Bus and rail

To travel from one destination to another, we prefer to travel by train. Trains are comfortable, without sudden movements, and mostly you can move around in them. Carrying relatively large numbers of passengers, at high speed and with fewer stops or hold-ups than cars or buses, rail travel is ideal for medium to long distances – particularly when there is a need to get somewhere quickly.
In some continents or countries, however, there are little or no rail tracks. To move between destinations there, you will have to take the bus. Buses have their advantages, too. For one, they are often cheaper than trains.

Train Travel, ideal for independent travelers

Train Travel is a great way of transport for independent travelers. It is fast, comfortable, and it gives the opportunity to watch the landscape passing by.

More comfortable than the bus, more fun than flying and more relaxing than a car trip, trains keep you in touch with the landscape and the civilized pace is ideal for sightseeing. In almost every aspect, it outperforms using airplanes or buses.

Sleeping

One of the main advantages of train travel is the possibility to sleep underway. When you are short in time, or when the trip is long or dull, you simply combine the travelling time with the time you need to rest. In many countries, different types of sleeping trains are available.

Discount train passes

Train travel from city to city can be quite expensive. Luckily, in some continents or countries discount train passes are available for travelling around for a few weeks:

Eurail - In Europe, the discount passes are offered by a company called Eurail. They offer different passes, for different regions in Europe. It is even possible to choose 3 countries in which to travel for a fixed price.

Amtrak Pass - The best way to tour USA in luxury, or simply to get you from A to B, suitable for families and individuals alike.

Australian Pass - From the far north to the outback region: from Sydney to Perth to Alice Springs and using famous trains like 'The Queenslander', 'The Indian Pacific' and 'The Ghan'.

Canrail Pass - Canada Rail has proven itself to be one of the ultimate forms of rail travel in the world. Let the luxury sleeper touring trains make your stay in Canada.

Japan Rail - Explore Japan in style with the various available rail passes.

Bus Travel

To be honest, we think the train outperforms bus travel, especially in comfort. But, railway tracks just aren’t as widely spread as roads, so it’s a good thing to have buses to get from one place to another. Bus services play a major role in the provision of public transport. These services can take many forms, varying in distance covered, types of vehicle used, and can operate with fixed or flexible routes and schedules. Services may be operated by public or private companies, and be provided using bus fleets of various sizes.

And there are more advantages. In addition to just wanting to get to your destination, there are plenty of reasons to ride The Bus. As an affordable means of transportation, you can get around without paying high gas prices, car payments or maintenance or repairs. In fact, it actually saves you money compared to driving.

Advantages of Bus Travel

Since there are roads (almost) everywhere, buses will bring you closer to your destination than trains almost anywhere in the world, unless your destination is near a train station. Another advantage is the widespread services. Last, but not least, the bus is a great way to meet the locals. Bus travel often involves a lot of waiting in bus stations. And it is there where you can meet local people. And on the bus itself, you can experience how the locals travel.

Bus passes

For cheap bus travel, consider buying bus passes. Although they are not as flexible as railpasses, they enable you to city-hop at a cheaper rate than on the trains, albeit at a slower pace. Unfortunately, these passes are mostly limited to buses from a single company. So, before you buy one, check to see if that company serves all the destinations in your itinerary. Companies in Europe that offer those passes are Eurolines and Busabout.