Travel Articles

There are of course numerous methods of transport to be considered when travelling from point to point when planning your holiday right from the moment you arrive.
If travelling by plane, the majority of airports will offer coach/bus transfer services to your destination, or a designated airport train into the city which will quickly be followed up by a local commuter/underground train service or a local transport bus to get you where you need to be. Some of course opt for car hire to make themselves completely independent of schedules and timetables which can often be a more cost effective method of transport offering more freedom to the traveller. Here we explore the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Car Hire
There are many reasons why car hire is so prevalent around the world. Phenomenally cheap car hire rates are one, but of course, the main pull is the flexibility and ultimate freedom of car hire car allows a traveller when moving from place to place. For example, when arriving at an airport; once you have got the keys to your car, all you have to do is throw your luggage in the back and away you go. Gone is the headache of having to cart your heavy bags around with you as you try and find the bus or train terminal. Going on excursions on holiday destinations is also a popular activity. Some plump for organised coach tours put on by their holiday operators which normally incur extra cost and are rigidly scheduled, so that an itinerary is set up to cater for the tastes of a whole group and not an individual. Hiring a car releases you from this, allowing you to go where you want, when you want for as long as you want, which every holidaymaker looking to escape the confines of their hotel/resort know is the most ideal situation. Parallels to this are drawn to those solely on holiday to enjoy the beaches and sunshine. Many arrive in peak season finding the nearest beach crowded or not to their taste. With a car, you are able to travel along the coast until you find a setting that suits you best. The only major drawback travellers incur with driving abroad is the possibility of traffic jams and finding places to park, and for those more cautious drivers driving on the opposite side of the road can be daunting.

Bus
In many cases, using the bus abroad can be an extremely cost-effective way of travelling around. Across Europe for example, the main coach company is Eurolines, who offer services to and from most major European cities and destinations with fares set at prices that train and car hire companies would struggle to compete with. This can be said of the United States also, where their Megabus company offers journeys that can travel hundreds of miles for just $1. Greyhound is also a relatively cheap bus service that covers the entire country. These unbelievable prices however come with a downside. Buses can often get stuck in traffic. Also, due to the prices, you can expect in a lot of instances to be sat with a bus full of people for several hours in a stuffy environment with almost no legroom, which over a period of hours can become very uncomfortable. The coach is also the slowest method of transport in comparison to the car or the train. With buses you are also subject to timetable schedules, which rule out any flexibility to your travel times and if travelling long distance; you may find yourself waiting a long time for a connecting bus at another station to take you further for your onward journey.

Train
Getting the train is arguably the most relaxing method of transport out there. Simply arrive at the station, get your bags stored away and kick back as you watch the world go by at high-speed from your window without having to worry about the possibility of traffic jams. However, with trains you are often made to pay for these privileges, with fares often set very high when buying tickets near or on your journey date. To combat this, many companies around Europe and America offer substantial discounts to those who book in advance online. This can reap savings on tickets which can sometimes be more than 50%. Another drawback of using trains is that you are again restricted to their timetables. This can be problematic when travelling long distances and having to use connecting trains at other stations, especially in parts of Europe and America where you will often find that there may be as little as two daily services you can use to make a long trek, before even considering having to wait at a station to pick up a connecting service.