Kay`s Explorer Guide to Solo Travel | Part 2: Transportation

Being a solo traveler, you want to be as agile as possible. Unless you will have transportation that runs around your schedule such as a rental car, bike, or personal driver, it is very helpful to familiarize yourself with all of the transportation options at your disposal. If you need to get somewhere on the fly, you are prepared with options and info on how to take advantage of each.

Get to know the public transportation system if there is one

• Is your destination rural or metropolitan or something else? The more metropolitan a city, the more likely it is walk-able and has a decent public transportation system in place. The more rural a city, the less likely it is walk-able or has exhaustive public transport in the rural parts.
• Find out the kinds of public transport there is; buses, trains, subways, trolleys, etc.
• How frequently and how late does each mode run? Confirm weekday vs. weekend hours.
• Is there access to public transportation near where you are staying?
• Is public transportation an option to get to the activities you would like to do?
• What kind of transport passes are there? Are there any options for the duration you are traveling? E.g. daily, weekly, etc. passes.

Get to know other modes of transportation

• Write down or add to your cell phone numbers of several taxi companies.
• Get an idea of taxi fares. Is it cheaper in some instances to take a cab or ride public transport? Also, learn how to hail down and pay for a taxi in the city like a local would.
• See if the city you’re going to has a public car or bike share.
• Does the city have other private transportation options such as courtesy shuttles at your hotel or for the city, etc.
• Do you have enough of a relationship with the people you are staying or hanging out with to ask for rides to places nearby? Have they offered?
• Are there chartered options such as the local equivalent of a Greyhound bus, Megabus/Bolt Buses, continental trains, cheap flights, etc.
• If the city can be traversed via water, what water travel options are there?

In short, knowing your transportation options gives you leverage when you’re making decisions on the go, saving you time and conserving your energy for enjoyment. If you wind up in a bind, hopefully not of course, knowing what transport is around and still running will facilitate a quicker and safer return route.