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The original was posted on /r/tifu by /u/hornyadele on 2024-11-12 23:39:47+00:00.

So, this happened last week, and I still feel like an idiot. I was planning a quick trip to visit my friend in a city about 4 hours away by train, and I thought it’d be fun to try out the “scenic route.” You know, maybe pass through some mountains, cute little towns, maybe even spot a moose. I’ve been working from home and thought the change of scenery could be refreshing.

So, I’m on the website, comparing train tickets, and I see an option that was WAY cheaper than the rest. Excited, I booked it without looking at the itinerary. (It had the correct destination)

Well, the day comes, the train departs, and within the first hour, I’m already starting to get suspicious. We pass through this super random industrial area, then loop BACK around to the starting station for some reason, and then we head out again in a totally different direction. The whole vibe is… off. But at this point, I’m still convinced it’s part of the “scenic route,” so I just sit back and start munching on my snacks.

Three hours later, I’m definitely not where I should be. We’ve stopped at every single train station known to man and a few that look like they haven’t seen a passenger since 1974. I finally ask the train conductor, “Hey, this train goes to my destination, right?” He just laughs. And then says: “Eventually.”

This was not a scenic train. This was the “we’re gonna take you to every village and backwoods town” train. Turns out, I’d accidentally booked myself onto a commuter train that essentially stops everywhere and is mainly for locals hopping from one rural spot to another. Google Maps showed I was practically zigzagging across the region like a demented Pac-Man.

At hour 7, I ran out of snacks. At hour 10, I ran out of patience. By hour 13, I questioned every choice I’d ever made. There was no Wi-Fi, so I couldn’t even stream anything. I basically had to entertain myself by counting the cows we passed.

When I finally arrived at my friend’s place, I was basically a shell of a human, looked like I’d just come back from some post-apocalyptic survival training. My friend had already gone to bed.

TL;DR: Tried to book a “scenic train” to a friend’s place, ended up on a 17-hour commuter nightmare with nothing but stale snacks and regret for company.