| Either if you are European or not, the most important | | | | exists something called Low Cost Airlines, which could |
| thing when it comes to plan your vacations in the old | | | | have made this 6 hour trip last for only 1 hour plus the |
| continent is to select and optimize the means of | | | | 2 you waited on the queue... for 50 euros the round trip |
| transport. What I mean with that is not only to find the | | | | with taxes and fees included! |
| best airfare hunting for hot deals on the net 8 hours a | | | | In the end, the results vary around only two factors. |
| day, but to make the process of trip planning in an | | | | Time and money. As a general rule, and exposed to |
| intelligent way. As everyone can notice, it makes no | | | | thousands of external factors that can make it |
| sense to find the best airline ticket if then you realize it | | | | change, I wouldn't recommend to take any flight if you |
| would have been better with train. | | | | can make the same itinerary for less than 3 hours by |
| Here is the real discussion and what this article is | | | | train, as possibly train will be cheaper and faster. When |
| about. Of course my idea is not to provide with an | | | | the number of hours increases, this balance tends to |
| answer, as I can promise there is no answer at all to | | | | approach the plane option, as actually in Europe the |
| this topic as conditions keep varying every day, but to | | | | price to get from Barcelona to Madrid (30 minutes |
| take an approach to the topic by giving some | | | | flight) is the same as to get from Barcelona to |
| guidelines to follow to the reader. | | | | Stockholm (3:30 hours flight). Why? Because airlines |
| Who hates waking up very early to stand up in front | | | | have managed to drop so much the tickets they sell |
| of a queue for 2 hours just to give a couple of | | | | (of course if you book with time enough) that the only |
| suitcases to the always smiling lady at the end? Is the | | | | thing you are paying in the end is just taxes. |
| prize to see her smile? Well, most probably it is to get | | | | As a final note, I would like to mention an exception to |
| this small piece of paper that supposedly authorizes | | | | this rule, that appears when you get a eurail or inter rail |
| you to get into the plane. And I say supposedly, as you | | | | pass. Those tickets allow you to take a certain |
| will need to pass the thousand barriers (police control, | | | | number of travel days within a determined amount of |
| passport control...) that are placed between you and | | | | time, restricted to 1 or 2 countries or zones, or even |
| your dream destination. | | | | can provide a global pass with some traveling days |
| Of course things are getting a bit better recently with | | | | restrictions also during an amount of time that can be 1 |
| the possibility to check-in online or with machines, but | | | | or 2 months. This is a very good option for the railway |
| still the process of getting on a plane can really be | | | | lovers. And you need to really get in love with the rails |
| annoying. What I mean with all this is: have you really | | | | as you are going to spend very long hours looking |
| checked that all this is necessary? Are you serious | | | | through your window. To put it in different words: if |
| that a train service could have not worked in the same | | | | you are able to enjoy the trip by train as much as |
| way avoiding all this time lost at the airport? | | | | when you walk in your destination, this option is for you. |
| No. I don't work for the rail service if that was your | | | | So, after all, if you are looking to travel within Europe, |
| question. Let's put this in another way. You plan your | | | | simply keep in mind that it is not only about price, but |
| quick trip with train, 6 hours in one of those super-fast | | | | also about time invested and how much you are able |
| machines that will take you to your destination for | | | | to enjoy this time you spend between one place to |
| about... 300 euros. Well, don't take me wrong but it | | | | another. |