When I was planning my first Europe-wide trip, I really struggled on finding an answer on the best ways to travel around Europe. Now that I’ve been to Europe three times – I have tried almost everything! I have traveled by plane, train, bus, tour company, and even ferry in order to travel between countries.
The best way to get around Europe can really vary, depending on the type of trip you’re looking to go on, where you’re trying to go, how much time you have, and your budget.
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How to Travel Around Europe
In this article, I will cover the different ways you can get around Europe, including airplane travel, bus travel, train travel, ferry travel, tour company, and car rental. I will also talk about the pros and cons of each! This will help you to decide the best option for you and your specific trip!
Travel Europe by Airplane
Travelling by airplane is super fast and can get you in between countries very quickly, especially in Europe.
Because countries in Europe aren’t too far apart, you can easily get between different places and cover a lot of ground while travelling. But, traveling by airplane isn’t actually my first choice unless I am trying to travel quite long distances (think London -> Croatia), or I’m short on travel time and trying to cover a lot of ground (think 1.5 week trip vs 1 month trip).
Typically you can find great prices for airline travel in Europe because there are a bunch of budget airlines that run there, like RyanAir, easyJet, and Wizz Air.
If you are planning to take a budget airline, make sure to check if there are any restrictions that come with it. RyanAir is notorious for this! Although the plane ticket itself is cheap, there are a lot of hidden costs that can come with it if you’re not careful.
Hidden costs to watch out for are strict baggage restrictions, paying for your seat, not checking in at the proper time before hand, and more! A lot of budget airlines fly out of smaller airports that can be farther from the city as well, which means you could end up paying more to get to the airport for your flight as well.
Do your research before buying a ticket with a budget airline, for some people, it’s worth it!
Pros of Plane Travel in Europe:
- Fast way to travel far distances or across the ocean (e.g., London to Rome)
- Can be inexpensive for longer distance travel
Cons of Plane Travel in Europe:
- Can be expensive depending on the day
- Typically there is a tight weight limit on bags
- Seats on the flight can be squishy with less space than typical airlines
- There can be a lot of hidden costs added in for cheaper airlines
- The cheaper airports are typically farther from the city (extra cost to transport)
I will note that not all airlines in Europe are budget airlines, and you can find some great deals for flying while there! I usually like to pay a little bit extra for a non-budget airline. That way I can try to avoid some of the hidden costs, but can usually still fly for a great price!
Travelling Europe by Train
If I could, I would travel everywhere by train. I absolutely love looking out the window, it is a pretty fast way to travel, and there aren’t really many restrictions with taking the train! Train stations are usually right in the city (Amsterdam is the most convenient train station I’ve come across 🙂 ) and it’s just overall an awesome and classic Europe experience!
Train travel can get pretty pricey though and adds up quickly – which is the biggest downside!
Train Travel Pros:
- Fast way to travel – you won’t get stuck in traffic and they are on time more often than not
- Scenic! You can look out the window and see more of the country
- More comfortable (usually theres a lot of space on trains)
- Typically no restrictions on number of bags and weight of your bags
- Train stations are usually located in the centre of cities
- Usually there’s a dining cart on board if you get hungry (at an extra cost!)
Cons of Train Travel in Europe:
- Train travel can be expensive (depends on the route, country, etc.)
- Finding a place to store your bags on a train can be difficult if it’s a full train
*If you are looking to travel by train, a popular thing to do is invest in a Eurail pass. Definitely do your research though – sometimes it can be cheaper to book each train individually, but the Eurail pass is definitely waaay more worry free.
For booking train travel, I always try to book directly with the train company, and not third parties!
Travel Europe by Bus
Traveling by bus is my main choice when deciding how to travel Europe for an upcoming trip. I usually compare prices of bus vs train (because I do prefer train but…. sometimes the budget can be tight!), and most of the time the bus is usually the cheapest option.
To me, the pros and cons are balanced – it’s within my price range, no baggage limit, and I can still look out the window and see more of the countryside. And I can deal with the cons because they aren’t that bad (in my opinion) and nothing in travel is going to be perfect anyway!
