From the Airport
Once there, how do you plan to get into the city? There are generally trains, or buses that take you into the city from the airport at reasonable prices. You will find that Taxi’s are the most expensive, especially when the airport is a great distance from the city. I have found that the best way to determine which option is best is to go to the website of the airport into which you are flying. Those websites always offer information on the options for getting to the city. Here are just a few of the most popular airport’s websites for travelers from the USA
Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Rome (ROM), Milan. (MXP), London Heathrow (LHR),
London Gatwick (LGW), Frankfurt ( FRA), Dublin (DUB), Madrid (MAD)
Traveling in the City
Most large cities in Europe have a great subway system, Light rail or bus system. I think that getting around on the same mode of transportation as the residents do is an adventure and a money saver. In Paris, we take the Metro, in London, the Tube. We don’t drive little mopeds in Rome, although it seems that everyone else does!
Traveling Country to Country
If you want to travel great distances, from London to Rome for instance, flying can be the most economical way to go, or at least the fastest. There are some great low-priced carriers in Europe that can make your travels fast and easy. These are usually no-frills, but they are short flights, so you might not mind being a little cramped. Ryanair and Easyjet are a few to check out
Renting or leasing a car allows you to visit the rural areas that are hard to get to by rail; it also gives you the most flexibility. However, gas is expensive and most of the auto routes have tolls, so it is about the same price as traveling by rail.
Generally, traveling by car is safe and easy. But if you are traveling to the UK, there is that little problem of driving on the left side of the road, in a car with the steering wheel on the right! Believe me; it takes getting used to, but it is worth it to see all the great little towns off the beaten track.
Most American companies have car rental partners in Europe, so if you are already a preferred member of a company, you may get a good deal on your rental. There are several companies that specialize in Europe car rentals; Auto Europe and Europe by Car are two we can recommend. Leasing a car is an option if you plan to use it for three weeks or more and both Auto Europe and Europe by Car have lease options.
Rail travel is fun and easy as well. And rail passes can save you some money. There are even rail and drive packages that offer the best of both worlds. Rail Europe is the place to look at all the options.
