Planes, Trains, and Automobiles — Traveling around Europe
In response to a recent article of mine, one person commented, “You continue to capture the joys (and issues) of living in another country beautifully.” I try to honestly and openly share the good and the bad. This week I’m all about the good. In fact, it’s one of the best: traveling. Europe is my backyard!
After our first trip to Europe, we were hooked. We spent the trip gaping in surprise and delight at many things we saw and experienced. We knew we wanted to return. That was in 2000 and we were living near Austin, Texas.
Time and cost are problems for most Americans traveling to Europe, including for us at the time. It can take 12–24 hours, and usually at least one plane change, to reach a European destination from most US cities, not to mention that it can cost a thousand dollars or more in airfare (even for coach). Plus, jet lag hampers the first day or two. It felt pointless to go that far and spend so much money for less than two weeks. Still, we started saving every vacation day and every penny, so we could make an annual trip.
After our move to Spain in 2017, we discovered the joy of being close to the rest of Europe. Trips are affordable. Flight times are short. We no longer have to scrimp and save, then travel for weeks, to “justify” the trip. Even a long weekend is fine. Many of our trips these days are only four days, and we try to take one every few months (pre-Covid, of course).
This article isn’t about any particular trip. It’s about ways we’ve found to take advantage of our geographical location and affordably travel around Europe.
Planes
The most common way to travel, especially between countries, is to fly. There are multiple airlines to choose from, but our go-to for budget travel is the low cost, short-haul Ryanair. After we moved here, I signed up for Ryanair’s emails. They regularly send a flash sale notice, where they offer a few dirt-cheap seats to some of their destinations. When those few are gone, the flash sale is over.
The listed price is one-way and available dates and locations are limited, but if you’re flexible, it’s possible to fly for not much more than the cost of a dinner out, even after paying for a second carry-on bag. It was a flash sale that sent us on a recent, unplanned trip to Bari, Italy, a city we’d never heard of. The impulsiveness is part of the fun!
Ryanair lives up to its budget name. Only one free (tiny) carry-on is allowed. Food/ beverages aren’t free. Assigned seats aren’t free. They don’t use the airport’s jet bridges — passengers are piled into buses and driven to the tarmac, where everyone climbs the steps into the plane, rain or shine.
Our opinion on Ryanair’s “cattle run” style is oh well. Flights between EU countries are generally only 2–3 hours. We don’t need an assigned seat or food. We’d rather “suffer” for a couple of hours and be able to afford to travel more often. (For longer flights we use a major carrier like Lufthansa or KLM and pay their higher rates.) When we visited Russia we flew Aeroflot (and we thought Ryanair was strict!).
Trains
Western Europe’s railway system is unprecedented. You can get almost anywhere by train, and with the Eurail pass it’s easy, even when crossing borders and having to change trains. The Eurail Pass, introduced in 1959 and formerly known as Europass or Eurorail Pass, is a rail pass which permits travel through 33 European countries on nearly all railroads and several shipping lines.
We signed up for emails from Renfe (Spain’s railway) and Eurail. Both frequently offer discounts to many destinations. Rates aren’t as cheap as Ryanair, but most everyday fares are still quite affordable, even for the high speed trains. Many routes offer an option of regular train (e.g., Valencia to Madrid takes 4 hours) or high speed (e.g., the same route takes 1–1/2 hours), so if time isn’t critical you can choose the slower train and lower cost. For those of us over 60, signing up for the Tarjeta Dorada (gold card) means fares can be as low as €6 to some destinations.
Our first train trip after moving was February 2018 from Valencia to Paris. We took the regular Renfe train to Barcelona, then hopped on the Renfe-SNCF high-speed train to Paris. Even upgrading the Barcelona-to-Paris segment to First Class, the trip was only €75 round-trip (each).
Renfe also offers what they call Experiences, which are destination trips that evoke a bygone era. For example, the Tren Al Ándalus (Andalusian Route) is seven days in a gorgeously restored vintage train with richly furnished sleepers, gourmet food, and impeccable service. The train starts and ends in Seville, and travels through multiple cities around Andalusia, with stops and tours along the way. These trips aren’t cheap, but offer the experience of a lifetime.
Trains are definitely more comfortable than a budget airline. Most European trains are luxurious, especially compared to Amtrak. Seats are comfortable and widely spaced and include a table with a USB charging port. Windows are large and clean. Many trains have club cars with delicious, fresh-made food.
It takes longer to get anywhere by train, but we sometimes opt for that mode of travel anyway for the sheer pleasure of the experience. There’s nothing like the beautiful views that pass by the windows of a moving train.
Automobiles
Driving in Europe is more expensive than in the US because of the cost of fuel and toll roads, but it’s worth traveling this way now and then because it offers a flexibility not available when taking a plane or train to a specific destination.
We’ve only done one major driving trip so far, a two-week jaunt around northern Spain. I didn’t plan beyond our first two nights’ accommodations. We spent the rest of the trip deciding each morning where to go next. It was magical. As we progressed, we learned about places that we’d not previously heard of. Our whole trip became a series of “side trips”.
Highways in EU countries are excellent and easy to navigate. Billboards are illegal so views aren’t obstructed. In addition to some truly incredible scenery, many highways have giant sculptures and art scattered along them.
Many highways in the EU include tolls. Depending on your particular circumstances, you might be able to get a pass that lets you drive through the toll booths without having to stop. You’re automatically charged. Some countries require a vignette, which is a permit to drive on their roads. It can all be confusing. Instead of detailing everything here, I refer readers to this excellent article from Drive Europe News.
Other things to consider before a driving trip include:
- The need for an international driving permit, unless you’ve already received a valid Spanish driver license
- Basic familiarity with speed limits in km, road signs, and passing rules
- Some practice with roundabouts before heading out for a long trip
- A GPS (such as Google Maps on a smart phone), especially when traveling in countries where road signs are in an unfamiliar language
Finally, one caveat of driving is about the destination. While the highway systems in most EU countries are wonderful, that’s not true of historic centers (aka old towns). These areas were built long before cars were even a thought. Old town streets are narrow, they twist and turn, and there is little to no parking. Some streets suddenly become stairs. Many cities outright ban cars in their old town areas or restrict parking to residents. There are public lots available on the perimeter of old town districts, but these lots aren’t free (although usually only a few Euro a day).
When we rented a Smart car for a road trip from Rome to Naples to Pompeii, it felt like we were in the Mini Cooper car chase scene from the Italian Job. We couldn’t get to our B&B in Naples because our GPS was trying to send us down a flight of stairs. We parked and called Paulo, the B&B owner. He met us (wisely riding a scooter) and we followed him down streets so narrow we had to retract the side mirrors (on a Smart car!).
Once, Paulo had to stop and literally lift a parked scooter out of our way. He led us to a tiny parking garage that was a five block walk from the B&B, as close as we could get. Cars were crammed in like Tetris game pieces. I laughed through that whole experience until my sides ached. It was just another adventure. I hope we have many more to come.
I hope these travel tips will be helpful and give you some great ideas for when you travel here. If you can handle the challenges of moving, then seriously consider Europe as your base after retirement. There are so many places and things to see and so many ways to get to those places.
