# You preferred method of travel?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [March 31, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641 "2011-03-31T15:48:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/1 "2011-03-31T15:48:56Z")
You are going to travel a long distance for pleasure. Assume that time and resources are not an issue. Also assume it is possible to get to your chosen destination by air, sea, or land (even if it’s actually not). How would you prefer to travel?
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/2 "2011-03-31T15:54:30Z")
Personally, given all the time and resources in the world I’d still go by car. I’m a fan of the good old-fashioned road trip.
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/3 "2011-03-31T15:57:21Z")
I love airplanes but modern air travel is no fun. If money is no object, I still want a plane but make it a [China Clipper](http://www.clipperflyingboats.com/) First class x10 all the way plus it is a flying boat too. It would take a while to tool around the Pacific region in it but it would still be fun and faster than other luxurious alternatives live ocean liners.
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### Author:  [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/4 "2011-03-31T15:58:19Z")
Another road-tripper here–I prefer driving over the other choices by far.
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### Author:  [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/5 "2011-03-31T15:58:39Z")
I’m assuming that by “long distance” we mean something really long, like 10,000 to 20,000 kilometers. I’ve done that sort of distance by ship, and any other kind of surface travel will take a similar time. I’d rather get it over with in 24 hours or so, rather than spend three to four weeks travelling.
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### Author:  [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/6 "2011-03-31T16:07:29Z")
I chose Plane, though the stipulation that time is not an issue made it a close call. Still, if I’ve chosen to vacation at point X, it’s because that’s where I want to go, so I might as well just go ahead and get there.
Now, I also take trips in which I hop from place to place every day or two. For these kinds of trips, yes, the driving is part of the experience. But I took the OP to apply to a single-destination trip, so plane it is.
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### Author:  [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/7 "2011-03-31T16:17:33Z")
Train for me. I swear by it,so relaxing.I will go by train every time.
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### Author:  [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/8 "2011-03-31T16:20:18Z")
> [@DCnDC](#):
>
> You are going to travel a long distance for pleasure. Assume that time and resources are not an issue. Also assume it is possible to get to your chosen destination by air, sea, or land (even if it’s actually not). How would you prefer to travel?
Given the OP’s permissions, I’d love to road-trip to Hawaii. Bet there would be some pretty cool under-sea hotels.
But I actually voted train. I’ve done a few overnights on a train and with the right cabin, it’s wonderful. The nominal Amtrak sleeper is absurdly small, but their full rooms and suites are actually pretty large and comfortable. Not the same as a hotel room, but comfortable to travel in. The only downsides are lack of sleeper cars on many routes and the extra time it takes to get to the destination. But we’ve taken a few extra days in the past to accomodate it, and it’s been wonderful.
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/9 "2011-03-31T17:14:34Z")
I’d go by bus at night and walk during the day.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/10 "2011-03-31T17:24:32Z")
I love trains. Not practical all the time though.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/11 "2011-03-31T17:38:36Z")
Definitely trains.
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### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/12 "2011-03-31T17:45:02Z")
I like planes a lot, but I’m usually just wishing for the trip to be over after a while. I think I prefer being in the airport over being in the plane.
I’ve never traveled by train aside from light rail and commuter express, but I’d like to sometime.
Still, I don’t think anything can match being on a boat. There is no experience more satisfying than being out on the open water with no land in sight, regardless of whether it’s a speedboat, sailboat, cruise ship, whatever.
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### Author:  [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/13 "2011-03-31T17:45:12Z")
My mother won’t set foot in a plane. Seriously. She’s been wanting to go back to Europe for years, but she told my stepdad that until they build that Southampton-to-New York bridge, it ain’t happening.
As for me, if I’m going anywhere that’s further away than the airport, I prefer to fly. Of course, that’s not always possible; the Springfield, IL (SPI) to Viburnum, MO (where Mrs. Homie’s side of the family lives) route is probably years away ;).
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/14 "2011-03-31T17:52:56Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#):
>
> My mother won’t set foot in a plane. Seriously. She’s been wanting to go back to Europe for years, but she told my stepdad that until they build that Southampton-to-New York bridge, it ain’t happening.
There is still transatlantic ocean liner travel. Get her that for Christmas.
[http://www.cunard.com/specialoffers?gclid=CIqwxo2v-acCFcq8KgodUkD1rQ](http://www.cunard.com/specialoffers?gclid=CIqwxo2v-acCFcq8KgodUkD1rQ)
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### Author:  [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/15 "2011-03-31T17:58:41Z")
Can’t answer as it would entirely depend upon the destination.
As in;
Across Russia - train
To Asia - plane and only plane
Sri Lanka from India - boat
Labrador - car
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### Author:  [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/16 "2011-03-31T18:07:12Z")
Assuming time and money are not an issue, I’d go by car. You see so much more from ground level that you can by any other method, and the flexibility of schedule that car travel offers can’t be beat in this scenario.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/17 "2011-03-31T18:17:30Z")
I went with plane, though train was pretty close. If we actually had high-speed rail in the US, that would be my first choice.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/18 "2011-03-31T18:23:32Z")
It really depends on the destination, distance, time of year, and the reason for going. My favorite yearly vacation involves a bus and a boat, but it’s not really long distance. If I just want to get there, plane. If it’s summer and I have a lot of time, ship.
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### Author:  [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/19 "2011-03-31T18:31:23Z")
Car. I drive. I am a really lousy passenger, and I don’t know how to fly, but if I did I would want the controls too.
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-preferred-method-of-travel/576641/20 "2011-03-31T18:34:54Z")
Sun chariot. Or possibly sandworm.
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