Transportation

Transportation is a concern of every traveler, whether planning how to reach a destination or trying to hail a taxi. Numerous transportation options exist, ranging from one-way trips in a first-class jet to budget accommodation on a freighter.

General transportation subjects

Choosing your vehicle

On some routes, many different vehicles can be considered. For example, from Copenhagen to Stockholm, flying might be fastest, while an intercity bus is cheapest, driving allows more baggage, and rail travel is the most comfortable (and at five hours on par with the plane, when going from downtown to downtown). Finally, cruising or yachting between these cities would take one or two days more than the other options, while being a greater experience than the destination itself.

Budget travel is a concern for everyone except the wealthiest, and only the most patient need no time management. Other concerns are safety, scheduling, environmental issues, medical conditions, and the amount of baggage needed.

Buses and planes may severely limit the amount of baggage and even charge for checked baggage. Trains and cruise ships usually have no nominal limit to the amount of luggage, though they require it to be carried by the travelling party. Even where checked luggage on trains exists, allowances are usually more generous than for aviation. Your own boat or a car may have even more – or more convenient – capacity for extraordinary amounts of luggage. Still think carefully about what you really need.

The schedule of a public carrier might be a limiting factor. While some airline services fly only once a week, a metro line might depart as often as every few minutes. With your own vehicle, this is usually not a problem, unless you need to use a ferry, or if roads are temporarily closed down. However, road tolls, speed restrictions and traffic congestion might vary by time of day, the day of the week, or by season.

The vehicle of choice might depend on the country or region. While the United States is – with limited exceptions – built for the car, Hong Kong has the highest use of public transport in the world, Japan has a great rail network, and in the Netherlands, cycling is practical even for inter-city journeys.

By plane
Flying topics: Planning your flight → At the airport → On the plane → Arriving by plane

For distances of over 500 km, flying is usually the fastest mode of transportation. Crossing an ocean or continent will take days by any other method, and flying is usually even cheaper in such cases. On the other hand, flying generally involves airport transfer, and dealing with security checks and baggage issues other travellers might not have to face. Where high speed rail is available, it is often a faster option than the plane, though not necessarily always cheaper. Shop around and see what best serves your needs.

Ticket purchase
See also: Planning your flight, Air travel on a budget

Purchasing airline tickets can involve a mind-numbing array of fare classes, date restrictions, and price options. Two travelers sitting next to one another on a plane have almost always paid different fares. Finding the cheapest route and best prices can be a challenge. Specialised search engines will help you. Your local travel agent may also be able to find you cheaper flights than are offered online.

Cabin classes
See also: Aircraft seating, First and business class travel

Airline travel varies from cramped economy cabins to large suites that may even offer a full-length bed. Prices vary according to class of service, but frequent flyer status and other methods offer ways of sometimes getting upgraded travel without the upgraded price.

Round the world flights
Main article: Round the world flights

Several airlines offer round-the-world flights, with a number of stops on the way. If you want to see several locations far from home, this is sometimes the best way. Options and flexibility vary between the different schemes.

Security issues
See also: At the airport, Border crossing, Avoiding travel through the United States

Airport security has become more strict in the 21st century, and offers a host of hassles for travelers. Arriving at the airport in time to make it through security checks, carrying the proper documentation and avoiding transits through countries with strict security constraints are all considerations on a trip by air.

General aviation
Main article: General aviation

Travelling at the controls of a small plane as a private pilot can be one of the most fulfilling travel experiences possible. You get to see the world from a perspective entirely different from the ground or from commercial aviation. Most parts of the world have some form of general aviation; in Western countries such as the United States and Europe small airports are everywhere. Costs are somewhat higher than commercial airline seats; travel time is less than by car but usually somewhat more than by airline. On the other hand, when the costs of operating a light plane are shared between the pilot and passengers, it can be a surprisingly economical way of getting around. Becoming a pilot can take a significant amount of time and money, but most will agree the rewards are outstanding; for most travel pilots the journey is the reward.

A few business travellers fly aboard corporate aircraft, small planes owned by their employers. A helicopter is a necessity for offshore oil platform operators and some mining and resource firms.

Bush planes

A few small communities in remote locations (such as Alaska or the Canadian High Arctic) rely on small aircraft to bring supplies or postal service; often these are scheduled runs in small aircraft (like those used for charter service or general aviation, some may even be float planes which land at sea) to expensive-to-reach points far from the beaten path. There are still some communities outside the arctic best or only reached by air, mostly in Australia and developing countries. The name stems from the "bush" meaning the sparsely populated areas in e.g. much of Africa.

