Planes, Trains, Boats or Automobiles? What's the Best Way to Travel Around Europe?

My husband Bill and I recently spent two years living in Germany, courtesy of the U.S. Army. We had a wonderful time and would move back again in a heartbeat. While we were living in Europe, we visited over a dozen countries. Back in 1997, I spent a month traveling around Europe by train using a Eurail pass, again, taking in a number of different countries in a very short period of time.

We Americans are so used to driving our cars everywhere. If we can't drive, we might hop on an airplane. But airplane travel has lost a lot of its charm in recent years, mostly thanks to terrorism and the troubled airline industry. There are trains and motorcoaches in America, too. But our rail system is pretty sad compared to what's available in Europe and while American coaches are becoming more comfortable, they still seem to have the reputation as being a low budget and less pleasant way to travel.

One thing I quickly got the hang of in Europe and learned to really enjoy was the many different modes of travel available. When we first arrived in Germany in 2007, I thought we'd be dedicated train travelers. After all, I had spent an entire month cruising around Europe on trains. Even riding in second class was perfectly acceptable and, with a Eurail pass, remarkably easy. Much to my surprise, Bill and I actually became seasoned flyers and we had the chance to try several different European airlines. We took several trips by car, since we were fortunate enough to have our own car at our disposal. There were a few trips done by train and we took one cruise. Here are my observations of each mode.

Trains

When Americans think about going to Europe, a lot of them immediately start thinking of train travel. And why shouldn't they? Europe has a wonderful interconnected train system with a wide variety of options. Most trains in Europe are clean, comfortable, and very civilized. Just about every town has a train station which easily connects travelers with larger hubs that can whisk them to cities all over Europe with just a few hours. Generally speaking, there aren't the luggage restrictions or security precautions on trains that there are on airplanes.

Many of the longer haul trains have cafe and bar carts where you can purchase a bite to eat or something to drink. Sometimes meals are even included with the price of the ticket. The restrooms are usually clean and the seats are comfortable. You can watch the countryside fly by and perhaps even meet a few locals.

Some trains offer couchettes for overnight trips. A couchette is a bunk-like bed you can lie down on. They're usually triple banked in separate compartments on the train so you can turn off the light and sleep. You have to pay to reserve a couchette, but using one might allow you to arrive at your destination somewhat rested. I used a couchette on a trip from Vienna, Austria to Venice, Italy. Unfortunately, I didn't get much sleep because I was placed in a car with a family of five and the father of the group snored a lot. But at least I didn't have to sit up all night as I would if I were flying.

As I mentioned before, back in 1997, I used a Eurail pass to get around Europe. My pass was good for 30 consecutive days and allowed pretty much unlimited travel through the participating countries. In 1997, I could have gone to 17 countries on that pass. In 2010, I could visit as many as 22 countries! It really is a pleasant way to get around Europe if you don't want to fly and there are a number of different pricing and discount passes available for groups. Eurail passes can be used on certain ferries as well. However, as easy as it was for me to travel using a Eurail pass, it's not the best option for everyone.

Cons regarding Eurail passes

First off, if you're living abroad, you might not be able to purchase a Eurail pass; they are only available to residents of the United States. So, if you're a U.S. citizen living overseas, you would have to have the pass sent to a U.S. address. If you're not a U.S. citizen, but a resident of the United States, you can purchase the pass. Eligibility is based on residency, not on citizenship. It so happened that I was living abroad when I bought my Eurail pass, finishing up a stint in the Peace Corps and on my way home. I just had the pass sent to my parents' house and my mom mailed it to me abroad.

Secondly, Eurail passes are not always cost effective. If you're over age 26, for example, you have to purchase an adult pass as opposed to a youth pass. Adult passes allow you to travel in first or second class, but they're much more expensive than youth passes are. First class cars are certainly more comfortable than second class cars are, but not by a whole lot. First class cars are mostly occupied by European businessmen and other Americans. Sometimes you can get a cheaper train ticket locally than you would using the Eurail pass.

Thirdly, while Eurail passes cover the cost of a basic train fare, they may not cover extra charges like seat reservations, couchettes, or fares on special high speed trains. You may have to see a conductor or ticket agent to cover those additional fees.

And finally, while Eurail passes can be very convenient for travel in continental Europe, they don't work in Britain and some eastern European countries.

My best advice

Do your research before you buy a Eurail pass. Consider where you'll be traveling and who will be traveling with you and what your travel style is. If you're a young adult with a youth pass and someone in your party is over age 26, that person will have to buy an adult pass. That means he or she will be stuck riding with you in second class when they've paid for the right to sit in first class, you'll have to pay for an upgrade to first class, or you won't be riding together.

If you buy a Global Eurail pass good for 30 consecutive days and you end up staying in one place for a week without ever taking a train, your pass will lose value. You might consider purchasing a Flexipass, which allows you to use your pass a certain number of times during a certain time period. You might also consider where you'll be going. If you're only going to be in Europe for two weeks, you won't have time to visit 22 countries. You might choose to purchase a Europe Select Pass (used to be called Europass), which allows you to restrict your pass to a 3, 4, or 5 countries. You can save significant money that way.

