Train passengers given live yoga classes to help ease stress of travel, pandemic

A train operator has made traveling more tranquil – by hosting live yoga classes during journeys.

Heathrow Express passengers traveling yesterday were treated to sessions with yoga influencer Celest Pereira, who has developed a 12-minute seat-yoga and meditation session to help travelers relax.

The class has been developed so travelers of all ages and abilities can perform the exercises safely from their seats – and it’s believed to be the first time a yoga class has taken place on a moving train.

To get passengers in the right frame of mind, the ‘Tranquil Train’ carriage hosting the sessions was decorated with fresh eucalyptus and lavender to fill the carriage with soothing aromas.

The initiative was trialed after a study also commissioned by Heathrow Express found more than half of public transport users find travel stressful following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Celest Pereira said: “Travelling can get very fraught – there are lots of things going on, lots of things to think about, and it’s very deadline driven – so it can be a very intense experience.”

“By hosting these classes we’re hoping to alleviate those pressures and help passengers be in the present moment, feel less overwhelmed and relieve any muscle tension.”

“There’s no reason why travel can’t be tranquil – and often it’s about training your brain to think a little differently.”

“And that’s largely what these meditation and yoga sessions are doing – they aim to help passengers clear their heads through breathing exercises and particular body stretches.”

The study of 2,000 adults also identified the most frustrating aspects of travel – including delayed departures (52 percent) and crowds (48 percent).

Missing flights, trains, or buses (47 percent) also leads to aggravation, as does trying to find a seat (43 percent) and worrying you’ve forgotten something like your passport or the tickets (40 percent).

Other worries include getting lost (38 percent), being separated from your luggage (33 percent), and missing travel announcements (29 percent).

So perhaps it’s no wonder 72 percent would like operators do more to make traveling on public transport more relaxing.

Joe Bence, a 26-year-old from London who was among those who boarded the Heathrow Express ‘Tranquil Train’, said: “I have such a busy life and usually look at my phone on the train – but today I completely switched off. 

“The class was a nice distraction from life, it made my day.”

And 31-year-old Talitha Lindo, also from London, added: “I enjoy going to new places but I’m not too keen on the travel aspect – it’s too busy and rushed.”

“So, something like this is really great – it’s made me feel how I think you should feel when traveling, and I’m a lot more excited about my trip now. I’m feeling very zen, so the exercise has definitely worked.”

Those polled also revealed how operators might be able to reduce passenger worry when traveling – including more ‘quiet carriages’ (39 percent) and reserved seats (39 percent).

Free snacks or refreshments (36 percent) would also make a difference, as would reserved places for luggage (32 percent) and onboard entertainment to take mind off things (30 percent).

Three in 10 (30 percent) would also like tranquil music to be played during journeys, while a quarter (24 percent) think calming fragrances would help, according to the OnePoll.com data.

The eucalyptus aroma on the ‘Tranquil Train’ made an impression on many passengers.

Commenting on her experience, Elizabeth, from Washington DC, said: “This was a real pick me up, especially after a long over night flight. The smell is so wonderful.”

The poll revealed onboard yoga classes get the thumbs up from around a fifth (18 percent), so passengers who missed this experience on the ‘Tranquil Train’ yesterday can relive the moment on Heathrow Express over the next year as their onboard media screens will show a short recording of the class, for future passengers to get involved and relax.

The flowers used on board for the event have been fashioned into 45 beautiful bouquets and donated to a local Paddington charity, LDN London – who are giving a bouquet to brighten each of their 45 services.

A spokesperson from Heathrow Express said: “We’ve always aimed to provide a premium service which is easy and straightforward while giving passengers all the facilities they need.

“Our trains run every 15 minutes and offer the quickest transfer between Heathrow and Central London, so if passengers need to get somewhere fast our service is one they can rely on.

“But we’re only one part of the journey – many passengers have already spent hours on trains or planes before they travel on our service, by which point they can be feeling quite tense and exhausted.

“So hopefully initiatives like the ‘Tranquil Train’ will ease worries and help to relax passengers as they get back to traveling following the COVID-19 pandemic.”