Pros of Bus Travel:
- Usually cheaper than the train and flying
- You can enjoy the scenery and look out the window
- Typically no restrictions on the number of bags and weight (check with bus company though)
Cons of Bus Travel:
- Can be slow & semi-unpredictable (prone to being stuck in traffic)
- Bus stations can be located near the city, but some can be semi-far
- A lot of buses only run at certain times, or on certain days, so there may be less flexibility with timing
- Limited airflow (it can get stuffy in a bus)
- Squishier! The seats can be closer together with less leg room
- You have to be prepared to bring all snacks in advance!
The bus companies I have used are Student Agency and PolskiBus. PolskiBus was bought by Flixbus, which is a company I plan to try out on a future Europe trip!
Travel by Ferry
When planning my first Europe trip, I was SO stuck on figuring out how to get from Scotland to Ireland, and how to get from Ireland to France. Planes were so expensive at the time I was traveling, but I really wanted to visit Ireland and didn’t want to cut it out of my itinerary!
That’s when I discovered ferries as a way to get around Europe. A lot of travelers overlook taking the ferry, but it’s really an awesome option to explore if you’re trying to get across an ocean!
Pros of Traveling Europe by Ferry:
- If you book an overnight ferry, you can save money on a room for that night
- Usually no baggage limits
- Relaxing, and room to move around. Ferries are usually pretty big!
- A unique way to travel with cool views of the ocean
- Typically budget-friendly (you don’t have to book a room, even if it’s an overnight ferry – and you’re okay sleeping on a random couch)
- You can combine ferry passes with train passes for a deal with some companies (Stenaline’s Rail and Sail deal)
- They have food on board if you forget to pack some! I love to get the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream while on board!
Travel by Ferry Cons:
- Sometimes it can be pricey (especially if you book a private room)
- Usually ferry stations are from the city center (because they’re on the coast)
- It can take a long time to get from one point to another – traveling by ferry can be pretty slow!
The only ferry company I have traveled with is Stenaline. I’ve traveled with them three times and never had a bad experience!
Traveling With a Tour Company
If you decide to travel Europe with a tour company, they basically do everything for you. Some travelers might love this, others might not!
It takes a lot of the guess work and stresses out of travel – they’ll tell you where to be and at one time, they know which train to take and how to navigate the bus stations. Some even have their own private coach bus to take you around instead.
It can be some traveler’s dream, but then again for me, the freedom and figuring things out for yourself is what can make travel exciting! So it really depends on what you want out of your trip.
Pros of Travelling Europe With a Tour Company:
- They plan everything for you
- They tell you where to be and when, you just have to show up
- If there are any problems, they will figure it out, not you!
- If they have their own Coach Bus, you can take the same bus everywhere
- You’re in a group environment with other travellers from around the world, you can make friends easily and have a ton of fun!
Cons of a Tour Company:
- Very limited flexibility on activities/free time and travel times
- Can have hidden/extra costs – usually you pay for the base tour, and there is always stuff you can add in – plus they expect a tip for different crew members at the end of the tour (which is usually not unreasonable!). But make sure to factor this into your budget. Because of this, this option can be a bit more expensive.
Popular tour companies around Europe include G Adventures, Intrepid, Contiki, and Topdeck Travel.
There are so many ways to travel around Europe, you just have to pick the way that works for you! Usually, my trips look like a mix of all these methods – it can just take a lot more effort in planning (but it’s worth it for my budget and I love researching travel :).
Have you travelled Europe before using any of these methods? What is your favourite way to travel around Europe?
More on Europe Travel:
- Berlin Bucketlist: 20 Things to do in Berlin
- A 2 Week Europe Itinerary: Berlin to Vienna
- How to Save Money Backpacking Europe for First Time Travellers
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Hey! I’m Kat. Based in Alberta, Canada I love to travel to the Rockies and explore new places around the world. Follow along on my adventures and find inspiration and tips for your own travels.
