Headed for Europe this year? Unless you've sentenced yourself to an escorted tour (the grown-up equivalent of a class trip), you'll need to decide how to move yourself and your luggage from place to place. Let's review your transportation options:

Above: Locomotives of the Italian State Railways.

Train

Rail travel is quick, comfortable, and convenient in most of Western Europe. It's especially handy for trips between cities, because you don't have to fight traffic and railroad stations are normally located in city centers.

Consider a rail pass if you plan to travel extensively by train. Rail Europe and other vendors offer many different types of rail pass, ranging from the Eurailpass (valid in 17 countries) and Europass (5 countries) to single-country passes. One popular variant is the Rail 'n Drive pass, which lets you use the train for long-distance travel and pick up a rental car for local excursions. For more on rail travel in Europe, see:

Car or Train?
European Rail Passes
European Rail Timetables
Eurostar

Car

Driving is a convenient way to travel if you'll spend most of your time outside major cities. You'll need a car, of course, and you can get one in three ways:

Renting. Car rentals are available just about everywhere, either from local firms or international companies like Avis and Hertz. For the best deals and service, try Auto Europe or Europe by Car. These U.S.-based companies shop for competitive rates from multiple vendors, and they can accommodate special requests such as infant seats, ski racks, or insurance coverage for trips into Eastern Europe.

Short-term leasing. If you'll be driving for 17 days to six months, a short-term lease from Renault EuroDrive or Peugeot can offer big savings. You get a brand-new Renault or Peugeot with full insurance coverage, and you turn it in at the end of your trip just as you would with a rental car.

European delivery of a car purchase. Have you coveted a new Volkswagen, Mercedes, Volvo, or other European car? Ask your local dealer about European delivery. You order a car made to U.S. specifications and pick it up in Europe. At the end of your trip, you drop the car at an authorized location and collect it when it arrives with other new cars at your dealership back home.

Need more information? See:

Driving in Europe
Car Rentals
Rental-Car Insurance
Short-Term Car Leasing

Above: A Greek ferry docks at the maritime terminal in Venice, Italy.

Ferry

Many European countries and cities are connected by ferries. For example, you can board a Hoverspeed SeaCat in Dover and disembark in Calais, on the other side of the English Channel, within the same hour. At the opposite end of the spectrum, you can spend 11 days riding a coastal ferry of the Hurtigruten from Bergen to the upper reaches of Norway's North Cape and back.

Depending on your time and tastes, you can use ferry crossings as minicruises that combine transportation with pleasure. For example, if you're visiting Copenhagen and Oslo, why not enjoy a comfortable cabin in an overnight ferry between the two cities' downtowns? And if you're traveling from Italy to Greece, consider the Minoan Line ferry that connects Venice, Corfu, Igoumenitsa, and Patras.

To explore your European ferry options, click on:

European Ferryliners
Europe Travel Planner: Ferries

Finally, if you simply can't resist taking the bus and leaving the driving to Gus, visit my European Bus Travel page--and start learning how to sing "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" in a variety of European languages.

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