5 Ways Car Rental Beats Public Transport Hands Down

When traveling on an extended holiday, tourists typically assume that most of their transportation needs can be covered by public transportation. They often forget that taking the bus, subway, or train can be daunting in a foreign country, and the price of a taxi can be a burden on their wallets. A rental car, however, provides the flexibility of a taxi with the cost effectiveness of a bus. It saves you time while providing you comfort, and allows far more access in countries with poor public transport infrastructure. The following are just 5 of the panoply of ways that borrowing a rental car beats public transportation hands down:

1. Saving Time

Unlike a bus or train, a rental car is not obliged to make a hundred stops between you and your destination. A rental car will take you quickly from point A to point B, allotting you more time to spend sightseeing, clubbing, or doing outdoor activities. While it is impossible to see everything a country has to offer in the span of a single holiday, shuttling between areas with a rental car will ensure you don't spend the bulk of your vacation twiddling your thumbs at a bus stop.

2. Freedom

Part of the appeal of travel is the need for exploration. With a rental car, you have the freedom to go wherever you want at a pace you desire. In most countries, certain areas are far more accessible by road than public transport. Having a rental car means expanding the limits of your holiday above and beyond the urban centers.

3. Flexibility

Being a tourist means having incomplete information. When you visit a country and talk to the locals, they may advise you to visit areas not part of your original itinerary. However, in many cases, tourists will purchase a non-refundable train ticket in advance and be unable to alter their plans. Renting a car avoids this quandary by giving you an added layer of flexibility over your schedule.


4. No Fretting About Schedules

Trying to figure out the bus or train schedules in a foreign country is often an adventure in itself. The stops and departure times are written in an unknowable scribble, and the clerks and station personnel speak little to no English. In the case of buses, even if by some miracle you get on the right one, there is the matter of figuring out where your stop is and how to signal the bus driver to acknowledge it. In some countries, faster trains routinely pass over certain stops that may ostensibly be on its route. Trying to unravel the calculus of public transportation can be a worrisome thing for travelers on a strict schedule. Having a rental car allows you to go when and where you want without the fear of missing the last train or missing your stop.

5. Luxury and Comfort

Buses can be malodorous and unkempt. Trains can get crowded to the point you are standing cheek to jowl with a stranger. A rental car provides you with space and comfort. You can take leisurely drives with the air conditioning and music on full blast. For those who love to drive, upgrading to a luxury vehicle or sports car can turn the journey into a destination, one more part of an exhilarating trip.


Article by Claire Harris of CarHire.org - Car Hire UK. Claire writes on a wide range of travel topics including car hire lanzarote.