Following on from my previous post on the considerations involved in choosing the right travel accommodation,
the next big ticket item for a trip would be the mode of transport to bring one to the travel destination. There are many options such as self-drive, taking the train, boarding an airplane, sailing on a cruise, taking a bus
and even cycling or walking (if one is adventurous enough). With so many options to choose from, how do we decide which is the best mode for us?
For my husband and I, we usually rely on three main modes of transport - airplane, train and bus. Although self-drive is a popular choice
of transportation, the lack of confidence in our driving skills as well as the lack of familiarity of the roads in a foreign land resulted in us not utilizing this mode. Based on our experiences, we would like to share with
you the various thought processes that we go through to pick the mode of transport that is best suited for each trip.
Cost
As with all other aspects of a trip, cost is usually the first consideration that we look at. When it comes to cost, there are different
prices tagged to the different modes of transport. With the exception of travel promotions, the cost of travelling on an international flight is usually the highest, followed by the cost of travelling on a budget flight or
travelling by train. Travelling by bus is usually the least expensive option out of these three choices. In most cases, the cost is usually inversely proportional to the duration of the commute.
Some questions that we usually ask ourselves when deciding on the budget for our mode of transport to our destinations would include:
· How much can we afford to spend on transport to our destination? (after taking into consideration the rough estimates of accommodation cost and daily living expenses)
· What are some of the hidden cost of the transportation that has to be factored in?
Similar to accommodation cost, we tend to be also prudent with regards to the cost involved for our mode of transport. This is crucial
so that we do not burst our budget and end up having to scrimp and save on food and visits to the touristic sites at our destination. To ensure that this cost stays within budget, we also have to look into some other hidden
costs as well. For example, some budget airlines would impose hefty charges on checked luggage and it might be useful to consider the possibilities of travelling light in such cases. Bringing on board our own snacks and drinks
would also help to minimize additional charges on some flights/trains for meals on board. In addition, sometimes, the airport or bus/train station is located far way from the city center and transportation to and fro would
be necessary. Hence, in cases like this, such additional transportation cost would also need to be factored into the transport budget.
Comfort
As with travel accommodations, transportation should be comfortable enough to mark a good start to a trip! Imagine having to be stuck
for what seems like an eternity on a bumpy ride in a cramped environment with super uncomfortable seats - I would surely need some time to recover from the journey before being able to start my trip proper!
When assessing the need for comfort for our transportation between countries, we usually ask ourselves the following questions:
· Will any discomfort on the journey be too long for us to bear?
· For overnight transports: Will we be able to get a good night rest on this mode of transport?
· Is there a great price difference between the different classes of transport?
Generally, the need for comfort during our commute from countries to countries depends on how long the journey is. A slight discomfort
on a short journey is definitely something my husband and I can tolerate. However, for overnight transports, where it is crucial for us to get a good rest in order to be ready to explore places the next day, we would not hesitate
to pay a bit more for a more comfortable ride!
Occasionally, my husband and I might also opt for a higher class of transport if there is no huge differences between the different
classes of transport! Of course, this random indulgence have to stay within the transport budget that we have decided upon prior to the trip! If it is within the budget, why not? ;P
Convenience
Convenience of a particular mode of transport, is another crucial yet often neglected factor to consider. All modes of transport will
eventually bring us to the country of our destination but we must also consider the proximity in which it will bring us to the actual sites that we will be visiting during the trip!
Some of the questions pertaining to convenience that we will ask ourselves include:
· What are the transportation options to get to our destination?
· Upon arrival, how far are we away from the city centre?
· Is there a need for additional travelling to get into the city centre? If so, is it easy and straightforward to do so?
· Do we have to be at the station/airport a few hours in advance for security and border clearance?
· Are there amenities (toilet, snack bars etc) available?
