Traveling by Car, Plane or Train?

When it comes to traveling, most of us want to get to our destination as hassle-free and
quickly as possible. Often times our destination dictates what mode of transportation we
use. If we are traveling overseas, the quickest and best option is to fly. You could take a
boat, but the travel time for that is often more than what most people can reasonably fit
into their trip.

If you are traveling an hour or two away, most people will drive. It’s cheap, easy and the
best option for most nearby trips. But what about if you are traveling 5 hours away? Or
maybe a great deal farther, but would like to see the scenery along the way? There are
definitely some instances when traveling by car, plane or even train can become a
difficult decision. In order to help you make the best of your vacation, we will give you
some pros and cons to each form of transportation.

Travel by Car
Pros

 Cost – Typically speaking traveling by car is the cheapest way to travel,

especially if you have a vehicle that is relatively decent on gas. Trips that are within
the 5-6 hour range are usually much less expensive when taken by car. These
savings in relation to flying or train are compounded when you consider families with
3 or more individuals.
 Space – When you take your car on a trip, you can bring many things with you
that you might not be able to if traveling by air or rail. Space is still limited, but nearly
as much.
 Kids – No need to worry about your kids bothering any other passengers like
when you are on a plane or train. You can also travel at your own leisure; many
parents travel during the night when their children are asleep to make the
experience easier on everyone.
 Pets – As with kids, coordinating travel with pets can be difficult. Kids can stay
with adults on planes and trains, whereas many times pets cannot. They need to be
underneath the plane with luggage, and can become scared and sick. Traveling by
car is easiest when a pet is taken along.
 Flexibility – When traveling by car, you can change your plans as you go. If you
are taking a road trip, you can pull off the road at any time and sight-see.

Cons

 Time – Traveling by car often takes more time than traveling by plane or train. Of
course you have to add in the time it takes to go through security and such when
traveling other ways, but often driving takes many hours longer.
 Someone Needs to Drive – In a plane or train, everyone on board can relax and
read, sleep or converse. In a car, someone always needs to be driving. People get
tired, people get car-sick and people get bored.

Travel by Planes or Trains

Pros

 Time Efficient – Flying is typically the fastest way to get many places, even short
distances. If you live near a smaller airport especially and security moves along
quickly, this is your best bet if you are limited on time.
 Productive – While flying or traveling by rail, you can work, read, sleep and do a
number of other things that you would not be able to do while driving. Even in
airports you can be productive while waiting for your next connection.
 Cost-Effective – Given the less time spent traveling, the money spent gets you to
your destination faster and allows you to use more of your vacation time seeing the
things you want to see or experiencing new things.
 Sight-Seeing by Train – If you decide to take a train, you can take advantage of
many of the pros for both cars and planes. You can relax, be productive and see the
sights of the country.

Cons

 Expense – Traveling by plane to close locations is often more expensive than

driving. Also, train tickets can be costly as well, whether traveling near or far.
 Delays – If you are flying or taking a train, there are of course delays and
cancellations. These can leave you stuck for hours, and sometimes even days,
especially in areas where there is inclement weather.
 Limited Carry-On Items – As we mentioned earlier, in planes and trains you are
limited on what you can take with you, both as a carry-on and checked bags. You
can choose to check more luggage, but it will cost you.

We hope that these pros and cons help you decide which mode of transportation suites
you and your family best. If you keep in mind your needs, timeframe and take-a-long
necessities, you will be able to choose the best way to get to your next vacation
destination.