Traveling cross country can be time-consuming and stressful. Often, we have excellent reasons for needing to go hundreds of miles, but the inconvenience of the journey can be off-putting. There are many factors that you will no doubt consider when it comes to working out how to get to where you need to be. These might include costings, journey times, comfort, environmental concerns, as well as complexity.
Some big journeys may involve multiple modes of transport. If you need to make connections, it can be stressful, especially if you have had a delay on one leg of the journey. There may be cancellations or diversions in place on public transport services. And road closures and heavy traffic can cause you a headache when traveling on the road.
There is no method of transport that is one hundred percent perfect, but there may be options that suit your situation better than others.
Hire A Private Plane
You may think that private planes are only for rock stars, royalty, and wealthy businesspeople. But you would be wrong. There are lots of people that use private charters as a way of getting across the country in a very convenient manner.
One question that you may ask is, how much does it cost to charter a private jet in Canada? Flying a small private plane can be beneficial for several reasons. Firstly, smaller planes require shorter runways than commercial aircraft. You’ll be able to zoom in and out of smaller, local airfields which may be much closer to your final destination. Flying into a major airport usually involves a prolonged check-in process, and can be miles from where you need to be. You might find that you are still a couple of hours drive away from where you need to be.
The check-in process will be much less time consuming as you won’t need to queue with hundreds of other people. And, if you have a plane to yourself, it can be much more relaxing than being in a cramped compartment with no space to move.
If a small group of you are traveling, you can spread the cost of the charter, and it may work out comparable to the price of a commercial flight. This is an option worth considering if you are all off on a business trip together, or there are a number of you traveling for a holiday.
There are some cost savings to be made with this type of travel. An empty leg flight takes advantage of a return journey. Often, when a private plane has arrived at its destination, it may need to return to its base empty. There may be discounts available for filling the aircraft for this journey.
Commercial Flights
Commercial flights offer the convenience of speed. You can travel hundreds of miles within a couple of hours. You will need to factor time for check-in and passport control on both sides of your journey, as well as reclaiming any baggage. However, even with all these things considered, it is far quicker than any land-based transport.
Flight rates can vary greatly, with prices fluctuating based on demand, as well as fuel costs. There are often substantial taxes included in the cost of flights, and these may fluctuate or vary depending on the country.
If you book well enough in advance, you may be able to grab yourself some bargains, and as well, if you are prepared to fly during less popular times, this might be more cost-efficient.
Shop around for your tickets though, and use incognito mode on your browser so that you don’t store cookies from your internet search. Often, when shopping around for tickets that are likely to fluctuate in price, a return visit to a website will see ticket prices rise. By tricking the website into believing you’ve never visited, you will always get the best available price.
There are apparent environmental concerns with air travel, with carbon emissions from flights being a significant cause of concern for many. Before you book, find out about the airline companies environmental policy. Many airlines now attempt to offset their carbon footprint with tree planting initiatives. In addition to this, you may want to consider ways of reducing your own carbon footprint in other areas of your life to balance out the air travel.
Coach
Travelling long-distance by coach can be a very cost-effective means of getting to where you need to be. Many coach companies offer very reasonable tickets if you book in advance. As far as road use goes, it is more environmentally friendly than taking a car, as it is saving additional emissions.
This is a great option if you are going from city to city. However, if you need to go somewhere a little more off the beaten track, then you may need to look at changing to local bus services when you arrive.
Another drawback may be that journey times can be a little long. But, if you are not in a rush, it’s worth taking your time, to save money. You can also unwind to some degree on your journey, or even catch up on a bit of work on your laptop.
Trains
A more comfortable option to coach travel might be by train. Usually, trains offer much more space to be able to sit and enjoy the ride. With many electric lines, the environmental impact may be lower than road travel.
Rail travel can be fairly pricey though, depending on where you live and the journey. However, if you can book far enough in advance, you may be able to save some money.
You may need to switch trains for more complicated journeys, so always make sure you know when and where you are changing. Keeping on top of your journey plans will make the trip much more enjoyable.
With comfortable seats and tables, you’ll be able to eat, work, and relax on the route. This will take a great deal of the stress away from the situation.
Driving
One of the most convenient ways to get somewhere is to drive there. You can go from door to door if you need to. You are able to move at your own pace, stop off, or make detours whenever you need to, and you don’t need to share your space with any strangers.
One of the significant downsides is the environmental impact. While some cars are better than others in terms of emissions, and fuel efficiency, for long journeys, traveling solo by car is not as environmentally friendly as public transport.
Fuel prices vary dramatically, but your driving style can alter your fuel efficiency. Making sure you maintain steady speeds, and stick to motorways and major roads will help you get the most out of your tank of fuel. Keeping your car well maintained, and your tires at the correct pressure will also help with this. You can also plan your journey to avoid built-up areas too. You may be able to by-pass many towns and cities and avoid heavy congestion. This may make the trip longer in terms of mileage, but it may be quicker and cheaper.
Extended periods at the wheel don’t offer many options for relaxation either, with a need to be always awake and alert. If you can share the driving with someone else, then this may be a good idea, mainly if the journey is over five hours long. You’ll want to take lots of comfort breaks at service stations along the way too, as being in a car for a long time can be uncomfortable.