Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
We have taken SO many different forms of transportation on this adventure. Here is our running list of all the ways we move around this magical marble.
Planes
Planes have their advantages and disadvantages….The time and effort it takes to get to some airports (and the need to get there 1-3 hours before your flight) can make planes ultimately take longer than other methods of transport (or the same amount of time but less convenient). We used planes only sparingly in Europe but have used them much more in Asia (because there are less trains and we hate buses, read on for why….). We have been on everything from huge double decker planes to tiny prop planes.
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24 flights taken
21,643 miles traveled
2 days 7 hours spent on planes
27 airports
12 airlines
2 major delays (more than like 15 minutes)
Cebu Pacific: Saigon to Manila
Transavia: Paris to Porto
1 bag lost (but later retrieved)
As of August 31, 2024.
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Singapore Airlines
Lufthansa
Malaysia Airlines
Iberia
Vietnam Airlines
Lao Airline
Firefly
Philippines Airlines
Air Asia
EasyJet
CebuPacific - redeye with big delay
Transavia - delayed and bag lost
As of August 31, 2024.
Trains
Our go-to travel method in Europe (much less used in Asia).
Because most train stations are conveniently located within the city, trains can be the easiest form of transportation (in Europe). They can be more costly than some budget airlines but you get what you pay for with some of those more budget airlines (heavy bag restrictions, extra costs, less comfort). They are great for intercountry travel but can be a bit more challenging when you are trying to get from one country to another (with the exception of Eurostar which was super easy).
On more than one occasion we had entire train cars to ourselves or only with 1-2 other people. We also almost always often upgraded to the middle or first class because it was only a few dollars more that added a greater amount of comfort.
Despite our overwhelming love for train travel, it can come with challenges. We write about these in some of our other stories but two of the biggest ones we experienced were missing our train (when most tickets are not flexible/refundable/changeable) and then when strike action (fairly common throughout Europe) leads to delays, cancellations, or schedule changes.
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14 trains taken
3 train mishaps
1 missed connection
1 train strike cancellation/change
1 major delay while on the train
As of August 31, 2024.
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The Eurostar: We took it between London and Paris though it also goes to Brussels, Rotterdam, Amsterdam and some other stops along the way.
IRYO in Spain: On more than one occasion we took the IRYO brand of high speed train. The trains were fast, clean, comfortable and convenient. There are several brands of high speed trains in Spain and we used videos from some of our favorite travel bloggers to help learn the difference and decide which ones to use when.
Automobiles
There has not been a single time where we NEEDED our own car in travels. The decision to rent a car each time came down to convenience, and each experience was excellent. In Europe driving is treated with much more care, consideration, and safety than in the United States. We never want to drive in the U.S. again when I look back at how outrageous it is compared to Europe. And that is saying something when we have always been so reliant on cars in our daily lives in Houston. Some interesting features of driving in Europe:
Cars have highbeam sensors so when you are driving in a rural area the headlights are on bright, but the moment a car is oncoming the car automatically dims the lights.
Cars have built in speed limit indicators, in that a light on the dash tells you the roads speed limit at all times. It even switches if the speed limit changes due to road conditions or construction.
One thing that continues to be strange and our brains have still not been able to grasp is the driving on the left side of the road (the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand)... I don’t know if we would brave driving a car ourselves in one of the places that drive on the left. It is hard enough remembering to stand on the left side of the escalator or sidewalk! We had a motorbike in Langkawi, Malaysia and it was very strange being on the left side of the road.
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4 cars rented (Germany, Bosnia, and 2X in Italy)
2 tickets
1 BlahBlah Car ride
Numberouse transits via taxi/rideshare (covered in their own category)
Walking
The fact is we walk WAY more than we ever have in our lives. We love and chose places for their walkability. It is absolutely amazing to live within 15 minutes of whatever you need, without having to get in a car. Yes we have to walk with groceries in our hands but I will take that over the hell that is going to HEB on a Saturday to find parking, shop, and walk 7 miles to your car to drive home. Houston just isn’t walkable. But there are tons of places that are. Walking to stores, dinner, the beach, etc. is certainly one of the most stress free ways to live.
Buses
For these purposes we are referring to long-distance buses not city buses or minibuses. This form of transit really has been a mixed bag. Our bus from Lisbon to Sevilla was long, and while the first part was pretty comfortable because it was only half full, once we stopped half way through and the bus filled up, it was decidedly less comfortable. We did witness one of the more beautiful sunrises we have seen thus far (since the bus left at 6:00am…) so tradeoffs I guess.
Our bus, from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur was way more comfortable seat wise but a little less amenity friendly. The seats were huge and reclined and even had a quasi massage feature, but were older and didn’t have an onboard bathroom. Our one stop (besides the border checkpoint was little more than a rest area with temporary bathrooms) but based on the bus company reviews, it could have been way worse.
