BY AIR

If you are traveling more than a few hundred miles or crossing an ocean, traveling by plane can be quickest way to travel. Flying isn’t cheap, but there are ways to find good airline deals. Flying is one of the most popular ways to travel for long distance journey’s and has recently become a viable option for shorter journey’s with many regional airlines offering cheap “Puddle Jumpers”.

View from the window of a flight from London, England, to Naples Italy. Image by S Wilson

There are downsides to flying.  For example, there are increasing regulations for what you can and can’t bring on a plane with you due to raised security measures across most of the globe.  In general, liquids need to be in 3 ounce (100 ml) containers, carry on bags will need to be below a certain size as determined by your specific airline, and nothing that can be construed as a weapon can be brought on a plane with you.  Even checked luggage has drawbacks.  The X-ray machines have a habit of destroying film, your neatly organized bag could be pilfered through by the TSA or lost by the airline, and most airlines now charge for checked baggage, which can get pricey if you don’t know how to travel light.

However, if you can travel with only carry-on luggage much of this headache goes away.  Getting through airport security and, if you are traveling abroad, customs, can take a while, but not having to check bags can save you a significant amount of time, money, and worry.

BY BOAT

Image by S Wilson

We here at Travel Planning 101 have never traveled long distances using boats or cruises, but these options are out there for those of us who don’t tend to get sea sick.  There are many long distance cruises to choose from, though if you are crossing an ocean, expect to spend many days at sea.  There are also a ton of cruises that cover specific regions, such as the Mediteranean, Hawaii, the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, and many many others.  Cruise ships currently visit every continent, including Antartica.

The plus side to cruises is that you only have to unpack your bag once and yet you get to see a lot of different places.  The downside is that you may only get a day or two in each place, which doesn’t give you a chance to really experience your destination.  If you have a limited time to travel, this may actually benefit you.  If you are traveling for weeks or months, cruises are best used only as a supplement to longer, overland travel.

Carnival Cruise Lines is the worlds biggest, but others include Royal Caribbean, P&O, and Norwegian Cruise Line. Disney has also gotten in on the fun with their family friendly cruises.

There are also many ferries that typically cross shorter bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and small seas.  There are also many ferries between islands in numerous island chains, such as the Riau Islands of Indonesia or the Greek islands.  The featured picture in this article are of the Staten Island Ferry, which connects the Burroughs of Staten Island and Manhattan in New York for free.

There are other ways to utilize traveling by boat, though they tend to have less luxurious accommodations than cruise lines.   Freighter ships often accept a limited number of passengers for a rate varying between USD$50-100 a day.  One day of freight travel is about one hour of air travel, so when crossing oceans, plan to stay on your freighter for several days.  Unlike cruise ships, there is often very little to do on freighters and sometimes you may be required to bring your own food.

Useful travel agents for traveling by boat are Freighter Voyages, Cargo Passenger Lines, The Cruise People, Strand Travel, Grimaldi Travel, and Maris Freighter Cruises.

BY TRAIN

Image by S Wilson

Face it.  Some regions have better train travel than others.  In Europe, it’s incredibly easy to hop on a train and cross the entire continent, while having the cost equal or even be less than air travel.  While crossing that continent you can also stop and see many different places from big cities to small country villages.  With options such as Eurail and Britrail passes, traveling all over Europe by rail is cheap, easy, and adjustable for almost every itinerary in the region.

Train stations are often located in the middle of large cities, while also stretching out into the countryside to reach small, obscure destinations.  The views from your train car can also be quite amazing, making a 10 hour train ride a scenic and entertaining journey.  Many long distance train services also have comfortable sleeping cars where you may even have the option of having your own room.

Image by S Wilson

There are many places around the world that just don’t have a well developed rail system, however.  The United States has decent regional railways, such as the Long Island Railroad and CalTrain, but crossing the country can be more expensive than air travel and take many days.  Southeast Asia has a decent train system, though flying easily rivals it with price and convenience.  Meanwhile, Australia has few lines, but with the recent Melbourne-Alice Springs-Darwin line, train travel has become a decent option for cross continent trips.

To see if your desired travel destination has decent rail options, we recommend Seat 61.  Mark Smith lives in England, but his website has rail travel tips for systems all around the world.  I’ve found his website useful when planning both my Europe trip and my vacation in Southeast Asia.  I could not recommend this website more for planning a journey involving trains.  It’s really the best.

BY BUS

Many countries and regions have cheap and efficient bus coverage.  In places like South America, long haul buses connect almost all the major capitols along with smaller towns along major highways.  In regions with decent train systems that may not reach certain areas within that region, such as the United States, southeast Asia, and Australia, buses may be a great way to supplement rail service or for shorter bus journeys.

The quality of service varies widely across the world, but generally private companies have more luxurious options at a higher price while government run services can be cheap and uncomfortable.  Many long distance buses have bathrooms and/or make frequent stops, but not all of them offer these services.  Short distance buses usually don’t have bathrooms, and also usually have limited space for luggage.

For traveling long distance in North America, check Greyhound or Megabus.

BY CAR

Image by S Wilson

For traveling in your own country or on your own continent, traveling with your own car is often a viable alternative.  Though gas prices can be expensive, it is often cheaper to drive your own car than fly if your trip is less than a few hundred miles.  You also have the added benefit of being in control of when you stop to eat or stretch.  For longer journeys by car, you can also stop off at interesting attractions along the way and make a memorable road trip of your journey.

If you are planning on renting a car in different country, check the local laws before driving and be sure your license from home will be adequate.  Traffic laws also vary greatly from one country to another and, sometimes, even from one region to another within that country.  Even if you are in your home country, check the local laws to be sure they don’t vary much from what you are use to.

Regardless of what car you are driving, be sure it’s in good condition before setting off on your trip.  Checking at minimum tire pressure, oil and other fluid levels, battery charge, and the brakes are recommended. Also make sure that your luggage is stowed securely as a sudden stop or sharp turn could send your belongings flying.

OTHER

There are so many other unique ways to get around the world it’s impossible to list them all.  Though it can be dangerous, hitchhiking is very popular in places like the United States.  Tuk-tuks are popular for short distances in Thailand.  Traveling by horse can be a fun and scenic way to make a journey, and in desert regions, camels are still sometimes used.