best transport for travel

🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!

Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!

Get us in your inbox

Sign up to our newsletter for the latest and greatest from your city and beyond

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.

Awesome, you're subscribed!

The best things in life are free.

Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush).

Déjà vu! We already have this email. Try another?

Love the mag?

Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions.

• Things to Do
• Food & Drink
• Arts & Culture
• Time Out Market
• Coca-Cola Foodmarks
• Los Angeles

The 19 cities with the best public transport in the world – according to locals

From Montreal to Mumbai, these are the world’s greatest public transportation systems – as voted by the people who use them every day

Where would we be without public transport? With more and more of us consciously trying to reduce our reliance on car travel, to help our own health and that of the planet, trains, buses and trams are the unsung heroes that could literally save the world.

Sure, a crowded bus on the morning commute isn’t the most pleasant, but when it comes to exploring the world’s greatest cities , it’s the best way to discover a new place through the eyes of a local. And a few of the world’s best public transport networks even double up as cultural treasure hunts, making the mundane spectacular with sublime art and design.

To identify the cities with the world’s greatest public transport, we surveyed more than 20,000 city-dwellers around the world from more than 50 cities, back in 2023, by simply asking: is it easy to get around your city by public transport? 

Many iconic networks didn’t quite make the cut. There was no room for Istanbul ’s continent-crossing ferries, the fairytale trams of Lisbon , Melbourne and Manchester , or Bangkok ’s elevated Skytrain. But in the cities that were included, at least four out of five locals had good things to say about each of them. And they spanned the whole globe, from Montreal to Mumbai and Stockholm to Shanghai – and even the USA . So, without further ado, these are the best cities in the world for public transport, according to locals.

RECOMMENDED: 🌎The most beautiful train stations in the world 🚅The best train journeys in the world 🎭The best cities in the world for culture 🌃The world's coolest neighbourhoods 🖼️The best things to do in the world

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

Best public transport in the world

1.  berlin.

Comfortable, safe and always on time, public transport in Berlin is a delight. S o it is no shock to see it swagger away with the top spot here, with 97 percent of Berliners praising their city’s transport network. Locals and travellers alike have been making the most of the U-Bahn, S-Bahn and buses for decades – even when the city was divided in two during the Cold War. The subterranean U-Bahn is particularly delightful, an efficient maze of trains moving people from sight to sight from morning to night. A massive 175 stations across nine lines might sound imposing, but the U-Bahn is magnificently simple to navigate. 

Discover the best things to do in Berlin

2.  Prague

The Czech capital is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, and its public transport network only adds to that. In our survey, a massive 96 percent of Prague locals said their city was easy to get around by public transport. And it’s not just convenient, it’s pretty spectacular too. Prague wouldn’t be Prague without the sight of a tram dashing in front of a Gothic church or Renaissance stunner – but the metro is even better, with three easy-to-use lines covering almost every part of the city. Each line has its own aesthetic character, from the photogenic bubble facades on the A Line (green) to the futuristic designs found at the end of the C (red). The yellow B Line straddles the two, with some curious communist remnants for anyone interested in that period.

Discover the best things to do in Prague

3.  Tokyo

New York has the most stations, Shanghai has the most track, but no public transport on the planet services as many people as the one found in Tokyo. You may have seen viral videos of packed subway trains in the Japanese capital, and such sights aren’t out of the ordinary. Plus the sheer size of the network makes it something of a labyrinth. But Tokyo’s public transport is brilliantly maintained and increasingly easy to use for non-Japanese speakers (as well as locals, 94 percent of whom said the city was easy to navigate by public transport). Might be best to avoid rush hour, though…

Discover the best things to do in Tokyo

4.  Copenhagen

It’s not hard to mount an argument for Copenhagen as the greatest city on the planet. Few places are as effortlessly stylish as the Danish capital, and its roster of restaurants , museums and bars is second-to-none (to say nothing of the craft beer). Public transport in Copenhagen holds up its end of the bargain, with a reliable system of trains, buses and waterbuses whizzing folks around all day long. You can pay for everything with one ticket: the Copenhagen Card covers public transport across the entire city.  No wonder 93 percent of locals said it was easy to get around.

Discover the best things to do in Copenhagen

5.  Stockholm

Unsurprisingly for this Scandi design capital, Stockholm’s metro is as stylish as it gets. They don’t call it the world’s longest art gallery without good reason: the overwhelming majority of stations on the Stockholm tunnelbana  glisten with creativity, from mosaics to paintings covering all sorts of themes. But aesthetics are just part of the package: public transport in Stockholm (also including trams, buses and ferries) is every bit as efficient as it is engaging. And 93 percent of locals agree that it’s easy to get around the city.

Discover the best things to do in Stockholm

6.  Singapore

It shouldn’t be a shock to hear that public transport in Singapore is very much on the cutting edge of the modern world. Innovation is standard here, and the city’s buses and mass rapid transit (MRT) leave no stone unturned in their quest for excellence. The MyTransport.SG app makes planning a breeze, the Singapore Tourist Pass takes care of paying, and almost all the main attractions in Singapore are a short stroll from a station. Oh, and did we mention that all buses are wheelchair-accessible and strollers are allowed? Singapore gets many things bang-on, and public transport is very much up there, according to 92 percent of locals.

Discover the best things to do in Singapore

7.  Hong Kong

Public transport in Hong Kong routinely ranks high among the best in the world, and for good reason. The network is extensive, to say the least, and the city is proud of the fact that 75 percent of the population lives within one kilometre of a metro station – that’s less than 15 minutes’ walk. The whole thing is reassuringly efficient, clean and comfortable too, and the Octopus Card makes paying for it delightfully simple. Getting used to the system isn’t immediate, but putting in the effort is definitely worth it. Locals agree: in our survey, 92 percent of Hongkongers praised their city’s transit system. To make the most of Hong Kong, make the most of its public transport.

Discover the best things to do in Hong Kong

8.  Taipei

The capital of Taiwan is one of the most liveable cities in the world, and its marvellous public transport system is one major reason why. The Taipei Metro (or MRT) is one of the busiest light-rail systems in the world, but not a single drop of efficiency has been sacrificed in the process. Taipei is one of the most easily traversed cities in Asia, with 92 percent of locals rating the public transport network positively, and the elevated stations give visiting passengers a fascinating look into everyday street life. The English-language signs are certainly helpful too.

Discover the best things to do in Taipei

9.  Shanghai

Second only to New York by the number of stations, Shanghai’s metro is the largest in the world if you’re talking about the distance it covers. In fact the subway system in Shanghai was modelled on its famous contemporary in NYC, and unlike its American counterpart, China’s most populous city keeps its system running strictly on time. Alongside the trains, Shanghai’s buses, maglevs, taxis and ferries system can be paid for using the Shanghai Public Transportation Card, a contactless version of a top-up card that can be purchased and reloaded at ticket offices. Shanghai residents are certainly satisfied: 91 of respondents in our survey said it was easy to cross the city using public transport.

10.  Amsterdam

You’ll definitely notice the hordes of bicycles zooming across the Dutch capital, but you don’t have to commit to two wheels here: Amsterdam’s public transport covers plenty of ground, and no small amount of water too. The city’s network of trains, trams, ferries and buses does a sterling job, and the whole thing is tremendous value for money – no wonder 91 percent of locals praised the city’s public transport system in our poll. Download the GVP travel app ahead of your visit and leave no stone unturned.

Discover the best things to do in Amsterdam

11.  London

Getting 91 percent of Londoners to agree on anything is no small feat, but the people of the Big Smoke came together to rejoice at the majesty of London’s public transport system . Okay, that might be a bit strong, but the numbers don’t lie: London’s buses, trains and underground are easy to use and remarkably efficient, not to mention aesthetically iconic. The London Underground is the star of the show (and the star of countless movies and TV shows), but the city’s bright red double-decker buses are every bit as beloved. Throw in the driverless Docklands Light Railway (and suburban hero the London Overground) and you’ve got a system worth celebrating. The visitor Oyster card also doubles up as a tidy souvenir.

Discover the best things to do in London

12.  Madrid

Madrid’s public transport system is one of the most comprehensive in Europe – in fact, 89 percent of the city’s population lives within one kilometre of a station. Coincidentally or not, 88 percent of Madrid locals we surveyed are happy with the city’s public transport network. As well as the metro, The system covers light rail, buses and also regional trains, and a variety of tickets are available – with Cercanías commuter trains currently free for regular passengers . Staying for a while? Get a month pass. Looking to dart around the city over a couple of days? A 10-trip ticket should do the trick.

Discover the best things to do in Madrid

13.  Edinburgh

Oh, Edinburgh, you are a charmer. The Scottish capital is one of the most beautiful cities in the UK, with grand old architecture and an inviting atmosphere that defines the term ‘convivial’. And although Edinburgh is extremely walkable, the city’s public transport is equally fantastic, with easy-to-use buses crossing the city all day and night. In our survey, a solid 88 percent of locals said it was easy to get around by public transport. The trams may not be as iconic as others in the British north (and are not uncontroversial locally) but they more than get the job done. The Transport for Edinburgh (TfE) app is your new best friend here.

Discover the best things to do in Edinburgh

14.  Paris

The word ’iconic’ is much abused, but the Paris Métro is an iconic symbol of one of the most iconic cities on the planet. This is Europe’s second-busiest subway system (Moscow comes in first), a densely-built network covering more than 300 stations across 16 lines. Some of those stations are attractions in their own right, from the history-covered walls of Bastille to the almost steampunk vibes of Arts et Métiers. Metro 1 covers the classic hotspots, while Metro 6 mostly moves above ground and offers some seriously stunning views. And while the Métro grabs most of the attention,  public transport in Paris also includes buses, trams and regional trains, including the pioneering RER. In our survey, 84 percent of locals gave public transport in Paris the thumbs up.

Discover the best things to do in Paris

15.  New York

New York’s public transport has its naysayers – including no end of New Yorkers – and much of the criticism is well-founded. The subway isn’t exactly the cleanest, and the concept of running on time seems to have been abandoned, with years of underfunding becoming increasingly apparent. But unless you’ve got hours to spare beating the streets (and a really comfy pair of shoes), there’s still no better way to get around NYC than its public transport system. The subway is the largest in the world if you count by the number of stations, and the extensive bus system makes exploring easy even away from the tracks. Plus there is something iconic about traversing the subway in New York, if you embrace the quirks. New Yorkers certainly do: despite it all, 83 percent of them said it was easy to get around the city by public transit.

Discover the best things to do in New York City

16.  Montreal

Montreal, Montreal. Canada’s second-largest city is a delight to explore, whether on foot or via the well-developed Montreal public transportation  system. The latter makes the former easier, of course – 83 percent of Montrealers say the city is easy to traverse via public transit – so familiarise yourself with the bus and the rubber-wheeled, modernist Métro to squeeze every drop of magic out of your trip. A variety of tickets are available for multi-day travel, and tiny humans under 11 travel for free. The Société de Transport de Montréal website also has detailed itineraries for exploring the city via public transport.

Discover the best things to do in Montreal

17.  Chicago

Chicago’s public transportation system  may not be perfect, but the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) does a decent job of maintaining the city’s eight ‘L’ (short for ‘elevated’) train lines, plus 129 bus routes. It’s introduced innovations like regenerative breaking without skimping on efficiency. And public satisfaction is almost as high as in NYC: according to our survey, 82 percent of Chicagoans have positive things to say about their city’s network.

Discover the best things to do in Chicago

18.  Beijing

Beijing is one of the most populous cities in the world, China ’s most congested urban centre, and a true, 24-hour metropolis. Given the Chinese capital’s size and scope, it’s no small feat that 81 percent of Beijingers expressed contentment with the quality and efficiency of public transport there. That road congestion makes it no surprise that the subway is the most popular form of public transport here, with more than 500 miles of track spreading across 27 lines and almost 500 stations. The network is growing all the time, with buses, trolleybuses and trains also moving across the city day in, day out.

19.  Mumbai

Have you even been to Mumbai if you haven’t spent some quality time on the city’s local trains? It’s an experience and a half, although probably one best avoided at rush hour unless you are a veteran of such scenes. Still, 81 percent of locals say it’s easy to cross Mumbai by public transport, and the system certainly keeps the metropolis moving, with millions using the city’s buses, rickshaws, metro and taxis on a daily basis. The city has also introduced the Chalo Pay app – a pioneer for Indian public transport – making the whole thing just that little bit easier. Download the M-indicator app to stay on top of schedules, and let Mumbai unfold in front of you.

Discover the best things to do in Mumbai

[image] [title]

Discover Time Out original video

• Press office
• Investor relations
• Work for Time Out
• Editorial guidelines
• Privacy notice
• Do not sell my information
• Cookie policy
• Accessibility statement
• Terms of use
• Modern slavery statement
• Manage cookies
• Advertising

Time Out Worldwide

• All Time Out Locations
• North America
• South America
• South Pacific

The Best Transport Wheelchairs of 2024

Products are chosen independently by our editors. Purchases made through our links may earn us a commission.

Why trust Reviewed?

Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.

Medline Ultralight Transport Chair MDS808200F

Lightweight and compact

Fits through most doorways

Comparatively affordable

Adjustable/removable footrests

Less sturdy than heavy-duty chairs

Thin seat cushion

Hover Move Lite Folding Power Chair

Lightweight for an electric wheelchair

Narrow for indoor use

All-terrain experience

Expensive relative to all transport chairs

Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair BLS18FBD-SF

Self-Propelled or assisted options

Fits in most cars and through most doorways

Adjustable footrests and moveable armrests

Comparatively high weight

Shorter handlebars on back

No cushion for seat

Medline Excel Bariatric Wheelchair MDS806700FLA

Supports up to 500 pounds

Three size options

Easily cleaned

Elevating leg rest and desk-length armrests

Clinical look

Can’t fit through narrow doors

Heavy and bulky for transporting

Strongback 8

Adjustable back support

Stylish look

Desk-height armrests and removable footrests

Comparatively expensive

Won’t fit through most interior doors

Updated July 29, 2024

However, you’ll be glad to know the world of transport chairs extends well beyond the bulky, clinical seats found at most hospitals. With a huge variety of options on the market, consumers can choose a chair that meets their individual needs and gives them the mobility independence they seek.

Whether you want to prioritize a lightweight folding chair made for travel or a heavy-duty seat with electric capabilities and support for higher weight classes, there are countless transfer wheelchairs on the market available to you.

We rounded up the five best transport wheelchairs you can buy right now to help users and caregivers move safely and easily wherever they need to go. Based on personal testing and customer reviews alike, these are the best wheelchairs for transportation inside and outside the home.

The Medline Ultralight Transport Wheelchair is small but extremely functional.

Weighing just 15 pounds, this option provides a safe way for users and aides to bring the chair with them on the go. This chair’s lightweight design is especially ideal for caregivers, who may not be the strongest people themselves, or who need to lift the chair in and out of a trunk frequently. No matter the destination, this wheelchair is one you can easily take with you.

Its width is another factor that makes this transfer wheelchair so unique. With a frame that’s 23.25 inches wide, this compact seat fits through most standard doorways with ease. Navigating narrow store aisles can be a challenge with many transport chairs, but, with this one, it’s a cinch.

For those who have trouble visualizing dimensions, the Medline Ultralight weighs about the same as most plastic shopping carts, is nearly the same width, and is significantly less deep. If you can push a shopping cart around a store, you should have no problem helping a user with this wheelchair.

While the Ultralight’s cushion isn’t thick enough for long-term use without extra padding, for moving around the house or getting extra assistance elsewhere, its functionality is unmatched. Its removable footrests allow it to fit into even the smallest sedan trunk, and, despite its small size, it can still support users up to 300 pounds (a standard weight capacity for most transport chairs).

What it gains in form factor, however, it loses slightly in stability. Even though the chair is safe and sturdy once the user is inside, some reviewers caution that it’s especially important to brace it while the user sits down. Because of this shortcoming, users who are likely to shift their weight unexpectedly while seated should probably consider a sturdy, heavy-duty wheelchair.

The Move Lite transport chair is electric and adaptable, but it's a comparatively pricey product.

Weighing just 50 pounds, this chair is lighter than some manual options on this list. Its ability to act as a folding transport wheelchair allows it to fit into most cars. Because it’s airline approved, it can even be taken on most planes when travelling.

Other features that make this chair stand out are its removable seat covers, adjustable speed control, safety horn, and programmable controller. One feature that will please lefties is its control that can be mounted on either armrest, meaning your dominant hand can always be the one controlling movement.

While the cost of this Move Lite Power Chair is nothing unexpected to those familiar with electric wheelchairs, its $2,100 price tag might cause sticker shock for some.

The Drive Medical Blue Streak offers a fully manual design for those capable of pushing themselves.

There are many manual wheelchairs out there that are better suited for long-term, frequent use. However, this Blue Streak wheelchair was selected by users for its unique ability to function well as a self-propelled chair or an assisted chair.

With handlebars on the back, a caregiver can easily help the user get from Point A to Point B when they are tired or the required distance is further than expected. However, with large rear wheels and the shift in brake placement, this chair is also made for someone to get themselves around just fine. Its nylon upholstery also makes the chair easy to clean even if you’re the one sitting in it.

The budget-friendly price is a huge plus for this product, as it comes in at just under $150 at many retailers. Particularly if you only need a transport chair temporarily or for short trips, it’s a great option to consider compared to its pricier competition.

Weighing 40 pounds, the steel-frame Blue Streak is one of the heavier models on this list, but, given its large wheels and necessary stability for the user to move around as they direct the chair, the weight amounts to a worthwhile tradeoff if you can lift it.

Its compact size also means it can fit in most cars and through most doorways, making it a good selection for a user on the go. If a traditional wheelchair is what you’re after, this product may be your best choice.

The Excel Extra-Wide Wheelchair is a great option for folks who need more weight support.

One of the biggest disadvantages of the Excel Extra-Wide is its lackluster design, which mirrors the standard wheelchairs one might find at a medical office. While this might be a dealbreaker for some users, the enhanced functionality of this chair offers far greater benefit despite its bland aesthetic.

The weight and size of this chair can also make it difficult to fit into some cars and spaces when folded. While the tradeoff for security is worthwhile, if the person using the chair needs to move it themselves in and out of a car, this option may provide more challenges than it’s worth.

The Strongback Mobility Excursion Lightweight Foldable Transport Chair is great for those who prioritize comfort needs above all else.

With the help of a curved back and carefully designed angles, this thoughtfully built frame helps the user sit in a way that removes pressure from sensitive points, such as the back and buttocks. It’s especially helpful to those who have stiffness or may be sitting in the chair for longer periods of time.

This transport chair’s highly adjustable nature allows each user to customize its support to fit their needs perfectly. The thicker seat cushion also means no extra cushions need to be bought, and the user can enjoy the full ergonomic impact of the design. The inclusion of swing-away footrests and armrests also provides the freedom to remove unnecessary supports during transfers.

Its price is the biggest downside of the Strongback chair, costing more than $700. However, if you need the support and can afford the investment, this chair is still a worthy buy.

How We Tested The Best Transport Wheelchairs

The selection of transport wheelchairs featured in this article began with our expert’s years of hands-on experience using the Medline Ultralight Transport Chair in a caregiver role.

With that background knowledge in mind, the selection of the four additional transport chairs is based on thorough market research from that same expert. From reading product reviews on retail sites, we assessed these transport chairs based on factors such as ease of travel, size, comfort, available accessories, and price.

In the future we plan to test more transport wheelchairs and assess them in accord with Reviewed standards.

What You Should Know About Buying Transport Wheelchairs

When trying to find the best transport wheelchair, you'll first want to consider whether you’re looking for a chair that can be primarily pushed by another, self-propelled, or a combination of the two. Consider where you’re planning to take the chair, including the terrain involved, and how much help the user needs to navigate that space.

Make sure your transport chair meets all the travel and at-home needs of the user.

If you’re planning to use the chair mostly at home, measuring all relevant doorways is crucial. On the other hand, if use will only be during vacations or travel, the weight and foldable nature of the chair might be the most important factors, as these will make it easier to take the chair on the go.

Consider if the user needs a folding transport chair for use with a vehicle, or if they’ll have assistance with this. Also remember to measure any tables or other pieces of furniture the user needs to be able to access to ensure the transfer wheelchair accommodates them.

Whenever possible, the user should test the chair before purchasing it to make sure its dimensions are comfortable, including—but not limited to—its width, back support, arm rests, footrests, seat height, and back height.

Does Medicare cover transport wheelchairs?

In many cases, Medicare Part B covers a large portion of the cost for a transport wheelchair, though a power chair requires a face-to-face meeting and strong assertion in a prescription that the power feature is medically necessary. Electric features will no doubt also inflate a wheelchair’s cost.

What is the difference between a transport chair and a wheelchair?

The central difference between a transport chair and a standard wheelchair is that transport chairs are meant for quickly moving someone from one location to another, while traditional wheelchairs are designed for someone to potentially move themselves to another location over a longer time span.

Many would argue that transport chairs don’t include any hand-powered wheels at all, but we wanted to include a few options on our list that do, just in case there was a need for a lightweight transfer aid that could also function as a wheelchair in a pinch. The main facets of a transfer chair are that they are light, often foldable, and are tailor-made for short-term traversal.

More Articles You Might Enjoy

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

Meet the writer

Anna Wenner

Contributor (She/Her)

Anna Wenner is a freelance writer and photographer with nearly a decade of editorial experience. Anna's work always has one thing in common: helping her readers live safe, fulfilling lives.

Checking our work.

Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.

Sign up for our newsletter.

Enter your email:

Thanks for signing up.

How to Choose the Right Means of Transport

In the last post of this series I took you through my process for finding and booking cheap flights . But for you and your next trip, transport costs might not stop there.

There are a bunch of other transport options that you may need to consider once you arrive in your first destination.

If you are flying into one place and staying there for the duration of your trip, then this may not apply to you. However, if you are planning to get out and explore more of a single country or region, then you will likely use more than just a plane to get around.

First there are a few things you need to consider to allow you to choose the right means of transport for your trip.

Things to Consider Before Choosing the Best Means of Transport

When you are asking yourself what is the best means of transportation for my upcoming trip, you’ll first want to consider these points.

1. Purpose of the trip

The purpose of your trip will help you decide what is the best means of transport for your trip. If you are planning to see a lot in a small amount of time, then a faster means of transport will suit you best.

However, if the journey is all part of the experience for you, then something a bit slower could be just what you are after. Think road trips and scenic trains.

Back in step two of this series, you would have done a small amount of research on transport to determine your budget . The figure you came up with will now come in handy as you decide on exactly the best means of transportation you should be using based on the amount of money you can spend on transport.

Buses will almost always be the cheapest way to travel, so if you have a smaller budget and plenty of time, this could be a good option for you. More money to spend? Maybe a luxury cruise or train trip will work.

3. Length of Your Trip

The more time you have, the slower your travel can be. If you are visiting Europe and seeing five cities in 10 days, high speed trains will be your most efficient way of getting around. However, if you are visiting those same five cities in a month, then you could save money by taking a slower means of transport, like a bus.

4. Travelling Companions and Luggage

Travelling with kids? Having a rental car or motor home might be easier for when they fall asleep after a long day or for those days where they just stay grumpy!

Mobility issues? Trains have no steps and comfy seats for long journey’s. Cruises are also a great option here because there is limited walking required.

Sea sickness? You might want to avoid any prolonged transport on water.

Or maybe you just find it impossible to pack light. In this case, avoid any form of transport where you will be hauling your baggage around a lot or where space to store them could be limited.

Choosing the Right Means of Transport

Below I have outlined the most popular forms of ground (and sea) transport and why you might need to look into booking them. I’ve also included some helpful links on where to find more information and make bookings. Some specific to regions, others more general.

Train Travel

In certain parts of the world, trains are the most commonly used means of transport for visitors and locals. And in most parts of the world, they are by far the fastest way to get around.

In Europe and Asia, you can move from city to city and even country to country in no time at all with train speeds reaching over 300 km per hour in some places.

If you are travelling in Europe or parts of Asia like Japan, China and South Korea, I would recommend train travel as the most efficient and cost effective way to get around.

In other regions, trains are slower, sometime painfully slow. So if you are in a hurry, train travel might not be the best option.

However, if a scenic journey is what you are after, then there are some stunning slower journey’s you can take in places like Australia, Canada, South America and through the European Alps.

Links to Check Out for Train Travel

Omio – New kid on the block in the travel booking world, they bring all means of transport together into one big booking website making planning your trip so much easier. They cover most major destinations around the world.

Man in Seat 61   – Mark covers train travel around the world with major route information, tricks and tips for travelling by train.

Rail Europe – One stop shop for all your Europe rail passes and point to point tickets. They have different branches is different parts of the world depending on where you are from. USA | Canada | Australia | New Zealand

Deutsche Bahn – This Germany train site has the most comprehensive timetables for services all over Europe.

Asia Pacific

12Go – Plan and book transport in South East Asia, including trains. The most comprehensive website you will find for the region.

Japan Guide – Get all the info you need to planning, booking and using the trains in Japan.

China Travel Guide – Plan and book trains in China.

Travel Taiwan by Train – The guys at My Tan Feet have put together this great guide to train travel in Taiwan.

Australian Trains – This website has a great overview of train journey’s you can take in Australia.

New Zealand Rail – Despite it’s size, New Zealand has a few scenic trains worth checking out.

North America

Amtrak – Plan and book train travel across the USA.

ViaRail – Plan and book train travel in Canada.

South America

Wanderlust Magazine – Be inspired to travel by rail in South America with these 8 unforgettable train journeys.

Huffington Post – Check out these 11 memorable train journeys in Africa to get you inspired.

In areas where there are no, or very slow trains, the best means of transport may be by bus.

Buses or coaches are available in every country of the world and connect major cities with regional towns.

Comfort wise, it can vary greatly from region to region. In South America for example, coaches have wide reclining seats and lots of leg room. Especially good for long journey’s.

Buses are also much cheaper than most other forms of transport. And in most regions, passes or hop-on-hop-off style backpacker bus passes can be purchased saving you even more.

Choose a bus if you have lots of time or are on a tight budget.

Links to Check Out for Bus Travel

BusBud – the perfect place to search and book bus and coach tickets for destinations all over the world.

Eurolines – Covers all the major cities and regions of Europe.

Busabout – Hop-on-hop-off backpacker bus that follows a specific loop around Europe.

12Go – Plan and book transport in Asia, including buses. The most comprehensive website you will find for the region.

