• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Planes, trains, or automobiles?

What's the best way to travel?

  • Planes

  • Trains

  • Automobiles

  • I take Greyhound because I'm poor

Results are only viewable after voting.
mmntech

mmntech

Lifer
When travelling regionally within your own country, what's you're preferred method?

Trains:
Pros:
-Relax and enjoy the scenery
-Generally more leg room than a plane
-Private rooms with bed available for long trips, with your own bathroom too
-Dining car services generally offer fantastic food to all classes
-Can get up and move around
-Free Wi-Fi and plugs for laptops
-No restrictions on electronics
-No security lines

Cons:
-Slow
-Usually the most expensive (debatable these days)
-Very limited schedules and destinations

Planes
Pros:
-Very fast
-Wider variety of destinations
-Broad schedules
-Royal treatment in first class
-Television on some airlines

Cons:
-Join the mile high club before leaving the ground courtesy of security
-Expensive for families
-Luggage restrictions
-Crammed into a tin sausage like sardines in steerage class
-Can't use certain electronics
-Bad meals

Automobiles
Pros:
-Not limited to schedules or predetermined destinations
-In a familiar environment
-You control your entertainment
-No need to rent a car or take transit once you reach your destination
-Choice of any food you want on the way
-Can stop and move around/see the sights when you choose
-No security to deal with, period
-Cheapest, especially for families
-Luggage only limited to what you can cram in the trunk

Cons:
-Long trips can be exhausting
-Traffic
-Slow
-Having a beer with travelling is not recommended
-Nor is using your cell phone and Nintendo DS
-Driving in unfamiliar areas can be stressful at times, especially alone.

Out of all those, I think the train is the best, followed by car. The airlines can bite me.
 
mmntech said:
When travelling regionally within your own country, what's you're preferred method?

Trains:
Pros:
-Relax and enjoy the scenery
-Generally more leg room than a plane
-Private rooms with bed available for long trips, with your own bathroom too
-Dining car services generally offer fantastic food to all classes
-Can get up and move around
-Free Wi-Fi and plugs for laptops
-No restrictions on electronics
-No security lines

Cons:
-Slow
-Usually the most expensive (debatable these days)
-Very limited schedules and destinations

Planes
Pros:
-Very fast
-Wider variety of destinations
-Broad schedules
-Royal treatment in first class
-Television on some airlines

Cons:
-Join the mile high club before leaving the ground courtesy of security
-Expensive for families
-Luggage restrictions
-Crammed into a tin sausage like sardines in steerage class
-Can't use certain electronics
-Bad meals

Automobiles
Pros:
-Not limited to schedules or predetermined destinations
-In a familiar environment
-You control your entertainment
-No need to rent a car or take transit once you reach your destination
-Choice of any food you want on the way
-Can stop and move around/see the sights when you choose
-No security to deal with, period
-Cheapest, especially for families
-Luggage only limited to what you can cram in the trunk

Cons:
-Long trips can be exhausting
-Traffic
-Slow
-Having a beer with travelling is not recommended
-Nor is using your cell phone and Nintendo DS
-Driving in unfamiliar areas can be stressful at times, especially alone.

Out of all those, I think the train is the best, followed by car. The airlines can bite me.
Click to expand...

Um, it would cost me close to $1,000 just in fuel to drive to New York and back not to mention the hotels and meals for the probably 10 days of travel.

It is FAR cheaper to fly. Give me a few weeks as long as I'm not travelling during a holiday and I can usually find round trip tickets for less than $400.
 
My favorite is boat. And, only if it is first or second class cabin, other wise it wouldn't be an enjoyable experience.

For long distance flying is okay but waiting at airports, and connection flights can be a pain in the arse.

IMHO, train is alright as long as you get cabin accommodation, and bus is the worst form of traveling, unless it is for short hops.

Driving your own car is a great experience alone or with friends, because you can stop anywhere you like a long the way and even able to take detours for scenic site/s if there is time for it.

PS. I took the train from Vancouver BC to El Paso Texas and it was the worst experience that I have had. It was a boring slow long ride.
 
Last edited:
Plane is the most fun but way too expensive. Unless it's company paid or something, I can't justify the cost.

So that said my prefered method is train or bus. I would hate driving in big towns, I'd go insane.
 
Car. The journey can be just as enjoyable as the destination. Plus, it's always been a lot cheaper.
 
JulesMaximus said:
Um, it would cost me close to $1,000 just in fuel to drive to New York and back not to mention the hotels and meals for the probably 10 days of travel.

It is FAR cheaper to fly. Give me a few weeks as long as I'm not travelling during a holiday and I can usually find round trip tickets for less than $400.
Click to expand...

