When you plan a city trip in Europe, there are many options to actually reach the city. The most obvious are of course the plane or the car, but you can also go by train or possibly even by bus. What are the pros and cons per mode of transport?

BUS
Pros:
• Some European cities are very easy to reach by bus. Bus company like Bus San Vito lo Capo runs daily to many cities, but there are also other companies that make several trips every week to Paris or London, for example. Often you only spend a few tens for this. A cheap solution!

• You can often board at several places throughout the Netherlands.
• You will generally be dropped in the center of the city.
• No worries about fuel prices or delays: you're fine on the bus.
• You can also bring your own food and drinks here.

Cons:
• Because the bus stops a lot to pick up other passengers, you are on the road for a long time, very long.

• You are often only allowed to take a limited number of kilos with you.

• If you live in the north of the country, it is often still a long drive to the nearest boarding stop: for example, if you want to go to Paris, most companies drive from the edge of The Hague / Rotterdam.

• Little legroom, especially if the seat folds back in front of you.

• You have no control over the stopping breaks yourself.

CAR
Pros:
• You can plan for yourself what time you leave and when you take a break.

• You can decide how much and what you want to take with you; plus the chance that you will lose something is very small!

• Bringing food and drinks with you is no problem: it also saves on expensive sandwiches at the airport.

• You don't have any annoying fellow passengers; you choose them all by yourself.

• If you are going to a city nearby, for example to Antwerp or Cologne, it is faster to go by car than to take a plane.

Cons:
• The expensive petrol prices today: especially if you have to drive far, a plane ticket is often cheaper.

• Traffic jams! These can of course be avoided by either leaving home early or late, but once you are in the destination city, you will probably end up in the hustle and bustle again. Takes a long time!

• The associated parking problems. If you are lucky you can park your car at your hotel or apartment, with a bit of bad luck you will spend tens of euros on a spot, if you can find one at all.

• If you have to drive far, it is faster to go by plane.

TRAIN
Pros:
• No problems with ringing ears, traffic jams or high gasoline prices: you can sleep on the train without any worries!

• There are often restaurants on international trains or someone comes by with a food / drink cart; easy and reasonably affordable.
Cons:

• It (almost) always takes more time than when you fly or go by car.

• You may have to transfer several times: that means that you have to keep paying attention, and it can also cost a lot of extra travel time.