Japan Guide – Get all the info you need to planning, booking and using buses in Japan.

Travel China Cheaper – A great guide for travelling China by bus.

Greyhound Australia – The most comprehensive network of buses in Australia.

Oz Experience – Backpacker bus network in Australia.

InterCity New Zealand – The most comprehensive network of buses in New Zealand.

Greyhound USA – The most comprehensive network of buses in the USA.

MegaBus – Cheap bus network expanding into the USA.

Greyhound Canada – The most comprehensive network of buses in Canada.

Mexperience – A comprehensive guide to travelling by bus in Mexico.

Green Toad Bus – Buy bus travel passes for travel in South America.

Lonely Planet – A guide to getting around South America by bus.

Baz Bus – South Africa’s hp-on-hop-off bus network for backpackers.

Intercape – Covers South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi and Zambia.

Rental Car / Bike

Road tripping is one of the world’s most popular forms of travel. Most people have fond memories of their childhood taking road trips in school holidays with their families.

And taking these road trips doesn’t have to stop once you grow up. Whether it’s a short few days jaunt or month’s at a time driving around a country or a region, a road trip is one of the easiest and best means to transport to see the world.

Here are a few things to consider if you are thinking of taking a road trip:

• Is your drivers licence valid to drive in your chosen country or do you need an international permit? Check with your local road authority well in advance of your trip.
• Will you be driving on the left or right hand side of the road?
• Are there any unusual or different driving rules?
• What will be the weather conditions and will I need additional equipment for these conditions? (i.e. snow chains in cold areas)
• What size vehicle will I need to fit all passengers and luggage?

Rental car companies can be found in all airports around the world and in most city centres too. Booking in advance is recommended so you don’t arrive and find out there are no cars available.

Links to Check Out for Rental Cars / Bikes

I use and recommend Hertz for all car hire around the world. I’ve found they offer the most comparable prices, let you search and compare multiple vehicle types and they have a great customer service team who can help if you come into any unexpected troubles.

Motor Home / Campervan

Similar to hiring a car, renting a motor home or campervan gives you the freedom to explore a country or region at your own pace.

Usually you would hire a motor home if you were planning to travel longer term, however, even a two week vacation can work with a motor home.

They come in all shapes and sizes, from pop up camper trailers that you can tow behind your car, to tiny two person vans, basic family vans where you would utilise the outside space more and top of the line luxury vans with a full bathroom, bedroom(s) and cooking facilities.

Picking one that suits your level of comfort and needs is important to help ensure you have a relaxing and enjoyable time. If getting up to go to the bathroom in the middle of night and having to find the outside amenities block doesn’t appeal to you, then you’ll want to hire one that has a toilet on-board.

Links to Check Out for Motor Homes

RVShare – Easily search for a motorhome to rent on a trip in the USA.

Apollo – Rental a campervan in Australia , New Zealand or the USA .

AutoEurope – Don’t let the name fool you, Auto Europe has Motorhome rental all over the world at fantastic prices.

Wicked Campers – Budget friendly vans around the world. The ones with the funky paint job!

If you are looking for an all-inclusive, unpack once type of holiday with stacks of entertainment, then look no further than a cruise.

They get a bad wrap from time to time due to sickness outbreaks and bad weather, but 99% of the time, cruises are a great option for those looking for a relaxing vacation.

Cruises leave from major coastal and river side cities all over the world and come in all shapes and sizes. From local ferries, intimate river cruises, small ship luxury to mega ship, bigger than a hotel type experiences.

A few popular regions to cruise around the world are:

• South Pacific Island
• South East Asia
• Mediterranean
• Scandinavia
• European Rivers

Great deals can be found for cruises, especially packages that include all your meals, drinks and entertainment. They are an excellent option for those travelling on a budget, first time travellers and people who might be a little less mobile.

Links to Check Out for Cruise Travel

I use and recommend Expedia for booking cruises all over the world.

Here is a list of blogs that specialise in cruising:

• The Avid Cruiser
• Cruise Miss
• Blogger at Large Travel
• Eat Sleep Cruise
• The Cruise Blogger

Over to you!

Thinking about your next planned vacation, what transport would you choose and why?

Let me know using the comments section below or join me on social media to start a conversation.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post.

Join my email list and get a FREE copy of my TRAVEL PLANNING TEMPLATE

My Travel Planning Template will make your travel planning simple & stress-free!

11 thoughts on “How to Choose the Right Means of Transport”

I totally agree when you said that traveling with kids or going from place to place where one needs to haul a baggage is a primary consideration when choosing the type of transportation that one should take. I am planning to travel with my wife and kids soon, and we will obviously have a lot of luggage with us. I’ll make sure that we get in touch with a transportation service provider that can give us enough space to make the travel more comfortable.

Thanks James.

We travelled through Ecuador for three months last year and primarily used local bus transport to get from city to city, town to town. Sometimes we used the collectivo vans or taxis between smaller villages where we shared a ride with other passengers heading in the same direction. In sharing the rides, it gave us a chance to talk to the locals, practice our Spanish and get a much cheaper ride than taking the tourist buses.

We preferred to take the local transport option over the tourist ones, although we do recommend strong stomachs when using the local buses in Quito – all the bus drivers think they are rally car drivers as they speed and take the corners way too fast. We did see a few crashes but luckily weren’t involved in any.

Great insight Paul. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Jen, I am so thankful for what you have shared about the importance of getting the right kind of transportation. I found it interesting when you said that we can save more money by taking a bus or a car. Most especially, if we arrive at the airport alone. More power!

WOw!! This blog is very Awesome and mind blowing. thanks for sharing this attractive pictures and this blog.

I like how you mentioned that before choosing your transportation, you should consider your budget. My family and I are going on vacation this summer, and I am trying to figure out what the best form of transportation would be. I will definitely keep your tips in mind when choosing the transportation we will use on our trip.

Thanks Brooklyn.

I really loved the tip that you gave to consider your budget when you are choosing means of transport. We want to find a new way to get to work, and it will be important for us to not overspend. I will be sure to consider our budget, so we could pick a mode of transport that will suit it.

My favourite type of transport is the train because i like to travel around a land and visit the most important cities and the train connections are prefect around the cities.Another reason is that is more confortable than a bus , because you can stand up and go to the bathroom and a bus it’s difficult.

A thing that impress me was the number of buses there are all over the world.

And maybe if one day i travel to a remote place, i ‘ll take the motor home because i think that it can be a good experience. Also, with the motor home you can sleep everywhere and if you are an adventure person this will be the best option for you.

Finally, i think the article describes very well the means of transport because it gives all the details and all the companies in which we can book.

What I liked the most is always the train, although I have also tried the bus from Barcelona to Paris for example. I’d love to try traveling in campervan. It can be a great adventure! It is all very well explained and I will have it as a reference when it comes to travel.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes
• Travel Tips
• Ground Transportation

The 15 Countries With the Best Transportation

While it's more likely a traveler planning a vacation will look at the availability of flights rather than the density of paved roads, being able to get around in a country is equally important.

In the World Economic Forum's 2017 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report , countries are ranked on their attractiveness for tourists based on 14 categories, including ground and port infrastructure. The report measures countries on the quality of their ports, roads and railroads; the density of both their paved roads and total number of roads; and the efficiency of their ground transport.

With the proliferation of companies like Uber and Lyft, in many cities it's easier than ever to hail a cab, but across many of the top destinations in this category there's no need. For anyone who's ever purchased a Eurail pass on a semester abroad, it won't come as a surprise that many of the countries with the best railroad density — that is, the most miles of railroad per square mile of country — are in Western Europe. But the best countries for ground travel don't stop there.

These are the 15 countries where it's easiest to get around.

15th place score for ground and port infrastructure is only one of the many attributes this western European country has going for it, given that they placed first in the overall tourism attractiveness ranking. Spain does especially well in the quality of railroad infrastructure indicator.

14. Barbados

Barbados' high score in the ground and port infrastructure pillar comes from fifth place scores in both the road density and paved road density indicators. The Caribbean island also highly prioritizes travel and tourism (eighth place), and with turquoise waters and white sand beaches, it's a great place for a holiday.

13. Bahrain

Bahrain's road density is in second place, though road quality ranks 25th.

12. Austria

Austria ranks well in most indicators, but especially in quality of roads and transport efficiency. They're also in 12th place in the overall tourism destination ranking, with top scores in environmental sustainability and tourist service infrastructure, meaning tourists can feel good about visiting — and know their visit will be comfortable.

11. United Kingdom

The United Kingdom ranks eleventh for ground transport, with scores in the top 20 for all indicators except for quality of roads. For railroad density, the U.K. ranks ninth, making it an easy place to travel by train.

In 10th place is Japan, with the best quality of railroad infrastructure and the best ground transport efficiency in the world. This comes as no surprise to anyone who's ever been on Tokyo's extensive train system.

Denmark rates high all-around, with great quality of roads, and lots of them. For those who prefer to pedal rather than drive, biking in Denmark is easy, with nearly 7,500 miles of bike routes.

8. Luxembourg

Luxembourg lands third place for railroad density, and seventh for paved road density. Its location between Germany, France and Belgium, coupled with its accessibility by ground transport, means there's no excuse not to stop by to see a castle or bicycle across some of the nearly 400 miles of bike trails.

France has one of the highest scores for quality of railroad infrastructure, placing fourth, and also ranks well for paved road density (eighth). In addition to being easy to get around, it's also easy to get to France, given it has the second-highest score for number of airlines operating in the country.

With a second place score for railroad density, Belgium is a great place to hop on a train and head in any direction. In ground transport infrastructure they do well across the board, too: for quality of port infrastructure they rank sixth, and for road density, third.

Germany actually ranks lower than Belgium in density of railroads (fourth), but overall does very well, ranking eleventh for paved road density, quality of railroad and port infrastructure, as well as efficiency of ground transport. As one of the top-ranked destinations in the world for the overall tourism ranking, connectivity is only one of many reasons to go.

4. Switzerland

Switzerland ranks fourth overall for this pillar, and second and fifth, respectively, for quality of railroad infrastructure and railroad density. It also has excellent ground transport efficiency, ranking second. With an eighth place score for quality of air transport infrastructure, they are an overall comfortable place to travel to and around.

3. Netherlands

In third place is the Netherlands, which does well overall, ranking in the top 10 for every indicator within the ground and port infrastructure pillar. With its extensive network of canals, the country ranks first for quality of port infrastructure.

2. Singapore

Singapore's scores are excellent, ranking in second place for ground and port transport, as well as for quality of roads, paved road density and quality of port infrastructure. They are also in first place for quality of air transport infrastructure, meaning it's an easy country to get to, as well as around.

1. Hong Kong

In first place for ground and port transport is Hong Kong , with high scores in every indicator. Hong Kong, too, scored well for air transport infrastructure (in fifth place), and in 11th place in the overall tourism ranking, meaning it's both an easy place to travel and a generally attractive destination.

Related Articles

The Safest Ways to Travel: Comparing Modes of Transportation

Zackary Hooper

When planning your next trip, have you ever wondered about the safest way to travel ? I know I have, and that’s why I dug into some impressive data about transportation safety. This article is going to guide you through the different modes of transportation – from bus travel to commercial flights and everything in between.

Table of Contents

Ready for an informative journey ? Let’s dive straight in!

Key Takeaways

• Commercial flights are the safest mode of transportation, with extremely rare fatalities and impressive safety features.
• Bus travel is four times safer than passenger rail and offers a reliable alternative to driving your own vehicle.
• Passenger rail travel is considered one of the safest ways to travel , with lower death rates compared to personal vehicles.

Safest Modes of Transportation

The safest modes of transportation include commercial flights, bus travel, and passenger rail.

Commercial flights

Commercial flights top the chart as the safest mode of transportation . Data from the Bureau of Transportation highlights that fatalities are extremely rare in air travel, given its low accident rate .

Even with thousands of planes crisscrossing our skies every single day, airplane incidents make headlines mainly due to their rarity. Safety features and rigorous checks in aviation have ensured fewer chances of anything going wrong mid-air or after take-off.

Notably, when we consider passenger miles traveled, airplanes have impressive fatality rates that outshine other modes like buses or trains. So even if you’re uneasy about flying, know that commercial planes offer a high degree of safety !

Bus travel is often seen as a safe mode of transportation. When compared to passenger rail travel, buses are four times safer. This means that the risk of accidents and fatalities is significantly lower when traveling by bus.

Data from the Bureau of Transportation shows that bus travel has a much lower death rate compared to personal vehicles . Additionally, flying is considered the safest mode of transportation overall, but buses still offer a reliable and secure way to get from one place to another without having to worry about the risks associated with driving your own car.

Passenger rail

Passenger rail travel is often considered one of the safest ways to travel . Compared to personal vehicles, both rail and bus travel have much lower death rates. While bus travel is four times safer than passenger rail , trains still offer a reliable and secure mode of transportation .

Data from the Bureau of Transportation shows that flying is the safest mode overall, but if you prefer ground transportation, passenger rail can be a great option for safe and comfortable travels .

Factors Influencing Safety

Factors that can influence the safety of different modes of transportation include fatality rates, concentration of vehicles, and statistics from 10 years of data.

Fatality rates

When it comes to evaluating the safety of different modes of transportation, one important factor to consider is fatality rates . Fortunately, over the past few decades, fatality rates across all modes of transport have significantly decreased.

However, certain modes of travel still present a higher risk than others. For example, data from the Bureau of Transportation shows that flying is the safest mode of transportation when it comes to fatalities.

Personal light-duty vehicles, on the other hand, pose the greatest risk of death. Rail and bus travel have much lower death rates compared to personal vehicles. So if you’re looking for a safe way to get around, it’s worth considering these fatality rates as part of your decision-making process.

Concentration of vehicles

In considering the safety of different modes of transportation, it’s important to take into account the concentration of vehicles . This refers to how many vehicles are on the road, track, or in the air at any given time.

When there is a high concentration of vehicles , such as during rush hour traffic or peak travel seasons, there is an increased risk of accidents and collisions . On the other hand, when there are fewer vehicles on the road or track , the chances of accidents decrease significantly.

It’s essential to consider this factor when evaluating the safety of various modes of transportation and making informed decisions about which option to choose for your travels.

Statistics from 10 years of data

As a travel enthusiast, I can’t help but look at the compelling data which gives an insightful understanding of the safest modes of transportation. Let’s take a peek at the statistics from the last 10 years.

This table makes it clear that air travel is indeed the safest mode of transportation, with the fewest fatalities in a decade . It’s interesting to see that personal vehicles consistently clock the highest death rates , while the numbers for train and bus travel remain comparatively low.

Comparing Safety Across Modes of Transportation

Let’s compare the safety of different modes of transportation and find out which one is the safest.

Fatalities by passenger miles

When it comes to measuring the safety of different modes of transportation, one important factor to consider is fatalities by passenger miles . This statistic provides an insight into how many deaths occur per unit of distance traveled.

By analyzing this data, we can determine which modes of travel are the safest in terms of fatalities. For example, according to recent statistics from the Bureau of Transportation, airplanes have the lowest fatality rates when considering the number of passengers transported over a given distance.

This means that flying is considered one of the safest ways to travel in terms of deaths per mile traveled.

Fatalities by passenger hours

When comparing the safety of different modes of transportation, it’s important to consider fatalities based on passenger hours. This metric takes into account both the number of deaths and the amount of time passengers spend traveling .

By doing so, we can get a better understanding of which modes of transport are safer for passengers overall.

Looking at the data, air travel consistently emerges as the safest option when considering fatalities by passenger hours . Commercial flights have very low fatality rates compared to other forms of transportation.

This means that even though accidents may be rare in other modes such as bus or rail travel, they still don’t match up to the safety record of airplanes.

Why Air Travel is the Safest Mode of Transportation

Air travel has the lowest chance of incidents compared to other modes of transportation, making it a reliable and secure choice for travelers. Interested in learning more about why air travel is considered the safest option? Keep reading!

Low chance of air and space transport incidents

Air travel is widely regarded as the safest mode of transportation due to its low chance of incidents in the air and space. Data from the Bureau of Transportation shows that flying has the lowest fatality rates when compared to other modes of transport .

In fact, airplanes have been proven to be the safest means of transportation. Compared to car safety, flying presents minimal chances of resulting in death . When considering travel options, it’s clear that air travel offers a significantly lower risk compared to other modes of transport.

Comparison to car safety

In terms of safety, flying is the clear winner when compared to car travel. Statistics from the Bureau of Transportation show that flying has minimal chances of resulting in death , whereas traveling by personal light-duty vehicles presents the greatest risk.

Additionally, data reveals that rail and bus travel have much lower death rates compared to driving a car . With these facts in mind, it’s clear that choosing air travel over driving can significantly reduce your risk of being involved in a fatal accident .

Conclusion on Safest Ways to Travel

When it comes to choosing a safe mode of transportation, commercial planes are the clear winner , with lower fatality rates compared to other modes. Data shows that flying is the safest way to travel , particularly when considering the number of passengers transported .

Bus travel also emerges as a safer option compared to passenger rail travel . So next time you’re planning a trip, consider hopping on a plane or bus for a safer journey .

FAQs on Safest Ways to Travel

1. which mode of transportation is considered the safest.

Air travel is generally considered the safest mode of transportation due to strict safety regulations and advanced technology.

2. Is driving a car safer than flying in an airplane?

No, statistically speaking, flying in an airplane is typically safer than driving a car.

3. What safety measures are in place for train travel?

Train travel often adheres to strict safety standards, including regular maintenance checks, trained operators, and safety features such as emergency brakes and evacuation plans.

4. Are there any differences in safety between public transportation and private vehicles?

Public transportation tends to have more safety protocols in place, such as regular inspections and driver training programs, compared to private vehicles where adherence to safety measures can vary depending on individual drivers.

About the author

I’ve been fortunate to visit over fifty countries, each journey leaving a unique footprint on my life’s map. From bustling cities to serene nature trails, I’ve immersed myself in different cultures and experiences, constantly broadening my understanding of the world. On this site, I share my travel stories, tips, and insights, hoping to inspire others to embark on their own journeys. Join me as we uncover the beauty of our planet, one adventure at a time. Please reach out here if you need to get in touch.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Latest posts

Understanding the Meaning and Usage of ‘Are You Travelling’ in English

Have you ever been unsure about the context or appropriate response when someone asks, “Are you travelling”? You’re not alone. Many of us, including myself, have found ourselves puzzled by this seemingly straightforward question in English. This article is a product of tireless research and aims to demystify its meaning and usage. We’ll journey through…

The Countries with the Highest Travel Rates: Who Travels the Most?

Ever found yourself itching for an adventure, wondering which nations are on the move most often? I’ve been bitten by that same travel bug and always wondered who the globe-trotters really are. Diving deep into studies and statistics, I’ve uncovered fascinating facts about the countries with the highest travel rates – like how Finnish people…

Sending Your Safe Travel Wishes: A Heartfelt Message to a Friend

Traveling can be exciting, but it often leaves loved ones feeling anxious and worried. I know the feeling all too well – wanting to put into words those heartfelt wishes for a friend’s safe journey, yet struggling with how best to express them. After conducting extensive research and gathering more than 100 unique travel wishes,…

What is the Best Wheelchair for Travel? Lightweight Foldable Wheelchairs Ready to Go!

There is one major problem for wheelchair users that many people don’t realize until they already have a chair. Transporting it!

Some wheelchairs are heavy. This makes them difficult to lift and load. Especially for users with older caregivers or spouses who are responsible for that duty. Others are too big or bulky to fit into the trunk of an average sedan or small car.

Anyone who needs a wheelchair at home is going to need one while traveling or on vacation, right? Some people can walk fine at home but need a portable wheelchair for longer distances.

The best wheelchairs for travel are small and lightweight so they are easy to load, lift, and manage as you go about your journey. Plus, they should be durable enough to withstand the abuse of constant folding, unfolding, and stowing.

So, in this guide, I’m going to show you what your travel wheelchair options are and teach you what to look for. Plus, as a custom wheelchair specialist at a home medical equipment company, I am going to share some of my favorites with you.

Types of Wheelchairs

You can find several different types of wheelchairs for travel, be it for yourself or someone you love. The two prominent categories are electric/powered and manual. My reviews later on cover good choices for both.

Manual wheelchairs either get self-propelled by the user or are just pushed by someone accompanying the rider (aka a transport wheelchair).

They’re pretty simple to use, and they’re very similar to the wheelchairs you can borrow at many places. Manual travel wheelchairs often mean keeping a smaller profile and easier transportation during a trip.

Powered wheelchairs have electric batteries so they can run on their own if they have a sufficient charge. They can also be self-powered by the user if they need or want to.

Power Chairs vs Manual Wheelchairs: The Pros and Cons

In deciding between lightweight power and manual chair options, you need to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each one.

Manual Wheelchair Pros :

Manual wheelchair cons:, power wheelchair pros :, powered wheelchair cons:, best travel wheelchair buying guide.

Not all wheelchairs are the same, so it can be hard to know what to look for in a good travel wheelchair. Here is a checklist you can use to “roll your way” through the analysis.

• Lightweight : Travel wheelchairs have to be light enough that they can be easily moved in and out of cars, buses, and other modes of transportation all throughout your trip. Make sure you choose a lightweight wheelchair that folds quickly and easily.
• Durability : Users love travel wheelchairs for their weight, function, and size. However, you need to be sure that any travel wheelchair you get is sturdy enough while you’re on the road.
• Simplicity : Travel wheelchairs need to be simple to set up, collapse, and generally use while you’re out and about. Test your wheelchair for this before your trip, and hopefully while you’re still in a money-back guarantee or return period.
• Comfort : If you or someone you love is going to be using a travel wheelchair every single day of a trip, then they need to be comfortable while in it. Otherwise, the vacation can quickly be ruined. Seating is paramount here, especially in regard to width, depth, and back support.
• Cushioning : This is sometimes added to travel wheelchairs to assist with support, stability, and comfort. Preventative cushions are good for extended use, positioning cushions improve posture and navigation, while gel cushions generally add more comfort.
• Chair Height : This is different from seat height, as it is how tall the entire travel wheelchair is. This will impact how simply or quickly the wheelchair can be stored in vehicles, folded down, maneuvered, and transported around.
• Chair Weight : Powered wheelchairs usually weigh more, but most wheelchairs will range from as light as 19 pounds to as much as 65 pounds or more, based on specific features and accessories.
• Armrests : Flip-up or removable armrests make transfers and transportation much easier. When in position, they should provide support and comfort.
• Leg Rests : These are also supposed to provide comfort and support to the user. The primary thing to look for is leg rests that can swing away or be adjusted since this influences the transferability of that wheelchair.

The Best Travel Wheelchairs

Without further adieu, it’s time to review 7 of the best travel wheelchairs. These reviews include both folding, lightweight power chairs, and lightweight folding manual options.

Each one selected has a description you can read, plus a shortlist of the pros and cons of the model.

One of the most portable wheelchairs on the planet

Quick-release wheels pop off to make it easier to lift

Back folds down so that the chair is easier to load

Includes 1″ back and seat cushion for comfort

Lifetime frame warranty

Sizing is limited so it won’t fit everyone

Seat Width: 18″ | Product Weight: 13.5 lbs (without wheels) | Weight Capacity: 220 lbs

I am including this at the top of my list of travel wheelchairs because it is the lightest and easiest-to-transport standard wheelchair you will find.

The total weight of the chair is 19 lbs if you leave the rear wheels on. But, if you pop them off with the quick-release button, the weight goes down to 13.5 lbs. Nearly anyone can handle loading that weight into the trunk of the car.

It also folds down into a very small, easy-to-lift package that is only 28″ x 26″ x 6″. So, it’s going to fit in even the smallest vehicles. You can even get an optional carry bag to make transportation even easier.

But, there are other things to love about this chair too. First, you get a seat and back cushion that are an upgrade over standard wheelchair upholstery. Second, the wheel locks are more robust than many of the Featherweight wheelchair’s competitors.

Finally, there are hand brakes on the back of the chair for the caregiver to use.

The only drawback is the limited 18″ seat size and 220 lbs weight capacity. But, a heavier-duty version is coming soon. Click here for a sneak peak !

Here is a quick video demonstration from Joseph, the designer of the chair. Take a look and then head over to 800wheelchair.com to learn more .

Ergonomic design

Slips through even narrow doors

One of the lightest wheelchairs available right now

Caregiver-friendly hand brakes

Suggested for smaller and mid-sized individuals, not larger folks

Tires are sometimes hard to remove

Seat Width: 16″, 18″ | Product Weight: 19.8 lbs | Weight Capacity: 220 lbs

If your priorities are transportation and storage, then take a close look at the Karman Ergo wheelchair. It’s as strong as it is portable, and it does well in both categories.

The frame is only 14.5 pounds with a total weight of just under 20 pounds, so you can take it almost anywhere. It folds up easily and the wheels are removable to make it easier to carry too.

Here’s what I love about the Karman Ergo chairs: the seat frame has small curvatures that match the curves of your seating surface (aka booty). The S-shaped seating prevents unwanted pressure, promoting better posture.

If you are in your wheelchair for long periods of time, you’ll feel a noticeable difference.

For users with caregivers, companion brakes help engage the brakes without having to bend down.

This chair is available in 2 formats: a transport chair with small wheels that must be pushed by a caregiver AND a self-propelled model that the user can move themselves with.

Medline Excel Aluminum Transport Chair with 12-inch Wheels

Seat Width: 19″ | Overall Width: 24.5″

Larger wheels improve performance outdoors

Will fit in all kinds of vehicles

Fold down back for simple storage

Slips through doorways easily

Brake levers are difficult at first

Footrests can be tricky to install

Seat Width: 18″ | Product Weight: 23.5 lbs | Weight Capacity: 300 lbs

For seniors who don’t push themselves in their wheelchairs and have caregivers, I really like this transport chair from Medline.

It is a really good choice too for someone who needs a comfortable lightweight wheelchair for narrow doorways . Safety is also a top priority, given the loop-lock handbrakes and attached seat belt.

The handbrakes on the back are easier for caregivers to operate and keep the chair in control at all times. The larger wheels on the back give a smoother ride over obstacles or rougher surfaces.

The seat is made of nylon and is breathable, comfortable, and cleans with a quick wipe down. Plus, you can adjust the footrest as well.

Sturdy aluminum framing comes in red or blue. In either color, it has a powder coating to prevent rust and other deterioration.

