Finding the balance between affordable, efficient, and convenient transportation is something we try to figure out before visiting a new city. Because flights are so much cheaper and so much faster than trains our first challenge is to figure out how to get from the airport to town or our hostel. Combing what we read in the guidebooks (usually a little dated), the travel tips online (with a grain of salt), and the official websites we get a reasonable picture.
Having landed in Copenhagen's airport five times it seems easy now, but the initial challenge was to know which of the two train tracks to pick. The more obvious, closer track leads to Sweden and the less visible one leads to the main train station and other points west. The next decision is whether to take a local train into Copenhagen and then switch trains, or wait a little longer and catch a train directly to Roskilde. Often the trains going to Roskilde are continuing on to cities in Jutland, which means people can reserve the seats. The first time we arrived we had help figuring out how to find unreserved seats, but in the winter it hasn't been hard to find one.
When we purchased plane tickets to London's Gatwick airport we were offered train tickets to town from the airline. It was definitely a great idea to buy them this way because when we were on the train we overheard someone buying a ticket and he had to pay more for a one-way ticket than we paid for a round-trip one. It also meant we didn't have to worry about setting aside enough pounds to buy tickets at the end of our stay.
We landed in Tel Aviv in December but were staying in Jerusalem, about 50 minutes away. We opted for a cab, which was not the least expensive option, but we were happy for the convenience and not to deal with the main bus station in Jerusalem.
In Amsterdam I thought I had a plan for the train trip from the airport, but the person at the ticket window said it would be cheaper to buy a multi-day pass at the tourist office near the main train station. We followed the suggestion, but I don't think it fell into the category of most convenient.
Paris's Orly airport was the most challenging. I had read several things about trains and a free bus that stopped running 30 minutes after we arrived. I could not find a sign of that bus anywhere and somehow the people who worked at the airport were unable to understand English. It was a rough start. I decided to forget the bus and take the overpriced train and got in line to buy a ticket. The ticket seller took a break just before my turn (I think, since I couldn't read the sign in French), so I started to wait patiently. Two rude people tried to cut in line and my polite excusez-moi and excuse me were ignored. I gave up waiting, tried the self-serve machine, which I could not figure out, and looked elsewhere. The person selling the museum pass suggested a shuttle bus, which was only a little more expensive than the train and dropped us off just around the corner from our hotel. Sold! and money well spent. I only wish I had bought a round trip ticket because on the way back to the airport I learned the tickets I carefully saved for the train ride were not valid on the airport train. The price difference did not break us, but it was not how I would do it next time.
Next up, transportation around town.
My dad suggested this post and I would happily write on the topic of your choice. Let me know what interests you.
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