Sometimes you have only a limited time to see places that are far apart. For example, you may be traveling to Australia and want to see Darwin, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Alice Springs. Unfortunately, Australia is a big country and seeing all of those cities means covering a lot of that country and you only have a limited amount of time. It’s a shame to spend half of your vacation in transit. This is where air and train passes can come to your aid.
What Are Passes?
Passes are available in a number of different places. They are basically open tickets that give you a limited number of flights or train rides within a specific period of time. The price tag varies with how many trips you want to take and where you are traveling. Obviously, it is cheaper to travel within a small area than to cover a continent.
Most people have heard of eurorail passes. Train passes are an excellent way to get around Europe as they have an extensive railway system and the trains are just as fast as taking a flight in many cases. In a country like Australia where the distances are larger and the train system not necessarily as fast, air passes can be a better choice. The same is true of North America.
Advantages to Passes
One of the nicest things about an air or train pass is that you don’t have to drive in a foreign country. Driving on unfamiliar territory can be very unnerving. I may never forget the first few days I drove in Madrid, I was petrified half the time and getting anywhere took longer than it should have because I kept missing streets and getting stuck on one way roads. If you are visiting large cities, public transport is likely to be a viable option once you reach your destination so you can avoid the expense, hassles and headaches that come with driving in a foreign country. If you are taking the train you can also enjoy the scenery more than you would if you were driving and worrying about directions.
An air pass can also allow you to make more trips for less than it would cost if you were to book a bunch of separate flights. This isn’t necessarily the case with a train pass although it is if you find the right deals and sales.
With an air pass you need to book your flights before you depart as a general rule. This is not the case with a train pass and you have the flexibility to decide you want to stay an extra day or leave earlier than you have originally planned. This is very handy if you are working your way across a country or a few countries. Most passes will allow you to choose the number of flights or trips you want to make within a time period.
There are a few companies, such as Star Alliance, that offer an “Around the World” fare which allows you to travel 39,000 miles continuously travelling in a single direction (no backtracking) for a rather reasonable fare. I was fooling around with an itinerary to get a price and I visited South America
(Panama City and Lima), Africa (Johannesburg and Cairo), Turkey (Istanbul), China (Shanghai), Japan (Tokyo), Australia (Melbourne) and then home for just over $7,000. Just flying to Melbourne and back from Toronto would cost about $2,000. Going to Johannesburg and back home would be $1,300 and going to Shanghai would be $1,200 – that’s a total of $4,500 and there are several cities we haven’t figured out the cost of a ticket to yet so you can see the savings.
Limitations
You generally have to book flights in advance so you are stuck with a schedule with an air pass. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it does mean you should do some planning in advance of your trip. With a train pass you can be more spontaneous.
If you are traveling to a more remote area, you may need to rent a vehicle once you get there in order to get around.
When it comes to rail passes in Europe, it can be cheaper to book trains as you go rather than purchasing a pass. There are many deals, including last minute deals, to be had. Look for them.
Train Vs. Air Passes – Which is Best?
In many cases that depends on where you want to go. Train security is certainly less taxing and frustrating than airport security. Trains also tend to be roomier and more comfortable for a long haul. You can get up and walk around. There’s a dining car. You can even book a sleeping compartment for overnight trips. Airplanes tend to be more cramped and they want you to stay in your seat as much as possible. For short flights, meals are not generally an option.
If you are travelling a long distance, flights are faster though more expensive. If you are travelling to different continents, trains may not even be an option. Remote areas may not be accessible by train either.
If I was going to Europe I wouldn’t hesitate to do a rail pass. Australia on the other hand is an air pass for sure. There’s just too much space to cover. Although North America is vast, there’s so much to see in between the big cities that I wouldn’t mind doing it by train.
No matter which you choose, the value in a pass is that it gives you more options, hopefully saves you some stress and time while allowing you to see more of the country or countries you are visiting on your vacation.
Cover photo: weheartit.com
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