RELATED: Outdoor Walkers for Seniors

Seat Width: 17″ | Overall Width: 21.5″

Seat Width: 19″ | Overall Width: 23.5″

Seat Widths: 17″, 19″ | Product Weight: 26 lbs | Weight Capacity: 250 lbs

The steel frame of this one provides durability and stability, giving this chair a long service life. This does make it a bit heavier than some of the other chairs but it is still manageable for most people at 26 lbs total weight.

The leg rests are both swing-away and removable to make getting in and out of it safer. Cushioned armrests and an included seat belt round out the features. You get a choice of seat sizes too.

This wheelchair is a good choice for people who need a chair for occasional local travel that is inexpensive but made well too.

RELATED: Best Transport Wheelchairs

Heavy Duty Travel Chair for Larger Users

Increased weight capacity for larger folks

Heavy-duty but lightweight aluminum frame

Flip back desk-length arms for getting close to tables

Larger wheels for a smoother ride

Seat depth is a bit short

May be a bit wide to use in smaller homes

Seat Widths: 24″ | Product Weight: 31 lbs | Weight Capacity: 400 lbs

The problem with heavy-duty wheelchairs is that they are often heavy. This is because extra parts are required for them to support extra weight. The added weight can make them difficult to travel with.

But, the Graham Field (E&J) bariatric transport chair is lightweight and durable too. It is designed to support larger people with a 24″ wide seat and a 400 lb weight capacity. And, the total weight of the chair is just 31 lbs. That’s a weight most people can handle.

One potential drawback to watch for is that the overall width of this chair is 30.25 inches. So, it may not maneuver well in smaller homes. But, if you just use it out in the community it will work just fine. The frame folds easily and fits into most vehicle trunks

While you are out, you can roll yourself to any table thanks to the flip-up desk-length arms.

Extremely lightweight and easy to fold for travel

Back folds down for easy loading even in small cars

Goes 11 miles between charges

Folds in one piece – no disassembly required

Airline approved!

Smaller wheels might give a bumpy ride so keep it on smooth surfaces

Seat Width: 18″ | Product Weight: 33 lbs | Weight Capacity: 250 lbs

If you prefer or need a power chair but think portability is a problem, take a look at the Featherweight Power Chair.

It weighs only 33 lbs and folds into one piece making it extremely easy to transport! Most portable power chairs and scooters have to be disassembled into multiple pieces.

Then, you have to reassemble them when you get to your destination. But, the Featherweight Power Chair stays in one piece. It is even airline-approved.

It has the usual power wheelchair features too: it is joystick-operated and battery-powered. The top speed is 5 mph and it will go about 11 miles between charges. So, it’s powerful enough for a day of shopping.

Because of the limited seat width of 18″ and a weight capacity of 250 lbs, it isn’t going to fit everyone though. The smaller wheels will give a bit of a bumpy ride if you are off the beaten path.

But if a truly portable power wheelchair is what you need, here it is !

Pride Go Chair

Seat Width: 18″ | Product Weight: 128 lbs (Heaviest Piece is 36 lbs) | Weight Capacity: 300 lbs

Pride has made the portable Go Chair power wheelchair for many years now and it has a great track record of reliability and durability.

The chair is portable but it is a bit of a process. The total chair weight is 128 pounds but it disassembles into 4 smaller pieces with the heaviest piece weighing 36 lbs.

Using Pride’s feather-touch disassemble process, you lift the seat off the base, then remove the battery compartment, and finally separate the base into 2 parts.

The process isn’t difficult but not everyone is going to be able to do it. See the video below for a demonstration of this.

The seat and armrests are comfortable enough for long days on the road. But, the speed is slower than some other portable power chairs at 3.7 mph (walking speed is 3 mph fyi) and the range is a bit smaller too – 8.7 miles between charges.

If you will be using it inside your home, it should fit through most doorways fine. The total overall width is only 22.5 inches. Not bad for a lightweight portable power chair !

Check out this video to learn more about the Pride Go Chair.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The following questions and answers will hopefully help you determine the best travel wheelchair to buy.

What is a traveling wheelchair?

A traveling wheelchair is one that is easy to transport from place to place because it is lightweight, folds easily, and is much easier to handle than other chairs.

There are lightweight options for both power chairs and manual chairs alike. Use this guide to see the best options.

How do I choose a wheelchair for transportation?

The  best wheelchairs  for traveling are lightweight wheelchairs and folding wheelchairs. These two characteristics make them much easier to take along because they can be loaded and unloaded quickly and easily.

Lightweight transport wheelchairs are a popular travel wheelchair choice too if you have people travelling with you who will be able to push the chair for you.

Should I buy a power chair or a manual chair?

Because they fold and are lighter weight, manual wheelchairs are easier to take on airplanes or in and out of vehicles. They’re also cheaper, usually. Having said that, many powered models are also easy to move around.

Also, the battery power means the user or a companion doesn’t have to spend the whole trip getting exercise instead of enjoying themselves.

Do I even need a wheelchair?

If you can’t walk unassisted, or you only get a few steps before needing rest, then a travel wheelchair might be a good idea.

Even if you don’t regularly use a wheelchair at home, or even at all, but use a cane or walker, then you might want a travel wheelchair while you’re away from home.

How do I qualify for a wheelchair?

These aren’t CPAP machines. You can buy one without a prescription. However, it’s a good idea to go through your doctor. He or she can help you select a great model suited well for your current condition and circumstances.

Also, if you can get a qualification or a prescription, you might be eligible for certain medical programs or insurance coverage that pays for some or all of your wheelchairs, although just paying full price on the general retail market is always a possibility.

How long do wheelchairs last?

A typical lifespan for most wheelchairs is 2 to 3 years. Manual wheelchairs might last up to 5 years since they don’t have batteries and motors.

Just keep in mind that the more mileage/use a wheelchair gets, the sooner it will wear out. If you get a travel wheelchair that you only use when on the road, and don’t use at home, it can certainly last longer than these estimates.

How long do wheelchair batteries last?

Most wheelchair batteries, when in new condition and fully powered, should last more than 8 hours, giving the user 10 to 20 miles of coverage.

Battery use over time will make the condition decline, so the charge duration and range will reduce.

Many manufacturers suggest replacing power wheelchair batteries every 18 months, although depending on usage, you might do it as quickly as 6 months or as slowly as 2 years.

In Conclusion

Whether you’re looking for something for yourself or someone you love, travel wheelchairs come in many different options these days.

Whether it’s a powered model that needs to be plugged in every day for easy travel or a manual model that’s lighter and cheaper, anyone constricted to a wheelchair can still get around and enjoy seeing the country or even the world.

If none of these options suit you – check out my list of the best rollator transport chairs . These handy products double as a rolling walker and a wheelchair!

Don’t forget to bring along your best wheelchair gloves with you to protect your hands from blisters and dirt!

For those who are in their senior years, it doesn’t mean age stops them or slows them down.

Some retirees might simply have not been able to travel before now, after years of hard work, so they can finally see the places they’ve always dreamed of going.

Hopefully, all this information makes the quality of life a better thing for you and yours.

Stay up-to-date with helpful, uplifting insights for living your best years with practical tips and resources to maintain your health, independence, and quality of life as you age gracefully.

Learn More About Wheelchairs and Accessories

Scott Grant, CSA®, SHSS®

With over 20 years of experience and certifications as a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® and Senior Home Safety Specialist (SHSS)®, Scott Grant provides reliable recommendations to help seniors maintain independence through informed product and service choices for safe, comfortable living.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Graying With Grace 6212 Fairview Drive Huntington WV 25705

More About Us

Legal Stuff

© Copyright text 2017-2023 by Graying With Grace, LLC. Nothing on this site should be construed as medical advice. I am not a medical professional, and no information on Graying With Grace should be taken over the advice of a medical professional. This blog is for informational purposes only, and posts are based on my personal opinions. As a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices are not guaranteed and are listed for comparison purposes only.

Get Daily Travel Tips & Deals!

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

How to Find the Cheapest, Fastest, and Easiest Transportation Options Between Destinations

Matt Moffitt

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

Let’s be real: planning trips takes a lot of time and effort. You need to take care of accommodation, activities, and now COVID-19 precautions like pre-departure testing. Add in traveling between multiple destinations, and your research time only gets longer. It’s easy to compare options if you’re flying between cities, but what if a bus, boat, or train would be a faster option? 

One simple way to compare all of your transport options (including plane, train, bus, car, ferry, driving and walking) is the site Rome2rio , which is a free and easy-to-use app and website.

An Example: How To Get From Amsterdam To Paris

Let’s say you are planning a Eurotrip and are working out how to get from Amsterdam to Paris. Luckily, there are myriad ways to travel, including by train, bus, car and plane. But which one will be the cheapest? Or the fastest?

First, input the city pairs into the search box.

In this case, it shows a 3½-hour train trip as the fastest method of transport. However, the price range shows that tickets tend to be quite high.

How to Find Cheaper Car Rentals

If you were happy to double the journey time but reduce the cost by over 80%, the bus could be a good option.

Scrolling down, you can see that flights between the two cities take only 1 hour 20 minutes. However, what I like about Rome2rio is that it doesn’t just include the time spent getting to and from the airports. It also builds in the time needed to check-in, pass through security, board your flight, and pick up your luggage on the other side. In this case, the flight time is tripled to over four hours when you take into account all of the waiting, making the train the quickest option.

10 Tips for Long-Distance Amtrak Trips

How to Book

As you may expect, this free tool has to make its money somehow. Depending on the city and country, Rome2rio shows select train, bus and flight schedules, with links to booking tickets online.

While this option is well-integrated into the tool, I think it’s best to go to the specific train or bus company’s website to check schedules and buy tickets. This is especially important in the context of constantly changing schedules due to COVID. If you’ve booked directly through the transport provider’s website, you’ll be better positioned to get help if you need to cancel or make changes to your trip.

How To Choose If All Options Are The Same Price And/Or Time

This is a personal preference: I prefer to travel by train where possible. Train stations tend to be closer to the city center than bus stations, making it a more seamless journey. And as opposed to flying, security screening is quicker and less stressful at train stations compared to airports.

Plus, traveling by train is usually the most eco-friendly option out of train, bus and plane. So if you can enjoy a more comfortable journey and help the planet, that’s a win-win in my book!

You Might Also Like:

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

Top Fares From

Don't see a fare you like? View all flight deals from your city.

Today's top travel deals.

Brought to you by ShermansTravel

Germany: 8-Night Christmas Markets Tour w/Daily...

TripCompanion Tours

Poconos: 2-Nt, All-Incl. Stay at Upscale...

ResortsAndLodges.com

Amsterdam to Copenhagen: Luxe, 18-Night Northern...

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Trending on SmarterTravel

The Best Gear for Travel

By Wirecutter Staff

Traveling well can be one of life’s great pleasures, whether you’re alone or with family and friends.

But what does it mean to travel well? We’d say that along with traveling safely (of course), traveling well involves avoiding hassle, carrying a single bag (if possible), and bringing only the necessities.

“Traveling well is a fine balance between finding inspiration in the unknown while being grounded in something,” said Wirecutter founder Brian Lam. “Sometimes that is a memory of home, a family, a significant other, friends, etc. Sometimes it’s just the familiar, reliable stuff in your bag.”

Over the past 10 years, we’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing dozens of products to find the most dependable items that will help you travel well. On top of that, we sought the advice and wisdom of Doug Dyment, author and creator of OneBag—a traveling businessman and public speaker, he has logged millions of miles over the past few decades—as well as travel-gear reviewer Eytan Levy, the Snarky Nomad.

And we relied heavily on the experiences of Wirecutter staff, an especially mobile group of individuals. Our staffers have worked remotely from every continent except Antarctica—the five most frequent flyers among us travel about half a million miles in any given (normal) year.

The research

Flying/riding, just in case, travel tips.

A well-packed bag is one that contains less than you think you need but everything you actually need. If possible, fitting everything into one carry-on and personal item will give you more freedom compared to checking a bag or two. You’ll be glad you did if (and when) things don’t go according to plan. While carry-on-only isn’t feasible (or advisable) for every trip—especially extended business trips or weddings where you need multiple outfits to maintain appearances—if in doubt, it’s better to cut.

Carry-on backpack (non-roller)

Cotopaxi Allpa 35L

A versatile small pack for a week or a weekend.

The Allpa’s clamshell design makes organizing your things simple. The strap design lets you easily wear this durable bag on your back or carry it in your hand while you’re on the move.

Buying Options

May be out of stock

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

An easily customizable large bag for long trips and expensive gear.

This bag was built with photographers in mind, but most travelers will appreciate its easy accessibility and clever tuck-away straps, and the elegant way the bag expands and contracts depending on how much you’ve packed. The accessory cubes cost extra, though.

We spent six months testing 22 bags, and in the end we chose two as our top picks for travelers determined to never check luggage again: the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L (for most trips) and the larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L . Both bags are exemplary carry-on travel backpacks that are designed for comfort, durability, and organization.

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L features an easy-to-pack clamshell design and highly adjustable straps that make it a great all-around bag for any traveler who’s dedicated to packing light, or for a smaller person who wants less to carry. Handles on all four sides of this bag make it easy to grab no matter where you’ve stowed it, and the Allpa’s straps are contoured to comfortably fit people who have large or small chests. It’s not a specifically gendered design, but our female tester noticed the improvement right away. (In August of 2024, Cotopaxi released a slightly redesigned version of the Allpa 35L; we’re comparing it to the previous version and will report back as soon as we’re able.)

The bag is protected by a full lifetime warranty and has the build quality to back that up. Its front panel is made of a waterproof, TPU-coated 1,000-denier polyester (a strong fabric covered in a flexible plastic coating), which means you can lay it on its back in a wet field or in gravel without worrying about moisture soaking through or jagged edges ripping the fabric. The rest of the paneling is made with 1,680-denier ballistic nylon, which feels similar to a strong canvas but with a more prominent weave. After four years of testing, this single backpack (plus a personal item to store under the seat) has replaced nearly every travel bag or piece of luggage that Kit Dillon, Wirecutter’s senior staff writer who covers luggage, uses.

One caveat: The Allpa has a minimal amount of administrative organization—places to keep pens and papers, spaces to hold tickets, and so forth—which is where the personal item comes in handy (see below).

The larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is the Swiss Army knife of backpacks: adjustable, customizable, and (if you spring for the extra cubes and organizers) an almost perfect system for a photographer or gearhead on the move. Most bags’ expanding mechanisms aren’t worth the extra zipper they’re built on, and they look about as attractive as a boiled ham splitting out of its plastic packaging. Not so with the Peak Design: It looks just as good fully packed at 45 liters as it does compressed to a 30-liter daypack. You can access the bag through a back panel, which doubles as a computer and tablet pouch, as well as through a front one, if you unzip the pass-through divider. You can also get into the main compartment via two wing-like trapezoidal flaps that run along each side of the pack. In its natural shape, the Travel Backpack holds 35 liters, but an expansion zipper lets the bag swell to 45 liters.

If you want to use the bag as a daypack, you fold in the top corners and snap them down, reducing the bag’s volume to a slim 30 liters. It still feels larger than a normal daypack, but we think that’s a small compromise for the ability to use one backpack as both your travel bag and your daily explorer. The bag itself consists of 400D nylon and polyester fabrics—it feels tough, but not as tough as the Cotopaxi Allpa. As for flaws, it is expensive, especially if you commit to the entire system of packing cubes and camera cubes . The adjustable design and multiple zippers do add complexity, and complexity adds potential weaknesses, though Peak Design covers all of its bags with a lifetime warranty.

Finding the right bag is a personal choice, and no single bag will appeal to everyone. That’s why we have picks in our full review of carry-on travel bags that can double as traveling offices , and bags that are easy to carry while you’re walking long distances .

Carry-on bag (rolling)

Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Carry-On Spinner

Great features, great value.

This spinner carry-on offers the best balance of size, value, reliability, and durability, with high-end details. It’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

Since 2015, we’ve researched several dozen suitcases and gone hands-on with the 67 most promising candidates in a variety of tests—including having active flight attendants test bags for us in a fake plane fuselage in their training facility. We determined that for most people the  Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Expandable Spinner  offers the best balance of features, durability, and price for most flyers who log less than 25,000 miles annually.

It features smooth-rolling, user-replaceable wheels; solid and comfortable, telescoping handles; and a hard-wearing nylon exterior propped up by a solid internal chassis. The Elite only improves on past iterations in the Platinum line by reducing the size of the stowed handle (which used to jut out about an inch) and adding a second zippered, exterior pocket for easy access on the go and a USB pass-through extension that lets you insert your own battery pack for charging your phone. And at 7.8 pounds when empty, this carry-on bag is about half a pound lighter than its predecessor. Compared with other bags in this price range, you also get surprisingly high-end components and a warranty that covers anything, even airline damage, for the life of the bag (as long as you register the suitcase within 120 days of purchase, which is easy to do on any smartphone).

Upgrade pick

Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ Carry-On Expandable Spinner

For frequent flyers.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles a year, invest in a bag with unique features, superior details, and plenty of expandable room. This manufacturer guarantees your satisfaction.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles annually and you’re willing to invest in a higher-quality product, we recommend the Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22-Inch Carry-On Expandable Spinner. It can fit more clothing than any bag we tested, thanks to a cavernous interior and clever expansion and compression system that can adjust to variable levels beyond open and shut. Over a five-year period before the pandemic, Wirecutter’s founder, Brian Lam, put more than 150,000 miles on his. His only complaint was that longer pants will need an extra fold, or to be rolled. In taller bags, pants will only need to be folded over once.

Personal item (otherwise known as underseat luggage)

As the name suggests, “personal items” are very, well, personal, and no one bag will work for all travelers. Our favorites include the Waterfield Air Porter Carry-On Bag , which shines as a tech organizer that still has enough room to also hold a change of clothes. And it’s still good-looking enough to carry from the plane to the office without raising an eyebrow.

If the Air Porter is too businessy for your taste, you may like the Monos Metro Duffel , a luxuriant shoulder bag with detailed organization and add-ons made specifically for simplifying travel. Should you prefer to roll your personal item aboard the plane, we suggest the remarkably maneuverable Travelpro Crew VersaPack Carry-On Rolling Tote —it’s large enough to carry everything you need for an overnight trip, but it still falls within the average US airline underseat dimensions. See our full guide to underseat luggage for still more options.

Checked luggage

If you need to pack more stuff than a carry-on and a personal item can hold, our first piece of advice would be to reconsider whether you need that extra outfit “just in case.” But you’ll have times when you need to travel with several pairs of shoes, formalwear, a winter coat, special equipment (like diving or camping gear), or all of the above. In these cases, there’s no way to avoid checking a bag.

Osprey Farpoint 55 Men’s Travel Pack

The best travel backpack for those with taller torsos.

Comfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Farpoint has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.

Osprey Fairview 55 Women’s Travel Pack

The best travel backpack for those with shorter torsos.

Comfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Fairview has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.

If you’re going somewhere where you’ll need to walk a lot (particularly if there’s dirt or cobblestone roads), we recommend a travel backpack. We like the Farpoint 55 and the sized-for-smaller-torsos Fairview 55 because they’re comfortable and have plenty of room to store, and separate, our essentials. The front of the main pack unzips like a suitcase, so you can easily fit and access a week’s worth of clothes and toiletries. The daypack, which attaches to the front of the larger pack, has room for camera gear, daily essentials, and a small laptop (via a built-in sleeve). It’s also easy to stow. The main pack’s straps can tuck behind a zippered flap, so they won’t catch on anything if you check your luggage.

These bags are made of a heavy-duty recycled polyester that stands up even to long trips–one of our testers has traveled with a Farpoint 55 for years, across dozens of countries for months at a time, without damaging it. If something does happen, though, Osprey has a lifetime warranty.

Travelpro Platinum Elite 25″ Expandable Spinner

The best checked bag for most travelers.

The bag provides a luxury feel at a reasonable price, with a capacity, warranty, and reliability that should suit most travelers. The 25-inch model should offer plenty of room for most people without going over airline weight limits.

If you don’t plan on walking around while carrying all your stuff, the  25-inch Travelpro Platinum Elite Expandable Spinner Suiter is our favorite piece of checked luggage for all of the same reasons we loved the carry-on size: It has excellent organizational features, it’s especially durable, and it has a better warranty than anything in its price range.

Luggage tags

Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag

Strong and easy to see.

Rugged silicone and a metal cable mean this tag (which comes two to a pack) may well outlive your luggage. The brightly colored case displays its owner’s name but keeps other personal information out of sight.

A good luggage tag should be durable, simple to use, and discreet. Ultimately, a tag should allow someone to get your luggage back to you quickly and easily, and it should withstand the wear and tear of being thrown onto conveyor belts time and again. After researching the top-rated and best-selling models, reading existing luggage-tag reviews, and comparing fourteen tags , we recommend the Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag for most travelers because it’s the only one we’d trust to survive being smashed by other bags, jammed into walls, and generally abused by baggage handlers. It’s the most durable tag we tested, and it comes in a wide selection of colors to help any bag stand out from the rest.

The Ovener tag’s silicone body seems nearly indestructible and is available in a rotating selection of colors (you get two tags per pack). Whereas other tags also feature metal cables, this tag has a metal grommet to keep the cable from eventually wearing through the silicone case.

Should you lose your bag, the Ovener makes it easy for a Good Samaritan to find your contact information. To fully access the info card, you have to unscrew and remove the metal strap; this lets the card slide out of the case. Most luggage tags we tested secure their info card in this way. It isn’t a difficult or time-consuming process, but it is an extra step compared with using a tag that displays all of your information openly. Still, for anyone who wants to keep their contact information out of view, the extra step is worth it.

Another approach to increasing privacy is to hide information in a QR code, as the Dynotag Smart Deluxe Steel Luggage Tag  does, or to provide a user ID number, as the Okoban UID Luggage Tags do. But these seem like overly complex solutions to a problem that doesn’t really exist.

Compression sacks

Originally designed for reducing the bulk of lofty sleeping bags, compression sacks are stuff sacks modified with additional nylon end caps that can be pulled together by strings or straps to remove air and create a smaller, denser package that’s easier to pack. Most travelers use compression sacks to condense socks, underwear, and other stuff you don’t mind getting wrinkled into a package with half as much overall volume. For example, an 8- to 12-liter sack can compress a fleece jacket and a long-weekend’s worth of socks and underwear into something that fits in one hand. They also make a decent pillow in a pinch.

Osprey StraightJacket (8L)

Easier access, less compression.

It has a full-length zipper on its side that allows access to the bag’s entire contents. However, it doesn’t compress as tightly as traditional designs.

Most compression sacks require you to empty out the stuff at the top to get to the stuff below it, but the side-zipper design on the Osprey StraightJacket allows access to the entire contents of the bag at once. The compression straps attach sideways, and are less likely to get tangled and twisted like on most compression sacks with lengthwise straps. It can also sit up on its own, and the handle design lets you break it out as a last minute carry-on to avoid an overweight-baggage fee. However, it doesn’t compress down as compactly as the traditional designs we tested so it’s not the best option if compression is your top priority.

GobiGear’s SegSac takes a different approach to solving the same access issue: It has four inner dividers that run the length of the sack in order to keep your socks separate from your underwear, winter accessories, towel, what have you. This means you don’t have to take out your T-shirts to get to your socks. Unlike the Osprey, it compresses just as much as a normal compression sack, but it loses points for versatility because the segmentation prevents it from handling large items like a down jacket or sleeping bag.

Packing cubes

Packing cubes could change your life. (Okay, maybe just your traveling life.) Packing cubes are basically bags to hold your clothes that you organize within your luggage. Though seemingly superfluous, they’re brilliant in action. If you imagine your suitcase as a dresser, you can think of these cubes as individual drawers: Put all your underwear and socks in one container, all your shirts in another, and your workout clothes in yet another. Then pull out only the cube you want. They make packing and repacking wonderfully simple.

Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set

Well built with easy access.

Simple and solidly constructed, these packing cubes keep your bag organized while you’re traveling.

The three-piece Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set keeps a week’s worth of clothes organized and moves easily from suitcase to hotel dresser.

The full-size cube is great for shirts, shorts, and insulating layers. The half-cube and quarter-cube are perfect for underwear, socks, and other thin fabrics such as stockings or sleepwear. These cubes are made of 300-denier polyester (a strong fabric) and stay upright when empty, so they’re easy to pack. The Pack-It cubes’ windows are made of the tightest mesh link we tested—better for resisting snags—and the smooth zippers close easily around all corners, even when a cube is overstuffed.

The Eagle Creek cubes have the ability to unzip fully to allow full access to their contents while sitting in a dresser drawer. That means your clean clothes stay protected against some potentially dicey motel dressers. In 2022, Eagle Creek updated the design of these cubes, and now the company no longer uses YKK zippers, which are widely accepted as the best around . That said, we couldn’t tell any difference between Eagle Creek’s zippers and other brands’ YKK zippers, even with a magnifying glass, and their performance was indistinguishable. For what it’s worth, an Eagle Creek product manager assured us that the proportion of zipper-related warranty claims hasn’t changed since the company made the switch from YKK. (In 2024, Eagle Creek redesigned the Reveal cubes yet again; we’re currently assessing the new version.)

Most travelers are likely to be well served by the Reveal set. But if you value lightness above all, the more expensive Eagle Creek Pack-It Isolate Cube Set is about 50% lighter than similar-size competitors (just over 1 ounce for a medium cube, whereas the Eagle Creek classic style weighs about 4 ounces). Unlike the Reveal set, this set is water resistant. However, the Isolate design’s thin sides—which don’t allow the cubes to stand up on their own—make those cubes a bit more challenging to pack than the Reveal cubes. (The Isolate too has been redesigned in 2024; again, we’re taking a look and will report back.)

Buying the right gear can help organize your existing travel kit, but it’s a red herring if your goal is better portability. “It’s mostly the clothing that allows you to reduce what you need to carry,” explains veteran traveller Eytan Levy, better known as the Snarky Nomad . That’s because clothing, which is very voluminous, makes up the bulk of what’s in your bag. He recommends traveling with basic-looking clothes because you can always buy or rent something nice in a pinch, whereas lugging around formalwear just in case will always be a pain. It also helps if you can avoid cotton and stick to merino and synthetic fabrics, which dry faster. This allows you to do laundry by hand in the sink as needed to reduce the amount of clothes you need to carry.

