Archive for the ‘Transportation’ Category
It might sound cheesy: you settle into your flight and spy a beautiful set of clouds below, so you pop out your digital camera and begin snapping. Inevitably, the pictures turn out murky from the scratches or ice on the window, the view is mired by dust in the air or you are simply too far away for a camera lens to appreciate what you can see with your eyes.
Is it even possible to take an amazing photo out of an airplane? These wonderful Flickr users prove that it is.
If the winter blues have got you down, it’s a good time of year to head out for some sunny snow in the Austrian Alps. airberlin is making that possible with a new limited-time deal: fly from London Stanstead to Salzburg and check your skis in for free!
With airberlin’s basic London-Salzburg one-way fares starting at around £40, you can really get away on the cheap. Typically, the airline charges for extra baggage. On a normal short-haul airberlin flight, you are looking at a fee of £21 per way for skis or a snowboard including boots and poles, so this special deal represents excellent value.
Austria is home to several hundred ski resorts in its western Alpine region, several of which are located just a short drive from Salzburg. The highly-regarded St. Johann/Alpendorf area, for example, is only 37 mi south of Salzburg in the Pongau district and boasts a huge area of snowy goodness across two towns and spanning several resorts that, together, feature 270 ski lifts!
A basic double in the deliciously modern Sporthotel Alpina won’t set you back more than £110 per night, on average.
To reach the St. Johann/Alpendorf area, you can take an intercity train from Salzburg, or opt to hire a car and drive for a little more freedom.
Cologne, Germany is home to the world's only floating Christmas market
As the holidays approach, you might be considering a short weekend away to escape the madness of High Street and the throngs of shoppers that have already descended upon London. And while that’s certainly not a bad idea, sometimes the thought of the masses at the discount airline queues in the airport aren’t much better.
That’s where RailEurope comes in. This unique travel agency website is aimed at Brits who want to get far from the maddening crowd, both at home and while traveling. In part, RailEurope is essentially a booking agency for train trips from England to the Continent, and they specialise in destinations all over Europe, from Germany to Portugal. But the site does a whole lot more than just help you get train tickets – they help you design your perfect holiday and show you how to get there by train. In fact, if you don’t have a specific destination in mind, you’ll probably find some inspiration by just browsing through their website.
I personally cannot advocate rail travel enough, and there is no reason not to travel by train in Europe anymore, given the numbers of high speed trains, which have reduced travel time to just two to four hours for many nearby destinations in France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Commercial space travel is one step closer to becoming a reality with the official completion of Spaceport America. Set to become the world’s first “purpose built commercial space port”, Spaceport America, which has been in the works since its inception in 1990, is set to open with its first commercial flights into space in 2011. Tickets cost a whopping $200,000 apiece.
Construction began on Spaceport America, which is located just south of the tiny town of Truth or Consequences in southern New Mexico, in 2006 with the partnership of Virgin Galactic, an outerspace enterprise owned by the mega-millionaire Sir Richard Branson, and the State of New Mexico, led by its gallant governor, Bill Richardson.
The spaceport’s location is pretty far from everything. The town of Truth or Consequences, which is little more than a few dusty 1960s motels, some sludgy hot springs and a strip of fast-food joints, is sure to blossom in the coming years as trade and industry are in the area to stay. The spaceport itself is located about 20 miles from the town, out in the middle of the desert off of Interstate 25, north of the cities of Las Cruces, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas.
Concept image of the Spaceport America lobby
Virgin Galactic will initially operate four aircraft out of the spaceport: two SpaceShipTwos and two WhiteKnightTwos, both of which have been designed specifically to take passengers on suborbital flights. The WhiteKnightTwo is a captive carry craft that will be used to help launch the SpaceShipTwo and will also be used to carry passengers in practice runs so that they can get the feel of weightlessness before going into suborbit.
What strikes me now is that, within a year’s time, we as humankind will reach a new watershed moment in our collective history. Perhaps it sounds trite to say, but these moments deserved to be recognised and taken in! And the opening of Spaceport America is akin to the opening of the Sydney Airport – which claims to be the world’s first commercial airport – in 1920.
This single event may be the catalyst that changes the face of travel forever.
WhiteKnightTwo flies over the Spaceport America runway
More and more, travellers like me are going in search of alternative ways to get around that won’t harm the environment as much as flying. Plus, when in Europe, flying can seem like a bit of a bother. All that hassle to get around to the airport and going through security lines can mean that your journey takes the same amount of time as it would by other, less harmful means.
That’s why two skiers and travel buffs have set up the website Snow Carbon, an online resource “dedicated to helping skiers and snowboarders reach ski resorts by train from the UK.” After spending tedious air journeys getting to and from ski resorts themselves, snowboarder Daniel Elkan and skier Mark Hodson set up Snow Carbon to pull together all of the information out there to make it easier for knuckle draggers and two plankers to get to their desired ski resorts by rail.