Air charter

Air charter is the official name for air taxi operations, for which national aviation regulators impose specific regulations for pilot qualifications and experience, safety, and maintenance.

Air charter companies fly point-to-point, at the time requested by hiring customers, so that customers don't need to wait in-line at major hub airports. Air charter companies often fly smaller aircraft with room for 3-9 (or more) passengers. Aircraft with more than 9 passengers start to fall into the "commuter" size range, subjecting them to extra requirements and costs. The VLJ (very light jet) aircraft being delivered by Eclipse Aviation and others typically seat 4-5 passengers, and offer a new set of choices for point-to-point flights.

By train
Main article: Rail travel

Travel by rail often invokes a past era, with tracks winding through mountains and forests, comforts including dining cars and sleeper cabins, and other amenities not available to air and motor travelers.

While heritage dating back to the 19th century can be found in Europe and some Asian countries (South Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan) as well, the high speed trains, which beat cars hands down in terms of speed, have nothing nostalgic about them, but rather, they are cutting-edge technologies and the pride of their creators. Although the price of a ticket might reflect that, they are often not more expensive than flying (and may end up being cheaper than driving) on short (less than 1,000 km) routes and the experience of whisking through picturesque landscapes at more than 300 km per hour (or 200 miles per hour) may well be worth the cost. As one famous slogan for one of the first high speed rail services said: flying at altitude zero. Just sit back and relax. Oh and the dining cars and even sleepers? The former are still available on many high speed lines and the latter on a few. High speed rail is also the safest mode of travel, as accidents on these lines are seen as a national disgrace in most countries and safety standards are tough.

Regardless of speed most trains around the world also offer more legroom than all but first class airline seats. Food (regardless whether cooked on board or from your lunch box) also tastes better aboard a train, as the lower air pressure and dry air in planes affects your taste buds.

For more in-depth information see:

  • Tips for rail travel – If you have never been on a train, look no further than this article.
  • High-speed rail – These high-tech trains are often faster than flying.
  • Sleeper trains – A comfortable way to combine travelling with a place to sleep.
  • Urban rail – Love it or hate it, almost all self-respecting metropolises in the world have some form of it. Usually they are fast, cheap and reliable.
  • Amtrak – America's much laughed about intercity-rail operator is slowly coming into its own with a steady growth in passengers as well as the "crown jewel" Northeast Corridor (Boston–Washington) where trains are giving the airlines a run for their money.
  • Rail travel in Europe – For one of the most extensive, cheap and user-friendly train networks.
  • Rail travel in Japan – The original bullet trains. You get top speed, but you have to pay top price.
  • Rail travel in China – Comprising the longest high-speed rail network in the world, including the world's only high-speed sleeper trains.

By boat
Main article: Boat travel

Boat travel used to be the fastest way to travel around the world from ancient times until the railways developed in the 19th century.

Ferries
Main article: Ferries

Ferries are all but essential to reach islands such as Ireland or Newfoundland, which otherwise would only be accessible by air travel. Ferries also sail along rivers and cross seas. Coastal ferries follow the shoreline providing a scenic and comfortable means or travel, or to supply the most remote outposts, small coastal villages with no intercity road network. Some ferries also carry cars and there are still a few ferries around that carry trains, though the rise of air travel and the increasing availability of tunnels and bridges have made those a rare sight in passenger transport.

Cruise ships
Main article: Cruise ships

Cruise ships range in size from vessels holding a handful of passengers to floating cities that hold thousands of passengers and offer all of the amenities that one would expect of a luxury resort. They provide access to nice destinations and can sometimes be used to cross a sea or even ocean as part of a longer journey.

Freighter travel
Main article: Freighter travel

A less crowded, sometimes cheaper, alternative for crossing a sea or ocean, not using airplanes or commercial cruise ships or ferries.

Yacht charter
See also: Cruising on small craft

Yacht chartering is the best kept secret in the holiday industry. It is where you hire a yacht (either a sailing yacht or a motor yacht) and sail in a different part of the world each year. As well as the flexibility it offers it can also be surprisingly excellent value for money, often working out cheaper than booking hotel rooms, especially if there are a good number of people going on holiday together. It also usually works out cheaper than owning your own yacht if you charter for up to six weeks a year. In order to charter a yacht you may need to demonstrate that you have a qualified skipper and at least one competent crew member. if you are not able to supply your own skipper (this is known as "bare-boat charter") you can pay to have one supplied, which is known as a "skippered" or "crewed" charter. Popular locations include Croatia, Greece, Seychelles, Turkey, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Whitsunday Islands. You could also try the Baltic Sea or the inner waterways of Western Europe.