Travel underwear

Good travel underwear keeps you feeling fresh and clean, even when your destination is gritty.  To find the best , we researched an array of underwear designed for men and women to find 37 pairs meeting our criteria: moisture-wicking and breathable, quick-drying, odor-resistant, stretchy, stylish, and cut to fit a variety of body types.

We then conducted rigorous pretesting (wearing the underwear for two days at a time, machine-washing them repeatedly, and tracking their drying speed when hung on a clothesline) before taking them out into the real world. Our testers went backpacking 215 miles throughout Portland, Oregon; hiking in the Canadian Rockies, including walking from the lowest point in the Continental US to the highest; and road-tripping to the national parks of the West. Testers who flew to their destinations wore the underwear on the plane, too.

Afterward, we checked for signs of wear, such as seam breakage and pilling on the fabric. As we continued to test the finalists, we repeatedly checked for durability problems. In addition to comfort and fit, we noted whether each pair seemed lightweight and packable.

ExOfficio Men’s Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief

Best for most men.

Durable, quick-drying, and relatively inexpensive, this soft-fabric version of ExOfficio’s time-tested Give-N-Go undies will get the job done for years.

You save $12 (40%)

The ExOfficio Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief is the best men’s underwear for travel because it balances fit, comfort, odor-proofing, and value better than anything else we’ve tested. The Sport Mesh fabric excels at breathing and wicking and has better odor-resistance than other fabrics. It feels soft on the inside and smooth on the outside so it slides against your pants instead of creating friction, reducing potential for chafing. It also features a sculpted crotch area that gives wearers some much-appreciated support, without feeling stifling. These boxer briefs dry quickly, pack compactly, and weigh less than almost all the other boxer briefs we tried—basically they’re everything you’d want from a pair of excellent travel underwear.

Patagonia Women's Active Hipster

Best for most women.

These light, stylish, quick-drying hipsters stay in place whether you’re walking, flying, or hanging upside down.

The Patagonia Active Hipster doesn’t appear special upon first glance. Only after trying everything else and living through their failures to stay put did we remember what “special” really means in a pair of underwear: Feeling as if you’re wearing nothing at all. The Patagonias have the best fit, comfort, and style out of all the panties we tested. The nylon material is fast-wicking and better than most synthetics for odor-proofing, making it well suited for athletic activities. The Active Hipster is lightweight and packable, and is the fastest-drying underwear we tested—making them perfect for minimalist travelers who go weeks at a time with just one or two pairs. But these same characteristics make them great for any traveler looking for comfortable, packable panties, regardless of where you’re going or what you’re doing.

Budget pick

Uniqlo Men Airism Boxer Brief

Comfortable, compact, and fast-drying, these are a great value but don’t fit quite as nicely and aren’t as supportive in the crotch.

Uniqlo Women Airism Ultra Seamless HipHugger

Similar fabric to the Men’s Airism, with a no-ride cut for women, these underwear are the least expensive of any we tested and among the best performing.

If you want to spend as little as possible without sacrificing performance, the Uniqlo Airism line has long been a great choice for men and women who can wear sizes small and medium. In recent years, both lines have expanded their size range somewhat (men to 3XL, and women to XL). If these fit, you can replace an entire underwear drawer on a tight budget, as long as you can deal with the slightly odd cut and less-effective odor-control treatment.

If you’ve never traveled with merino wool socks, you’re missing out. These aren’t the scratchy wool socks your grandpa wore in the army; they are soft and stretchy ones that have natural sweat-wicking and odor-resisting properties that keep your toes comfortable under all conditions—even when wet. This combination of odor, moisture, and temperature regulations makes them ideal for traveling. "Because of its natural anti-bacterial properties, washing merino wool on a daily basis isn’t absolutely necessary,” explains Snarky Nomad , "after letting it air dry overnight while you sleep, it’ll seem brand new.” The only major downside is that merino tends to be a bit pricier than synthetic counterparts. But it’s a worthy trade-off, since you can go for longer with fewer pairs.

Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Lightweight Hiking Sock (Women’s)

The best quality for women.

The best mix of comfort, durability, and cushioning in a versatile height.

With store pickup or REI membership

Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Lightweight Hiking Sock (Men’s)

For the best quality.

The same great versatile sock as the women’s model, but in different color options and more sizes.

Darn Tough’s Light Hiker Micro Crew socks (both the men’s and women’s versions) have been our favorite hiking socks for years. Darn Tough made its name through its quality guarantee : “We knit a longer lasting sock that stays comfortable season after season. We’re able to guarantee them for life because we knit them ourselves. If yours ever rip or tear, we'll replace them free of charge.” Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers (hardcore backpackers who walk from Mexico to Canada in one continuous trip) praise them for their durability, comfort, and blister resistance. When you hold a pair of Darn Toughs next to a pair of Smartwools (which only have a two-year guarantee ), the difference is clear. The Darn Toughs are more tightly knit, the yarns are finer and feel sturdier, and the stitching is tighter.

Darn Tough Women's Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock

The best non-wool women’s hiking sock.

This midlevel cushioned sock for women is the best synthetic option for most climates and terrains.

Darn Tough Men's Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock

The best non-wool men’s hiking sock.

This synthetic men’s sock is perfect for day hiking in most weather.

If you are sensitive to wool, prefer a vegan product, or want a cooler option for the summer, we also like the Darn Tough Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock, which comes in women's and men’s sizes.

We appreciated how breathable this sock felt. While wearing the Coolmax Micro Crew in hot summer weather, our testers’ feet stayed dry and sweat-free. The shorter micro-crew height makes the Coolmax Micro Crew suitable for both boots and shoes, too. And like all Darn Tough socks, this model comes with a lifetime warranty.

Indosole Flip Flops (women’s)

A quality flip flop in women’s sizes.

These stylish beach sandals come in a wide range of colors. Be careful, though: Indosole sizes tend to run a little small.

Indosole Flip Flops (men’s)

A quality flip flop in men’s sizes.

These beach sandals are the same as the women’s version but cut a bit wider; we still think they run a little smaller than regular shoe sizes.

A good pair of travel flip-flops should be lightweight, comfortable, and waterproof. The men’s and women’s Indosole Flip Flops offer the best combination of quality, comfort, and easy packability. Unlike many flip flops, which slap against the ground with every step, the subtle arch support of this flip flop kept it secure against our feet. Plus they’re made from waterproof, recycled materials. Keep in mind, though, that our testers found these shoes to run a bit small, so we suggest sizing up for the best fit.

Clothesline

While doing laundry at home can be a large weekly event, OneBag author Doug Dyment recommends approaching travel laundry as a part of your daily routine, especially if you’re trying to pack as little as possible: “The laundry should be more like cleaning your teeth—something you do everyday. It only takes about five minutes to do it. Every night, do your socks and underwear and you’ll have clean socks and underwear everyday.”

A secure, hassle-free option

The Flexo-Line attaches easily to a door handle or faucet and grips garments securely between its loops.

Check out OneBag’s laundry packing list if you want specific tips on how to do it and what you’ll need, but it’s a pretty simple setup: All you need is a toiletry bottle of powdered detergent, a towel to help expedite drying, and a travel clothesline to finish the drying process while you sleep at night.

Specifically, you want a braided—not twisted—surgical latex clothesline with looped ends, which means you want a Flexo-Line . The Flexo-Line can stretch up to 7 feet long, which is enough to span most hotel bathtubs, and it has loops that you can attach easily to a door handle, bath spigot, or faucet. The braided construction is superior to twisted designs made from other materials because the latex does a better job of gripping garments securely between the loops, which means you don’t need any additional clothespins.

Dyment has tried them all, but the Flexo-Line is the one he comes back to. As he explained to me in an interview, “There are others that are fine, but there are far more that are not fine.” More specifically, Dyment says to avoid anything that’s not made of latex , because clothes will inevitably slip out of them. He also says to never, ever trust a suction cup: “They don’t work, period.” If the Flexo-Line is unavailable, Dyment says that the Rick Steves collection from Kiva Designs also makes a nice braided line that is a bit more expensive. If you have a latex allergy, Dyment recommends going with a length of cord ( paracord is nice because it’s durable and you can use it for other things as well) and stainless steel safety pins meant for cloth diapers , because they take up far less space than a clothespin and won’t rust. In fact, it’s worthwhile to get these items even if you can use a latex line because they’re great for making luggage repairs and performing other MacGyver-ish tasks in a pinch. To hang up the clothesline, we recommend using a bowline knot on one end and a taut line hitch on the other. These knots work well together because the bowline creates a simple, slip-proof loop to anchor one end while the taut line hitch allows you to adjust for tension and locks tightly in place. If you could commit any two knots to memory forever, these are the ones to learn.

Laundry detergent

Minisoak Travel Packs

A travel size version of the best delicates detergent.

Perfect for traveling because you don’t even need to rinse it out.

When you’re washing your underwear in a hotel sink, you want a fast and easy experience. For this, we recommend the no-rinse detergent Soak . That’s right, we said no rinse . You just add a drop to the sink, fill with water, and leave your garments to soak. Then press out the water and hang. Done.

In our tests of delicates detergents , Soak cleaned almost as well as our top laundry detergent, Tide; plus, it comes in individual packets of powder  that are great for traveling, as well as in  travel-size bottles of the liquid version . In addition to unscented, it's available in a variety of scents, although Lacey and Celebration are not the most descriptive of scent names. They all smell nice, not overpowering. Soak also comes in an assorted travel pack with two single-use packets of each scent, if you want to test-drive one or two before you buy. In that mini size, you get eight packets for $11 currently, but you really need only a squeeze, not the the whole packet, to wash a couple of pairs of socks and underwear.

One downside to Soak is that you won’t find it in a grocery store or big-box store. But it is available online at Soak’s site . And if you really want to walk into a store and put your mitts on a bottle, you can find it at most local yarn stores.

Don’t feel like buying Soak or bringing along a bit of your own detergent? Shampoo also works pretty well for cleaning garments in a pinch, so make use of that free bottle from the hotel. But a caveat: Neither Soak nor shampoo contains enzymes , which are biological molecules in laundry detergent that break down certain stains. If you have especially stinky or stained clothes, you might need to break out the Tide .

When we first published this guide, this section addressed only toiletry kits and bottles, razors, and packable towels. The times, and traveling, became more complicated. One thing we've learned in the past few years is that face masks can be useful whenever you’re sick and don’t want to share your misery. Fortunately, compared with early 2020, medical-style N95s and KN95s (which many experts recommend as the best protection) are widely available. They’re easy to tuck into a bag, which we do now whenever we travel. 

Toiletry kit

We’ve researched dozens of travel toiletry bags and dopp kits over the past several years, and we tested 23 of the top-rated contenders in our most recent round of tests. After packing and unpacking a week’s worth of travel-size toiletries, conducting spill tests, and living out of the top performers on the road, we have a few different picks that stand out thanks to their style, packability, and quality of construction.

Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small)

A space-saving hanging bag.

This lightweight, well-organized bag fits a week’s worth of travel-size toiletries into a compact package. It’s meant to be hung, which makes it good for tight spaces, but it doesn’t have much in the way of internal structure.

The Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small) is compact and durable. It’s small enough to stash in a backpack or laptop bag, but it holds enough travel-size toiletries to keep us supplied for a week. You can open it and hang it from a shower curtain or towel rod to easily see and grab your items. It comes with a shatterproof mirror, two micro-mesh zip pockets and an open pocket for toothbrushes, lip balm, and tweezers, and a large compartment for bulky lotions and hair-care items.

L.L.Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag

For more stuff and longer trips.

With a 6.4-liter capacity and over a dozen compartments, this toiletry bag has a place for everything—and everything will stay put during transit, too. It can also accommodate non-travel-size bottles.

The L.L.Bean Personal Organizer (medium) is a great option for longer trips and people who travel with full-size bottles. Its 6.4 liters of storage spread across a dozen compartments means there’s a dedicated place for pretty much everything you could want to bring on a trip—it even has a removable mesh shower caddy for shampoo and body wash. This level of organization is crucial for larger toiletry bags because, as we discovered after years of traveling with our picks, contents that aren’t securely fastened can shift around in transit, which increases the chance of spilling. The downside of all this organization is that the L.L.Bean weighs 14 ounces when empty, so it’s not ideal for carry-on travel.

If neither of these bags seems right for you, read our full review of the best toiletry bags and dopp kits to learn more about our picks and everything we tested.

Toiletry bottles

Sea to Summit TPU Clear Zip Pouch with Bottles

These six TSA-friendly bottles are sturdy and smartly designed, dispensing liquids more precisely than any of the other bottles we tested.

For traveling with liquids in your carry-on, the Sea to Summit set is your best bet. All six bottles conform to TSA size limitations; three of them can hold 3 ounces of liquid each, and three can hold 1.5 ounces each, for a total of 13.5 ounces. Despite the set’s name, the bottles themselves are made not of thermoplastic polyurethane—“TPU" refers to the zip pouch—but a high-density polyethylene material, much like what you’d see used in most plastic milk jugs. It has an almost-smooth, semi-transparent surface just textured enough that it’s not slippery when wet. The plastic is also flexible enough that you don’t have to squeeze very hard to get your shampoo or liquid soap or whatever going. An insert at the mouth of each bottle helps regulate the flow, and the screw tops prevent liquids from leaking in transit.

Razor (faces)

Gillette Mach3

The best manual razor for most faces.

This classic razor’s three widely spaced blades provide the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. Its handle is comfortable and well designed, and replacement blades can be had for a fair price.

We researched more than 100 and tested 11 manual razors for our full razor guide , concluding that the Gillette Mach3 is our top pick for manual razors. Although the three blades require a little extra time for a closer shave, it performs comparably to the latest and greatest offerings for as little as half the price.

The Gillette Mach3 provides the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. The Mach3’s simple, round handle is easy to grip and maneuver, and its three blades offer a close shave without over-irritating the skin or getting clogged with hair. And the price of Mach3 blades—$2 per cartridge or less, whether you buy them online or in a store—came close to, or even beat, the pricing of shave-club rivals, and the Mach3 shaved better than those competitors.

Razor (legs/body)

Gillette Venus Smooth

The best body razor.

This classic Venus is one of the easiest razors to grip and maneuver and its three-blade design keeps the blades remarkably free of hair.

Disposable razors (both the completely disposable and replaceable-cartridge variety) are fine to take through airport security , and among them we like the Gillette Venus Original best for traveling. Although it’s now the runner-up pick in our guide to body razors —it was formerly the top pick—we believe that its simple aloe lubricating strips, which don’t become tacky when wet, make the Venus more travel friendly than our new top pick . Plus, as with any Venus, the Original’s body is compatible with any other Venus head and many heads from Gillette’s facial razors, making replacement heads easier to find when you’re on the road.

The Original’s head has three blades separated by considerable slats of space, making it far easier to clean the head between strokes. The Original is intuitive to hold and secure to maneuver, thanks to a contoured handle with corrugated chevrons of rubber. Though our testers have a wide range of hand sizes, no one found the Original difficult to grasp. Despite the significant ribbing, it doesn’t feel too bulky. Gillette claims its razors have lasted for five weeks; we think one razor for a weeklong trip should be fine.

(Know that, confusingly, the Venus appears for sale on some retail sites under the name Venus Close and Clean or Venus Smooth. It’s the same razor. If you’re unsure which Venus model you’re looking at, check for the Original’s three blades and trademark sea-foam blue color.)

Towel (packable)

PackTowl Personal

The best all-around packable towel.

The PackTowl Personal Towel is lightweight, soft, absorbent, quick to dry, and odor-resistant.

We put 20 top-rated towels through a battery of tests including regular shower use, a trip to the beach, camping, and a 48-hour stay in a ziplock bag under the hot Hawaiian sun. After all was said and done, the Packtowl Personal Towel is still the best all-around travel towel for most people. In addition to being the softest lightweight towel we tested, it was more absorbent than competitors made of similar materials. It had the best odor-resisting abilities and comes with a convenient mesh carrying pouch. We also have alternate picks for ultralight and all-natural towels below.

The Personal Towel’s suede-like material was the softest of the thinner towels. The Personal Towel also had superior absorption when compared with other similarly constructed towels such as the Sea to Summit DryLite —in our tests, it absorbed 2.8 times its weight in water, while the others absorbed between 2.3 times and 2.7 times.

One of just two we tested that featured an added antimicrobial treatment, the Personal Towel was only a little musty smelling after 24 hours in a sealed ziplock bag, and remained unchanged at 48 hours.

If you’re looking for a budget option, consider the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel , which is a tad smaller than our other picks and is made from a seemingly lighter-feeling fabric. Unlike most budget options, it has an antibacterial coating and still managed to carry a pleasant smell after being testing in different environments.

Regardless of how you get to your final destination, it’s likely you’ll be stuck in a seat that’s less than ideal. Travel gadgets that claim to reduce this misery, such as compression socks, are popular. But when they take up precious luggage space for the duration of your trip—not just the flight or train ride–they need to be worth every cubic inch of space. The less you can make do with, the better off you’ll be.

Neck pillow

Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow

More support for most necks.

Its tall memory-foam walls let it offer more support than any other pillow we tested. It’s also shaped to sit flush against a headrest, and it compresses to a manageable size.

The uniquely angled back on the Travelrest Ultimate sets it apart from other travel pillows we tested because it can lay flat against the seat back. Most other pillows have a rounded back, which pushes your head away from the headrest. The Travelrest also has rubber grip dots to prevent slipping while sleeping. This pillow’s spongy memory foam cushions the entire circumference of your neck, preventing your head from leaning far in any direction, and its adjustable Velcro strap ensures it can fit most necks. The pillow’s cozy velour exterior is removable and machine-washable. Although it doesn’t pack flat, the Travelrest weighs less than a pound and compresses to a quarter of its size when rolled into its Velcro-strapped carrying case. Our only complaint is that the Travelrest’s high walls, though supportive, can push over-ear headphones off of the ears of people with shorter necks.

Noise-cancelling headphones

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

The best over-ear noise-cancelling headphones.

The Bose 700 headphones deliver excellent noise cancellation in a comfortable, lightweight design that’s traveler friendly—but they carry a high price.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 over-ear set has the most versatile active noise cancellation we’ve ever tested. With 10 levels of noise reduction to choose from, everyone should be able to find a setting that meets their needs. We also enjoyed the lightweight and comfortable design and the easy-to-use controls. What distinguishes the Bose 700’s ANC is the amount of adjustability it gives you: Most noise-cancelling headphones offer controls for only on/off or maybe high/low/off, but with the Bose 700 pair you can set the ANC level from 0 to 10, so you have more flexibility to dial in the ideal setting for your comfort. The 20-hour battery life, while not the best we’ve seen, is more than sufficient to get you to most destinations. We have additional options—including earbuds and surprisingly good budget options for  over-ear headphones and earbuds —in our full guide to noise-cancelling headphones .

Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs

For blocking out the most noise.

These blocked the most noise in our controlled testing and got the most votes from our subjective sleep panel.

When you’re traveling, it can be difficult to fall asleep to unfamiliar noises. That’s why we spent several hours researching new contenders and tested four top-rated models while sleeping in a house that was next to an airport in order to determine that Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam earplugs are the best earplugs  for sleeping.

The Mack’s 37.1 dB noise reduction rating was the highest among the models we tested. According to Cooper Safety , that’s enough to reduce the volume of a gas lawnmower to that of a normal conversation. What made the Mack’s earplugs so effective is the fact that we could insert them and rest assured that they would stay in the whole night. Meanwhile, the Howard Leight MAX1 might be a favorite from crowdsourced sleep-aid review site Sleep Like the Dead , but the earplugs would inevitably fall out in the middle of the night. Thus, they failed to block out the noise of planes landing and taking off throughout the night, despite the MAX1’s 33 dB noise reduction rating. The Howard Leights also made our ears ache on occasion, whereas the Mack’s has a tapered shape that was consistently comfortable night after night.

The Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs cost about 20¢-35¢ per pair when purchased in a 50-pair pack. They come in a plastic case is about the size of a large coffee mug, which is small enough to toss in a large bag or suitcase. Many other ear plugs like our runner-up, the 3M’s E-A-Rsoft OCS1135 , can only be ordered in industrial-size lots that, while perhaps appealing to those who travel constantly (or run a hostel), are annoying to store and often lack a reusable container of any sort.

Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask

For air travelers and back-sleepers.

The lightweight and contoured Nidra mask is a light-blocking win for most face shapes, with deep eye cups that allow the wearer to blink freely and arrive feeling refreshed.

When bright lights hamper peaceful shut-eye, we recommend the light-blocking, contoured Nidra Deep Rest sleep mask. Of the 14 masks we tested , the Nidra blocked the most light on the most faces. It’s contoured to rest on your face like a pair of soft goggles, with fabric lenses that sit around your eyes (instead of directly over them). This design provides more space for your eyes to flutter during REM sleep, ensuring that you come through red-eye flights with less redness in your eyes. Makeup wearers will also appreciate that, with the Nidra’s elevated eye cups, there’s a smaller chance of smudging.

Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask

A flat, silk mask.

A silken exterior material, a flat design, and an adjustable strap make this mask a fit for almost any face, but it puts pressure on the eyes.

You save $2 (17%)

Mzoo Sleep Mask

A smooth, contoured eye mask.

Soft, structured, and contoured, this mask stays on all night and prevents any light from seeping through

If the Nidra Deep Rest doesn’t fit your face quite right, we also recommend the Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask and the Mzoo Sleep Mask . The Alaska Bear mask lacks contoured eyecups and thus applies some pressure to the eyes overnight like any regular eye mask does. But its flat design easily conforms to fit your face, and its silk exterior feels smooth and soft against skin (the padding is made of cotton). Its relative lack of structure makes it more difficult to knock off when you’re tossing and turning.

The Mzoo mask’s eyecups have a convex gap so your eyes can open and close. That gap is surrounded by a memory foam padding that rests on the perimeter of your eye sockets. The effect is such that you don’t feel like your eyes are being forced closed, but there is a bit of compression near your temples, eyebrows, and cheekbones. Most—though not all—of our testers found this sensation soothing. One liked how the contour of the eyecup kept the mask from brushing against their eyelashes, which makes it a good choice for people who wear eyelash extensions.

Few things are better than landing at an airport, turning on your phone, and having it just work. No hassles, no stress, no worries about brutal roaming fees. You can check in with loved ones, scope out the route to your lodgings, and maybe post an Instagram story or two—because your phone works just like it does at home. This is especially freeing, and it makes travel so much easier. (Of course, phones aren’t the only useful tech to bring: Check out our accessories reviews for guides to the best cables ( USB-C , Lightning , and Micro-USB ), Wi-Fi hotspots , Bluetooth speakers , and more.)

Unlocked mobile phone

One of the most useful gadgets for international travel is an unlocked smartphone that’s compatible with cheap, prepaid phone plans you can sign up for at your destination. Unless your carrier offers plans including high-speed data that you can access internationally (i.e., you’re with T-Mobile or Google Fi), traveling with a phone under contract with a major carrier means paying an arm and a leg for data. Being able to access data-guzzling apps like Google Maps or Google Translate on the fly is worth the hassle to unlock a phone. Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp are free, easy ways to communicate with people you meet on your trip and people from home. Plus there’s checking email, TripAdvisor, banking, social media, and so on.

An “unlocked” phone means you can buy prepaid SIM cards in the country you’re visiting, letting you access their local network for significantly less money than the roaming fees incurred by your home carrier. With a prepaid SIM, your phone effectively becomes a new phone with a new (now local) phone number. Instead of seeing “Verizon,” “AT&T,” or “Sprint” at the top of your phone, you might see “Vodafone,” “Yes Optus,” “M1,” or whatever provider you choose in the country you’re visiting. The first thing to check is if your phone will work where you’re going. If you’re unsure if your phone will work where you’re going, check the Wikipedia page for your phone or contact your provider.

Your phone will also require a removable SIM. (If your phone has an eSIM, as all new iPhones do, check out our blog post about those.) Most countries require a passport or other ID to buy a prepaid SIM without a contract, but switching the SIMs is easy. Most stores will do it for you while you’re there. Depending on the country/provider, this could take as long as 10 minutes but is often faster. The next question is easily the most complicated: Can you unlock your phone? Each carrier has different rules and criteria. Generally, if you have a brand new, expensive phone, they may not let you unlock it (there’s usually a waiting period after the purchase date). But if it’s a little older, or if you’ve paid it off, they probably will. The thing to remember is that a provider can deny an unlock request without giving a reason. You might be lucky, though; certain phones on certain providers are unlocked by default. Here are Verizon and AT&T’s pages on unlocking. Alternately, you can buy a pre-unlocked phone just for travel. Amazon and Best Buy, for example, sell unlocked phones. This is also a good option if you think you might lose your expensive phone and a cheaper one will suffice while you travel.

Plug adapter

Epicka Universal Travel Adapter

Best universal travel adapter.

With four plugs that will work in most countries, plus faster-charging USB ports (and more of them) than its competitors, this adapter is the best all-around choice.

In a sea of almost-identical travel adapters, the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter stands out, combining the best of the features we look for. It contains the three most common international plugs and a US-style plug, which should cover you in the majority of countries around the world. It has the most USB ports—four of the standard USB-A and one USB-C—of any universal adapter we tested, and it charged more of our devices faster. A replaceable fuse and an included spare should take the brunt of any accidental, unfortunate, or shockingly bad connections. The Epicka is fairly compact and well built, and it even comes with an extra USB cable and a nylon case.

However, no universal travel adapter is truly universal, and they’re all a lot bulkier and more expensive than simple plug adapters. If you want the smallest adapter possible, or if you’re going someplace where a universal adapter won’t work (more on that in a minute), a plug adapter could be what you need.

Ceptics International Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter 5 Piece Set

The best plug adapter.

Individually, these tiny plug adapters are smaller, lighter, and cheaper than any universal travel adapter. To juice up multiple devices, though, you’d need a separate multiport charger too.

The tiny plug adapters from Ceptics are barely larger than the prongs they convert. Small, simple, and cheap, they’re perfect for someone who wants to carry only the adapter they’ll need and who already has a multiport USB wall charger they like. Like our universal adapter picks, this set contains the three most common international plugs and the US plug. However, it also includes a somewhat rarer plug used in some European countries that has two thick, cylindrical prongs. This means that the Ceptics set will likely cover you in even more places—as long as you pack the appropriate plug adapter. These charts should help you find the shape you need before you order.

