Trains — blog — Southern Belle Nomad

Without a doubt, I choose train. Below is a summary break down.

Bus / Car Service

This is without a doubt the cheapest option
It is also typically the slowest option
If you’re only in a city for a day or two, it will cut into your sightseeing time
Luggage storage can be tight depending on your load of people
A lot of European buses are plush as fuck if you care about that
You get views of the country side, road trip style

Conclusion: Buses and ride share type vans are cheap and usually fun. You can meet a lot of other people this way who are also traveling/backpacking/hitchhiking. Decide if travel time or phobia of buses is an issue for you and you’ve got your answer.

Plane

A 1 hour flight clocks in at a typical 5 hours when you include transport and check in
Regulations for carry on and checked bags are a hassle
Security is a hassle
You always land outside the city center and end up having to pay for transport
You get to look at the world from the sky
Food and beverages are offered on board most planes
You can’t take a snow globe on a plane
You can’t take wine on a plane

Conclusion: As much as I love airports and planes, I don’t prefer planes for backpacking Europe. They can be very inexpensive if you have a home-base and want to get away for a weekend at a time. For country hopping, however, they feel a bit clunky in my flow from city to city and I’d only recommend them for long distance relocations.

Train

Trains always begin and end in the city center
They typically connect easily to local public transportation lines
They’re the fastest in terms of total transport time
No real luggage size restrictions (most let you have 2 suitcases and a personal item)
No real luggage weight restrictions
Food and beverages are offered on board most trains
Trains also tend to be lush as fuck
You get to look out the window at mostly uncharted train territory
You can bring wine on a train
You can bring champagne on a train
You can bring a large ass bottle of shampoo on a train

Conclusion: Trains are the shit. They combine ease with efficiency and enjoyableness. That is all.

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