As for me, I'm glad I bought the Global pass for one month of travel back in 1997. I was 25 years old at the time, qualified for the youth pass, and didn't have a set agenda, so using the Eurail Global Pass allowed me to do a lot of traveling without a lot of hassle or expense. Today, however, I would probably choose a different option. I'm older, more experienced, and will probably never have a month to blow in Europe again.

Planes

Europe offers a number of discount airlines that can get you to your favorite city quickly and cheaply. Since there are a number of small airlines competing for your business, they often go out of their way to make you comfortable, even on an economy flight. For instance, Bill and I traveled on German Wings and Air Berlin on a few of our trips. Both of these German airlines are considered "discount". However, our flights on them were actually fairly comfortable. We didn't have to pay extra to check our bags as we do on a lot of U.S. based airlines. Sometimes, we were even offered a drink and a snack that we didn't have to pay for.

Some European airlines offer some pretty cool gimmicks, too. German Wings gets my vote for the most fun gimmick with their "blind booking" program. Bill and I lived near Stuttgart, Germany, which is one of the three airports where German Wings offered this program. Basically, the idea was, you pick a date and a time when you want to fly. You purchase a cheap ticket. The catch? You don't know where you're going until after you've paid! Bill and I went to London and Barcelona by using this method and it was a definitely a lot of fun! The anticipation of waiting for the results was kind of like waiting to see which great actor will win an Oscar. If there's some city you'd rather not see, you can pay a small fee to have it excluded from the list of possible destinations.

Cons against flying

I'm sure I don't have to discuss the cons of flying too much to anyone who's flown anywhere recently. When you fly, you have to deal with the airport and its security measures. That often means standing in line, being frisked and x-rayed, taking off your shoes, belt, and jewelry, and having to put up with people who cut in front of you. Once you're on the plane, you might have to deal with a crowded flight in a cramped seat, nasty lavatories, turbulence, or perhaps acts of terrorism. Terrorism can happen anywhere, but it tends to be a lot more deadly when you're 30,000 feet in the air.

The silver lining

Despite all the hassles of flying, Bill and I flew fairly often when we were in Europe. The main reason we flew was because a lot of times, plane tickets were cheaper than train tickets. And while we had to endure security measures and sitting in uncomfortable seats, flights in Europe are usually pretty quick. We were able to fly to Paris from our home near Stuttgart in about an hour, a trip that would have taken at least five hours if we had driven. While we were on board our Air France flight, we were served a snack and a bottle of wine, the price of which was included in our tickets, which were about $100 a piece. We didn't have to fight Paris traffic, look for Paris parking, or pay for Paris parking, though we did have to pay to park at the Stuttgart airport.

Boats

So you like to travel by water, eh? Well, in Europe, you can do that with ease. Europe is surrounded by an ocean and several small seas. There are also quite a few rivers in Europe. Plenty of cruise lines are ready, willing, and able to transport you via Europe's waterways. In fact, you might even consider coming to or going from Europe by way of a cruise ship, where you can be pampered for several nights as you make your way to the mainland.

Bill and I took a four night Baltic cruise on Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas in June of 2009. It offered us the chance to see Oslo, Norway, Copenhagen, Denmark, Tallin, Estonia, and Stockholm, Sweden in one fell swoop. The nice thing about the cruise was that it was relatively economical, especially since northern European destinations are notoriously expensive. Cruise ships offer food, lodging, and entertainment, plus there's the chance to meet new people. We had a great time.

Caveats against cruises

If you choose to cruise, make sure you do your homework so you know exactly what you'll be getting for your cruise fare. On most cruise lines, beverages are not included. So if you want to drink alcohol or soda, you'll have to pay a fairly steep price, often along with a tip. Tips are usually expected, and richly deserved, by the service staff and you'll have to budget that cost into the price of your trip as well as the cost of any extras, like pictures, shore excursions, or spa treatments.

You may also want to study the types of people who will be on the cruise with you as well as the culture of the ship. If you're a young person who likes to party a lot, you might not be happy on a cruise that tends to cater to an older, quieter crowd. Likewise, if you're the type of person who doesn't want to be around a bunch of kids, you'll want to consider a cruise line that isn't necessarily kid friendly, or you might choose to take your cruise at a time when most kids are in school. I highly recommend doing some research on CruiseCritic.com and reading both the professional and member submitted reviews. That way, you'll have a better idea of what to expect.

Why cruising is cool

One great thing about cruising in Europe is that you can visit a lot of great cities very efficiently. A good Mediterranean itinerary can allow you to visit cities like Rome, Venice, Athens, Nice, and Barcelona, as well as a number of lesser known but equally charming places. A river cruise allows a more intimate experience, with stops at beautiful cities like Prague and Budapest, as well as some experiences in quaint smaller cities like Passau, Germany or Strasbourg, France. In fact, I'm thinking that on my next trip to Europe, I might consider taking a river cruise. They can be expensive, but they offer once in a lifetime opportunities to see some great places.