However, getting your gear to work in different countries isn’t quite as simple as it should be, and there’s no single solution that’s guaranteed to work for everyone. Our picks should work for you, but you may have some random piece of equipment, or be traveling to some country, for which our “good for most” picks just won’t work. (Case in point: One Wirecutter editor visited Iceland a few years back. The house she stayed in had outlets unlike anything on those charts, and the plug adapters she had used elsewhere in Reykjavik didn’t fit at all. It turns out the mystery sockets belonged to an obscure Italian system from the 1960s that was popular in Iceland for a time. Luckily, the hosts had power strips in the house that her adapters fit into.) The world is a big place, and when it comes to electricity and wall outlets, there’s a lot of variation. That’s important to keep in mind.

Whether two-prong or three-prong, an adapter just changes the shape of your plug, not anything about the electricity coming through the wires. However, this usually isn’t a problem because almost every power brick that comes with modern electronic gear is capable of accepting both the 110-volt standard used in the US and the 240-volt commonly used abroad. If your device has a power block on the cord, it likely says something like  “100-240 V ~ 50/60 Hz”—that’s the all-clear to use it without a voltage converter so long as the range covers the voltage of the country you’re visiting . This includes the vast majority of modern laptop and USB chargers.

Products without some sort of power block at the end or with a non-detachable cord—in particular, things with heating elements like hair dryers and curling irons—are more likely to need a voltage converter. Putting 220 V through a US 110 V device would be like attaching a firehose to a drinking fountain—you’re likely to blow your face off. But voltage converters are tricky devices, and most of the inexpensive ones have awful (or dishonest) reviews. Since hotels and hostels will often have hair dryers and most newer gear can do the full range of voltages, we strongly recommend that, whenever possible, you only bring items that work with a much simpler (and more reliable) adapter.

Wire/gadget organization system

Now that every device has a battery, every battery has a charger, and every charger has a cable—never mind power-plug adapters if you’re traveling abroad—the sheer quantity of accessories needed just to keep your gadgets running can take up more space than the devices themselves. And unless you organize them, you can bet on having to blindly fish them out of the least convenient spot at the bottom of your bag. Recently, our pick for carrying tech necessities, the Incase Nylon Accessory Organizer, which had been out of stock for a few years, returned to the Incase website and was briefly in stock. (It’s now out of stock again, alas.) If you prefer mesh to easily see your contents, we also like the Container Store Micro Mesh Pouches .

The Incase cable organizer is a poly-nylon blend, so it’s durable. It is a soft-shell bag, however, so its contents can distort the bag’s shape when it’s full. But the bag’s edges remain rigid—so the seams don’t pucker—its contents don’t fall out, and zipping and unzipping the bag is still easy. We have other picks in our full guide to bag and cable organizers , including a roll-up bag and a stylish duo of cosmetics travel pouches ; we’ll also start testing other options.

USB battery packs

A USB battery pack (also called a power bank) can keep your small electronics—from phones and cameras to tablets and more—going while you’re on the road. Although the length of your trip will determine exactly how much extra juice you’ll need to have on hand, whatever your requirements, we have a great USB battery recommendation for you. The Belkin Boost Charge Plus 10K weighs about half a pound, and its rounded edges make it easy to hold or slip into a pocket. Its USB-C Power Delivery (PD) port can charge most handheld devices and recharge itself at top speed (with the right USB-C cable and wall charger), and it can pass power to another device while being recharged from a wall outlet. It only comes in one color, but it has enough capacity to fully charge most smartphones up to three times, as well as built-in USB-C and Lightning cables that are easy to slide in and out of their holsters.

If you’re traveling for leisure, try not to get too wrapped up in technology because you might miss what you’re actually there to do: experience a new place. OneBag’s Doug Dyment said in an interview, “Wearing headphones and staring at a screen is like putting a digital wall around yourself when you’re traveling. It makes you seem unapproachable and uninterested in what’s around you.” That may be a good thing if you do truly want to be left alone, but Dyment went on to say that some of his most memorable traveling experiences were the result of just looking lost and getting help from the locals. “One minute, you’re a lost foreigner in an unfamiliar village, then someone asks if you need directions. Before you know it, you’re eating dinner with his family.”

Travel binoculars

Athlon Optics Midas ED

The overall best binoculars.

Amazingly affordable with great optics, these binoculars have performance comparable with that of many models that cost thousands more.

Our top pick for binoculars is durable and great for near-home hikes. In hot or dusty environments that may call for a clearer optical boost, the Athlon Optics Midas ED 8×42 binoculars deliver top quality. Its focus dial offers a wide range of depths that makes it easier to see whatever it is you desire—birds, grass or darkened areas of the forest. Our recommendation comes with the assistance of a professional ornithologist who spent over 100 hours putting 17 pairs of binoculars to the test in the mountains of Southern California and the rain forests of southern Mexico.

Although the Celestron TrailSeeker ED binoculars don’t offer a clear edge-to-edge view to the same degree of the Athlon Optics Midas EDs , they’re a comparable runner-up model that’ll be lighter on your wallet if having binoculars while traveling is a must. The TrailSeekers are equipped with great light-gathering qualities, close focus, and impressive optical resolution. Or, if you’re concerned about saving space, we liked the Pentax AD 8x25 WP binoculars. While not quite as powerful as our other picks, this compact pair of binoculars is well made and easy to fit into a carry-on while traveling via plane.

Ebook reader

Amazon Kindle (2022)

The best e-reader for most people.

Amazon’s most affordable Kindle is also its most portable, and it’s finally been upgraded with sharper text on its 6-inch screen and support for USB-C charging. Those features bring it in line with much-pricier e-readers.

The entry-level Amazon Kindle finally got an upgrade and is now our favorite e-reader , with the same crisp display and USB-C charging as the pricier Kindle Paperwhite has (and with double the storage space of the previous entry-level model). Amazon’s well-stocked ebooks store remains its biggest selling point, along with the ease of checking out library books via Libby and sending them directly to a Kindle.

Even if you don’t have time for pleasure reading on your trip, it’s worth investing in a Kindle because many major travel guides are available in fully searchable ebook formats now. Furthermore, e-texts will also work on your phone, tablet, and computer, thanks to the Kindle ecosystem.

Packable daypack

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack

A pack that fits in your palm.

Toss this lightweight, phone-sized packable bag into your luggage or coat pocket, and you’ll never get caught without a spare bag again. If you need something to carry every day, though, we think you’ll prefer one of our more-structured picks.

Packing a stowable daypack, one that stuffs down to fit in your luggage when not in use, is a relatively small investment of space in exchange for a high return of function and flexibility. After researching dozens of packable daypacks across a spectrum of portability, features, and prices, and then packing, unpacking, loading, wearing, and drenching the top-rated finalists during multiple rounds of testing, the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack is the smallest and lightest packable backpack we recommend. Packed up, it is very discreet: nearly the size of a keychain accessory.

The bag itself is a no-frills sack made from a paper-thin siliconized Cordura nylon, which means it’s very light and water-resistant. It has reinforced stitching at stress points, allowing the Ultra-Sil to carry more weight than you would expect. That said, since this pack is made of such thin, light material, carrying large or awkwardly shaped loads is somewhat uncomfortable, especially when compared with our more structured picks.

If comfort or waterproofing is important to you, check out the alternative picks in our review of packable daypacks for travel .

Field Notes 3-Pack Original Kraft Memo Books

For ultimate portability.

Field Notes are cheap but contain high-quality paper that earns praise from pen and stationery geeks across the web.

For writing your adventures as you travel, you can’t beat the portability, practicality, and romanticism of a pocket notebook. There’s nothing better in that category than Field Notes (three-packs available in a variety of styles and types ). These pocket-sized notebooks are widely praised for their excellent paper quality, and the Pen Addict’s Brad Dowdy tells me “Field Notes is pretty much the runaway pocket notebook champ.” Dowdy has praised it for the lack of feathering or bleedthrough with almost any pen, as well as for the light brown ruled lines, which are easier to write over than solid black. Austin Smith of Art Supply Critic told us in an email that his recommendation is “Field Notes has it, no question.” The Well-Appointed Desk has reviewed a slew of different Field Notes variants for those looking for something a bit more interesting.

Field Notes Expedition

A weather-resistant option.

Weather-resistant Expedition Field Notes are great if you’re writing in wet conditions, but don’t get them if you don’t need them. The synthetic paper feels weird and can cause some inks to smear.

If you think you’re going to be writing in foul weather, Field Notes also has the waterproof Expedition version with pages made from a synthetic water-and-tear resistant paper. You should only get these if you really need them, because otherwise, they just feel unnaturally slick and are more prone to smearing ink. At least one user has said that the paper shows less soaking through when wet than the similar Rite in the Rain books . The one caveat is that the synthetic paper will only work with pencils and certain inks ; thankfully, the Uni-ball Jetstream RT , our pick for best pen , definitely makes the grade.

Things can go wrong while you’re traveling, both where you are and where you’re not. Though you can’t prepare for every worst-case scenario, the peace of mind that a little bit of preparation grants will allow you to focus on what’s in front of you, instead of having to worry about what could go wrong. But preparation doesn’t simply mean buying more stuff just in case; it also means making efficient use of what you already have.

Merchant & Mills for Purl Soho Rapid Repair Kit

For the best combination of sewing tools.

The Merchant & Mills Rapid Repair Kit is the only travel kit we found that had objectively high-quality thread and scissors.

There’s nothing quite like a wardrobe malfunction to put a damper on vacation, especially when traveling with limited clothing. A good travel-size sewing kit allows you to mend a popped button or ripped seam on the fly—or even tackle more pressing issues like fixing a tent, sleeping bag, or backpack. After 15 hours of research, interviews with sewing teachers and avid home sewers, and tests of six travel and full-size kits, we found the Merchant & Mills for Purl Soho Rapid Repair Kit had by far the best tools and was the easiest to keep organized. Standard travel sewing kits usually contain mediocre thread and plastic-handled scissors that break easily. They can also be hard to keep organized (a truth we confirmed when testing six top-rated travel and full-sized kits). The Merchant & Mills set was the only one that had high-quality thread, all-metal mini scissors (don’t worry, the TSA shouldn’t stop you ), and a durable tin case (about the size of a deck of cards) to keep everything well organized.

Because the sewing pins are neatly stuck into paper inside a slim envelope and the three needles are housed in a mini glass vial, this kit also limits the risk of losing a sharp object in your bags. We found the Merchant & Mills needles easier to thread than others (no need for a fussy needle threader!) and we also like the vintage-looking safety pins that come clipped together along with two small white buttons. Although this kit only comes with black and white thread, the thread is strong and there’s more of it than you’d get in a flimsier set with shorter strands of multiple colors. We do think it would be nice if the kit included a more durable measuring tape than the paper one included, but overall everything about this kit is leagues ahead of anything else we considered. We didn’t find editorial reviews for any of the kits we tested, but the Merchant & Mills rapid repair kit was recommended by several sewing bloggers and is sold in many reputable indie fabric shops.

Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella

The best umbrella for most people.

This is a solidly built, easy-to-find umbrella that holds up in high winds. It also comes in a variety of colors.

price may vary by color or style

An umbrella you take traveling should be small, light, sturdy, and affordable. After putting in 66 hours of research and evaluating a total of 48 umbrellas across five rounds of testing (including one thunder-snowstorm), we found that the Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella is the best umbrella for most people. Its durable, nine-rib construction held up admirably against gale-force winds, and it’s as sturdy as umbrellas that sell for more than twice as much.

The Repel folds up to an 11½-inch long, 14-ounce package that fits easily into most bags and glove boxes. And it forcefully expands at a touch of a button to reveal an ample 37-inch-diameter canopy that protects your head and torso from precipitation in all but the windiest of conditions. Its lengthy, textured handle is easy to grip for hands of all sizes. We also appreciate that the Repel comes in a wide variety of colors, so it’s easier to pick yours out of a crowded umbrella bucket. Finally, despite its affordable price, it’s backed by a lifetime replacement guarantee, but only if you purchase directly from Repel and register the item under the company’s warranty.

Packing method for clothes

While packing cubes and other organization tools are helpful for maximizing your bag’s usable space, efficient packing is also achievable without the aid of tools and compartments. One Bag’s Doug Dyment tried all manners of folding aids and compression products but was unsatisfied with their claims of compression and wrinkle prevention. Frustrated, he developed his own method of packing clothes compactly called the Bundle Method, which he’s used and perfected over several decades of traveling.

The Bundle Method involves layering your shirts and pants at opposing angles on a flat surface, then wrapping them around a small “core” parcel (e.g. a packing cube full of underwear and socks). We won’t get into details, but Dyment does on his website ; you can watch this easy-to-follow video from NBC . The resulting bundle is compact and has no sharp creases that will require ironing out later on. Additionally, Dyment explains that “the slight tension created in the fabric by the wrapping process, along with the anchoring of the resulting bundle, greatly reduces the chances of wrinkling.” You then put it in your bag and use the tie-down straps to provide just enough pressure to keep it together.

While simple to perform, this packing method isn’t something you can master in one go. It takes a bit of practice, but once you get it, it’s like riding a bike. The downside is that you can’t just leave your clothing packed and expect to be able to access your underwear without fully unpacking your clothes first. But unpacking is a good habit to get into anyway, as it allows your clothes to breathe and avoid wrinkles or mildew. Wirecutter founder and frequent traveler Brian Lam says that unpacking the moment he enters a room has a grounding effect that allows him to feel a bit more at home in a new environment.

If this sounds like too much of a hassle for you, you can do what we did before we found out about bundling: roll up your socks and underwear tightly and place them in packing cubes, then put your wrinkle-prone items (shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, jackets) in a garment folder—we used the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Garment Folder . This is also travel guru Rob King’s preferred method of packing. Though the garment folder is not quite as space-efficient as the bundle method due to the added bulk of the folder and folding board, the plastic backboard does go a long way towards preventing wrinkles. Just be aware that if you leave your clothes in there for longer than a day, they’ll begin to develop unsightly creases that require an iron to get rid of.

A big thank-you to the Hotel Lucia in downtown Portland, Oregon, for lending us a suite to use for the photos in this guide.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Meet your guide

Wirecutter Staff

Mentioned above

• The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L is our backpack pick for most travelers. We also have picks for other travelers, including those who want to carry a bit more. The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks  
• After 10 years of airport dashes and overhead-compartment stashes, the Travelpro Platinum Elite is still the suitcase we want to carry. The Best Carry-On Luggage  
• The Waterfield Air Porter Carry-On Bag is a great bag for tech-carrying travelers to slide under an airplane seat. We also have options for other travelers. The Best Underseat Luggage and Personal-Item Bags  
• After researching 30 models, we found that Travelpro Platinum Elite 25″ Expandable Spinner is the best suitcase for most travelers who check bags. The Best Suitcases for Checking  
• We chose five luggage tags that will help you identify your belongings in a sea of similar suitcases. The Best Luggage Tags  
• After researching and traveling with packing cubes for more than five years, the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set is what we keep in our luggage. The Best Packing Cubes  

Further reading

The Gadgets We Bring on Every Trip

by Ivy Liscomb

You don't have to be a digital nomad to travel like one. Here are a few gadgets and accessories to make travel as painless as possible.

Air Travel Is Chaos. This Gear Will Help Get You Through the Exasperating Delays.

by Elissa Sanci

These things don’t make your flight take off any faster, but they can make the wait a little more tolerable.

The Best Travel Pillow

by Sabrina Imbler

After testing eight travel pillows on four red-eye flights in window, aisle, and middle seats, we think the Travelrest Ultimate is the best for most travelers.

The Best Gear for Your Road Trips

by Kit Dillon and Wirecutter Staff

After hundreds of hours of research and 1,500 miles behind the wheel, we’ve singled out the gear that’s absolutely essential for your next journey on the open road.

15 Types Of Electric Personal Transportation Vehicles: A Comparison

The variety of electric personal transporters has expanded considerably thanks to improvements in battery technology. A few years ago we could choose between an electric bicycle and the, back then, pretty expensive Segway.

In 2022 there are various types of personal, battery-driven means of transportation to choose from. With the various choices out there you may find it hard to decide which one is best for you.

In order to make a well-informed decision you first need to know which different types of electrically-assisted rides there are. Then comes the question, how do they differ? What are each type’s pros and cons ?

To help you pick, here’s an overview of your options, including decisive factors as top speed and range, safety, learning curve, and other things to consider.

First this..

If you’re looking to buy a personal electric vehicle (PEV), make sure to consider the following things:

• portability : its size, weight, and features for carrying and hauling.
• size for storage and where will you ride it. Crowded pedestrian areas require devices with a small footprint
• range (how far will it bring you and will there be enough battery juice left to bring you back?).
• wheel size (should be compatible with the terrain you’ll be cruising on),
• learning curve (some devices are easier to master than others),
• fun vs utility ( is it just a convenient means of transportation or is the fun factor important as well?)
• safety  (seats, handlebars, a front fork reduce the chance on severe injury)

When it comes to range , e-bikes, electric mopeds and eWheels a.k.a. electric unicycles score best, then high-end electric skateboards, then, e-scooters, then the Onewheel, and then low-end e-skateboards.

Is portability of the utmost importance to you? An electric unicycle, due to its compact shape and carrying handle is the most portable option. Followed by an e-skateboard, an e-scooter, and lastly the Onewheel. An e-scooter is foldable whereas the Onewheel has a huge tire and bulky board.

Safety -wise, the electric bicycle and moped are generally considered the safest as they have handle bars and seats as well as front forks and wheels that will absorb the impact of a possible head on collision.  Since they are larger they are more easily noticed by other traffic. Also consider wearing a helmet even if it’s not mandatory in your area.

Which personal electric vehicles are there?

Click on the classes listed below to immediately jump to that section.

• electric bicycles
• electric seated scooters
• electric folding bicycles
• electric motorcycles
• electric trikes (three wheel scooter)
• electric folding tricycles
• electric hoverboards and scooters with  handlebars
• electric kick scooters
• electric off-road scooters
• electric skateboards
• electric unicycles (eWheels)
• electric hoverboards
• electric single wheel skateboards
• electric rideable “laptop”
• electric enclosed e-bikes

Seated electric scooters and bikes

If prolonged standing doesn’t match your personal needs you’ll probably want to stick with personal electric vehicles that have a seat.

1. The electric bicycle

The electrically assisted bicycle has motivated many elderly to step back on the iron horse. Wind, inclines, and the physical inconveniences that come with older age aren’t obstacles anymore. Increased range allow commuters to leave the car at home while they’re not arriving all sweaty and gasping for air at work.

RV dwellers tend to love e-bikes too. Commuters may opt for foldable when public transportation is part of their route.

E-bikes come in all the variants normal bicycles come in. From ATB’s and mountainbikes to racing bikes, tricycles, recumbent bikes, cargo bikes, and those fat tire snow and beach bikes.

Some models offer both pedal-assist sensors as well as a throttle. Then there are also electric bicycle conversion kits.

• Range. most models offer 30-50 miles from one battery charge. The latest e-bike can do almost 100 miles.
• Price: varies from a few hundred to several thousands of dollars
• Top speed: approx. 25-30 mph. The fastest production e-bike (purchase price $12k) goes 50mph.
• Comfortable and versatile with a saddle, handle bars, luggage rack, lights, and other features
• No learning curve, pretty much everybody knows how to cycle.
• Can be used without electric assistance too.
• Endless choice in bicycle types.
• Bulky and heavy.
• Non- or less portable. One doesn’t simply pick an e-bike up and store it next to their desk. Foldable models are designed for this purpose but still they are less portable than many other options on this list
• Without high-quality locks or good storage they are common targets among thieves

Considering purchasing an e-bike?

Do yourself a favor and check out these popular Ride1Up e-bikes . Ride1Up is a company renowned for its high quality e-bikes for very affordable prices .

Click here to be amazed about the variation in e-bike types that are currently on the market

Tap the following link if you’re looking for the best e-bike car rack to transport your electric bicycle.

2. The seated electric scooter with large wheels

In similar fashion there’s the seated electric scooter. This is basically a blend between a kick scooter (#8 on this list) which is typically ridden standing up, and a conventional bicycle. It’s got the geometry of a kick scooter but with a padded seat, large 16″ air filled bicycle tires, a wide deck for ample foot room (or a seat for your canine copilot). Its handlebars feature a twist grip throttle and hand brake.

The quiet, high torque, maintenance free 350-watt hub motor can reach a top speed of of 18.6 mph / 30 kmh. Larger wheels provide more comfort and stability as they allow for a smoother, safer ride but are less agile and take up more storage space at home or in a car. The robust frame can safely carry riders up to 220 lbs. Which is one of the reasons this type of micro mobility vehicle is popular among seniors and slightly heavier people.

The Razor Ecosmart Metro HD (photo) is practically unique in its kind. It’s the only scooter with these aforementioned features. Somewhat similar alternatives exist but don’t have the wide deck at the bottom of the frame nor offer such a comfy, cushy ride.

It’s affordable, has a comfortable, cushy seat, has a quiet and efficient brushless hub motor.

At approx. 70 lbs it’s heavy. Not the most robust EPV out there. Has only a rear drum brake. Not the highest quality cup and cone bearings which normally ensures a stable and sturdy fork. It has a lead acid battery (old tech) which limits your range and well as how long the battery will last. Battery charging takes 12 hours for a scanty 12 miles (19 km) of range.

Why get this scooter? Despite its limited range, long required plug in time and the fact that the battery technology is kind of outdated –  which is why many electric scooter aficionado scoffs at this scooter – it still has quite the appeal.

For one because it just offers a comfy ride. It’s so easy to mount and dismount due to its low entry. Moreover, the low step through scooter frame’s abundant deck real estate helps prevent feet from slipping off or accidentally stepping next to it.

It’s a safe ride as you can always put both feet on the ground while remaining seated in the saddle at the traffic lights or other stops you’ll have to make. It’s no wonder this type of personal electric ride is popular among the elderly and slightly heavier individuals. As such it could make a valuable addition to an independent living plan.

Aside from these target groups this scooter might appeal to anyone who simply wants a simple and safe electric ride to go from A to B where top speed, range and cool factor are of less importance than downright convenience.

Check price and availability here .

3. The electric folding bike

Since they are easy to travel with – once folded they are easily carried like luggage, the battery driven folding bike is a popular choice day trippers and other travelers.

Commuters love them for intermodal travel, to bridge the parts of their commute that lack public transportation. Since they save space they are popular among small apartment dwellers. Stored inside there’s less risk on vandalism, theft or getting rusty due to rain.

RV-ers who lack a garage in their rig often opt for electric folding bikes as they don’t want to store their expensive e-bikes on the bike rack where it’s more prone to theft.

The electric folding bicycle on the photo is the Stigo B1 350W electric folding bike.

• Combines the trusted experience of riding a bicycle with portability and storage benefits.
• Low profile makes them ideal in urban settings and while on the go.
• Even foldable e-bikes often have a considerable weight due to the folding mechanism and battery
• Smaller sized tires than non-folding bicycles reduce the top speed and range.
• Smaller wheel (16-20″) makes them less suitable for rougher terrain (i.e. off road- potholes)

4. The electric motorcycle / moped

Just like the traditional bicycle has gotten an electrical counterpart, there are electrical moped scooters now too. Opting for a scooter means you can take quite a bit of luggage such as groceries with you. Also taking a passenger with you belongs to the possibilities which is something that’s not possible on an electric longboard or unicycle.

Basically there are two types of electric scooters, electrical moped and motor variants. Mopeds are often restricted to 30mph (equivalent to 50cc petrol scooters) whereas the most powerful electric scooters are legally perceived as motors. For both groups registration documents, number plates, (and sometimes road tax) are required.

The scooter on the photo has pedals but these are merely present so the PEV can be classified as an electric bicycle.

Specs  (50cc equivalent )

• Range: 30 -50 miles
• Top speed: 25-30mph
• Environmental friendly
• No fumes, nor leaking oil and petrol (a petrol-driven moped emits more pollution into the atmosphere than an 8 cylinder SUV.)
• Suitable for two persons
• Load carrying (to a certain extent)
• Some states/ countries require a motorcycle license to ride these electric mopeds on the street. Check your local DMV
• Wearing a helmet is often mandatory (although helmets are highly recommended on most rides mentioned here)
• Bulky when compared to other EPTDs, which requires sufficient space for storage
• Not suitable for sidewalks, pedestrian areas
• Needs to be locked outside or put in storage

An innovative, yet to be released electric scooter is the Brekr Model B . The aluminum, lightweight motorcycle can carry two removable 2 kwh batteries, each enabling you to distance 30 to 50 miles (50 to 80 kilometers). A max range of 100 miles (160 kilometers) combined with a top speed of either 15.5 mph (25 km/h) or 25 mph (45 km/h) depending on the variant you choose.

Either way, its big wheels, front and rear suspension, its relatively low weight make it a great, environmental friendly personal electric vehicle for leisurely touring in nature, urban commutes, and other types of transportation.

5. The electric trike (3 wheel scooter)

The eWheels EW 11 vintage, euro-style scooter isn’t just pleasing to the eye. It could be used as an outdoor only mobility scooter alternative. Granted, measuring 67 x 29 x 38 inches it’s quite a bit larger than a standard mobility scooter taking up, on average 5 feet in length, 3 feet in width and 4 feet in height of space.

But when you’re in need for something to get you around yet feel a typical mobility scooter is just one step too far, the EW 11 might be the solution for you.

To be clear, with its 29″ width it’s not suitable to use indoors as most indoor doors are 28″ wide. Nor can you as easily park it in a small shed but in return you’ll get a max range of 40 miles on a single charge and a top speed of 18 mph.

With its electrically opened storage compartment underneath the seat, anti-theft alarm system, and remote on off key fob it’s a quite the luxurious PEV. Apart from that it boasts great performance and quality.

6. The electric folding tricycle

What makes this three-wheeled electric scooter so appealing is not just its modest size. Nor is it the fact that it folds up to the size of about a large suitcase. Neither the fact that it’s, at just under 31 lbs (14kg), very light weight yet still transports people up to 220 lbs (110 kg).

No, what’s so attractive about this tricycle is that it doesn’t look like a typical mobility scooter, yet it might just be that you could use it as one. The benefits of a mobility scooter without the social stigma. Especially for younger people, its quite sporty, minimalist trendy looks might appeal.

That said, it’s not necessarily a mobility aid but a pretty cool looking PEV in itself. It could make a great alternative to traditional step scooters for those who have trouble maintaining their balance.

It’s fun to ride, has three speed settings, shock absorbers, a full battery range of 6 miles (10 km) and due to its portability it makes a great companion when shopping or going for a fresh breath of air.

