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Europe Travel Newsletter:
Getting Around (2 of 4)
By rail, by wheel, by foot, by thumb –
Lots of ways, lots of fun.
The strength of the European Union has made it easier and easier to travel between the countries of Europe. Also, as Eastern European nations develop too, the entire continent, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Ural Mountains, is becoming more and more accessible to travelers.
Getting around Europe has its share of difficulties too, but this newsletter should help remedy them. When figuring out how you'll travel around the Continent, keep this in mind:
- Depending on budget and schedule, either fly, or take the train or bus when traveling long distances (moving, say, between countries and major cities). Or, in the case of island-hopping, you'll need to sort out a ferry.
- In the city, either walk or use public transport. European cities are known for their compactness and walkability, and what better way to see a place?
- The cities are also known for the difficulty of driving and parking in town. Save your rental car money until you're ready to explore the surrounding region and countryside. Rail and bus transportation also is less reliable and more restrictive outside of cities, whereas renting a car lets you travel at your own pace, to wherever you want to go.
Or, to put it another way,
- If getting there quickly is your main concern, Europebyair.com offers a well-priced flight version of a rail pass.
- If you want to see the countryside, and to travel at good prices, with both locals and travelers, but at varying degrees of speed and comfort, go by either rail or bus.
- If time is a factor but you still have a large itinerary, and you want to interact more with people and see more of the countryside, we recommend rail passes over bus travel for reliability, efficiency, comfort and cost-effectiveness. (However, the good folks at Busabout may disagree, as you'll find in this section of their FAQ, "Isn't it faster to go by train?")
- If you want complete control over your schedule and route, and don't mind paying for it, rent a car for the duration of your trip. Or just use it to explore the surrounding region.
- If you've got plenty of time and really want to have some fun, then hitch, hike or cycle.
So with that in mind, start planning! In this newsletter:
Message Boards
Our boards are a great way to find information, and to interact with other travelers in this supportive, open community. Register your handle and we'll see you in the threads!
Our featured discussion for this newsletter is 'Favorite Greek Islands'. Kat is going to Greece this month, and wants to do some island-hopping – a popular summer pasttime for many travelers hitting the Continent. Find suggestions for your trip, or add your own to this thread in BootsnAll's Europe Discussion Board.
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Europe Travel Guides
Our travel guides are written from the individual perspective of writers who are also travelers. They live in the places they write about, and put together guides that are far more than just information. Before you even leave your home, they engage you in the local culture. As you start deciding which cities and places to travel to, turn to the Europe Travel Guides for help.
Featured Guide: London Travel Guide
Stacy Ashworth and Barbara Cummings give you the best, the worst and the interesting of this most major of major cities.
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European Rail Passes
The classic way to see Europe. More options, countries and flexibility also keep another classic, the European Rail Pass, one of the best ways to get everywhere you want to go – and to enjoy the sights and scenery in-between.
This is our preferred way to go, and we freely admit our love of the rail. Train travel, in our opinion, has many advantages over other types of transport:
- Especially for large distances, it's usually faster than bus or car.
- When you arrive in town, you arrive in town. Train stations are located in city centres, unlike airports, so are close to hostels, pubs, sights, restaurants, public transportation – you name it.
- You interact with both locals and travelers, so you can meet people.
- Don't have to worry about traffic.
- More comfortable than planes and buses – especially buses (not as cramped, can walk around, snack carts, buffet cars, and toilets that don't stink up the whole place).
- Look at towns, at the countryside; the train allows you to comfortably sit back and enjoy the view.
- Compared to other types of travel, rail passes provide amazing flexibility for your route and cost-effectiveness for your budget.
- For shorter trips, the train is probably the best way to 'blitz' all the places on your travel plan.
Sound good? We thought so. We also have the means for you to put together and purchase your European Rail Pass. If the UK is in your plans too, you can purchase your BritRail Pass as well. Examples of rail passes and packages include:
- Europass. Valid for travel in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, and the associated countries: Austria/Hungary, Benelux, Portugal and Greece. Choose between standard Europass, Europass Saverpass or the Europass/Hertz Drive, for those wanting a rail/rental car package.
- Single Country Passes. For the traveler who wants to focus on one particular country or region. Choose from one of the many individual country passes that are available.
- Eurostar. The first true international train. It connects Paris, London and Brussels, with a travel time of less than 3 hours. Purchase a Eurail pass or Europass and receive great Eurostar discounts.
There are other packages and offers available, of course; these are just a few examples. But you've seen the reasons, you know it's flexible, and you know you're getting good value for the money. So start booking your rail pass!
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Bus Travel
Of course, the trouble with trains is that, rail pass or not, they can be a bit pricey. If you'd rather spend less of your money on transportation, consider buying bus passes.
The best time to use the bus, though, is when you're in a large city and need to get around cheaply. Most major cities have bus and other public transportation systems, and are great for getting you around town.
Use the sites below to find specials, including discounted fares for students, or just explore the services on offer for where you want to go in Europe:
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BusAbout
Not so much a coach service, as a "hop on, hop off" service designed for independent travelers. Their bus passes and packages can get you to pretty much any point in Western and Southern Europe.
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BusEireann
Ireland's national bus service can get you all over the island for a song. Via their Eurolines service, you also can take coach and ferry services to the UK and Europe.
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National Express
The British bus service also operates coach and air services throughout both the UK and the Continent. Using their GoByCoach service, check timetables, look for discounts and book online.
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Car Rental
See the sights at your pace, or go to the out-of-the-way places that the trains and buses just don't hit. Explore the countryside. Stop for hikes. Stop for picnics. Stop for the sake of stopping. Pick up hitchhikers, and meet new people. Renting a car gives you more control over what you do and the pace at which you do it. It's also a great way to explore the areas outside the cities, where public transportation might not go.