Houseboat rental is an option in some regions, such as the Thousand Islands and the Kawarthas in Canada.

Hitchhiking boats
Main article: Hitchhiking boats

Some have a yacht but lack a crew. On some routes this is a common occurrence, and you might get a memorable (seldom free) voyage across some body of water. Having experience or key skills is an advantage, but often the right attitude is enough. The downside is that finding the yacht can take some (or plenty) time, space is limited, and yachts are hardly the fastest option.

By road

Animal-powered travel

Horse riding is a pastime in many countries, and remains the most practical mode of transportation in some areas.

Carriages and stagecoaches drawn by horses or other animals can be used as a recreational vehicle.

Bus travel
Main article: Bus travel

Rarely the most glamorous or even the most comfortable way to get around, buses are often the cheapest option except walking, and indispensable in low income regions such as Central America or South East Asia. Almost any inhabited place on Earth has some form of bus service either local or inter-city, either every five minutes or once a month. While the bus ride is usually not the thing you write home about, knowing how to get from A to B is the first thing you should consider when planning your trip. And for some the journey is indeed the destination and even a ride in a battered up old school-bus can be reason to travel all by itself. Whatever there may be to say against bus travel, it is for sure one of the best ways to meet the locals and start a conversation. Brush up on the local languages or print out a Phrasebook.

Cycling
Main article: Cycling

Cycling trips can range from your daily commute or the ride to the grocer to adventures that last for months, with the cyclist using manpower to traverse the countryside. Some newer bicycles also offer assistance through an auxiliary electric motor, but on longer trips the recharging of the battery will almost certainly fall back on your muscle power, much like a hybrid car recharges its battery through recuperative breaking. While cycling can be frustrating in places that lack infrastructure for it, it can be a very rewarding way of seeing the landscape up close and getting you to places you would never have gotten to otherwise. City cycling offers a wider range than walking while still preserving the advantage of enabling you to stop and look around or enter any interesting place you might find without having to look for parking.

Driving
Main article: Driving
See also: Road trips, Truck stops

In some countries such as the United States a car is a nearly indispensable tool for travel. Cars allow plenty of baggage and flexibility in destination planning, but require maintenance, insurance, and valid driving permits. They are also usually one of the more expensive modes of travel, all things considered, and raise environmental concerns.

Driving is the obvious choice, if not the only option in many places, for countryside destinations and outdoor life, far from congested city streets.

Hitchhiking
Main article: Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking is an inexpensive and sometimes dangerous way to get from one place to another. Hitchhiking has its own codes and rules, and can be an effective and enjoyable means of travel for some.

Motorcycling
Main article: Motorcycling

Traveling by motorcycle enables you to enjoy the surroundings you travel through in at a completely different level than if you'd travel by car, while you can travel further and faster than on a regular bike.

Ride hailing services
Main article: Ride hailing services

Ride hailing services emerged as commercially organised ride sharing services, but now work more or less as taxis called by a smart phone app. In some countries they follow taxi legislation, in others they are less regulated. The drivers more often work part-time and the cars may be less standardised than the typical taxis.

Ride sharing
Main article: Ride sharing

Ride sharing is where a ride is arranged in advance and expenses are shared. You can use websites and apps to see when rides are offered. In some countries it's more known as carpooling. In its pure form, the driver is driving anyway and pays their share of the costs.

Shared intercity taxis

Some countries have these, sometimes known as minivans but more often by a local name. They usually depart when every seat is taken. And usually you can pay for a second seat if you like more space or an earlier departure.

Taxis
Main article: Taxis

Taxis are usually convenient for door-to-door-rides. It might however get costly, especially in high-income countries. They may still be used also over long distances, in low income countries or where there are few alternatives.

Motorcycle and tricycle taxis (rickshaws) are available in some countries, usually cheaper than taxis, however you will have to bargain with the driver.

Public transportation

Public transportation can consist of buses, urban rail systems, or more exotic vehicles, such as funiculars or local ferries. It is usually the most practical way to get around large cities.

While it is usually cheaper than a taxi or a car, comfort and reliability vary a lot between cities.

Unlike car or plane travel, frequency is a key consideration when it comes to public transportation and is easy to overlook for travellers used to driving. For services within a city, town, or metro area, if frequencies are better than about once every 20 minutes, you're likely to feel that you can get around flexibly: just go to the station when you feel like it and a bus or train will come soon enough. If frequencies are much lower, you tend to need to look at the schedule in advance and this makes any outing more complicated to plan.

Specific cities and regions

On foot
Main article: Walking
See also: Long distance walking in Europe

Cross-country skiing, ice skating, and hiking are not the fastest way to get around, but can be very rewarding.

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