EuroCheapo's Alternative Transportation Articles

Sep 08 Florence is a medieval fairy tale city of churches, palazzos and cobblestones. However, like in other cities, it has had to adapt to modern times and technology. In January 2010, Florence took a giant leap into the future by christening the first of three tramway lines servicing the city center and surrounding areas. Despite much » Read more

Sep 07 Paris did it, albeit with a few setbacks, and now it’s London’s turn to implement a public bike-share program. The mayor has championed cycling in the capital as a green and healthy means of navigating the city. He was also keen to be snapped riding about on one of the new bank-sponsored bikes for the » Read more

Aug 23 (Updated June 2011 to reflect new Velib’ policies.) We’ve been fans of Paris’ Vélib’ bike program since it debuted in July 2007. But how’s it faring three years later? In many respects it’s been a big hit with both locals and tourists (at least those lucky enough to have the right type of credit card). » Read more

Aug 04 Raeder (bikes) and Berlin go together like sausage and beer. Surveys reveal there are more than 400 bikes per 1,000 Berlin residents, meaning that almost half of the city’s residents own a bike. Luckily, visitors don’t have to feel left out of the biking fun: Bike rentals are cheap and easy to find. And tooling » Read more

Jul 15 Like Paris, Stockholm and many other forward-thinking European cities before it, Milan has embraced the public bike sharing concept. Since late 2008, BikeMi has operated stations around the city, allowing locals and tourists to explore the city on two wheels for just a few euros. BikeMi currently boasts over 100 pick-up and drop-off stations throughout » Read more

Jul 13 There are some occasions on trips through Europe when you just know that a car is essential, but with European fuel prices through the roof, and automobile rental companies sometimes levying draconian one-way drop charges (especially for international journeys), many folks are naturally wary about opting for a vehicle. European car trains can, however, play » Read more

Jun 24 Here’s a simple and essential car rental tip that will save a lot of time, money and hassle: When renting a car in Europe, make sure you know if it requires diesel or unleaded gas. Why, you ask? Allow us to demonstrate photographically what happened on a recent journey when we overlooked this critical step. » Read more

Jun 01   Tired of arriving to your destination looking like you’ve just emerged from a human car wash? Well, how about getting to Florence refreshed, reposed and with the swagger of a Medici prince?  Check out these tips to save energy, time and money when arriving in Florence:  Lean toward Pisa (the airport, that is) Florence has 1.5 airports. » Read more

May 11 This week, let’s set our sights on six key features that define a good, contemporary airport, whether in Europe or elsewhere. Here the focus is on those areas of the airport open to all passengers, not just the frequent-flier set. What makes a business-class lounge good is a matter for another investigation. 1. Public transportation » Read more