In a shout-out to the classic American Thanksgiving movie, we’re thinking about our recent travels on Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. We have travelled around Europe on all three, and the challenges and adventures that each offers become a part of our travel story. Flying can be frustrating, trains are a great option that most of America does not have, and we are happy to have a car now for another choice of transportation.
Planes
Flying around Europe is best for traveling longer distances for shorter periods of time. Relaxing, it is not. The hassles and stress involved, with long lines going through security and passport controls, and the chance of having a flight cancelled or delayed, do not make for relaxing travel.
Covid requirements are stricter for plane travel. Many countries require proof of vaccination or a negative test in order to fly. Germany doesn’t require this right now, but we had to follow these rules over the past year. As of just recently, we no longer have to wear masks on flights.
Planes are still crowded, usually our flights around Europe have every seat full. Narrow aisles on planes don’t offer a good option to get up and move around. Despite the negatives, we really do appreciate the option of flying from our location in central Europe to be able to visit a range of countries near, and not so near.
Having status with an airline definitely makes travel easier, especially if you have access to one of the airport lounges. Since flying these days requires more waiting, it’s great to have that nice, quiet space with free food and drinks. Definitely a game changer.
Trains
It’s great to have the train option here in Europe. Taking a train is much, much easier than flying. You can show up at the station 10 minutes before your train leaves. There is no security check, you can bring all the liquids you can carry in your bag. Storing bags on the train during the trip is easy, with luggage racks in every wagon.
Seats can be reserved, for a small price, currently €9 per seat on Deutsche Bahn. Often, someone will be sitting in your reserved seat. It is usually the case of a mistaken car or transposed number and everyone is very congenial about moving. You think that people should be able to navigate such a simple process, until you’re the one in the wrong seat. 😜
Compared to planes, train travel is slow travel, and also a little more relaxed. Maybe because it is slower, people are less likely to be stressed. On a train you can walk from car to car, visit the dining car, and on some, even go to upper or lower levels of seating. There are even designated “quiet” cars on trains. The rule is not followed 100%, but usually these are pretty quiet.
The dining car is a great place to go if you want to spread out a little. The cost of a beer or coffee is a good deal to be able to occupy a table for a few hours. Trains generally offer WiFi, but it is spotty, so it’s a good idea to download videos or books before you leave. Cost-wise, the trains are usually a bit less expensive than flying, but not always significantly so.
For now, Germany requires a mask for train travel. At least, with a mask on, no one can make fun of your open-mouth breathing while you sleep.
& Automobiles
We recently bought a car, so we plan to do more driving soon. There’s freedom in a road trip, leaving when you want, and going where you want. You can pile luggage in the back, bring more than you need, bring a picnic. Depending on the car, you could sleep in it, in a pinch. We’ll try this with The Shamrock at some point.
The car will also be key for going camping. We can use our tent, or rent a cabin, or find unique stays off the beaten path, including brewery hotels around Europe.
Of course, there is the hassle of traffic on the highways, and trying to navigate through small villages. We bought a Road Atlas, we’ll be learning some geography so we can know generally where we’re going. Road signs that include 23-letters-long words in German, and don’t include an Exit Number, are not always super helpful when the Garmin is telling you to take Exit 11.
Overall, the fact that we can jump in the car and drive off for an afternoon is a great feeling.
Living in Europe offers a great perk of hopping on a train and reaching a new country in a matter of hours. Taking a plane offers further distances in a short amount of time. The car gives a lot of freedom. Each one has pros and cons, depending on where you want to go, and how much time you have to get there.
Whichever means of travel you choose becomes a part of your travel story, just like it did for Steve Martin and John Candy in the funny and sweet story of Planes, Trains & Automobiles.
Happy Thanksgiving!
This page contains affiliate links and we earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of the links, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Leave a Reply