This was published 7 years ago
The best and worst things about plane and train travel
Underrated: We just don't get rail travel in Australia,Credit: iStock
UNDERRATED
BUDGET AIRLINES
Yes, they're late sometimes. And they're squishy. And you have to pay for food and drink. But budget airlines – the likes of Tiger, Jetstar, Air Asia, Ryanair, Scoot, and many more – will fly you around the world to incredible places and they will charge you almost nothing for the privilege. For that, it's worth putting up with a little discomfort. BG
Budget airlines: They don't get enough credit.Credit: Bloomberg
THE HOP ON/HOP-OFF TOUR BUS
They're too touristy, right? You prefer to blend in with the locals, right? Get over your snobbery and just do it – and do it on your first day in town. That way you will have a very good overview as to where things are, and work out what you want to do and see the next day, without either taxi traumas or metro meltdowns. TD
TRAVEL BY TRAIN
We just don't get rail travel in Australia, because our trains are pathetic. Many people assume train travel is eclipsed by motorways and cheap flights. Yet nothing beats a local train and its interesting passengers, a scenic rack railway journey up a mountain, or a long-haul of epic proportions that might take you across an entire continent. Convenient, punctual, comfortable and often scenic, trains are a civilised way to travel. BJ
OVERRATED
AIRLINE AMENITY BAGS
Do people who can afford to fly business or first class really need complimentary earplugs, a plastic comb and a toothbrush that snaps when they try to use it? I think not. And why, if you're trying to appeal to the widest audience, are lotions always those over-perfumed Hermes or Molton Brown concoctions instead of something subtle? Provide me with a sleeping pill instead, or a crossword puzzle to pass the time. BJ
NECK PILLOWS
Have you ever tried to stuff one of these things into a bag? It's almost impossible. Plus, pretty much all airline seats these days have those folding flappy bits at head height, which do the same job as a neck pillow anyway. BG
BUSINESS CLASS
Like everything else in the world, business class is showing the effects of cost-cutting and service-streamlining. I miss those cute little amenity kits in designer zip-up bags (long gone), I miss the designer pyjamas (ditto), and I especially miss (going waaay back now) the caviar service. What you're really paying for is the priority book-in, pre-flight lounge, heaps of extra space, a flat bed and a few hours kip. Wait, I just changed my mind. TD
MONEY BELTS
Though they're often thought of as an essential for the budget traveller, especially when travelling on or around transport, or for anyone visiting one of the dodgier destinations around the world, money belts are uncomfortable, weirdly bulgy, and every thief knows about them. Unless you want to look like a robber magnet with a paunch, it's best to leave these things at home. BG
Contributors: Andrea Black, Anthony Dennis, Jill Dupleix, Terry Durack, Ben Groundwater, Belinda Jackson, Brian Johnston, Nina Karnikoswki, David McGonigal, Lance Richardson, Craig Tansley and David Whitley
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