlemanly and enjoyable without anything being spoken. That said, for me cards are an excuse for conversation with some playful ribbing thrown in.

12

I would read as well. I hope the OP comes back and explains this trip.

13

Sounds like a great time to learn some sign language (or at least some finger spelling) and get in some practice. My sister and I learned finger spelling as children for use in situations when we were told we had to be quiet. We weren’t very good at it, but it kept us amused.

14

Too bad several of you are not decent sign interpreters. You could set it up ahead of time where you get into a contrived robust debate and argument using sign language, just to add some entertainment for everyone aboard.

15

As I have learned in the chess etiquette thread, chess is not a trash talking game (my family would disagree). Either take up chess or as I suggested in the first reply to the thread, read. I’d read.

16

In the UK the quiet carriage rule is mainly just no mobile phone calls or music without headphones.

I’d suggest Words With Friends as a game to play to pass the time.

17

I’m really not into talking on long trips anyway (cars, trains or planes), so this wouldn’t trouble me in the slightest. I’d take a good book, headphones, download some good podcasts and maybe watch a film on my laptop. Bliss.

Yes, I would also ignore my wife, she wouldn’t mind as she likes doing the same as me.

IME experience, quite carriages mean ‘This is NOT the place to host your important pitch over Zoom’. It amazes me the personal audio space some people are happy to occupy in a train carriage.

18

Wow, I have no recollection of having participated in this thread, but cribbage isn’t a great example as there’s constant calling out your points. I suppose it can be done in silence, but it’s a bit awkward. What was I thinking back then?

The idea of a completely silent train car sounds absolutely impossible for me.