Our best bus experience was the Cat Ba Express which was a 2 hour bus + channel crossing. The company was very experienced and so the transportation was well run.
Buses taken: 6
Hired Car
(Taxi, Rideshare, Van, Transfers)
For any occasion that requires a vehicle we turn to hired cars. We have learned about all the various rideshare apps (Freenow, Bolt, Grab, Uber, etc.).
We will occasionally use taxi stands or arrange a taxi through our accommodations. This is a tricky form of transportation for us and travelers in general though. There are many travel stories of people getting taken advantage of with taxis (we mostly mean scammed for more money but there are of course occasions where worse can happen) and anywhere there are language barriers it can make it more difficult in communicating your intended destination. For these reasons we stick to rideshare apps as much as possible.
But, often rideshare drivers will have a card or QR code where you can get their info so that you can arrange off app transportation (supports them more directly). We collect info from good drivers we have met through rideshare wherever we see them because this has come in handy on more than one occasion.
Also, imagine hiring a car to drive you from Houston to San Antonio (either roundtrip or one way)? In Houston we would never do it. Partly because we all have cars and partly because it would cost a fortune. In Asia we also have used transportation companies/car hires to both for all day trips and one way transportation between cities (and it is totally normal). In Asia, it is not uncommon for people to hire cars for long forms of transportation for a reasonable fare. These trips are priced based on car type, one way transportation vs. waiting, and a host of other factors.
We hired a car (and driver) to take us on an all day tour north of Chiang Mai (with Ma and Pa). She drove us 2 hours, dropped us off at each sight, waited for us, before driving us home 2 hours in the evening.
When Ry was recovering from Phuket, we hired a car (a Grab driver who we got his number when we rode with him) to drive us from Phuket to Ao Nang (a 2 hour ride) so we could travel in comfort while Ryan was still sick.
Motorbikes/Scooters
The KING of all transports in Asia. Scooters are everywhere, in every shape and size. We took our first drive on a scooter in Langkawi, Malaysia and loved the freedom and flexibility it provided. With the chaos of Thailand and Vietnam, and road conditions of Laos and Cambodia, we didn’t get back on a bike until the Philippines but have loved our experience with the bike every time because you can move around at your leisure, especially in more rural areas. This is our favorite mode of transportation on islands in particular because they are much more quiet (less traffic) and chill.
TukTuks/Trikes/Wagons
Another staple of SE Asia we have encountered a TON of are TukTuks. There are many different shapes, sizes, and names of this mode of transit but all in all it’s pretty much the same. A cart driven by a bike of some sorts, with a small-ish compartment to ride in. Quick, fun, and annoying how many there are and how many times they ask if you want a ride.
While not quite a tuk tuk the Philippines has their version, the Jeepney, which is by far the coolest version. The front is a full on jeep like vehicle and the back is like a bus. Each is decked out with its own personality with hot rod vibes. They function mostly like buses but will stop wherever you need along a set route.
Boats & Ferries
Ferries are very underrated. We have taken them both as a form of transportation to get to where we need to go, but also just for the hell of it sometimes. They often offer underrated views and new perspectives. Viv once made us ride the Staten Island ferry in NYC on one of the coldest days of the year just so we could see the views. It was worth it. We try and take ferries when we can, even just for fun.
We have also taken a few boat excursions in Asia, on a variety of boat types. The graceful filipino bangka has to be our favorite.
Funicular
We hadn’t really used these before Europe but have been saved by them on several occasions where the alternative is walking up very steep hills or endless steps. We used it to quickly reach to top of Montmartre where Sacre Coeur is in Paris (rather than take the steps John Wick tumbles down endlessly), to reach the upper levels of Montjuic Park in Barcelona, to get to the top of Penang Hill in Penang, Malaysia and on several other random occasions. They are always worth the money because going down a hill is always easier than hiking up.
Gondola/Cable Car
These are similar to ferries in the mostly just for fun category. They will rarely be required but are frequently worth it. We have encountered Cable Cars in San Sebastian, Barcelona, Sarajevo, Langkawi, and Vietnam. They often offer very stunning views. The down side to these is they are occasionally closed due to high wind or other bad weather so can be less reliable. The cable car to Cat Ba was the only somewhat required one we have encountered (you could take a regular ferry or speedboat instead but this was the best option).
Public Transit
(i.e. metro, trams, city buses)
We saved the best for last. We will do a full rundown of our public transit experience in another post, but for now… One thing we know for sure from our travels is, access to good public transit is a non-negotiable for us. In Europe it takes many shapes (buses, metro trains, trams) and we love it all. Asia overall has not had great public transit, with the exception of Singapore which had some of the best public transit in. the. World.
Here are some other forms of transport we have taken.