It is important to determine what transportation options are available to bring us to our destinations. We can only make comparisons
when there are two or more options available! My husband and I generally prefer travelling by train or bus than by plane. However, travelling by bus or train is not without its cons. For example, when we travel by bus, we would
have to do additional preparatory work to identify the bus-stop to alight at. During the bus journey, we would also have to be on the constant lookout for the particular bus-stop lest we missed it and end up having to walk
quite a distance to our destination. For trains, although the stations are located nearer to the city centre, most of them tend to be at the fringe of the city and hence there might still be the need to navigate a short distance
to the city centre.
Despite all these, we still feel that travelling by train or bus is more convenient than travelling by plane due to two main reasons: (1)
the bus/train stations are usually located nearer to the city center as compared to the airports - hence requiring lesser time to travel to the city center; (2) there is definitely a need to be at the airport a few hours in
advance for security and border clearance whereas for most bus/train stations, there is only the need to be there 15-30 minutes prior to departure - lesser time spent at the transportation stations means more time to spend
exploring places!
For us, we would also think about the availability of certain amenities when considering convenience of a mode of transport. Amenities
such as toilets or snack bars are readily available on trains and planes. However, not all the travel buses have such amenities. For these buses, such amenities are only available when the bus stops at certain kiosks along
the way for commuters to have their toilet breaks or to purchase some snacks. To me, I usually have a stronger preferences for the modes of transport that has such amenities easily available so that instead of waiting till
the arrival at the next kiosk, I can use the toilet as and when there is a need to and I can easily purchase food to satisfy my hunger at any point during the commute.
Having said that, convenience, is by itself a rather subjective factor and ultimately, it all depends on what one feels is essential
for a smooth commute to the destination! :)
Time
Apart from the above mentioned three Cs, there is another consideration that we would give equal emphasis to when it comes to transportation, and that is Time. With that, I refer to the duration of commute to our destinations. Time is certainly an important consideration and we want to fully utilise it for
our trip!
Some of the questions that we usually ask ourselves pertaining to transportation duration includes:
· How much time do we have for the trip?
· Will we face any problems if we arrive at our destination too early?
· Are there any additional benefits in opting for the longer duration transportation mode?
It is always important to assess how much time we have allocated for a trip. For example, when we only have a limited amount of time
to spend on a trip, we would usually search for the mode of transport that would bring us to our destination in the shortest amount of time. This is crucial so that we can spend more time exploring places rather than spending
it on transportation. However, on the other hand, when we are not as pressed for time, the modes of transport with a longer travel duration such as cruise or sleeper trains can be better options as we can enjoy the slow pace
of the journey and enjoy the beautiful views along the way. Such overnight commutes are also good ways to save on accommodation!
Although arriving earlier at our destination means that we have more time to explore the place, it could also pose some problems that
might dampen our moods. In a few of our travels, we arrived way too early at our destination and realised that most of the shops and restaurants remained closed and as it was still too early to check into our hotel, we were
left wandering aimlessly on the quiet streets. Hence, when selecting the mode of transport, it would be beneficial to do some research to have a rough understanding of the opening hours of shops and restaurants and whether
they are open on Sundays and public holidays (most of them remain closed during this period in Europe).
So, to sum up with regards to all the considerations that I have mentioned, I have come up with a table comparing the three main modes
of transport that my husband and I usually use for our travels:
|
Time
|
Cost
|
Comfort level
|
Convenience
|
Bus
|
Long commute duration
|
Low cost
|
High (for short journey); Low (for long journey)
|
Average - Good (No need to be at station hours prior to departure, usually located within city center, amenities not readily available (tho some buses may have built
in toilets))
|
Train
|
Can be short or long, depending on destination
|
Can be low or high, depending on destination
|
High
|
Good (amenities readily available, no need to be at stations hours before departure, usually located near the city center)
|
Airplane
|
Short commute duration
|
High cost
|
Average - High
|
Poor - Average (Amenities readily available, need to be at airport hours prior to departure for clearance, usually located far from city center and hence additional
travelling cost to travel to and fro the airport)
|
