The postdigital learning spaces of a transcontinental train journey

This chapter reports on an autoethnographic exercise where, as a university lecturer, I recorded and reflected upon my experiences of performing academic work while travelling by rail between Scotland and Switzerland, to attend an education conference. I wanted to explore whether and how the postdigital conditions of the train carriage would enable me to teach, write, and undertake the other aspects of my role while travelling away from home and the university campus. This was connected to my anxiety around the harmful environmental impact of flying to international events, and whether the train provided a viable, more sustainable alternative. My experiences across many hours of travel showed the transcontinental train journey to be a productive and convivial working space, very often achieved through my easy access to digital technologies. At the same time, this was also made possible through my mobility and physical health, the availability of funding to cover the cost of rail travel, and other conditions that would not apply on every occasion, or to everyone who seeks to attend international conferences.