Travel Advice/Travel Tips -  In Europe, use public transportation

Public transportation in Europe is normally more efficient than similar systems in the  United States. We you travel in Europe, we recommend that you consider using buses and subways when the distances are too long for walking.

Public transportation is usually less expensive than taking a taxi and just as quick. If you are traveling near rush hour, using the subway is much quicker than riding either taxis or busses.

We recommend several strategies for taking advantage of Public transportation.

• Use the Internet to find the home page of the city you will be visiting and look for information on public transportation.
• Determine if there is a ticket package that you can purchase in advance of your trip.
  •  In many cases, tourist-oriented ticket packages are available at a discount only if you purchase them within your home country.
• If you are unable to pre-purchase tickets, see if there is a “tourist package” that you can purchase after you arrive.
  • The best places to make this inquiry are at a Travel Information Center or the Central Train Station.
• If you cannot find a  discounted ticket, you should consider that purchasing a “ticket book” might allow you to avoid searching for coins or standing in line to purchase tickets.

Many tourist oriented cities feature “circular” bus routes stopping in the location of major attractions.

• Most “tourist” buses allow the ticket holder unlimited re-boarding and are a convenient way to visit the major sites in the area.

Finally, a word of caution. It can be a dangerous world, either at home or abroad. When on vacation travel, we avoid taking public transportation during either the morning or the evening rush hours. We do so for pragmatic, as well as security reasons.

• On the pragmatic side, we do not appreciate being packed like sardines (try a Tokyo or London subway at 5 P.M.).
• On the security side, the greatest risk of terrorism is during  rush hours, when it can result in the most damage. 
• See our article Safety recommendations for using taxis, trains, and buses   to help you assess whether mass transit is for you.

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