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Oh, I manage! Most railway stations in Asia seem to have sign boards in English as well as the local language, so it isn't really any harder than airports. I will have previously booked tickets as far as Beijing, and showing a ticket seems to result in me being led by the hand to the appropriate bit of scruffy concrete.
I can manage signs in Russian script, and if all else fails the picture dictionary or Google translate usually resolve things. It's surprisingly how many people speak a bit of English or French.
As for food, point and smile works. I can eat most things without disaster. I can ask for beer in at least twelve languages, and say thank you!
I print out a list of stations, train numbers and times for where i need to buy tickets at the station. Similar thing for buses. When it gets down to local minibuses or the back of a truck i may resort to looking stupid, which is not hard for me to do. This usually results in arrival at the correct place. I stay mostly in guest houses and hostels when traveling, and there is normally a decent ethnic mix. Communication happens.
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