Automobiles

I'm guessing that most Americans don't end up traveling through Europe by car unless they're living there. My husband and I spent two years in Europe, so we had our car with us. Driving in Europe can be a lot of fun, but it can also be dangerous if you haven't spent any time learning what the signs over there mean. If you're traveling to Europe for a week or two and want to rent a car, you can do so as long as you're old enough and licensed. But do yourself and everyone else a favor and take the time to learn about driving laws in Europe beforehand. Also, you may want to brush up on the Metric system, since your speed and distance will be measured in kilometers rather than miles-- unless you're in Britain, of course.

Depending on where you're going, you may need to purchase an international driver's license. Research your destination to make sure; in some places it's okay to use your US license, but in other places, it's not. You can purchase an international driver's license at a AAA auto club office in the United States. The process doesn't require a driver's test, but you will need to have two passport photos taken and a copy of your U.S. driver's license. If you're moving to Europe courtesy of the U.S. government, you will get a driver's license good for your country, but you may still need an international driver's license if you plan to travel outside of wherever you're living. International driver's licenses are good for one year.

Be sure to pay close attention to your rental car contract. A lot of rental car companies have restrictions on where you can drive the car. For instance, if you rent a car in Germany and want to go to eastern Europe, you may have trouble. A lot of European car rental companies don't allow their cars to go to certain east European countries. Also, be prepared to pay a lot for your rental. It's expensive to rent a car in Europe.

Warnings about traveling by car $$$

Be aware that while driving allows you to get off the beaten path more than using public transportation does, there are some hassles that go along with car travel. For one thing, it's expensive. Gas is very expensive in Europe. If you think American gas prices are high, your mind will blow when you see how much it costs to fill up in Europe. If you're with the U.S. military, you may have a gas card that gives you a discount at certain gas stations. Even with that valuable discount, gas is still expensive and you might not be able to find a participating gas station. If you're in a country like Italy and you're driving after all the gas stations are closed, you might have to figure out how to operate the 24 hour machine. Directions aren't always in English and the machines don't usually give change.

Secondly, parking can be very difficult and expensive. It's exceedingly rare to find a free parking spot in Europe and the police tend to be very strict about enforcing the rules. You will most likely park in a parking garage and that process, in and of itself, can be an adventure since it's often an automated process. Fortunately, the machines usually offer instructions in English, but you can't always count on it. Parking garages and some spaces in parking lots also tend to be on the small side. If you drive a larger car, it may be a challenge to park it without losing a side mirror. You'll definitely want to brush up on parking in tight spaces.

Thirdly, traffic enforcement is, on the whole, an automated process. If you're caught speeding in a little town, chances are excellent that you won't be stopped by a cop. Instead, you might be blitzed by a camera that takes a picture of you and your license plate. Some months later, when you're back in the States, you may get the ticket in the mail. If you choose not to pay it and then go back to that country for a visit, you could end up in hot water with the local authorities. You should also know that drunk driving laws are very tough; they're even stricter than they are in the United States and fines and penalties are very severe. Do not drink and drive in Europe or you may be very sorry.

Fourthly, you may have some trouble getting used to local driving customs. For instance, if you're going to England, it may be a culture shock to have the steering wheel on the right side of the car. In any other European country, you may have to get used to roundabouts, which are present all over the place, and four way stops. You'll need to learn about who gets the "right of way" at a four way stop.

And finally, in a lot of countries, you'll either be paying tolls or you might have to buy a special "vignette" in order to use the highways. A vignette is a sticker, usually offered for sale at the border, that you must purchase and stick on your windshield. In some places, like the Czech Republic or Austria, you can buy an inexpensive vignette that's good for a week or so; however, in Switzerland, for example, you can only purchase a vignette that is good for a year. In Italy, you'll be paying lots of tolls. If you're going to Germany, you're in luck. Driving on the autobahn is free.

Positives about car travel

Traveling by car in Europe can be very convenient, scenic, and fun. If you have your own car, you can come and go as you please without having to share your space with others. You can also visit smaller towns that may not have convenient train or bus access. And lots of people can attest to how much fun driving on the autobahn in Germany can be, as long as your car is equipped with tires that can handle high speeds.

Overall

The beauty of visiting Europe is that there are so many wonderful things to see, people to meet, and activities. Better yet, it's easy to get a taste of many cultures, because there are so many countries in Europe. As you can see, there are lots of ways to get around in Europe. Before you take a trip there, you should take a moment to really consider the best and most efficient ways to travel during your visit. You may find that you don't necessarily want to stick exclusively to trains. You may also find out that you don't want to fly once you've taken a long haul flight from the States. You may not have considered driving or taking a cruise ship, either. My goal is to get you to think about your options and plan accordingly!

Have a great trip!