EuroStar Introducing a Sound Menu on Trains

Rail travelers in Europe will be able to set the mood for their journey thanks to the new sound menu debuting on board Eurostar trains. Developed with Sony and a music psychologist from England’s Keele University, the sound menu allows passengers to create a bubble of sound to soothe them at the touch of a button, or choose music to inspire, fire up, focus or calm them, or make the journey pass quicker and more pleasantly.

Five styles of library music are available on the sound menu, building on 300 hours of free content already available to Eurostar travelers via their own devices. Sony is trumpeting noise cancellation technology, featured in its products such as the 1000X headphones, as an even more effective way of filtering out background noise and making the most of the sound menu. The 1000X comes with a Quick Attention Mode to hear train announcements, order a coffee or hear conversations with a tap to the side of the headset, but the sound menu works with all brands of audio devices.

Dr Alexandra Lamont, a Senior Lecturer in Music Psychology, says creating a bubble of sound around you is a great way to relax.

First of the 5 styles of music is the “getting the job done style” to help business travelers focus on their work. The sound is fast and at medium to high levels to motivate and encourage productivity, but with low variation to keep it unobtrusive.

Music to psych travelers up for a working day is on offer in the second channel, with fast tempos and building rhythms to inspire travelers.

To help passengers who want the journey to speed by, the “getting A to B” track offers expansive music,
or there’s the calming, inspirational sound of the “in the moment” menu option, with slow beats and gentle rhythms.

Another soothing option is the “job well done” track to wind down, maybe after a long working day, take some energy out of the journey and deliver travelers to a calmer place.

Eurostar are rolling out the new sound menu across their e300 and e320 fleet of trains, including journeys between London and Paris, London and Brussels, and to the south of France including Marseille. To experience a train journey across the continent with an ambience you can influence yourself, book now and pack your smartphone, tablet or iPhone.

For more information, you can visit EuroStar’s website here.