Getting Around On Vacation: The Pros and Cons of Different Transport Methods

After a long journey getting to your destination, once you’ve arrived it’s time to explore! Getting around while you’re away depends on the place you’re visiting, your budget and your situation. Here are a few of the pros and cons of each.

Bus

Buses are an excellent way to get around, particularly in busy cities. Since most places will have designated bus lanes, it can actually be a lot quicker to travel in this way than any other method. Plus buses are cheap and accessible. On the downside, while they can be the quickest way to get around in busy cities for making other kinds of trips they can take a long time. The numerous stops and slow speeds mean you can be sat on them for a while. Some buses can also be old and not the most pleasant to sit on. Luckily there are more luxurious buses around these days. Companies like Shofur, for example, provide premium buses for an affordable price.

Car Hire

Car hire can give you the freedom to go wherever you want while you’re away. There’s no waiting for public transport, and you can go directly to the place that you want to visit with no messing around. If you’re travelling with babies or kids which need a lot of stuff, it’s easier to load this into the car than lugging it all on public transport. On the downside, some people might find it daunting to drive in a country which used the opposite side of the road which they were taught. Plus the driving experience is likely to be a lot different from the place you grew up which can throw people off. It can also be annoying having to mess around with documents and things to get the car, and it’s a headache if anything goes wrong with it in your possession. Plus in big cities or certain places, it’s so busy you’re not able to realistically get around by car.

Taxi

Taxis give you the freedom of essentially travelling by car, but with none of the hassle of car hire. Perfect if you don’t have a license or the inclination to drive abroad, or you’re staying in relatively close proximity to the places you want to visit. Unfortunately, taxis can be extremely expensive, especially for longer journeys. There’s the chance of a dishonest driver taking advantage when they know you don’t know the area. Plus you have to watch out for unlicensed cab drivers in some areas.

 

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On Foot

Travelling on foot allows you to really experience the journey. The sights, sounds and smells will always be far more intense when you’re out in the world rather than sat in a vehicle. You can explore and are likely to discover and see everything in far more detail. However, on foot, you can only cover so much distance so this is the best option when you don’t need to get too far, or if you only need to cover a small area.

Bicycle

If you’re looking to explore a park or a set area, there will often be bike rentals available to take advantage of. This gives you the ability to cover a much larger area with less effort, but you still get to see and experience everything in detail like being on foot. The downside is that this won’t be available everywhere and so it’s only going to be possible for some places. Plus if you’re travelling with children or are carrying a lot of items with you then it’s not going to be the best option.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

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