When folded you can pull it behind you so you can bring it with you in public transportation, on flights, cruises, or in the trunk of your car.

Officially this tricycle isn’t intended for off-road use. Users, however, have been cruising packed dirt paths and level grass surfaces successfully.

• range: 15.5-18.6 miles max. (25-30 km)
• max. speed: 15 mph (24 km/h)
• Portable. Small so easy to store.
• No steep learning curve
• Stylish appearance
• Not as versatile regarding road surfaces
• Limited range
• Not as comfortable for prolonged use as a typical mobility scooter

Read reviews here .

Hoverboards and scooters with handlebars

Personal transport vehicles with handlebars.

7. Segway-style hoverboards with handlebars

These are basically hands-free hoverboards but with handlebars so you don’t have to put as much effort into keeping your balance and you can steer a little bit. The first popular brand names on the market included the Segway E+ and Airwheel S3. This type of Segway (nowadays there are various other types of Segways) is the grandfather of all EPTDs.

The Airwheel S3 is a more affordable alternative to the Segway. Other alternatives include the Airwheel S5 SUV (an off-road alternative to the S3), Fortech Mini, InMotion Mogo, M1 Robstep, and the very expensive Chegway. Prices among these alternatives vary greatly, from less than $400 to over $4000,-.

Some models are merely inexpensive (read: cheaply built) hoverboards with a Segway-style handle attached to it, others are more robust and of higher quality. Some offer an optional seat. The M1 Robstep is one of the smallest in its kind which makes it ideal for indoor use, for instance if you’re disabled or recovering from injury.

Specs (based on Airwheel S3)

• range: 40 miles in range max.
• max. speed: 11 miles mph
• The handlebars make them easy to ride for pretty much anyone including the elderly and those who have trouble keeping their balance
• Relatively safe
• Relatively slow
• Bulkier than a Boosted board or electric unicycle which makes storage less easy

8. The electric kick scooter

The kids toy image clings to the electric scooter, even though they come in adult versions too. The small wheels make them mainly useful on flat surfaces such as tarmac, skate parks, and regular pavements. This because small wheels can get stuck in cracks in the road which may lead to accidents. Off-road versions, with bigger wheels are available too.

These scooters have handlebars and hand brakes which makes keeping your balance child’s play. Handlebars also offer protection as they will cushion a potential frontal collision. Foldable models are great for commuters as they allow for easy storage in public transportation or at the workplace. Some models come with a (detachable) seat or allow for installing an aftermarket seat.

• Affordable. Starting at around $100.
• No steep learning curve. Pretty much anyone can ride electric scooters
• small wheels may limit your freedom of movement
• limited range compared to some other types of electric personal transporters

Among the most popular electric kick scooters for adults;

Glion Dolly foldable lightweight electric scooter. People up to 300 lb report using it without issues.

Razor E Prime III electric scooter with a max weight capacity of 22o lbs.

Looking for something more professional for your daily commute? Visit eWheels.com for a wide range of high quality e-scooters for adults from renowned brands such as Dualtron and Turbowheel.

They also carry heavier, fast, long range models that can bring you up to 80 miles on one battery charge or let you scoot at a top speed of 60 mph.

9. The off-road e-scooter

Need something tough to run some errands while boondocking with your RV in rugged terrain? Does your daily commute include bad roads or rocky, hilly areas? Just want to have fun ripping through trails? Wish to finally manage to keep up with your fast-paced, long-distance walking dog?

• For conquering various types of jagged surface as well as smooth rides on relatively bad roads, an off road electric scooter is hard to beat.
• However, keep in mind that e-scooters due to their small wheels and geometry are not the most suitable PEV class for true off-roading. If you mean business when it comes to ripping off road, get a PEV type with a more robust frame and a seat like, for instance, an off road e-bike.
• But if you’re willing to do a concession in lieu of easier storage  (a scooter is easy to quickly get in and out of an RV or car ), then a quality off-road e-scooter might be your best bet.

A good machine has powerful dual motors, wide handlebars with grippy handlebar grips, a non-slip deck, solid, preferably, hydraulic brakes, and of course suspension. High quality, articulating suspension. The more, the better. Allowing them to eat up rock-strewn, root-infested dirt roads. Well, like we said, in their own, kind of limited way.

Searching for the best off road e-scooter available?

Make sure to consider these two, currently very popular, bite-sized beasts. The Apollo Ghost (under $1500) comes with dual spring suspension and is best geared for hardpack dirt roads whereas the even tougher machine, the Apollo Phantom (under $2500) with quad spring suspension can handle pretty much any off road terrain. Both belong to the best-selling top rated off road scooters on the market.

Personal electric vehicles without a seat or handlebars

These require the most balance skills and involve a more steep learning curve. Generally less suitable for the elderly or people who are physically impaired.

10. The electric skateboard

In comparison to the scooter, you’ll have to be a bit more of a daredevil to opt for a powered skateboard, especially when you have no skate experience. On the other hand, most of these boards are longboards which, together with the fact that they are self-powered, makes them a lot easier to zip down the street than a normal skateboard.

Most boards have an external battery / motor mounted under the board. The Inboard M1 is the only board that has its motors in the wheels. This makes it ideal for inconspicuous battery-powered cruising. (Fool those pesky cops by pushing off your electric board like it’s a conventional skateboard.)

Electric skateboard conversion kits are available too, allowing you to convert your current board so you can effortlessly surf the sidewalk.

Specs (based on the Boosted Dual skateboard mentioned below)

• range  6 / 12 miles  (with extended battery)
• top speed: 22 mph
• 25% grade hill climbing
• driven by wireless hand control
• High fun factor. Doing tricks belongs to the possibilities
• Can be used without battery-assistance. Often the batteries can be quickly removed to reduce weight.
• Discrete as motors are hidden from sight. Laws and ordinances vary per region. As the batteries are mounted under the board (or in-wheel) law enforcement can’t see at a glance you’re riding an electrically driven device.
• The ‘cool factor’. There aren’t many EPTD’s that will make you look cooler than a boosted board. (Well there’s another contender, more at #4 of this list).
• Potentially dangerous as small wheels may cause you to fall when the skate wheels stumble upon cracks, sand, and other irregularities in the road surface. (This can be overcome by opting for a dirt skateboard designed for off-roading.)
• Not suitable for off-road. Limited to roads and pavements
• Doesn’t have head and tail lights
• Riding in rainy conditions can be a problem. Electronics are known to damage upon which replacement is needed and you may slip when you get on wet pavement
• Some models malfunction (or even permanently damage) in rain and on wet surfaces.
• In big cities Wi-Fi dead zones (signals interfering with or obstructing the hand control signal) may occur.

Popular models include the top of the bill Boosted 2nd Gen Dual+ Boosted 2nd Gen which you may know from famous YouTuber Casey Neistat who drives several of these boards and promotes them on his channel.

There are also the also the top of the bill Evolve boards which come in carbon and bamboo versions. A very well-reviewed runner up is the more affordable TeamGee H8 . Other popular boards include the WowGo 2S longboard, RazorX and Maxfind boards.

11. The electric unicycle (aka self-balancing unicycle)

Self-balancing electric unicycles, also called electric wheels or simply eWheels ,  belong to the most portable EPTDs. Their large wheels allow for taking curbs and potholes as well as riding lawns, dirt, and even gravel roads.

They come in wheel sizes ranging typically from 12″ up to 16″ but larger wheels exist too. High-end models are generally safer than cheap no-name devices as they have more breaking power and more powerful motors which can be crucial on bad roads.

Because of their limited size, weight, and footprint they make great vehicles for various purposes. For instance to bridge the so called ‘last mile’ when going to work. Also think about cruising campus, going shopping in the inner city (simply pack your EUC in a backpack or drag it behind you with the handle), commuting, or walking your way too energetic dog.

• max speed: cheap wheels max out at approx. 12mph, the fastest EUCs go over 45 km/h (18 inch wheel)
• avg. range: from 10 – up to 80 km (50 miles). Cheaper models only have a range of around 4-6 miles, mid-range models have an average range of 25 miles. It all depends on battery size, quality, wheel size and other factors.
• Unlike electric skateboards which require a controller to get moving you simply accelerate and slow down by leaning your body forward or backward.
• Highly portable. Easy to pick up or pull behind you (provided they have a telescopic handle)
• Waterproof. Riding in rain or through puddles is no problem with most models. (check with the manufacturer before buying)
• Some models have standard head and tail lights for safe gliding when it’s dark
• Easy to store. Put it next to your desk, tuck it away in an unused spot in your RV,
• Riders report health benefits including strengthened back and abdominal muscles (core strength) as well as improved balance.
• Steep learning curve. Prepare to spend at least a few hours for several days to learn how to drive. Some ‘wheelers’ said learning turned out to be “harder than they bargained for”.

Visit eWheels  to find out about the latest electric unicycle models and sales.

Click here to read our comprehensive  Electric Unicycle Buying Guide .

12. The hoverboard (aka self-balancing scooter)

Just like the electric unicycle, the hoverboard, swegway, or self-balancing two-wheeled board has built-in gyroscopic, sensored pads. Since most hoverboards lack the terrain versatility of EUCs, their limited speed and range, and since learning to ride these is very easy, they are very popular for indoor use and as kids toys.

Generally 6,5 inch wheel size is recommended for children. 8 Inch for teens and small adults, and 10 inch for adults. A special type of hoverboard is the Segway miniPro self-balancing personal transporter that features a padded knee bar for easier steering and a relatively high top speed of 10 mph.

Decided this is the way to go for you? Check out these popular hoverboards .

• max speed: up to 10 mph,
• range: approx. 14 miles (varies between models, from 12 – 17 miles)
• Easy to master
• Relatively safe due to low top speed and ease of use
• Not as fast or versatile as some of the other EPTDs. Therefore some people may find them more suitable for indoor use
• Not always waterproof. PCAdvisor.co.uk found that “most boards have a waterproof rating of IP54, which means they’ll survive a splash of water but not much else” .

13. The Onewheel / Onewheel +

The Onewheel is a category in itself as there’s only one in its kind. It looks like an electrical DIY project merging a wheelbarrow wheel with a board and motor but this description doesn’t do it justice at all.

The Onewheel is built like a tank, with its two horsepower it’s powerful enough to take on hills and bumps and allows for such entertaining surfing including carving and tricks that seasoned snowboarders and skateboarders praise this EPTD for its outstanding performance.

Available on the official Onewheel website .

• top speed: 15 mph (experience riders may reach over 20 mph)
• range: 7-8 miles
• accelerating and braking is done by simply leaning forward or backward
• Ride every terrain, from sandy beaches to muddy trails (no need to pick up your board or take your scooter by hand and walk a few meters to bridge non-smooth parts on your route)
• Has standard head and tail lights allowing you to ride safely at night
• Fun factor: the riding pleasure resembles snowboarding in particular and people rave about it in general
• No controller (as with electric skateboards) is required to accelerate
• Allows you to adopt the pace of surrounding pedestrians (this is much harder if not impossible on an electric skateboard)
• Users who own electric skateboards and a Onewheel find the latter less safe. Nosediving can be a potential risk because of the way it’s driven
• Its limited range makes it less suitable for commutes and longer trips in general

14. The Walkcar ‘rideable laptop’

The smallest, weirdest alternative on this list is this 13″ laptop-sized Walkcar. The “car in a bag” as the Japanese inventor dubbed his creation  may look like a motorized dolly but if you need something very light and compact this might be for you. Its portability makes it great for many purposes yet its small wheels will limit its usability. Available for pre-order now. Price: $1280,-

• top speed: 16 km/h
• weight: 2,8 kg
• driving time: 60 minutes
• Ultra-portable, fits in your bag
• Probably only suitable for flat and rather smooth surfaces, such as indoor

15. The enclosed e-bike a.k.a. car eBike

Some pod e-bikes are super aerodynamic – the Podbike Frikar for instance-, others have less streamlined shells but still shield you from the elements and collisions. There’s both enclosed tricycles and quadracycles. Another word for this type of EPV is e-velomobile . A name derived from the non-electric velomobile which is a basically a recumbent bicycle car.

The CityQ Car-eBike (photo) lets you transport two children or one other adult and groceries or luggage through bad weather and yet this micro EV is only tad bit wider than a mountain bike. Passing by cars stuck in traffic, having no problems finding parking space you’ll laugh all the way to your destination and back.

The absence of chains and gears and other mechanical bottlenecks – the car e-bike has a software-controlled drivetrain- allow for a peace of mind.

• top speed: 25 km/h (15.5 mph)
• weight: 70 kg (154 lb)
• width: 87 cm (34 inches) in comparison, mountain bikes run up to 80 cm (31.5 inches) wide
• weight capacity: 300 kg (660 lb)
• seats: two adults, or one adult and two kids
• cargo space: for groceries, luggage, two children

All weather EPV

Relatively expensive

How to choose?

When it comes to considering your options regarding micro-mobility vehicles (as EPVs are called as well) it all depends on your wants and needs. Are you going for the thrill of a ride? Or do you want to make your make your daily commute more efficient and convenient?

In the latter case, also consider making use of a micro-mobility service , if available in your area, instead of purchasing your own micro-mobility vehicle (MMV). These, sometimes subscription based sometimes pay as you go, services allow you to find the nearest available vehicle via an app. There’s no docking stations so you can leave the vehicle at any place or moment and you often pay per minute making these services great for first and last mile needs.

Want your own personal micromobility vehicle?

If you’re already aware of the existence of the various choices out there you may wonder, which is better a hoverboard or the Onewheel?

The answer totally depends on your personal situation. Which speed do you want, which range, which driving experience? Will you be able to take your ride with you on airlines?

The OneWheel ‘street snowboard’, for instance, offers a completely different experience than a hoverboard. There’s nothing to compare actually.

Personally I would sooner consider the Onewheel versus an electric unicycle as they are both able to handle pretty much all kinds of surfaces. Which is essential to me. Onewheel’s limited range of 6-ish miles doesn’t cut it for me, though.

Say you’re a skateboarder, snowboarder, or surfer who’s looking to expand their playground you’ll probably going to consider one of the  battery powered boards; i.e. an electric skateboard such as the Boosted Board vs the Onewheel. The one you can ride when the battery dies, the other you can’t.

Let’s say uneven terrain isn’t much of an issue, then your dilemma could be, should I buy an electric skateboard or a self-balancing unicycle? In this case you might let resistance to water or range influence your decision.

One more thing..

I think all of these innovative electric rides rock. Each in its own way. When they become our main mode of transportation we risk that we can’t be bothered to walk anymore, which may cause humanity to end up like the people in Wall-E. So whichever device you pick, don’t forget to stay fit .

Note: Technically, electrical mobility scooters are EPTDs too. But so are golf carts. As they aren’t innovations we haven’t included them here.

Want more inspiration?

Learn more about the pros and cons of each option by reading reviews of those who went before you and bought an EPTD.

Check out Amazon’s Personal Transportation Top 10

Click here to find about a whole range of different types of e-bikes, which electric personal transportation device do you like best.

Shout it out below.

Electric Unicycle Buying Guide, Reviews, FAQ

Last Updated on August 27, 2022 by Tyler

Number three, and Five are the only ones if your over 40. The other ones we will break our necks. So much for knowing your audience.

I’m 51 and have ridden over 400 miles in the last year on Lime electric scooters. I plan to buy a scooter and possibly a one-wheel this summer. It’s not the equipment that causes accidents, generally. It’s most often the rider/driver.

Where did the author say or imply that this list is targeted for those over 40? I read it as a comprehensive list of electric transportation options. I’m here to learn about options for my 18 yo daughter who is heading off to college. Thanks for a great article!

I’m well over 40 (54) and if anybody else can use these than so can I. Hadn’t ridden a bike in over twenty years and my neighbor has an electric one so I gave it a go and liked it. Then I fixed a friends bike that he wrecked and so I gave it a go and although I am not good at riding wheelies I can still stay on one (wheel) over ten feet. Last year my little brother had bought a hoverboard for his youngest and I was riding it in less than a minute. Not all of us have aged the same way and there are few 20 year olds that can out run me or jump fences as well;)

I really look forward to trying some of these, especially the unicycle. The Walkcar looks useless to me and skateboards also have wheels to small to be practical for the places I go.

Kilroy Was Here 🙂

The One-Wheel XR has a range of up to 18 miles and is a snap to ride. I had never been on one before and hadn’t ridden any kind of skateboard in over 20 years. Within half an hour I was whipping around a mountain bike trail like a kid. I’m an overweight 53 and ordered one right off my phone when I got off of it. A year later, and a battery replacement (because I ride it every day) I don’t regret my decision.

The median age of Onewheel riders is about 40. I’m 46 and haven’t “broken my neck” yet as I approach 2000 miles with it. Toughen up, John Turner 😉

GREAT article, thank you. You addressed your audience PERFECTLY, providing a quick rundown summary on the market options for those of of use looking at these devices.

I’m over 40 and more than comfortable with several of the options on the list, but then again I know that I can’t speak to the abilities of everybody in the world in my age group.

Someone send John Turner some bubble wrap and a Hoveround. I’m looking at Segways…

left out electric surfboards & eSUPs

You’re right. I only thought of transport via land. Might add them. Thanks

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy .

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Privacy Overview

• Getting around USA: Transportation Tips

Book your individual trip , stress-free with local travel experts

Select Month

• roughguides.com
• North America
• getting-around
• Travel guide
• Itineraries
• Travel Advice
• Accommodation

Plan your tailor-made trip with a local expert

Book securely with money-back guarantee

Travel stress-free with local assistance and 24/7 support

Distances in the USA are so great that it’s essential to plan in advance how you’ll get from place to place. Amtrak provides a skeletal but often scenic rail service, and there are usually good bus links between the major cities. Even in rural areas, with advance planning, you can usually reach the main points of interest without too much trouble by using local buses and charter services.

Green Tortoise

Historic railroads, hitchhiking, packages and tours, pre-trip planning for overseas travellers.

That said, travel between cities is almost always easier if you have a car . Many worthwhile and memorable US destinations are far from the cities: even if a bus or train can take you to the general vicinity of one of the great national parks, for example, it would be of little use when it comes to enjoying the great outdoors.

Travelling on the national Amtrak network (800 872 7245, amtrak.com ) is rarely the fastest way to get around, though if you have the time it can be a pleasant and relaxing experience. As you will note from our map, the Amtrak system isn’t comprehensive – East Coast states from Virginia northward are well covered with rail routes but some Western states are left out altogether. What’s more, the cross-country routes tend to be served by one or at most two trains per day, so in large areas of the nation the only train of the day passes through at three or four in the morning. A number of small local train services connect stops on the Amtrak lines with towns and cities not on the main grid. Amtrak also runs the coordinated, but still limited, Thruway bus service that connects some cities that their trains don’t reach.

For any one specific journey, the train is usually more expensive than taking a Greyhound bus, or even a plane – the standard rail fare from New York to Los Angeles , for example, starts at around $220 one way with advance online booking – though special deals, especially in the off-peak seasons (Sept–May, excluding Christmas), can bring the cost of a coast-to-coast return trip down to around $220–300. Money-saving passes are also available.

Even with a pass, you should always reserve as far in advance as possible; all passengers must have seats, and some trains, especially between major East Coast cities, are booked solid. Sleeping compartments start at around $400 per night, including three full meals, in addition to your seat fare, for one or two people. However, even standard Amtrak quarters are surprisingly spacious compared to aeroplane seats, and there are additional dining cars and lounge cars (with full bars and sometimes glass-domed 360° viewing compartments). Finally, if you want to make your journey in the Northeast in a hurry, hop aboard the speedy Acela service, which can shave anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour off your trip, though tends to cost from $25–100 more than a fare on a standard Amtrak train.

If you’re travelling on your own and plan on making a lot of stops, buses are by far the cheapest way to get around. The main long-distance operator, Greyhound (800 231 2222, greyhound.com , international customers without toll-free access can also call t 214 849 8100 from 5am–1am CST), links all major cities and many towns. Out in the country, buses are fairly scarce, sometimes appearing only once a day, if at all. However, along the main highways, buses run around the clock to a full timetable, stopping only for meal breaks (almost always fast-food chains) and driver changeovers.

To avoid possible hassle, travellers should take care to sit as near to the driver as possible, and to arrive during daylight hours – many bus stations are in dodgy areas. In many smaller places, the post office or a petrol station doubles as the bus stop and ticket office. Reservations can be made in person at the station, online or on the toll-free number. Oddly they do not guarantee a seat, so it’s wise to join the queue early – if a bus is full, you may have to wait for the next one, although Greyhound claims it will lay on an extra bus if more than ten people are left behind. Fares on shorter journeys average out at about 25¢ per mile, but for longer hauls there are plenty of savings available – check the website’s discounts page.

Other operators include Trailways (800 776 7581, trailways.com ), whose regional divisions cover some parts of the country more comprehensively, Megabus (877 462 6342, us.megabus.com ), whose low-cost service covers the Northeast and Midwest, Northeast operator Peter Pan (800 343 9999, peterpanbus.com ) and the alternative Green Tortoise .

Despite the presence of good-value discount airlines – most notably Southwest and JetBlue – air travel is a much less appealing way of getting around the country than it used to be. With air fuel costs escalating even faster than petrol costs, and airlines cutting routes, demanding customers pay for routine services and jacking up prices across the board, the days of using jet travel as a spur to vacation adventuring are long gone. To get any kind of break on price, you’ll have to reserve well ahead of time (at least three weeks), preferably not embark in the high season, and be firm enough in your plans to buy a “non-refundable” fare – which if changed can incur costs of $100 or more. Nonetheless, flying can still cost less than the train – though still more than the bus.

For many, the concept of cruising down the highway, preferably in a convertible with the radio blasting, is one of the main reasons to set out on a tour of the USA. The romantic images of countless road movies are not far from the truth, though you don’t have to embark on a wild spree of drinking, drugs and sex to enjoy driving across America. Apart from anything else, a car makes it possible to choose your own itinerary and to explore the astonishing wide-open landscapes that may well provide your most enduring memories of the country.

Driving in the cities, on the other hand, is not exactly fun, and can be hair-raising. Yet in larger places a car is by far the most convenient way to make your way around, especially as public transport tends to be spotty outside the major cities. Many urban areas, especially in the West, have grown up since cars were invented. As such, they sprawl for so many miles in all directions – Los Angeles and Houston are classic examples – that your hotel may be fifteen or twenty miles from the sights you came to see, or perhaps simply on the other side of a freeway that can’t be crossed on foot.

Renting a car

To rent a car , you must have held your licence for at least one year. Drivers under 25 may encounter problems and have to pay higher than normal insurance premiums. Rental companies expect customers to have a credit card; if you don’t, they may let you leave a cash deposit (at least $500), but don’t count on it. All the major rental companies have outlets at the main airports but it can often be cheaper to rent from a city branch. Reservations are handled centrally, so the best way to shop around is either online, or by calling their national toll-free numbers. Potential variations are endless; certain cities and states are consistently cheaper than others, while individual travellers may be eligible for corporate, frequent-flier or AAA discounts. In low season you may find a tiny car (a “subcompact”) for as little as $150 per week, but a typical budget rate would be more like $35–40 per day or around $220 per week including taxes. You can get some good deals from strictly local operators, though it can be risky as well. Make reading up on such inexpensive vendors part of your pre-trip planning.

Even between the major operators – who tend to charge $50–100 per week more than the local competition – there can be a big difference in the quality of cars. Industry leaders like Alamo, Hertz and Avis tend to have newer, lower-mileage cars and more reliable breakdown services. Always be sure to get unlimited mileage and remember that leaving the car in a different city to the one where you rented it can incur a drop-off charge of $200 or more.

Small print and insurance

When you rent a car, read the small print carefully for details on Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), sometimes called Liability Damage Waiver (LDW). This form of insurance specifically covers the car that you are driving yourself – you are in any case insured for damage to other vehicles. At $12–20 a day, it can add substantially to the total cost, but without it you’re liable for every scratch to the car – even those that aren’t your fault. Increasing numbers of states are requiring that this insurance be included in the weekly rental rate and are regulating the amounts charged to cut down on rental-car company profiteering. Some credit card companies offer automatic CDW coverage to customers using their card; contact your issuing company for details. Alternatively, European residents can cover themselves against such costs with a reasonably priced annual policy from Insurance4CarHire .

The American Automobile Association , or AAA ( t 800 222 4357, aaa.com ), provides free maps and assistance to its members and to members of affiliated associations overseas, such as the British AA and RAC. If you break down in a rented car, call one of these services if you have towing coverage, or the emergency number pinned to the dashboard.

Alamo USA 800 462 5266, alamo.com

Avis USA 800 230 4898, avis.com

Budget USA 800 527 0700, budget.com

Dollar USA 800 800 3665, dollar.com

Enterprise USA 800 261 7331, enterprise.com

Hertz USA 800 654 3131, hertz.com

Holiday Autos USA 866 392 9288, holidayautos.com

National USA 800 227 7368, nationalcar.com

Thrifty USA & Canada 800 847 4389, thrifty.com

Cycling is another realistic mode of transport. An increasing number of big cities have cycle lanes and local buses equipped to carry bikes (strapped to the outside), while in country areas, roads have wide shoulders and fewer passing motorists. Unless you plan to cycle a lot and take your own bike, however, it’s not especially cheap. Bikes can be rented for $15–50 per day, or at discounted weekly rates, from outlets that are usually found close to beaches, university campuses and good cycling areas. Local visitor centres have details.

The national nonprofit Adventure Cycling Association , based in Missoula, Montana (406 721 1776 or 800 755 2453, adventurecycling.org ), publishes maps of several lengthy routes, detailing campgrounds, motels, restaurants, bike shops and places of interest. Many individual states issue their own cycling guides; contact the state tourist offices. Before setting out on a long-distance cycling trip, you’ll need a good-quality, multispeed bike, panniers, tools and spares, maps, padded shorts and a helmet (legally required in many states and localities). Plan a route that avoids interstate highways (on which cycling is unpleasant and usually illegal) and sticks to well-maintained, paved rural roads. Of problems you’ll encounter, the main one is traffic: RVs, huge eighteen-wheelers and logging trucks can create intense backdraughts capable of pulling you out into the middle of the road.

Backroads Bicycle Tours (800 462 2848, backroads.com), and the HI-AYH hostelling group arrange multiday cycle tours, with camping or stays in country inns; where appropriate we’ve also mentioned local firms that offer this.

