Are you planning on going on a trip with friends? Wondering about Group Transportation? Let us help you make a decision about your traveling options with the handy guide we’ve compiled.
“We All Have Our Own Cars…”
Have you been considering taking your own individual vehicles for the trip?
Your choice of transport depends on the type of trip you want and the activities you have planned.
Taking your own car for a trip with your friends might be a good choice if your trip looks like this:
- Your trip includes a lot of driving
- The focus point of your trip is not a long way away from your home
- You do not care for socializing during the drive
- You might have to leave suddenly
- Fuel is not a problem
While this is a perfectly valid trip, the highlight of a group trip is the togetherness and the memories you make with each other. Why wait for the trip to start after you reach the location? You can start it during the journey itself!
Traveling with friends is an experience in and of itself. You find out a lot about your friends. Some would be hilarious (Tina goes green when we hit a speedbump and Ed knows all the pit stops) and some are annoying (Will and Fred fight for the window seat and Anne hogs the radio) but all are precious. Time spent in a confined space with your friends moving towards more good times? It may sound ridiculous, but you do not want to miss that!
We have a list of group transportation options to help you decide, on your upcoming trip with friends.
Private Minibus/ Coach
Depending on your group size, you can hire a minibus or a coach. The coach will require an appropriately licensed driver. You can drive a minibus with a standard car license but you can hire a minibus and a driver if you do not want to burden yourself with driving, or just want to enjoy time with your friends. Using a vehicle with a large seat capacity is much more green than taking your own vehicle.
As the number of vehicles consuming fuel is lower, it is environmentally friendly. You can also rest comfortably knowing that with privacy blinds and a vehicle full of your own people, you need not worry about screening your speech or activities. You can let loose and have fun without anyone judging you. With rented vehicles, you hire it, you call the shots. You can go anywhere you want and stop whenever. Detours and routes are not an issue. Your minibus or coach can take you wherever you need to go.
Biggest Advantage: Privacy and being in charge of the vehicle
Biggest Disadvantage: Should a person want to go somewhere, the whole group should go.
Public Transport
Transport methods such as public buses and trains also allow for group transportation. If your trip is abroad, or somewhere personal vehicles are not allowed, you can take the bus or the train to get to your destination. Typically used by tourists who do not have their own vehicles in a foreign land and wish to sightsee whilst traveling. It is also used due to the novelty of the experience.
Public transport will not have you worried about parking or fuel consumption. It is the least expensive mode of transport on this list. On the other hand, it can be time-consuming as the bus/train has its own schedule and you would have to wait for it. You might also have to undergo transfers to get to your destination and you will have to walk a fair bit to and from the bus/train station.
Biggest Advantage: Low cost
Biggest Disadvantage: Lack of privacy and time-consuming.
Air Travel
If your budget is not a problem, you might want to consider air travel. Make dreary flights enjoyable by experiencing them with your friends. Visit exotic places and make new memories in brand-new places. Go first class for a luxurious flight with good food or travel economy if you want to save some money. Either way, you’ll have your friends with you.
Biggest Advantage: Visiting places that cannot be visited by other means
Biggest Disadvantage: Expensive
Water Travel
Many people never get to experience the uniqueness of traveling over water. Water travel accommodates all sorts of budgets. You can go on a luxury cruise (expensive) or get tickets for the ferry (not so expensive). Enjoy the gentle rocking of the boat with the breeze in your hair and a drink in your hand surrounded by all of your friends. You can spend several days aboard the vessel and that by itself could be one of the best parts of your trip. On a ship, whether it is a cruise or a ferry, there is always something to do. Some boats include fishing, some let you drive the vessel, and the high-end ships have various activities available. You can book a room on the ship, just like a hotel, and experience real bunk beds and portholes. Traveling via ship can be like traveling in a hotel.
Biggest Advantage: The experience of being on a ship.
Biggest Disadvantage: Possibility of seasickness.
In Conclusion
The group transportation method you choose depends entirely on your preferences, the kind of trip you want, and the places you wish to visit. As noted above, there are both pros and cons for each mode of travel. It is important to choose your transport carefully as it is highly likely that you’ll spend a significant amount of time on it. Carefully evaluate your itinerary and your budget against each of the group transportation methods listed above. Decide on what you can and cannot give up and choose accordingly. Group travel can be one of the best things to happen this year if only you choose your transportation services wisely.