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Flying
In Europe
Flying
is now a realistic option for budget travelers. Airfares within
Europe have plunged due to European Union reforms and deregulation,
and new no-frills airlines are taking off. And some well-established
carriers continue to offer discounts (or air passes) for flights
within Europe to travelers who fly with them from North America.
These days, before buying any long-distance train ticket, check
with a travel agent (at home or in Europe) or the budget airlines'
Web sites (see below).
Flight versus Train?
While airfares have dropped, a railpass is still usually a lot
cheaper than flying. But if you're short on time or have long
distances to cover, flying is worth considering. By taking a quick
flight, you can easily visit two countries far apart from each
other (say, a week in Norway and a week in Italy). For cities
close together, the train is more practical. From London to Paris,
the Eurostar Channel train can be faster than flying when you
consider the train zips you directly from downtown to downtown
(tel. 800/EUROSTAR,
www.eurostar.com). While the actual flight between the cities
is faster than the train, you must factor in the time it takes
to get between downtown and the airports, and the extra time needed
for check-in and security. Train and car travel, unlike flights,
keep you close to the scenery, to Europe, and to Europeans. Ground
transportation is also less likely to be disrupted by bad weather
or mechanical problems. But if the distance from Point A to Point
B is long, flying is an attractive, affordable option.
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