Greyhound, Amtrak and major airlines will carry passengers’ bikes – dismantled and packed into a box – for a small fee.

One alternative to long-distance bus torture is the fun, countercultural Green Tortoise, whose buses, complete with foam cushions, bunks, fridges and rock music, mostly ply the West and the Northwest of the country, but can go as far as New Orleans, Washington DC and New York. Highlights include the California Cruiser (11 days; $505), the coast-to-coast USA Explorer (34 days; $2816), and the gung-ho Alaska Expedition (27 days; $2500); food and park admissions cost extra. There are more than thirty seductive options, each allowing plenty of stops for hiking, river-rafting, bathing in hot springs and the like.

Green Tortoise’s main office is in San Francisco (415 956 7500 or 800 867 8647, greentortoise.com).

While Amtrak has a monopoly on long-distance rail travel, a number of historic or scenic railways, some steam-powered or running along narrow-gauge mining tracks, bring back the glory days of train travel. Many are purely tourist attractions, doing a full circuit through beautiful countryside in two or three hours, though some can drop you off in otherwise hard-to-reach wilderness areas. Fares vary widely according to the length of your trip.

Hitchhiking in the United States is a bad idea, making you a potential victim both inside (you never know whom you’re travelling with) and outside the car, as the odd fatality may occur from hitchers getting a little too close to the highway lanes. At a minimum, in the many states where the practice is illegal, you can expect a steep fine from the police and, on occasion, an overnight stay in the local jail.

Although independent travel is usually cheaper, countless flight and accommodation packages allow you to bypass all the organizational hassles. A typical package from the UK might be a return flight plus mid-range Midtown hotel accommodation for three nights in New York City, starting at around £700 per person in low season and more like £950 at peak periods.

Fly-drive deals, which give cut-rate car rental when a traveller buys a transatlantic ticket from an airline or tour operator, are always cheaper than renting on the spot, and give great value if you intend to do a lot of driving. They’re readily available through general online booking agents such as Expedia and Travelocity, as well as through specific airlines. Several operators also book accommodation for self-drive tours.

A simple and exciting way to see a chunk of America’s great outdoors is to take a specialist touring and adventure package, which includes transport, accommodation, food and a guide. Companies such as TrekAmerica carry small groups around on minibuses and use a combination of budget hotels and camping. Most concentrate on the West – ranging from Arizona to Alaska, and lasting from seven days to five weeks; cross-country treks and adventures that take in New York or Florida are also available. Typical rates for a week – excluding transatlantic flights – range from £620 in low season up to £930 in midsummer. Trips to Alaska cost a good bit more.

Amtrak Passes

The USA Rail Pass (15-day/8 segments/$489; 30-day/12 segments/$669; 45-day/18 segments/$859) covers the entire Amtrak network for the designated period, though you are restricted to a set number of individual journeys. The California Rail Pass buys you seven days’ travel in a 21-day period within that state for $159. Passes can be bought from the Amtrak website (amtrak.com).

The main American airlines offer air passes for visitors who plan to fly a lot within the USA. These must be bought in advance and are often sold with the proviso that you cross the Atlantic with the same airline or group of airlines (such as Star Alliance). Each deal will involve the purchase of a certain number of flights, air miles or coupons. Other plans entitle foreign travellers to discounts on regular US domestic fares, again with the proviso that you buy the ticket before you leave home. Check with the individual airlines to see what they offer and the overall range of prices. However you do it, flying within the USA is only a wise choice for travel in regions where fares are low anyway; flights within Florida, for example, are very expensive.

The Rough Guides to USA and related travel guides

In-depth, easy-to-use travel guides filled with expert advice.

Travel advice for USA

From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to USA

• Eating and drinking in USA
• How to get to USA
• Travel Tips USA for planning and on the go
• Best time to visit USA

Find even more inspiration here

• Travel Tips

written by Andy Turner

updated 26.04.2021

Ready to travel and discover USA?

Get support from our local experts for stress-free planning & worry-free travels.

• Where to stay
• Travel advice

• April 21, 2020
• Budget Travel Tips

Are you traveling and not sure what the best travel transport is? Well, by the end of this post, you’ll have a great understanding of the best ways to explore a new country.

One thing that will often change from one continent to another, even at times between neighboring countries, is the preferred method of transit. The effectiveness in which a country can be traversed leaves more time for the good stuff – exploring/sightseeing/whatever travel means to you really! Many European countries offer different ways to travel, both internationally and domestic.

While some more developing nations, for example, throughout Asia or Eastern Europe, may only have a single method of transportation.  Deciding when and how to travel through a country is a constant balancing act while on the road.

While experiences will differ from one traveler to the next, there are so many tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way that can be applied universally. Having caught many flights, overnight buses/trains/ferries and a few other modes of transport, I’ll try to keep my list of pros and cons of each short!

What are the best travel transport types?

Day trip buses and trains.

These are short buses and trains. Catching the local metro or a 15 minute bus? It will fall into this category.

Overnight buses and trains

Spending the night on a bus or train? Overnight transport is common in many parts of the world.

Short distance flying

Short distance flights are usually domestic but can be international when crossing borders of countries close to one another.

Long distance flying

Flying multiple hours on end, sometimes over 10 hours falls into the category of long-distance flights.

Car share riding

Many places around the world offer car sharing, where you book a ride with someone that is already making the trip and help with the cost.

Taxi/Uber/Lyft

Taxi style transportation comes in plenty of different ways where you’re traveling. Uber and Lyft are the modern styles of catching a cab.

Hire a vehicle

Hiring a vehicle gives you plenty of freedom while exploring a new country. It’s one of the best ways to explore the lesser visited sites.

Take an overnight tour

Overnight tours commonly take passengers from one destination to the next. While this option is a bit out there, when it works out, its great.

This option is limited. You can only walk so far, but if you’ve got a short distance to cover, you’ll often find unforgettable gems you otherwise would have missed.

Public transportation

Public transportation, in its many different forms, is easily my most commonly used mode of transit while traveling. In fact, rarely a day passes when I haven’t used at least one of the modes below. They are kind of necessary.

Different methods of transportation

Short-distance public transportation I’d class as around 2-3 hours before you reach your destination. Short distance transit is pretty much involved in every day of travel. I’ve taken some form of short distance bus, train or ferry (or a combination of all three) in every country I have visited.

Day-trip Transport

Buses are usually the most cramped style of travel – especially for those of us over 6 feet tall (like myself). They can even be filled with animals. I’ve ridden very local buses with farmers and their chickens in Mexico, whirlwinds of dust buses in Kathmandu, Nepal, and a goose in a hessian bag tied to the back of a minibus in Laos – who somehow was able to nap on the bumpy roads might I add!

They can be unsanitary at times and slightly intimidating for sure, but I’m not sure I have a better source of travel stories than from local buses! It’s about the journey, right? Also, the price tag is often incredibly cheap, and usually reflects the comfort level of this form of transit. I’ve found that rest stops are usually 2-3 hours apart for long-distance routes.

Some bus routes are so windy they make even local travelers succumb to motion sickness. For example, the road from Chiang Mai to Pai in northern Thailand has exactly 762 curves!

Some roads have potholes are big enough to swallow your entire minibus whole, Laos, now that’s a bumpy ride! Along with the windy roads – it made for some uncomfortable drives.

But again, it’s about the stories…right?!

However, on the other end of the bus spectrum, it’s not all dust-filled cabins with animal noises. Japan’s buses were always impeccable. No dust, no dirt, no clucking, ever! There is quite a higher price tag for that level of comfort though.

As stated above, not all buses are equal. Even the same route may have different tiers of bus options, offering more comfort and facilities for a higher fee “VIP” status buses/min-vans are usually equipped with better seating arrangements and reclining seats. A functioning bathroom and a fully reclinable bed can be found on some buses. Inquiring about the facilities you need while booking tickets is a great way to avoid uncomfortable rides and nasty surprises. No facilities can suck, especially if you’re feeling sick.

The method of booking buses, in fact all transport, will differ from place to place. While Europe/UK is served by large companies such as Eurolines and Megabus respectively – booking online is easy. However, booking online for Asia can be a nightmare, if not utterly impossible, due to language barriers.

For this reason, heading into a station is highly recommended to book your ticket. Don’t forget to inquire about facilities and double-check your departure time, date and pick up location– as well as how early you will need to be there to check-in.

Trains are one of my favorite modes of travel, especially for long distances. Legroom isn’t so much of a concern when you can walk around. Being able to get up and walk around makes long transit times much easier to deal with.

Some countries allow locals to sell things when the train is in motion/stopped at a station. Mostly food and drinks, but I have also seen some trinkets along the way. From fruit to hot meals and water to beer – if you’re lucky! This was throughout a lot of Asia; Thailand and Myanmar to be specific.

Asia, once again, holds some of the most affordable train journeys I’ve ever been on. As these carriages are often packed with locals and tourists alike, the chance to engage with colorful people is ripe and makes the trip more enjoyable. Some of my most memorable conversations have been on parallel rails as the world whipped by.

Cheap transportation, as usual, can have its downsides. Aircon in Myanmar’s train carriages didn’t seem to be a thing and in Thailand, the lowest tier of train class was dusty and humid. Luckily, my clothes are rarely without some sort of dirt on them, so it never bothers me too much!

On the other side of the coin, European trains can be incredibly expensive, but classy. Italian and Switzerland train legs have burnt a hole in my pocket, and quickly! Everything was incredibly clean and organized. From Venice, Italy, to Interlaken, Switzerland, was by far the most expensive train trip I have ever taken- it wasn’t even overnight!

Some countries, such as Italy, come to mind when a ticket and seating reservation is required and rack up two separate fees – and it can be quite pricey for each! I have talked to quite a few people who, unfortunately,  even though they had a ticket, didn’t have a seating reservation, and were forced to stand for the entirety of their journey.

The EuRail Pass is widely renowned as amazing value, assuming it suits your travel itinerary and route. It can be an expensive initial cost to traveling Europe, but planning your route to fit in with the pass will save you money.

Ferries are another great way of traveling that offer more legroom whenever you feel the need to have a walk around. For obvious reasons, this mode of transport is only available in certain areas of the world. Thailand’s southern islands are a perfect example of where this form of transport is not only preferred, but also necessary.

Ferries are common when island hopping throughout many islands in the world, and are usually more cost-effective than flying.

Depending on the weather and your location, this option can easily become a sightseeing tour. For example, the ferry to Phi Phi Island is stunning.  Limestone karsts are truly a beautiful sight! There is no other way to access this gem than by water, and I wasn’t complaining, that’s for sure!

If you’re prone to sea-sickness, tablets that prevent nausea are a great investment. Most local pharmacies understand the term “sea-sickness” without having to act anything out. Using the Thailand example again, I bought little yellow tablets, and they worked a treat! I even used them successfully on a winding bus trip from Chiang Rai to Pai in the northern mountains.

Other water transportation ranges from speed boats to long-tail slow boats that allow you to take in the scenery for much longer. In Asia, the “slow-boat” style of transportation is very common for shorter trips, think of them as water-taxis – and they are never short of producing stories. I was a passenger on one that even began to sink! The four hours, hard wood-seated long-tail boat to Muang Ngoy gives plenty of scenery to admire.

Myanmar also gets a mention for its slow ferry-style boat that carved its way through overgrown reeds from Siem Reap to Battambang . The rivers and lakes became so narrow, all passengers were on guard for the potential threat of tree branches whipping your shoulders and flinging all types of bugs onto you!

Most boats in Asia are easily booked by visiting one of the many ticketing agencies offering the service of booking. From my frugal style of traveling, I learned shopping around for the best price is usually pointless, as they’re all quite similar in cost. As with other modes of transport, Europe has much more easily navigated and well-translated sites to book online.

Ferries are also an option when crossing country borders – like Albania to Italy. These are much less common than catching a flight, train or bus to a new country.

Taxi/Uber/Tuk-tuk/Songthaews

Depending on where you’re visiting, taxis could be called a number of different things. They could also look very different.

Tuku-tuk’s are common in Thailand, they are 3-wheels usually. Songthaews are found in Laos and Thailand and picks up people along the until it is full.

Taxis are most common for very short distances, but occasionally, hiring a taxi for a whole day can have its advantages.  Marble Mountains in Vietnam was one such suggestion to hire a full day taxi.

During a recent visit to Myanmar, I visited the volcanic mountain temple of Mount Popa . For this instance, hiring a taxi was pretty much the only option to get there and back.

These full-day taxis are booked at a flat rate, so you can take your time and not worry about the meter ticking away.

Almost always, hailing a metered cab is suggested, except for the rare occasion where a flat fee can be arranged, usually for a long-distance and/or able to store baggage while you visit an attraction.

There are exceptions to this. Collectivo taxis in Cuba are not metered. The price is pre-determined for the specific routes and you usually book them through your casa particulares in Cuba (or hotels).

One suggestion, if baggage storage is your goal, do not leave any valuables (such as passport, wallet, cards, etc.) in your taxi-stored bag. You know, just in case the temptation is too great for your driver.

While many drivers will offer a “good price” in exchange for a meter, this price tag will almost definitely greatly inflated. If there is no meter available, and sometimes there’s not, always negotiate a price before accepting the offer.

On a rare occasion, a taxi may be your only option. After the language barrier bested me en route from Greece to Montenegro, and I waited on the side of an Albanian road, my partner and I had little option to catch an unmarked “taxi” across the Eastern European border into the lovely town of Ohrid of Macedonia. Athens in Greece to Ohrid in Macedonia has to be one of my biggest mistakes in catching transport when traveling.

I guess funny stories (I can laugh about it all these years later) come from unexpected sources!

Overnight transit

Overnight transit gets its own section, as each mode of transport has a variety of other factors to weigh up. Some of them might sway your decision to choose one form of travel over another.

Every mode of transit mentioned below has more than one overnight option I’ve encountered around the globe. Combined with all the above-mentioned pros and cons, they bring their own to the table.

Personally, I love overnight transport. Not only do you usually save over half a day in travel – as you would’ve spent that night asleep anyway. Your seat (hopefully bed) doubles as accommodation, cutting the cost of travel.

I suggest overnight travel as a viable option quite subjectively if it is worth it from person to person, especially on buses. If you’re a light sleeper or quite tall, and you require a full eight hours of uninterrupted sleep to function – they may not be for you.

Noise throughout the journey is common – Thailand’s trains rattle constantly and the carriage lights don’t turn off the entire trip.

The windy bus ride to SaPa in northern Vietnam was difficult to drift off as you’re constantly moving from side to side.

Just like before, overnight transports are not all equal. Trains and ferries once again provide more room to move around, while buses are usually reclinable seats and are usually the cheapest option. Sometimes a full eight hours of uninterrupted sleep is just impossible, but there are a few tips I’d like to share from my personal experiences that make night travel more bearable.

• A circle bandana/scarf type headband is what I use to block out most of the light. I find them much better than regular face masks as it conforms to my face much securely, so it blocks out most of the light. It also prevents me from knocking my headphones out during the middle of the night so the noise isn’t as much of an issue.
• As mentioned above, I prefer headphones to earplugs. Soft music acts as white noise to me. Because it is constant (at least much less sudden than a train carriage sudden bump) I sleep much better than earplugs as a lot of noise gets through to my ears still. Make sure to set an alarm with a distinctive alert when your transport should nearing its destination. I’ve lost my phone on a night bus in Kosovo when I was too deep in a sleepy daze to remember to pick my phone up off the seat!
• For a long transit or one I expect to be particularly bumpy/noisy, I usually opt for some form of sleeping tablet to keep me in a deeper sleep for longer. Coupled with melatonin, this provides me with my best chance of sleeping on the rocky/loud nights!
• Taking more than enough snacks/water is a tradition for me. Too many times have I been asleep for a long-awaited pit stop and gone hungry and thirsty. I usually try and buy something for breakfast so I can navigate a new destination, not on an empty stomach.

I can’t say it’s always a great sleep, that’s for sure, but by using these tips I usually hit around five hours of decent sleep.

Overnight Buses

Often the worst of all overnight transports, especially for those of us over 180cm (6 foot). Being this tall means you’re most likely going to be a little cramped. Most overnight buses are regular coaches that have at least reclinable seats. However, reclining horizontally further than 45 degrees is usually not possible. Thailand does have buses fitted with bunk beds, but while I was traveling, there were crashes due to speed and/or drowsy drivers. I steered clear of Thailand’s overnight buses in favor of trains. I have caught enough overnight buses to be confident in them as a common form of transport.

Two of my favorite overnight buses have been in Asia. A mattress on the floor on a double-decker bus in Laos was long enough for me to stretch out. Which is very unusual for me! Another unique moment was the bus illuminated like a giant rolling disco ball! Luckily the lights were switched off for sleeping time.

Second place for me was overnight buses in Japan. While the seats only reclined the usual 45 degrees, a dome-shaped cover was able to pull out and around your face, blocking out so much sensitive light! A second reason was by sitting in the middle aisle gave so much legroom. As the bus is set up three seats in a row, each seat is situated by itself, giving the middle seat room on either side.

My partner whole-heartedly disagrees with the Japanese buses being great, but I’m standing firm! If you’re looking into bus travel in Japan, a ticket is able to be booked in advance and gives a great discount aboard the Willer Bus Company.

Buses can be extremely windy, thus difficult to even fall asleep on, let alone stay asleep. SaPa, while amazing, proved to be one of the most difficult night buses I’ve been on. Constant corners ensured my legs were scrunched up into a ball at the slopped base of my bed. I woke up from somehow sleeping a few hours, completely stiff from sleeping like a pretzel!

Speeding can also be a major problem for buses, especially in Asia as it is quite common. Not only for safety, but it also makes it much harder  to sleep when it feels like the bus is mid-drifting.

A warning here –especially for Asian countries. Book early to and ensure you have a seat – ask specifically you have a seat. I heard quite a few stories of Asian overnight buses being overbooked and having to sleep in the aisle.

A good friend I met on the road definitely had the worst of these stories. He declined to sleep both in the aisle, or basically on op of three strangers. He was given space in the luggage compartment. Not only was he enclosed in by bags, but he was also situated right above the engine, so it was incredibly hot with no airflow. With the heat and noise it’s safe to say he got very little sleep.

Overnight Trains

Once again I prefer trains over buses for night travel. Going for a late-night stroll as the carriages are silent except for the chatter along the rails is an eerily cool feeling. Most Asian trains will have locals periodically come through the carriages announcing what they have for sale, in usually loud voices. The local language usually fails me and I go buy visuals. Thailand and China both served hot meals of rice, veggies and some form of meat, while a rural station near Bagan in Myanmar offered the most delicious mangos I have ever eaten – passed to me through the train window.

However, as usual, there are quite a few country-specific drawbacks. Even though they might not apply directly to your journey, being ready for as much as you can be is the key to traveling well.

My first mention of China is a personal one, but anyone who appears different than Chinese, or even Asian will most likely notice this in some form – especially those of us with beards and/or tattoos.

It was common for me to notice people starring at me, even taking pictures both slyly and upfront. Lots of Chinese people have less than attractive photos of me – as I liked to pull faces at those who try to take candid photos. I even had a baby, that wasn’t yet able to speak, point at me with his tiny mouth open in shock.

On an overnight train to Guilin, I woke up to a middle-aged man starring down at me from the top bunk of three. Even as eye contact was made, his curiosity didn’t flinch. It wasn’t the most comforting thing to wake up to, that’s for sure!

As these trains make multiple stops for passengers to get on and off, if you’re getting on mid-journey, make sure you check the bedsheets! Some countries definitely change all sheets for every customer after every person leaves. Some countries do not. China, for example, would allow people to sleep on recently used linen. One man even layed down into sweaty sheets – I could literally see wet patches!

Another major issue with overnight trains is there can be a lot of light from the carriages during the night. Thailand’s overnight commute actually left all cabin lights on the entire duration. Both times. I’m a bit sensitive to light, so a face mask/bandana really helped block out the majority of light! While booking your ticket, claiming that bottom bunk can drastically help improve sleep. There are only bottom and top bunk, so get in early.

Thailand’s top bunk can also be quite intimidating as the train rattles and rolls along the rattling rails. The resulting jolt can easily wake you up. On top of that, the railing preventing you from plummeting to the floor below is quite short.

However, it was trains in Egypt that hold the first placed trophy for noisy overnight trains. I remember a distinct late-night bump that not only woke me up, I thought we had crashed.

After all that, despite their flaws, I still thoroughly enjoyed overnight trains in Thailand, and even China. They sure do have a fault or two with each of them, but I still love them. I can usually lay completely flat on the provided bed, and thus sleep quite well…usually.

You can read about my very first culture shock in Egypt here.

Overnight Ferries

Of the two I have caught in my travels, both provided a great sleep and comfort level, even if I had to get a little creative.

From Albania to Italy, all the “prime” spots were quickly snapped up. A quick scourer of the deck found a staircase. Below was dark, cool and quiet. I have definitely had worse nights of sleep in a bed.

From Koh Tao to Surat Thani in Thailand was basically a giant floating hostel of around 60 beds. It was amazing.

Both bed and temperature were comfortable. Another plus is you have an allocated bed so no need to rush on to claim a decent spot. Some beds were placed on the floor, it didn’t bother me too much, but to ensure a bunk, enquiring at ticket purchase would be best.

As is the case with most overnight transport, you’re in bunk beds without a storage locker to secure your things. A few tips I have developed along the way are:

• Put my belongings away from the aisle, and between my face or chest and against the wall.
• Wrapping one arm through the backstraps, or locking the straps to a fixed pole.
• Padlocking the zipper ensures people can’t just open the bag and take what they want!

Remember, most theft is opportunistic. Make it difficult for them and they will most likely walk away.

Many of these tips can be found in my ultimate guide to hostels and hostel frequently asked questions . These tips can be used in a number of situations when traveling.

Overnight Flights

Flights are almost a necessity for both international and domestic travel sometimes. A price of a flight can reflect quite a few things like stopovers, transit time and tier.

There are quite a few sites geared at getting the best deals for flights. I seem to gravitate towards Momondo.com, especially in foreign countries as the search engine checks for flights in multiple languages. Once your flight is selected, the third-party app/webpages redirect you to the affiliate airline site for you to complete your booking.

Since the search engine checks foreign languages, being directed to a hard to navigate site written in a foreign language can happen. To get around this, calling the airline company and booking over the phone has always worked for me. I just quote the price I found online and I’ve always been satisfied with the price.

It can be frustrating when it doesn’t go smoothly, but when it does I’m confident I’m getting the absolute best price available for that leg. This was especially true throughout Asia where a lot of budget airlines operate and other search engines, such as Google Flights, didn’t give the option.

Skyscanner is another great place to compare prices, especially throughout Europe. You can hop around major cities a few hours away for next to nothing.

If you’ve ever been searching for flights and suddenly the price jumps. It could be the flight is getting closer to selling out, but usually, it’s the flight app/site increasing the price as you searched for it more than once.

Sneaky, right?!  At least the fix is easy. By clearing cookies from within your browser settings, it makes your next search seem as if it’s your first.

Make sure you check out the best travel resources to book your next adventure.

Flights with layovers on purpose

Most of the time layovers are a nightmare. Whether they are so short you’re rushed to make your connecting flight, or they are so long that you go insane from boredom. Sometimes, a layover can work in your favor.

For example, some destinations are “layover worthy”. Iceland Air has a nice little bonus that you can separate your incoming and outgoing flight by days – even weeks! This is more than enough time to circumnavigate the beautiful ring-road surrounding this little gem of a destination.

While many destinations allow you to come and go freely from airports (it is still your responsibility to allow enough time to make your connecting flight). However, some airports take it a step further. Many airports offer “free transit-tours” Seoul in South Korea is one of these destinations. Depending on your layover length and your time of arrival at Incheon International Airport , you may have a range of tours to choose from. I met a couple that were doing 3 tours in a day – transport and tour guide included in this free tour. It was a great way to see a tiny piece of an interesting country.

Some airports are worthy of a layover in themselves. Seoul’s Incheon International Airport is one of these. With free showers, and a range of free activities – from music and dance displays to painting your very own traditional Korean roof tile.

So many airports make layovers fun, or at least take your mind off the regular tedious layover. San Fransisco has museums and even a movie theatre. Use Sleep In Airports   to get the scoop on any airport you are thinking about spending time in. Find places to sleep and much more. They are amazing at what they do.

Other ways to travel a country worth mentioning

Hiring vehicles is a definite possibility, and a lot of Southeast Asian destinations it can be the only way to visit lesser-known destinations. Hiring SEA motorbikes can come with a variety of scams, while a thorough check of your vehicle before you leave the hiring company office is a great habit to get into. I always (when possible) through a hostel affiliated company. If something goes wrong, there’s a good chance you won’t be left in the dark about what is going on!

This goes the same if you own your car – creating an extended road trip can give you the freedom to explore parts of a country you would never have seen otherwise.

Car sharing

I used a car-sharing app in Italy, and compared to a train it saved over $100, compared to a bus is saved a few hours! The site I used is called BlaBlaCar (link below). As always, checking intended drivers is highly suggested. Check their ratings and reviews. Maybe go for the driver of a 4.9-star rating with 100+ reviews, over the 5-star driver with a single review.

https://www.blablacar.com/

Just enter your intended travel route (where from, where to, and date) and you’ll be presented – hopefully – with a range of options. My experiences with this app have saved me both time and money.

If you can, why not turn a normal transit day into a sightseeing tour? An example I have of this – the stunning Hai Van Pass . A stretch of road from Hoi An to Hue in Vietnam. Instead of taking a normal bus or train, I sat on the back of a motorbike (a little more powerful than the 125cc ones I’m used to hiring). Included in the price was a confident and safe driver and an itinerary that made the Hai Van Pass a major Vietnam highlight.

Other times, just being on a transit day will automatically become a sight-seeing tour. Take the ferry to the beautiful Phi Phi Island !

“Tours” can pop up in some pretty unexpected places. Take  Laos to Cambodia border crossing for example. Booking tickets was simple, and the company handled everything to do with crossing the border well-known for scamming tourists.

Many other tours are one-way trips. Instead of just catching direct transport, why not see some things along the way?

Two well-respected companies are GetYourGuide.com and Viator. You can find my top travel resources for every adventure – click the link at the top of this page.

Just Walking

One of my favorite ways of getting from point A to B, as long as it’s a short distance.