Today, the site launches for the first time a series of ski-rail packages that will let skiers and snowboarders book all-inclusive trips that take away the hassle of planning a snow trip independently. Utilising the Eurostar train from London to Paris or Lille, travellers are forwarded on to their destinations via the TGV or Corail Lunea. Options are also available for taxi transfers between Paris terminals and direct transfers from the train to the resort, which is aimed at taking the hassle out of booking for travellers.
Snow Carbon suggests that using their new package deals will be cheaper than booking independently because they are able to secure special deals with rail companies and resorts, and that it is also easier on the traveller in general, as the onus to design each leg of the rail journey is not on themselves.
The cheapest package available on the Snow Carbon website is a deal for 7 days at Hotel Lauberhorn in Grindewald, Switzerland with tickets aboard the Eurostar for £664 total. Other packages go upwards in price from here to destinations including Sestriere, Italy, Courchevel, France and a number of others.
Hiring a car can be one of the most expensive parts of travelling. Not only do you have to worry about the regular daily rates, which usually aren’t too bad, but there are tons of hidden costs in renting a car, such as insurance, petrol and taxes. On some trips, though, hiring a car is an integral part of the experience or the only way to get around (this is especially true in the States). So, if you do have to rent a car during your holidays, here are a few ways to save money on car hire and find cheap car rentals.
Shop around.
There are so many different companies and booking sites for car hire that it can get overwhelming, but comparing at least a few is a great way to save some money. You might discover that one particular booking site has too many cars and wants to offload some by discounting heavily.
Stay away from airports.
Car hire facilities at airports often charge an “airport fee” or a surcharge simply for the convenience of being located near the airport. If you can, look for locations closer to the city centre and opt for public transit when you first arrive.
Book in advance.
It always pays to book ahead of time and, usually, the earlier the better. Rates go up as the day of rental approaches, so as soon as you know you’re going to be hiring a car, start searching.
Book for a week.
Oftentimes, car rental rates go down when you hire the car for an entire week, rather than just a few days. Compare dates while you are shopping around to find out if renting for a week, or on different date ranges, offers any possibility of discounts.
Don’t bundle it with your airfare.
This is a rookie mistake. Though it might seem more convenient, when you are trying to save money, the bundled airfare/car rental/hotel packages are not always cheap. In fact, oftentimes they are more expensive. Again, search around to see if it might be cheaper to book the car rental separately from the airfare or hotel.
Decline extra insurance.
Oftentimes, desk agents will present liability insurance as though it is mandatory when, in fact, this is an extra service you are not obligated to buy. Always ask questions and request an itemised copy of your bill or receipt before you pay.
Drive on weekdays.
Weekdays, especially Tuesday – Thursday, are the best times to hire a car, as the rental agencies have a surplus of cars and offer discounts just to get the cars rented out. Weekends (including Fridays) are usually the most expensive.
Fill up the petrol tank yourself.
Most car rental companies charge an excessive amount to fill up the petrol tank if you return the car on empty (or even half full). This is because they rent the car to you with a full tank, so you are expected to return it in the same condition. The mark-up they put on petrol prices is exorbitant. Instead, fill up the tank well before you reach the airport, as many petrol stations near car rental return lots have copped on to this fact and also mark up their prices.
Henry VIII is known as a cruel, unusual and yet charismatic icon in the history of the British monarchy. He ruled England for nearly 40 years in the first half of the 1500s and truly left his mark on the crown. A long term resident at Hampton Court Palace southwest of London, Henry was no peach. He was sickly and obese. He slept around (including with his wife’s sister). Oh, and he had six wives, one of which he said looked like a horse and another of which he had beheaded while he went off to play a game of tennis.
Hampton Court is renowned as one of the most haunted sites in England. Many believe it is because of all the awful stuff that went on there (beheadings, deaths, adultery) that the hauntings continue, but they are so prevalent and well-documented that one corridor of the palace is officially named the Haunted Gallery. Other purported sightings have been caught by surveillance cameras.
On a visit to Hampton Court Palace, you will be transported back into Henry’s world through a reenactment of a day in the life of Henry’s court. The king holds court and marries his 6th wife everyday, and visitors also get the chance to meet the bride and hear behind-the-scenes gossip in a real royal court.
Visiting Hampton Court is quite simple. A 35-minute train ride from London’s Waterloo Station brings visitors to the sprawling, green palace grounds, which are open from 10 am to 6 pm in high season. Several outlying gardens are also open to visitors. Adult admission is £14, while discounted tickets are available for specific areas of the palace and grounds only.
If you’re visiting London, you can do one better by getting the handy London Pass, which offers free access to Hampton Court Palace, as well as a load of other sights around the city, and discounts on public transit, guidebooks, maps and other truly useful info.
If you’re spending a few days in and around London, it makes sense to purchase one of the multi-day passes (3-day/£90) with travel, which gives you unlimited free access to all of London’s public transit system. And if you’ve ever ridden the Tube before, you’ll know that this alone is a significant discount, not a mind the amount you pay into each of the sights on the London Pass list!
