EuroCheapo's transportation Articles

Feb 06 There’s a wonderful poem by John Masefield — called “Cargoes” — which captures the appeal of travel by boat. It recalls quinqueremes from Nineveh, stately Spanish galleons and dirty British coasters. The chances are that your European itinerary does not involve travel by quinqueremes, galleons or coasters. But do make time for a boat journey » Read more

Dec 19 So here’s a prediction for the year ahead. Looking at European trends in budget travel, we are confident that 2013 will be the year of the long-distance coach. Following liberalization of coach transport elsewhere in Europe, big changes are now afoot in Germany, with the scrapping (on Jan 1, 2013) of an 80-year-old law that » Read more

Dec 12 If your idea of fun is traveling in circles, then London’s Circle Line was made just for you. In truth, the trains don’t orbit forever and with each 360 degree circuit you’ll need to change trains to continue your orbit. Edgware Road is the usual changeover point. The Circle Line: Barely subterranean Like many points » Read more

Jun 13 The European Commission, the Strasbourg Parliament and the Council of Europe have all done their bit to help shape Europeans’ perceptions of their shared continent. But, for many Europeans of a certain age, it was an innovation in rail ticketing 40 years ago this summer that did more than any institution to forge their views » Read more

Jun 06 Okay, let’s say you’ve made the decision to go for a rail pass. Of course there are times when a pass makes total sense. It may be that you really are making a lot of journeys, or perhaps you just want to relish the freedom to roam at will. Here’s how to get the most » Read more

Apr 23 Social networks have revitalized customer/corporate contact across the travel industry — angry passengers receive immediate responses to their hasty tweets; travelers stuck on a train can expect answers within minutes to a Facebook post questioning the reason for their delay. Due to the far reach of the negative word on the web and the success » Read more

Mar 28 Madrid Chamartín station has little of the appeal or the convenience of the Spanish capital’s main rail hub at Atocha. Located near the city center, Atocha is extravagant and exuberant. The classic art nouveau train shed, now a superb indoor tropical garden, stands cheek by jowl with architect Rafael Moneo’s assertive late-20th century new add-on » Read more

Mar 21 We could so easily have opted for the plane, taking a direct flight from Berlin to Málaga and then traveling onward to Cádiz by bus. And it would have taken 12 hours door-to-door. That would have been too simple. Why pass on a chance to catch a glimpse of parts of Europe that we had » Read more

Feb 29 “I want to see the Alps by train, so I’ve the booked a ride south from Berne into Italy,” said Margot. We didn’t have the heart to tell her that a big chunk of the 90-minute run from the Swiss capital south to Domodossola in Italy is through tunnels. Of course, there is a lot » Read more