About Us
| Family Travels Transportation |
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| Getting Around a City Metro - Bus - Trams - Taxis Research to see if the city is pedestrian friendly or if everything is spread out and public transportation is a better option In Florence, everything is walkable. Prague is mostly walkable, but you can take the metro to the Castle...and if you are tired after a long day London--the Underground is the way to go! Mind the Gap! In Rome, the metro doesn't always get you to the ancient sites...A taxi is easier and safer. Buses are filled with pickpockets. However, in some cities, public transportation is a great way to "see" the city. For Example, in Vienna Austria the public trams take the Ring Road and we followed Rick Steve's self guided tram tour Public Transportation in Venice is the water buses. You can buy a multi day ticket or combo with museums for greater savings. The water bus #1 or #82 late at night is a good as $100 gondola ride Another Option, may be tour buses...but we generally shy away from these "tourist traps" But in Dublin, the Red Hop On/Hop Off Tour Bus was a great way to get to all the sights The Sound of Music Tour in Salzburg cannot be missed Confused? Just do your research. Alot of answers can be found on this website. Or simply Google the public transportation system Are there multi-day Passes? Are there Tourist Passes like the Roma Pass in Rome and Venice Pass that include museums, churches and water buses What are your Options? |
| Transportation Whether it be getting from the airport or train station to the hotel......or getting around a city to see the sights....or traveling out to the countryside....or even traveling across country/national borders... This webpage hopes to answer some of your questions. If you don't find your answers here, explore the internet and get the info you need before you leave home You will feel so much more comfortable traveling when you know how and where you are going. |
| Swanson Family Crazy Travel Plans During most of our stays, we rent a car. However, when we home-base in large cities such as Munich, London or Paris we make use of their excellent transportation system of subways and buses and don't rent a car until we are ready to leave town. We also have taken the train in connecting the dots of larger trips. For example, the South of France we used a car...then we turned it in at Nice and took a train to Venice....then used their excellent water bus service ...then took a water taxi to the airport to fly home. We also have used organized bus trips to move from area to area. When we were in London, we didn't want to rent a car and try to navigate a big city (especially driving on the other side of the road) so we took a bus trip to Windsor and to Stonehenge and abandoned the tour in Bath (our destination of choice) of course, we notified the operator in advance and made arrangements with our luggage....After two days in Bath (and a total of a week in England) we picked up a rental car Finally, flying can sometimes be the cheapest way between larger cities. We flew from Edinburgh, Scotland to Dublin, Ireland on Ryan Air...it was cheaper than driving the rental to the coast and taking a ferry. (Ryan Air...five of us to fly one way was $125 total --cheaper than gas to drive) And on our first Europe trip we went from Paris...our goal was Salzburg...so we got a flight into Munich, Germany...and then a rental car to Austria Be creative and think outside the box. Another good reason to pack light |
| Eurail Passes We did get a two week Eurail Pass in 1989 when we backpacked Europe without kids. However, for the trips we now make, it is easier and actually cheaper to buy individual train tickets. Especially in Italy, Germany and Switzerland, the train systems are excellent and easy to manage. Just pack light |
| Train Travel Tip When arriving by train into your Home Base of several nights, go ahead and buy your departure ticket the day you arrive. That way you will have a confirmed date and time of departure.....and avoid ticket lines or confusion. Always buy Direct Tickets when you can. Local Trains that stop in numerous stations along the way can add hours to your trip. Don't assume the early trains get there early...sometimes direct trains leaving hours later will arrive at destination before others. |
| Westbanhof--Main Train Station Munich |
| Train to the Cinque Terre, Italy |
PLANE FLIGHTS CHEAPER AND EASIER WAY TO TRAVEL? Believe it or not, Flying may be the quickest and sometimes, the cheapest, way to travel between cities or countries. Some countries subsidize their local carriers and the rates can be really low....How LOW? How about $1.99 pounds for a flight from Scotland to Ireland...That is $4 a ticket....plus fees, taxes and such...It was $125.00 for five people to fly one way between Edinburgh and Dublin. Another vacation, we realized that it was much cheaper and saved about seven hours in travel time to fly from Rome to Venice. Yes, cheaper than the train or even renting a car plus we got an extra entire day to enjoy Venice. You have to look for those bargains. Most are found by booking early Which is another benefit to research and coming up with a rough itinerary before you leave home. Just recently we even combined a 10 night Mediterranean cruise....with a week in the Czech Republic. We found cheap flights connecting Rome (our port of call) to Prague for about $165 for five of us. Alway explore this option...the build your vacation around your bargain flights |
| Rental Cars Most rental cars companies have international branches....so try them first, especially if you have discounts or promotions. European Rental Car Companies are great too. We have rented from them with no issues...but read your agreement carefully. Make sure you are aware of all driving laws and regulations. For example, driving in Switzerland requires purchasing an annual use permit at the borders. |
| Learn your local road signs. Trust us "one way" signs are not the same. And the kids got a kick out of "Ausfarht" (exit) in Germany when we couldn't find our way out of a parking garage. In the US, "right turn on red after stop" is the rule....In France, drivers entering on the right have the right of way....straight traffic has to yield (which means "slam on brakes" Also, learn the local language for "gas", "gas station", the difference between "unleaded" and diesel. Sometimes the gas stations are even located on the sidewalks. Parking can be a headache. Roads turn into Staircases (seriously). Road are narrow. |
Don't attempt to Drive in Wales,Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast in Italy, and be very careful in every big city. Paris was scary...although the kids were laughing hysterically when we went around the traffic circle of the Arc de Triomphe about six times before we could figure which way to go We usually try to rent the cars on the outskirts of the city...or even take a bus or train to a smaller town and rent there. Don't be overconfident. |
| The Amalfi Coast Road Hold your breath as you squeeze by tour buses, while there is a several hundred foot drop-off on the other side of the "guard" rail |
| Westbanhof--Main Train Station Munich |
| Narrow Cliffhanging Roads of Dingle Pensisula - Ireland |
| Private Drivers Ok....this mights seem like a splurge but sometimes it is a really good value and worth it for ease of convenience. If you are visiting the Almalfi Coast, don't bother with driving (an insane idea) or try the local bus... Hire the Monetti family. You won't regret it. Marco in Rome was wonderful for transportation to and from the pier and Rome (about an hour away)...the train experience was horrible. We have used Private Drivers in Grenada, St. Lucia, Peurto Rico, St. Kitts....this is the way to go Much cheaper that shore excursions offered by the cruise lines....and the best way to see the island. |
| Tony, who was driving in the picture above when we had a close encounter with a bus, is a perfect Italian gentleman |
| Cuttie in Grenada...coaxes a monkey out of the tree for Amanda |
| Above: Sidewalk Gas Station, Monaco Below: Small Rental Car, Tuscany |