London’s iconic little black taxis have been rated the best in the world in a new study conducted by travel site Hotels.com. For the third year in a row, survey respondents said that London’s taxis were the safest, cleanest and all around best, giving London the edge over the likes of New York, Tokyo and other major world cities for the best taxi service. And really, is anyone surprised?
In addition to being driven by well-informed drivers and generally tidy and clean, those little black taxis are just plain adorable. To my mind, their presence on the streets of London really ups the city’s quaint atmosphere and leads visitors into the pipe-smoking world of Sherlock Holmes, literature and high tea that every tourist wants to experience when in London.
Not surprisingly, along with this high title comes the superlative addition of being the most expensive taxis in the world, which really should be expected in a city as pricey as London. Nonetheless, you get more bang for your, well, pound when you take a taxi in London, since the drivers are the best educated on their city, as well as the friendliest (a fact that the Hotels.com press release touted by saying they even beat out their Irish counterparts on this front… tut tut).
Moral of the story? You don’t have to take a taxi while you’re in London, no, but you should!
At one time or another, almost everyone has dreamed of hitting the open road in a gorgeous red American sports car. With the wind in your hair, you breeze past the Statue of Liberty and into the Heartland where rows upon rows of cornfields greet you. And while this is an amazing image, not everyone can afford the four weeks’ holidays it would take to achieve this ultimate American road trip dream.
The fact remains, though, that if you plan to take holidays in the USA, you will probably have to hire a car. Boston, New York and San Francisco aside, most American cities are not equipped with good public transportation systems and driving is about the only option in that case.
But fear not, renting a car in the United States is quite simple.
First, you must choose your rental agency. Most American airports are outfitted with a firm selection of international and local car hire companies. If you are not bothered about which brand, you can simply choose the online booking site that offers you the best rate.
Be careful about bundling your flights and car rental together, as this is often not the cheapest way to go, although it can add an element of convenience to the booking process. If you want to save money, book your flights and car hire separately.
Be aware that many American car rental agencies offer discounts for week-long bookings, so you can save some money if you plan to book for more than just a few days. Weekdays are cheaper than weekends, as well.
When you book, be aware of the check-in and return times, as returning your car after noon, for instance, can sometimes result in being charged for another day’s rental. You can save some money by returning your car early in the morning, or even the night before.
Make sure to carry copies of your auto insurance from home, if you have it, as this can help alleviate fees from American car hire companies. Check with your insurance company beforehand to see if your coverage extends to international car hire, or if there might be an additional option you can add on. Your travel insurance policy might also include car hire coverage.
If you don’t already have auto insurance, you might consider purchasing the insurance offered to you by your car hire company in the States. This will cover you in case of accident or damage to the car, and if you don’t have insurance for this, you could face heavy fines for damages.
Be sure to carry your UK Driving License with you at all times. You will need it when you pick up your car and you will also need to carry it by law anytime you are driving in the United States.
Here are a few more tips:
Okay, everyone wants to find cheap flights, right? It is like the holy grail of travel: plane tickets to a faraway land that don’t drain your bank account. Well, the fact is that flying is not cheap (unless of course you are taking a death-defying flight with a certain Irish airline that shall remain nameless *ahem*Ryanair*ahem) but it doesn’t have to bankrupt you, either.
Many people are surprised to find that plane tickets can be a lot less than they expect if they use certain techniques for booking. Here are a few insider hints about booking cheap airfare.
Have flexible travel dates. This one is key, because airlines sometimes do silent sales on certain days to fill up seats on their flights. Most booking sites allow you to do “flexible date” searches that check flights within 1-3 days on either side of your date of travel. Be sure to check these dates to compare prices. You might be pleasantly surprised. For instance, I recently booked a flight on Aer Lingus from Dallas to Prague that was less than half the price on one particular day than others I searched.
Try multiple booking sites. There are about a million different online travel sites that have flight booking engines nowadays. One I particularly like is Kayak, which allows you to compare with a number of different sites like Travelocity, Expedia and Priceline for the lowest price.
Try different airports. Usually, it is cheaper to fly to a large market city, such as Frankfurt, London, New York or Beijing, than to fly directly to the small city you might be headed to. Sometimes it isn’t. The best bet is to try as many different options until you come up with the one that is cheapest. If you can find a cheaper flight between two major cities, then you will probably be able to book a flight on a budget airline to your destination to save a few quid.
Factor in luggage costs. Since most airlines are charging exorbitant fees for checked baggage these days, make sure you factor in the costs of luggage on different airlines. Some airlines charge less than others or have less stringent baggage allowances, and this might affect the overall cost of your flight, so don’t overlook this cost when you’re booking!
Fly off-season. If you have some flexibility in your holiday plans, choose a date that is off-season. Generally speaking, winter is a better time to fly than summer (bear in mind that Australia, New Zealand, much of Africa and South America have opposite winters), and you might be pleasantly surprised to find that your flight is half the price in winter versus summer. Likewise, avoid bank holidays and national holidays, as these are times when everyone else in the country is flying and prices are likely to be higher. Finally, if possible, try to fly mid-week, such as on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, as these are the least busy travel days and tend to offer the best rates (but not always, so check twice!).
