> British rail travel in general is about as comfortable as pulling teeth with rusty pliers A reminder to foreigners that this should be read assuming typical

> British rail travel in general is about as comfortable as pulling teeth with rusty pliers A reminder to foreigners that this should be read assuming typical British self-deprecation. Trains/carriages (so seats, noise etc) in Britain are usually of lower quality than their closest competitors in nearby countries (France, Germany, Netherlands, etc), and outside south east England they're also more expensive. However, they are generally more frequent, and the system as a whole is the safest in the world. With London being so large, there are some commuter/suburban rail routes that cover significant distances, like Bedford to Brighton. I wouldn't choose to travel that route for the sake of the journey, but Høje Taastrup to København H on the commuter train is also less comfortable than on a regional or intercity train.