A1 Level – Elementary
1. Do you travel by train?
2. What is a long journey?
3. Do you like fast travel?
4. What is a train station?
5. Do you watch the window view?
6. What is a noisy sound?
7. Do you like comfortable seats?
8. What is a ticket?
9. Do you think trains are green (good for the planet)?
10. What is a big tunnel?
11. Do you read on trains?
12. What is a crowded carriage?
13. Do you worry about being late?
14. What are three things you see from a train window?
15. Do you think trains are important?
A2 Level – Pre-Intermediate
1. What is the difference between a train and a subway?
2. Why are trains a good way to travel long distances?
3. What are the good things and bad things about high-speed trains?
4. How can a train company make the journey more comfortable?
5. Should all cities invest more money in train infrastructure?
6. Why is train travel generally more environmentally friendly than flying?
7. Do you think trains are romantic?
8. What is the purpose of a dining car on a long journey?
9. How does technology affect the speed and safety of modern trains?
10. What is the difference between freight (goods) trains and passenger trains?
11. Do you think train travel is becoming more popular?
12. What are the problems when trains are always delayed?
13. When is the best time to buy a train ticket cheaply?
14. What are two things that make train stations busy?
15. How does train travel affect the local economy of small towns?
B1 Level – Intermediate
1. What are the rules for politely talking on the phone in a train carriage?
2. How does the cost of train tickets compare to the cost of driving?
3. Should the government provide free Wi-Fi on all public trains?
4. What is the difference between a historical steam train and a modern electric one?
5. Do you believe that train travel is a form of sustainable tourism?
6. What are the challenges of building high-speed rail across different countries?
7. How does a lack of train network affect rural communities?
8. What is the idea of a “sleeper train”?
9. Is it fair or unfair when some citizens have much better train access than others?
10. How does the design of the train seat affect long-term comfort?
11. What are the steps for properly planning a complex, multi-train journey?
12. What is the value of traveling by train to see the landscape change?
13. Should public media criticize train companies for high prices?
14. What are the reasons why some people prefer to fly instead of taking the train?
15. How does the punctuality of trains affect business and work schedules?
B2 Level – Upper-Intermediate
1. What are the social pressures to use the fastest possible travel method?
2. What are the moral problems when train lines are built through protected natural areas?
3. How does constant work on a laptop affect the time available for looking out the window?
4. Should train companies be legally required to refund tickets for major delays?
5. Analyze the psychological effect of the rhythmic motion and sounds of a train journey.
6. Who is responsible for promoting inter-city train travel over domestic flights?
7. What is your view on the practice of using trains for very short, inner-city commutes?
8. Evaluate the role of private companies versus state-owned entities in running train networks.
9. How does the concept of “last mile connectivity” relate to train stations?
10. Discuss the concept of “trainspotting” (train hobbyists) and its community.
11. What are the problems with having very different track widths and standards across continents?
12. What are the legal differences between a train delay and a train cancellation?
13. Do you agree that the purpose of trains is mainly to reduce road traffic?
14. What steps should be taken to ensure that trains are highly accessible to people with mobility issues?
15. How does the literature and cinema about trains affect the public perception of rail travel?
C1 Level – Advanced
1. Is it fair that the massive public investment in roads often overshadows investment in rail?
2. What is the right way to think about a train company’s moral duty to prioritize safety over profit?
3. How do the platform’s algorithms influence the visibility of train travel options compared to flights?
4. When should the government consider mandatory shifts of freight transport from roads to rail?
5. What are the moral questions when we talk about trains displacing local communities during construction?
6. How does the focus on speed affect the long-term, necessary investment in maintenance and comfort?
7. Discuss the impact of major train strikes or closures on the national economy.
8. How should leaders use knowledge about train efficiency to promote sustainable urban development?
9. What is the idea of “rail nationalism” and its effect on international cooperation?
10. What are the long-term effects on society when fewer people experience slow, long-distance travel?
11. What are the difficulties when courts try to assign responsibility for a large-scale train accident?
12. How does the search for total convenience conflict with the need for a slower, more deliberate journey?
13. Do you agree that the most important thing is the train’s environmental benefit, not its cost?
14. What are the simple moral rules a person should follow when they benefit from subsidized train travel?
15. Should the government set a legal minimum for the amount of affordable rail travel available for all citizens?
C2 Level – Proficiency
1. What is the real difference between a person’s desire for the destination and the appreciation for the journey itself?
2. Debate the idea: Should we completely eliminate all domestic flights in favor of high-speed rail?
3. How does the concept of “border” change when high-speed rail allows near-instantaneous international travel?
4. What laws or rules are needed to control how technology platforms use train delay data for commercial prediction?
5. How do historical views of the Industrial Revolution and railroads affect modern labor practices?
6. How can communities maintain their traditional culture when fast trains bring massive numbers of tourists?
7. Argue the point that humans should stop all attempts to control train speed and allow natural market forces to determine investment.
8. What protection should laws give to employees who suffer from repetitive strain injuries in train maintenance?
9. How can we stop the problem of using the argument of “efficiency” to justify excessive noise pollution from trains?
10. What did old thinkers say about movement, public space, and the flow of commerce that is still important today?
11. What will happen to the need for human drivers if trains become fully automated and driverless?
12. How do people use the idea of “personal space” to avoid discussing the necessity of shared public transport?
13. How does the experience of a long train journey improve a person’s appreciation for quiet, focused time?
14. What is the power of a collective movement to demand that train networks be publicly owned and operated?
15. If scientists could create a perfect, low-cost hyperloop system, how would that fundamentally change the need for cars?
