OK! So you are in Europe or planning to go to Europe.
How best to see Europe? By Car? By rail? or By air?
Well, about ten years ago, the answer was simple -rail!
I don't even want to mention the car, although more
convenient, the rental charges are notoriously high,
price of petrol and parking charges, not to mention the
traffic, makes a car not a good choice, unless of course
you got tons of money to spend at your disposal!
As the cost of air travel in them days was costly
enough to deter you from flying around.
now these days, with airlines like EasyJet and
Ryanair and myriads of other low cost airlines
charging, what would have been ridiculous prices a
decade ago, you think "Hey that's cheap! I'll fly"
Now comes the numbers and as soon as they add up you will maybe, change your mind.
Here's why you should think and start adding those
numbers with the following examples:
a) Rail travel now these days is comfortable, speedy
and when you arrive at your destination, you are
in the middle of the city and NOT miles from it at
the airport.
b) So, let us say that you will take Easyjet from
London Luton airport to Charles De Gaule airport
in Paris. Easyjet has an airfare starting at £22
Wow!! you say to yourself, "how can I miss that?"
Well, wherever you live unless it's next to Luton
airport, you first have to get there. That's an
extra expense! Taxi's in Europe are not exactly
cheap.
Then, you have to pay airport charges (if any) and
be in these horrible queues to go through security
checks, check-in,etc,etc...time flies doesn't it?
And, then, there's the baggage charges that these
low cost cost airlines are levying, for example with
Easyjet you pay £5 for each item of checked-in
baggage (to a maximum of 20 kilograms); and £16.50
for each item of sports equipment. Ryanair has a
limit of 15 kilograms and charges £6 per bag and a
hefty £7.50 a kilogram for excess baggage.
Ok, so now you're in the air, and you're thinking,
" Baggage reclaim area waiting, taxi's and maybe
another security check"
You're flight took maybe 45 to 60 minutes (if
that) But, you had to get to the airport from your
home by taxi (extra expense) time waisted at the
airport in queues (that's money as well!) then,
waiting for your baggage at your destination
arrival (more time and more money) again, take a taxi
(more expense and more time spent on the road) by the
time you arrive at the place that you wanted,
calculate the total amount of hours
and money that you have spent.
The answer is not funny right?
c) Now, let us take the rail as comparison.
Less expense because, you can go either by
underground or commuter train direct (if
applicable) to the train station where you're
train will leave. Thus, less time.
No security queues, no baggage reclaim waiting,and
no charges for baggage (With EUROSTAR the limit is
two large pieces ((with no weight limit)) and one
piece of hand luggage).
comfortable, can eat (if dining car is
available)and omitting the same hassles when you
arrive at your destination.
d) Let's do the numbers cruncher.
* Cost: London (Luton)-Paris (Charles de Gaulle) by
EasyJet, £22. Central London-Luton by bus, £10.
CDG Airport to central Paris by taxi is about £48.
Total: about £80.
* Check-in time: one to two hours before flight.
* Flying time: two hours and 15 minutes. Commuting
time to central Paris: one hour.
Total time: about five-and-a-half hours (allowing for
baggage collection).
London to Paris by train
* Cost: from £59 return, second-class Eurostar
ticket.
* Check-in time: 30 minutes before leaving St Pancras.
* Rail time: two hours and 15 minutes. Arrive Paris
Gare du Nord.
* Total time: three hours.
Get the point my fellow traveller?
So, now that we know that although the air fare is
only 22 pounds.
With all these extras that you had to fork out, the answer (to me anyway) is quite simple, rail is better, more comfortable,
and even less costly in monetary terms.
If, you are a rail enthusiast, then, a myriad of
choices on railpasses, are available for the curious
and intrepid traveller, to choose from.
Happy and safe travels to you all.
Hayri(Harry) Yuruten
Well, about ten years ago, the answer was simple -rail!
I don't even want to mention the car, although more
convenient, the rental charges are notoriously high,
price of petrol and parking charges, not to mention the
traffic, makes a car not a good choice, unless of course
you got tons of money to spend at your disposal!
As the cost of air travel in them days was costly
enough to deter you from flying around.
now these days, with airlines like EasyJet and
Ryanair and myriads of other low cost airlines
charging, what would have been ridiculous prices a
decade ago, you think "Hey that's cheap! I'll fly"
Now comes the numbers and as soon as they add up you will maybe, change your mind.
Here's why you should think and start adding those
numbers with the following examples:
a) Rail travel now these days is comfortable, speedy
and when you arrive at your destination, you are
in the middle of the city and NOT miles from it at
the airport.
b) So, let us say that you will take Easyjet from
London Luton airport to Charles De Gaule airport
in Paris. Easyjet has an airfare starting at £22
Wow!! you say to yourself, "how can I miss that?"
Well, wherever you live unless it's next to Luton
airport, you first have to get there. That's an
extra expense! Taxi's in Europe are not exactly
cheap.
Then, you have to pay airport charges (if any) and
be in these horrible queues to go through security
checks, check-in,etc,etc...time flies doesn't it?
And, then, there's the baggage charges that these
low cost cost airlines are levying, for example with
Easyjet you pay £5 for each item of checked-in
baggage (to a maximum of 20 kilograms); and £16.50
for each item of sports equipment. Ryanair has a
limit of 15 kilograms and charges £6 per bag and a
hefty £7.50 a kilogram for excess baggage.
Ok, so now you're in the air, and you're thinking,
" Baggage reclaim area waiting, taxi's and maybe
another security check"
You're flight took maybe 45 to 60 minutes (if
that) But, you had to get to the airport from your
home by taxi (extra expense) time waisted at the
airport in queues (that's money as well!) then,
waiting for your baggage at your destination
arrival (more time and more money) again, take a taxi
(more expense and more time spent on the road) by the
time you arrive at the place that you wanted,
calculate the total amount of hours
and money that you have spent.
The answer is not funny right?
c) Now, let us take the rail as comparison.
Less expense because, you can go either by
underground or commuter train direct (if
applicable) to the train station where you're
train will leave. Thus, less time.
No security queues, no baggage reclaim waiting,and
no charges for baggage (With EUROSTAR the limit is
two large pieces ((with no weight limit)) and one
piece of hand luggage).
comfortable, can eat (if dining car is
available)and omitting the same hassles when you
arrive at your destination.
d) Let's do the numbers cruncher.
* Cost: London (Luton)-Paris (Charles de Gaulle) by
EasyJet, £22. Central London-Luton by bus, £10.
CDG Airport to central Paris by taxi is about £48.
Total: about £80.
* Check-in time: one to two hours before flight.
* Flying time: two hours and 15 minutes. Commuting
time to central Paris: one hour.
Total time: about five-and-a-half hours (allowing for
baggage collection).
London to Paris by train
* Cost: from £59 return, second-class Eurostar
ticket.
* Check-in time: 30 minutes before leaving St Pancras.
* Rail time: two hours and 15 minutes. Arrive Paris
Gare du Nord.
* Total time: three hours.
Get the point my fellow traveller?
So, now that we know that although the air fare is
only 22 pounds.
With all these extras that you had to fork out, the answer (to me anyway) is quite simple, rail is better, more comfortable,
and even less costly in monetary terms.
If, you are a rail enthusiast, then, a myriad of
choices on railpasses, are available for the curious
and intrepid traveller, to choose from.
Happy and safe travels to you all.
Hayri(Harry) Yuruten
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