Use BootsnAll's CarWiz or our Hotwire service to reserve your rental car, and happy driving!
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By Boat
If your budget is really tight, you can always swim the English Channel... but there are easier (and warmer) ways to navigate the waters of Europe. From UK to mainland, or from mainland to the many, many islands scattered from Galway Bay to the North Sea to the Mediterranean, water travel will probably be necessary. Instead of waxing on for ages about it though, we've found an exhaustive collection of links and resources for Europe Ferry Transporation, with both general services, and country-by-country listings.
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Other Ways to Get Around
Now, all this above, that's all well and fine – but it's still on the beaten track. For those who really want to taste some adventure, to meet more people, to truly taste the freedom of throwing oneself to the whimsical winds of travel... or if you just want to get around town without spending much, well, here are some other ways to do it.
Walking, Hiking, Rambling & Ambling
Sometimes it seems a lost art, especially if all you do with your feet is push brake and gas pedals. In European cities, towns and countryside, however, by foot is the way to go. It puts you completely on the level with locals, and lets you experience places close-up.
Outside of town, too, you should lace up the ol' hiking boots. Find hiking trails or, if you're in Britain, walk the pastoral paths with the Brits in their laidback way of hiking: the ramble. Besides, as fun as cities are, getting out in nature is a way to make the trip more well-rounded.
Walking is even good for traveling city-to-city (such as Scotland's West Highland Way Walk, which runs from Glasgow to Fort William), or even country-to-country. Use the sites below to help you plan your walking journey, whether it's just doing some hikes in the Alps, or whether you want to test your boots and back all the way from Galway, Ireland, to Nice, Italy:
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Hitchhiking
Why hitch? Because hitchhiking is one of the most liberating experiences a person can have. You take a leap of faith – and when your faith is rewarded, the feeling is incredible. Just think: a random stranger has invited you into their domain to share their company and enjoy a journey together.
Freedom is a big factor. Hitching gives you the freedom to head in any direction, at any time, and you're not confined to a schedule. Granted, there is no guarantee you'll get a ride right away – but you will get a ride eventually.
Hitchhiking is a great way to save money. Bus and train tickets can be expensive, and a free ride is welcome when you're on a budget. If your ride offers to drive you all day, it's polite to offer to buy drinks and refreshments.
Adventure plays a big part in a memorable travel experience, but adventure only really begins where the plans stop. Hitchhiking forces you, from the first moment, to let go of the bank and go with the stream, so to speak. After riding all day with many different drivers, enjoying their own different energies and opinions, you can step back and say, "Man, that was an awesome day!"
Here are a few tips I would offer for hitching in Europe.
- Try to look clean. You improve your chances when you make the driver feel safe. Wear bright clothes, and smile at cars as they pass. Don't slouch, but stand up straight and look as though you have a good attitude. Wearing shorts is a good idea – it's psychological, as people don't expect violent criminals to wear shorts. Having a backpack is also an advantage. The driver can immediately tell you're a traveler. Having no luggage seems strange.
- Making a cardboard sign can often help. Pick a place you want to reach by the end of the day, write clearly using a black marker pen, and try using the local term for "thank you", or a little humor.
- When choosing a place to stand, try the entrance to the highway. A busy on-ramp will do, but you are missing the through traffic. If you can, walk down the highway a bit and find a straight section. Drivers need at least 50 yards to see you and 50 yards to slow down. Corners are not good. Also consider the stopping area at the side of the road: the wider the better.
- Occasionally you will want to decline a ride. Don't feel bad. Kindly thank the driver and say you'll wait for another car. Never get into a car if you feel uncomfortable. It's also good to avoid rides of 2-30 miles if you are traveling long distances.
- Ask the driver where they plan to drop you off. If you plan to continue your journey, avoid getting dropped off in town – it can take hours to get back to the highway. Pick the driver's brains a bit before settling on a drop point.
- Be a good guest. When riding, never smoke, touch the radio, fall asleep or ask for money. You are a guest, and behaving badly will screw things up for the next hitchhiker.
- Lastly, let go of time in your mind. This mode of transport is a free-flowing medium, it doesn't fit into a box. The more you relax and believe you'll get a ride, the quicker it will come.
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Cycling
No gas costs, no rental fees, no traffic jams, no train wrecks, no delayed flights – just you, your heartrate, and your bicycle. Of course, you'll have to haul the weight of all your gear, and weather gives no clemency to cyclists, but hey, if it's adventure you want, then cycling around Europe is definitely a way to get it. As long as you survive the Alps, that is...
You can use the search engine Europe.org to find more cycling resources, but below are specific cycling-related sites for those wanting to do Europe on two wheels:
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"Hmmmm," we hope you're saying, "Not too shabby so far!" Whatever you're saying about these new newsletters though, we want to know. Send your thoughts, feedback, kudos and suggestions to ant@BootsnAll.com, and let us know what you think!
Other Europe Travel Newsletters in this inaugural series:
- GETTING THERE BY AIR. The first newsletter details specials, airlines and other aspects of air travel to Europe.
- ACCOMMODATION, from booking to how it may differ from what you're used to.
- OTHER RESOURCES: including keeping in touch while on the road, handy guidebooks to supplement BootsnAll's online info, and stories and experiences from other people who have been there.
Two down, two to go! We hope you found this helpful, and stay tuned for the next BootsnAll Europe Travel Newsletter!
Cheers and see you on the Continent,
Chris, Nick, Anthony and Sean
BootsnAll.com
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