With spring break on the horizon, many of us are preparing to embark on some sort of travel — whether that be by car, plane, or even train. As someone who has experienced just about every form of transportation, I have strong feelings about the best ways to travel. Some might call me a seasoned traveler, or maybe just a nerd, since I’ve pondered this enough to come to a conclusive ranking.
- Train: Light rail, metro, Amtrak — no matter the form, trains come out on top. While taking the train may not be as efficient as flying, it makes up for it in its minimal carbon footprint and romantic attitude. Taking a seat on a cross-country train may tack hours onto your trip, but those hours can be spent stretched out in the roomy seats, peeling through a good book, or pensively looking out the window of the viewing car. Amtrak has its fair share of both mechanical-related and mystery delays, but I’ll cut them some slack since our current transportation funding in the U.S. does not set up train travel for success.
Rail and subway systems — where they do exist in the U.S. — are also incredible. If you come from somewhere where you have access to a train line to get around the city, count your blessings. I’ll be the first in line if they ever build a high-speed rail system in the U.S.. Unlikely, but a dream nonetheless.
- Flying: Sometimes, flying is the only option. It’s fast, and getting around the globe in a metal tube in less than 24 hours is a massive feat. I think we forget how insane and cool that is.
I have an unshakeable fear of flying, even though I’ve probably flown way more than the average person. I simply cannot control my sweaty palms when the plane starts to inevitably rock with the fluctuating winds, even though I know flying is by far the safest way to travel. That doesn’t make it feel any more natural.
My distaste for flying is not because it makes me nervous sometimes. I just think we are perhaps too reliant on flying as a country, and I wish there were other options that were just as efficient — cough, cough, the high-speed rail system.
Not to mention it’s expensive. Even Southwest is now getting rid of its two free checked bags policy, so it’s nearly impossible to fly without making a significant investment, especially as a college student.
Overall, while flying can be exciting and adventurous, its carbon footprint and prices are hard to ignore.
- Being driven: Because, as I will elaborate, there is a difference between driving yourself and being driven.
Being driven takes a lot of the stress off your hands. You can be on aux, yap away about whatever comes to your mind, and maybe get some shut-eye. Assuming that you trust your driver, what happens on the road is not your business.
But, as an anxious person, I can’t help but think about how dangerous driving can be, even though it is something we do almost every day in the United States. Our entire country’s infrastructure is built around a form of transportation that causes 38,000 deaths per year.
It’s not worth losing sleep about, as getting around by car is often the only option and a lot of these things are out of our control. But, that’s why it’s all the more important to choose the option to be driven when you are too tired or intoxicated.
- Driving solo: While a road trip by yourself may be peaceful and freeing, it also can be boring and draining. Especially if you are the only one in the car, trying to stay energized and focused on the road is difficult, even if you have had copious amounts of caffeine. It’s all on you to get you where you need to be. I just don’t like that kind of pressure.
I know many who enjoy a long, solo drive, but for me, I’m stressed about other drivers, I’m stressed about staying awake, and I’m stressed about traffic which in turn makes me stressed about being stressed and dammit, I’d rather just hop on a high-speed train!