If it's a long distance. And you're flying coach. And you're alone. And you don't need to rent a car where you're headed.
 
I really wish trains were around more in the states.

Granted it's a pain to get the infrastructure built for large distances but being able to enjoy a nice view / walk around while getting to your destination is nice.

I wouldn't do it for long distances, 1,500+ miles , unless you had a room or it was one of those very fast trains as this day and age planes are meant for that unless you are planning on stopping in many places.
 
rivan said:
If it's a long distance. And you're flying coach. And you're alone. And you don't need to rent a car where you're headed.
Click to expand...

It would take 5 days to drive from San Diego to New York and 5 days to drive back. I figure at least $1,000 in fuel, plus hotels, plus meals...yeah, even with my wife and son it would still be way cheaper to fly.
 
Newbian said:
I really wish trains were around more in the states.

Granted it's a pain to get the infrastructure built for large distances but being able to enjoy a nice view / walk around while getting to your destination is nice.

I wouldn't do it for long distances, 1,500+ miles , unless you had a room or it was one of those very fast trains as this day and age planes are meant for that unless you are planning on stopping in many places.
Click to expand...

I do too. When I was in Spain a couple years ago we took a high speed train from Madrid to Seville. That's the way to travel! It was about a 2 1/2 hour trip but the seats are comfortable, you can get up and walk around without disturbing anyone else, there is a dining car with good food and drinks.
 
For short to medium distance travel, I prefer trains. Most of the cons in the OP do not apply to Europe. It's expensive, but quite fast with frequent services to most destinations. If your destination for some reason isn't reachable by train, there's usually a connecting bus waiting at the nearest train station (which is usually not more than an hour away).

It's only on longer trips that the airplane makes sense. Then the reduced travel time is enough to compensate for the inconveniences, poor service, invasive security searches and the travel time from the airport to downtown (train stations tend to be located in the downtown).
 
Last edited:
Trains are awesome. However, they are indeed slow, not that price effective, and competely lack the freedom of driving yourself on a road trip. Plane obviously gets the job done the quickest, but I always feel as if I've walked into some kind of '1984' universe going to an airport these days.
 
Ehh .. for me ... general rule
Under 1000 miles .... Car is best
Over 1000 miles .... Plane is best

cost in gas for 2000 miles for me is about 70 ish gallons at highway speeds....
That's under $300.
It takes a bit of time to do the drive, but unless there's a blizzard or road closures, it shouldn't take more than about 12.5 hours assuming I cruise around 80ish plus a couple hours for food/piss/gas stops...

If My GF and I were to fly 1000 miles in sardine class, only checking 1 bag each and with 1 carry on, it would run more than double that amount... probably closer to triple... and we would still have to deal with getting to and from the airport (about 1 and 1/2 hours each), and we would have to either pay for parking, or pay for a taxi or limo, or we would have to bug a friend or family member to get us to/from the airport. In addition, it would most likely cost $$ to pay for transportation on the other end as well ... Lots of times airports have delays. You can't just arrive at the airport 5 mins before your flight and hop on the plane. A 2.5 hour flight takes like 8 hours or so if you count the 1.5 hours to get to the airport, the 2+ hours to deal with waiting in various lines at the airport, and then the 2.5 hour flight, and then the 1 hour of figuring out where baggage claim is and waiting for the suitcases to come around on the circle conveyor belt and then however long it takes to get from the airport to your actual destination (just guessing about an hour) ....

Sure, you save some time by flying, but it's really not worth it unless it's over a certain distance. For me, that distance is about 1000 miles....
 
Train? Really? Unless its a couple hours away by car, I'm still going to fly. I can drive faster than a train, for less money. Otherwise, plane is the way to go.
 
Greyhounds around here are actually getting better. I used to have to take them to and from school all the time when I would want to come home (about 7 hour bus ride). They're buying new ones lately and they are pretty comfortable. They have way more leg room, more than enough for me (6'1), plugins for laptops, free wireless. Way cheaper than the train, and takes about the same time.
 
My preference for commercial travel...

Boat
Train
Bus
Airplane

Car's kind of a wildcard. Driving pisses me off anymore, but I could have some fun driving cross country, especially with unlimited time.
 
If we had high speed rail that serviced the same locations as our main airports and it was priced well, I would travel nothing but trains.

But as it stands they are often slower than driving, and more expensive than flying, so it really doesn't make much sense for the most part.
 
Trains aren't really an option here. The airlines have taken the fun out of flying. That leaves automobiles which would be totally awesome if every other driver on the road would immediately pull safely off to the shoulder, turn off their cars, and kill themselves.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top