Is it permissible for a resident of Tanta who works in Cairo (a distance of 86 km) to combine and shorten the Dhuhr and Asr prayers before leaving work to catch the train, knowing that he fears missing the Asr prayer or arriving late after Maghrib, and is it permissible to pray in the train while sitting?

It is permissible for a traveler to combine the Dhuhr and Asr prayers, and the Maghrib and Isha prayers, whether he is on the move or has stopped. For a traveler who is on the move, it is better to combine the prayers. However, for a traveler who has stopped, it is better not to combine them unless there is a need or hardship. A traveler can pray while seated in a train or plane if he is unable to stand, while striving to pray in congregation. It is more cautious not to pray in the train if it is possible to combine the prayer with a previous or subsequent prayer upon disembarking, unless one fears that the time for the prayer will expire.