If you can walk, I suggest doing traveling this way, for a number of reasons:

• You’ll see more sights than confined to a window of a taxi or bus. Some of the best sights are those not marked on any map or blog post.
• It’s much cheaper. You can’t get any cheaper than free.
• It’s good for you. I don’t travel nearly as healthy as I should sometimes, so I always love the option to walk.

Tips for long-distance travel

Most tips I suggest here for long-distance travel are broad and can be used regardless of the transport type.

• I can read and write easily without motion sickness to kill the time. To increase your tolerance for travel sickness , carrying sea sickness tablets seems to work fine. Through the 762 curve road from Chiang Rai to Pai in Thailand, my sea-sickness tablets were helpful!
• Having your phone charged at the end of your journey, or at least having your accommodation address written down is handy. Most bus stations – especially throughout Asia – are just outside city limits and a taxi/tuk-tuk is required. By having your intended address at the ready, it’s easy to deal with a swarm of taxi drivers. By leaving the taxi’s perched at the bus station and hailing a random one from a road (if possible) usually yields a better price.
• The majority of luxury/VIP buses will have a bathroom. But not all. Asking when you buy your ticket is a good idea if you want these facilities.
• A pillow/headrest for the inevitable nap is always in my transit day pack. As well as headphones and a way to cover my eyes from the intrusive light that stops a deep sleep. I use this style face mask.

Tips for traveling in the night

Most tips I suggest for night travel can be adapted to many different forms of night travel. As well as tips from the above “Long Distance” section carry over to this section.

• Most night transport is at least 6 hours long. If you’re lucky they allow you to stay on the bus to sleep a little longer ( SaPa in Vietnam ). Most drop-offs are early morning, around 4-8am – depending on routes/other stops/traffic.
• I always have this style face mask to block out that pesky light.
• I prefer headphones with soft music as white noise over headphones. It’s definitely not for everyone but works for me
• For overnight travel, depending on the length and how coherent I need to be at my destination, I take a combination of a sleeping pill and/or melatonin. It helps me to get the most out of a sometimes uncomfortable sleep.
• Setting an alarm is a good habit for night travel. It’s usually easy to find the expected arrival time. I give myself 10 minutes to pack my belongings. I left my phone on a bus in Kosovo, Eastern Europe. This is why I have this rule in place for every night transit.
• If you’re not totally sure of where you should get off, whether a connecting transport or your final destination, try and communicate with the driver. I took a passenger’s advice on a bus from Greece to Macedonia, and I ended up in Albania. I still remember that guy I put my faith in. Whoops.

Conclusion on best ways to travel a country

In the end, the “best” way to travel throughout a country is entirely subjective. Time constraints and personal preferences will play into the best choice. However, research will always be a huge part of this decision. Whether that is through Google or the drunk guy at your hostel bar. Take any and all reviews, both positive and especially negative reviews with a small grain of salt.

I’ve read and heard so many complaints along the lines of “the road was too windy to sleep” – this isn’t really the company’s problem. If you’re driving through mountains – expect some turns. If you’re on a boat in a storm – probably going to be a little choppy.

The point is, it’s not always where you end up that’s going to be your favorite story on the road. The hardships by simply traveling from one town to another have created some of my favorite travel stories ever.  Try it all and see what works for you!

Thanks for reading this post on the best travel transport types out there. If you found this post helpful, please share to social media.

Also, get your free travel checklist for planning your next journey.

Thanks for reading!

Happy and safe travels,

Ben – Horizon Unknown

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Newsletters
• Trip Planning
• Tech & Gear
• Apps & Sites

The 4 Apps You Need For Bus and Train Trips in the US

Making long-distance bus and train trips easier and cheaper

Long-distance public transport isn't always a great option in the US. Without the high-speed trains of Europe and Asia, covering such large distances can be time-consuming, and finding the right combination of routes is often laborious.

For shorter trips or those on a tight budget, however, these often-overlooked modes of transport offer a good alternative to flights or driving your own vehicle.

Download these four apps to make the process faster, easier and maybe even cheaper.

To get a good idea of the options you've got available, it's hard to go past Rome2Rio. The app asks for a start and end point, and shows any combination of flights, buses, trains, ferries and self-driving options you can take for the journey.

You'll get price information for each potential trip, along with its duration. Tap one that seems appealing, and you'll see the available schedule, map and a detailed breakdown of each step of the journey.

The app isn't perfect – prices and schedules change faster than they can be updated, and booking or schedule links don't always take you where they should. Still, to quickly discover which choices you've got and roughly how much they'll cost, it's always a useful place to start.

iOS  and Android

Dedicated solely to bus and train travel in North America, Wanderu is an essential part of the ground traveler's arsenal. The app covers over 2000 cities, with comprehensive information about carriers, routes and schedules in much of the United States and Canada, as well as key Mexican destinations..

Enter your start and end points, travel date and time and number of people, and the app quickly spits out a range of options.

On popular routes like New York City to Washington, DC, there are literally hundreds of choices. The app helpfully shows the cheapest, earliest, latest and shortest trips along the top of the screen, and tapping on any of them sorts the list that way. Longer and more obscure routes, unsurprisingly, have fewer options.

Selecting any trip shows detailed trip information, including start and end times and station address. Tapping the location icon loads that address into your favorite mapping app. Booking, too, is reasonably straightforward and done inside the app rather than pushing you out to the carrier's website – a nice touch.

Wandru is available on iOS and Android .

Given the lack of competition on the nation's rails, the Amtrak app is better than you might expect. You can book one-way, round-trip or multi-ride tickets directly, as well as update existing reservations.

Station information is available, along with trip details and information about any delays, and you can board using the barcode shown within the app. You can also check the current status of any train, if you're getting worried it's not going to show up on time.

The app is available on iOS , Android and Windows Phone .

With the biggest intercity bus network in the country, Greyhound can get you almost anywhere you want to go. The company's app has most of the features of the website, including booking tickets, checking schedules, and finding station locations and information.

Real-time bus status and location are also available. All bookings are stored in the 'My Trips' section, making it easy to see which trips you've got coming up. Discounts are shown in-app, and you can access your "RoadRewards" points if you're a member.

Note that it only works for Greyhound-branded services. If you want to use Bolt Bus, for example, it has its own app. Trips also need to originate within the continental United States to be bookable within the app.

The app is available on iOS and Android .

Related Articles

More related articles.

Long-Distance Medical Transport: A Guide to 7 Different Options

If you’re traveling and have medical concerns that require specialized transport, what are your options? Let’s dive in.

Published on May 21st, 2024 in Medical Evacuation

If you’re experiencing an emergency during your travels that requires you to seek long-distance medical transport, this guide is for you.

Medical emergencies are always stressful, of course, but if you’re out of your country and comfort zone, figuring out specialized travel arrangements can be particularly overwhelming.

A sudden fall or accident can turn a dream vacation into a living nightmare, and seeking out long-distance medical transportation can be a daunting process. But it can be necessary to ensure a safe and comfortable travel experience for your loved one should the unthinkable occur.

You might be wondering how to ensure safe and comfortable travel for you or your loved ones, what it might cost, and what options are available.

This guide cuts through the confusion, offering you clear and actionable information on coordinating these vital services. From evaluating providers to understanding the in-transit care process, we’ve got your concerns covered.

What to expect during the transportation process

The experience you or a loved one has during long-distance medical transportation varies significantly depending on the type of transportation (more on that later), but there are a few general things you can expect. First off, the attending physician will provide the best transportation recommendation for the care you need. For instance, if you have a broken arm but still have some mobility, a nurse escort on a commercial flight might be the best option.

But for a life-threatening injury or illness, you may require an air ambulance.

The medical team will also help coordinate with your insurance provider or travel assistance company to see what type of transportation is covered or offered.

The next general factor of medical transportation is the team that’s involved. No matter which type of transportation you use, a team of experienced medical professionals takes charge of the patient’s well-being.

Throughout the journey, flight nurses or trained paramedics oversee the medical equipment and medication, ready to deliver essential care at any time. These healthcare practitioners closely monitor the patient’s vital signs, administering medications as needed, and are poised to respond to any medical emergencies that may arise mid-transit.

The transportation, whether it be ground ambulances or air transport, is chosen based on a thorough evaluation of the patient’s medical condition, urgency, the travel distance, and the care level required during the transfer.

Another constant presence in long-distance medical transport is state-of-the-art medical equipment. From basic life support to advanced life support, to equipment used in critical care units are tailored to meet the diverse medical needs of patients and to provide the appropriate range of medical monitoring and care.

All vehicles come equipped with advanced safety features like airbags and wheelchair restraints, ensuring that during transit, the patient’s safety is never compromised.

The commitment to travel safely is further reinforced through regular checks and maintenance protocols, establishing a foundation of trust and reliability.

Factors that influence the cost of long-distance medical transport

Navigating the financial landscape of long-distance medical transport can be as complex as the medical conditions it serves.

A significant determinant of cost is the mode of transport chosen.

A commercial aircraft with a flight nurse can be cost-effective, whereas an air ambulance may be a pricier but medically necessary alternative. Commercial airlines, of course, have a shared pricing model where all the passengers ‘chip in’ so to speak, but with an air ambulance you will likely be the only passenger; hence the cost. Additionally, there is a significant difference in the cost to run and maintain different aircraft types (jets vs. small propeller planes) that also plays a role.

And of course, the patient’s specific medical requirements, including the level of medical support and the type of discharge from the sending facility, also play a pivotal role in defining the cost structure of the medical transport needed.

Moreover, the journey’s start and end points significantly influence the cost, with international transports that require border crossing or longer distances naturally incurring higher expenses.

Time sensitivity can also add to the cost; urgent or last-minute requests often come with a premium, reflecting the additional resources needed to accommodate such expedited services.

Types of long-distance medical transport vehicles

When it comes to long-distance medical transport, there are several options depending on the medical condition of the patient, the distance to be traveled, and specific medical needs.

Here are some of the main types of long-distance medical transport available:

1. Air Ambulance

An air ambulance is an aircraft specially equipped to quickly transport sick or injured patients over long distances, varying terrain, in a medically controlled environment and are outfitted with specialized medical equipment, similar to an ICU.

More info on air ambulances here .

This option is ideal for emergency situations where time is critical, such as severe trauma, acute medical emergencies, or when a patient must quickly reach a facility that offers specialized care that is unavailable locally.

The cost for these services can be great, and it’s not always clear if a standard health insurance plan will cover it. Specialized travel insurance or travel assistance memberships can help arrange an air ambulance transport and either cover or supplement the cost.

EA+ is the Best and Highly Recommended! When we signed up in 2019, we had no idea the importance of that decision.

This December, while finally taking our dream vacation to Fiji, my husband experienced a medical crisis. I immediately called EA+ and I cannot state emphatically enough how grateful I am for the immediate help I received.

Everyone I dealt with was exceptionally proficient in their capacity every step of the way. This was invaluable to me, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this took so much pressure and stress off my shoulders. We had to be medically evacuated to New Zealand for adequate care and EA+ found an apartment for me that was perfectly located near the hospital and airport.

I am grateful to the team that came in like the cavalry. All was seamless. EA+ is the best and highly recommended! – Lance N., Louisiana

More on air ambulances:

• What is an Air Ambulance?
• The Top 5 Reasons You Might Require an Air Ambulance

2. Commercial airline with nurse escort

Some commercial airlines are equipped with a section of the airplane to accommodate medical transportation depending on the patient’s stable medical condition and ability to travel at high altitude

Commercial airline stretcher services are specialized wheelchair services suitable for patients who are not in critical condition but need to travel lying down or with more space and are stable enough to handle the rigors of a commercial flight.

This is often used for non-emergency medical repatriations or when transferring patients over international distances.

A nurse escort (also called a medical escort) involves a health professional accompanying a patient on a commercial flight, providing necessary medical support in-flight. The patient can travel seated and is generally stable but may need assistance with medications, mobility, or monitoring.

If you are going to use a commercial airline, notify the airline as early as possible, ideally at booking or at least 48 hours before departure. Airlines often require a Medical Information Form (MEDIF) filled out by your doctor and may need medical clearance for certain conditions.

If you need supplemental oxygen, check for approved Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POCs) and necessary documentation. Carry all essential medication and supplies in your carry-on luggage, along with prescriptions.

Arrive early at the airport for extra check-in and security time. Inform check-in staff of your needs for assistance with boarding, deplaning, and navigating the airport. During security screening, notify staff of any medical devices.

Once onboard, inform flight attendants of your needs; they can assist and use medical kits if necessary.

Upon arrival, airline staff can help with disembarking and navigating the airport, and some airports have medical facilities for immediate assistance. Coordinating with the airline and preparing in advance ensures your medical needs are met throughout your journey.

3. Non-emergency medical transport (NEMT)

NEMT services provide transportation for patients who do not require immediate medical care but need assistance getting to and from medical facilities for appointments or treatments.

Vehicles used range from specially equipped vans to ambulances, depending on the patient’s needs.

This service is ideal for individuals with mobility issues, those who require regular treatments like chemotherapy or dialysis, or those who need post-operative transport for follow-up visits.

4. Long-distance ground ambulance

This service uses ambulances equipped to handle longer journeys, providing necessary medical care en route.

Long-distance ground ambulances can be used for patients who need continuous medical supervision, such as those with unstable vital signs, requiring intravenous therapy, or on ventilators, and the destination is accessible by road.

5. Train ambulance services

In some regions, train carriages are fitted with medical facilities to transport patients over long distances. Train ambulances are railway carriages converted into mobile medical units to transport patients over long distances.

This option provides a stable and smooth environment, suitable for patients who need a comfortable setting, are in a stable condition, and where the rail network can efficiently connect the origin and destination cities.

6. Mobile intensive care units (ICUs)

These are advanced ambulances equipped like a hospital ICU to provide high-level medical care. They are staffed with specialized medical personnel and used to transport critically ill patients who need intensive care during transport but are traveling to a destination reachable by road.

This is chosen in situations where air transport is not necessary or practical but the patient requires continuous, intensive medical monitoring and treatment.

Each of these options offers different levels of care and comfort, and the choice depends on the specific health requirements of the patient, the urgency of travel, and the budget available. It’s important for consumers to consult with healthcare professionals to choose the most appropriate type of medical transport for their specific situation.

In many cases when you need long-distance medical transport, you won’t have time to interview dozens of providers. This is because the transportation will often be tied to an urgent medical situation. The process itself may take coordinating with multiple parties, sending paperwork and clearances, and arranging transportation before and after the medical transport. It can become complex and even overwhelming.

Additionally, the process is not quite the same as ordering a taxi. It’s expensive, and you’ll want to make sure that cost is covered somehow.

This is where Emergency Assistance Plus (EA+) can be a game-changer. EA+ is a travel assistance membership that offers a network of professionals equipped to arrange medical transport for you and your loved ones during medical emergencies when traveling.

Whether it’s organizing an air ambulance, helping you avoid high transport costs, or providing access to medical professionals who ensure safe and comfortable transport, EA+ is designed to handle the uncertainties so you can focus on what truly matters—the health and well-being of your loved one.

Choosing EA+ means opting for peace of mind. With 24/7 access to a network of pre-screened medical providers worldwide and comprehensive support in managing medical transportation logistics, EA+ ensures that no detail is overlooked.

This commitment to safety, comfort, and professional medical care, backed by robust support systems, makes EA+ an invaluable partner in managing long-distance medical transport needs.

So, as you consider the best options for medical transport, remember that EA+ is not just about transportation—it’s about delivering comprehensive care and support when you need it most.

Visit our website to learn how EA+ can help simplify your long-distance medical transport challenges and ensure a seamless, stress-free journey for your loved ones.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of medical conditions are suitable for long-distance medical transportation?

Long distance medical transportation is suitable for a range of non-emergency medical conditions, including chronic illness, cancer, dementia, mobility issues, and stroke recovery. It is not advised for patients on ventilators or with tracheostomies.

Can family members accompany a patient during long-distance medical transport?

Typically yes,, a family member, especially parents of pediatric patients, can accompany their loved one during medical transport to provide emotional support and continuity of care. However, there are space limitations depending on the type of transport vehicle used.

How is the cost of long-distance medical transport determined?

The cost of long-distance medical transport is determined by various factors such as the mode of transport, the patient’s medical requirements, departure and arrival locations, and the urgency of the transport request. These elements play a crucial role in determining the overall cost. Additionally, if you have any additional protections in place beyond your medical insurance to cover these types of costs, this may help reduce out of pocket expenses.

How do long-distance medical transportation services ensure patient comfort during the journey?

Long-distance medical transportation services ensure patient comfort during the journey by providing spacious vehicles, bedside-to-bedside service, specialized equipment, and managing physiological changes to ensure a stress-free experience for patients.

What steps are involved in preparing for long-distance medical transport?

When preparing for long distance medical transport, it’s important to consult with RN flight coordinators, complete a pre-transfer checklist to ensure medical stability, and address all preventable complications beforehand. This helps to ensure a safe journey for the patient.

Safe Travels Start Here

Should a medical emergency derail your travel, Emergency Assistance Plus® (EA+®) has you protected no matter where you are.

Related resources

How to Arrange Medical Evacuation from the Caribbean

Medical Evacuation

Traveling to the Caribbean is a dream, but medical emergencies can occur. Our guide helps you arrange medical evacuation for prompt, effective care.

Medevac Protection Explained: Why You Might Need It

From vehicle types to examples of real-life scenarios, discover everything you need to know about medevac protection.

Life-Changing Travel Assistance

If a medical emergency occurs while you’re traveling—either domestically or abroad—you want to know that you and your loved ones are well-protected. Emergency Assistance Plus not only offers that protection but the peace of mind to explore the world with confidence.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

" * " indicates required fields

By subscribing, you give us permission to send you valuable content, expert advice, and exclusive EA+ offers. We will not sell or distribute your email address to any third party at any time. View our privacy policy .

I've spent 160 hours traveling by train. It's the best mode of transportation for 4 simple reasons.

• After spending 160 hours on the rails, I think trains are the best mode of transportation. 
• From North America to Europe, I've found trains more comfy and reliable than flights and cars. 
• Traveling by train is also one of the most sustainable ways to get around the world. 

More than 24 million travelers have taken an Amtrak train since October 2023, The Wall Street Journal reported in July . That's 18% more than the previous year, putting the US train company in a position to transport a record number of travelers in 2024.

For me, it's easy to see why more Americans are opting for train travel .

I have taken a lot of flights and road trips throughout my life, but three years ago, I dabbled in the world of railroads and never looked back.

After spending 160 hours traveling more than 5,000 miles in various classes with Amtrak in the US, Via Rail in Canada , and several train lines in Europe , I've found that it's the most comfortable and reliable way to get around sustainably. 

Now, traveling by train is my preferred method of transportation, from short trips to overnight rides.

Trains are one of the most sustainable forms of travel.

I like to be conscious of the environmental impacts of my travels. When it comes to transportation, sustainability experts told me that traveling by train is more sustainable than flying. 

In the US,  Amtrak has reported that taking trains over flights reduces a traveler's carbon emissions by 72%. In Europe, Eurail has reported that traveling by train contributes between 66% and 75% less carbon than driving or flying.

Trains are also the most reliable rides, in my experience.

While my train journeys haven't had a perfect track record, I've experienced the fewest and shortest delays while traveling by train . Most of my rides have departed and arrived on time. And on rare occasions, I've experienced delays up to two hours long. 

This is nothing compared to the countless delayed flights I've experienced in recent years. Delays between an hour and 24 hours later than the original departure time have almost made me miss family events. The uncertainty of whether I'll get to my destination on time makes me anxious every time I fly.

Over the past couple of years, trains have also proven more reliable than road trips for me, thanks to traffic jams that have resulted in longer drive times. 

I find trains to be more comfortable than other modes of transportation.

In my experience, train seats are typically larger and more comfortable than plane or car seats. I also find that upgrades are more affordable on trains than on planes, so I've been able to ride in first and business class in large, plush seats.

When it comes to overnight rides, I think a bunk on a sleeper train is much easier to sleep on than a passenger seat in a car or economy seat on a red-eye flight because I can lie down completely. 

Overall, I've found that taking trains makes my trip feel more like the journey is part of the destination.

In addition to being a comfortable, sustainable, and reliable mode of transportation, traveling by train has given me unparalleled views of the world, with landscapes changing every second.

Being stuck on a train for long periods of time also forces me to sit back and do nothing, which I don't often prioritize in my daily life.

So I know I'll keep traveling by train whenever possible.

• Main content

• Operated by Occupational & Physical Therapists

• All Categories
• New! Products

Customer Service:

1-800-827-8283

Top 7 transport wheelchairs.

Being a homebody and housebound are two very different things. Many people do not leave their house daily, but some stay home because they do not have a choice. According to the Bereau of Transportation Statistics, a startling 3.6 million Americans with travel-limiting disabilities don’t leave home because they are housebound . Live your best life and be the best you with RehabMart's extensive catalog of mobility supports and devices. 

Transport wheelchairs are a low-cost alternative to help you get around if you are unable to use a self-propelled or electric wheelchair. They are most commonly used by seniors that are running errands (e.g., grocery store, appointments). They are also ideal if you are recovering from a short-term disability. Overall, transport wheelchairs are designed for short-term circumstances and trips.

In this article, we educate you on the most important features to consider before purchasing, highlight our absolute favorite transport wheelchairs, and answer frequently asked questions. 

• Best All-Around: Ultra Lightweight Ergonomic Transport Chair by Karman Healthcare
• Best Ergonomic: StrongBack Transport Chairs - Excursion 8 and 12
• Best Ultra-lightweight: Ultralight Transport Chairs by Medline
• Best for Outdoors: Lightweight Folding Transport Wheelchair by Vive Health
• Best 2-in-1 Design: Excel Translator Combo Transport Chair and Rollator by Medline
• Best with Removable Armrest: Lightweight Transport Chair by Karman Healthcare
• Best on a Budget: Drive Medical Wrangler Economy Steel Transport Chairs

Features to Consider Before Purchasing

Product weight.

One of the most important considerations when thinking about investing in a transport wheelchair is the weight of the product. Generally, the lighter the better, as these chairs will need to be lifted and stored frequently before and after use. This is especially important if you will frequently be using the transport chair to travel short distances, as a caregiver or aide will need to be able to lift and fold the chair more than once. Most transport chairs weigh between 15 and 30 pounds, and the product’s weight usually does not include its footrests (since footrests are usually removable and taken off prior to transport).

Weight Capacity

Each transport chair has a specific weight capacity, which indicates the maximum amount of weight the chair can support without being compromised. Generally, the most lightweight chairs cannot accommodate as much weight as the sturdier, heavier chairs, so be sure to check the product specifications carefully before purchasing. A heavier chair with a higher weight capacity might make more sense for individuals who plan to use the transport chair for longer outings or outdoor use, as opposed to quick transfers to another seated position in a car or clinic. Most transport chairs can accommodate weight up to 200 lbs, although some can accommodate up to 300 lbs. 

Wheels 

Transport chairs are usually designed to be pushed by a caregiver (as opposed to propelled forward by the individual in the chair), so the wheels are smaller than those found on standard wheelchairs. The majority of the wheels are between 8”-12” in diameter that cannot be reached while sitting in the chair. It’s important to keep wheel diameter and material in mind as you look through products, since some of these wheels are designed for specific types of outings (for example, some are designed for outdoor use). 

Portability

Another important consideration is whether the transport chair has the capacity to fold when not in use. A chair that easily folds flat and can be stored in small spaces will make a caregiver’s life much easier when providing assistance. The capacity to fold will be especially important for individuals who travel frequently. Some folding transport chairs simply collapse in half, while others can fold up to an even smaller size to fit underneath a standard bed. 

Caregiver Brakes

Since transport chairs are pushed by a caregiver, they are designed with brakes on the rear that are controlled by the person pushing in the back. There are, however, some combination rollator/transport chairs that may come with hand brakes that can be set by the user. Make sure you choose a transport chair that suits your preference for the product’s brakes to help keep you or your loved one safe during transport. 

#7   Drive Medical Wrangler Economy Steel Transport Chairs

Best on a budget.

The Wrangler Economy Steel Transport Chair from Drive Medical comes in at #7. This is a great all-around transport chair; it comes in multiple widths to support an increased number of patients, weighs only 26 lbs, supports up to 250 lbs, and features four 8” rubber wheels for increased comfort going over bumpy surfaces. 

The chair folds easily in half for simple disassembly on the go. The seat has a nylon surface for easy cleaning, and the armrests are padded for added comfort. Finally, there is an adjustable footrest and seat belt for increased safety. The chair also features standard wheel locks in the back, operated by the caregiver. 

Top Features

• Affordable price compared to many chairs with the same features
• Available in multiple widths 
• Has four 8” rubber wheels for increased comfort and shock absorption
• Folds in half for easy transfers

Customer Feedback

• Sturdy steel frame feels secure
• Padded seat is comfortable over long periods of time 
• Multiple widths gives patients more flexibility 
• Back folds down for easier transport 
• Core structure of the product is not adjustable; arm rests do not detach

#6   Lightweight Transport Chair by Karman Healthcare

Best with removable armrest.

Earning #6 on our list is the Lightweight Transport Chair by Karman Healthcare . This chair is ideal for individuals who are more limited in mobility, as the detachable armrests allow users to more easily transition from this chair into another, more stable seat. This avoids users having to walk, shuffle, or be carried to another wheelchair or seat. The product weighs 29 lbs with the armrests on and can accommodate up to 250 lbs. 

This transport chair is available in multiple widths to accommodate more patients. It also has four 8” rubber casters that provide a smooth ride, even over rough terrain, and the backrest folds down for simplified disassembly. There are multiple add-on features available, including a cup holder and various sizes of carrying pouches. 

• Detachable armrests for increased flexibility 
• Product has a range of optional accessories, including a cup holder, and small or large carrying pouches 
• Has four 8” rubber wheels for smooth riding 
• Feels as stable as a standard wheelchair
• Customers appreciated the optional add-on features
• Detachable armrests help with transfers
• On the heavier side of transport chairs

#5   Excel Translator Combo Transport Chair and Rollator by Medline

Best 2-in-1 design.

Our 5th pick is the Excel Translator Combo Transport Chair and Rollator by Medline . This versatile product can either be used as a classic transport chair–requiring the help of a caregiver or aide to push–or as a rollator, which can be used by the patient independently. It is only 18 pounds itself but can accommodate up to 250 pounds in weight capacity. It features wheels on the smaller side for a sleeker design and easy storage: the front wheels are 6" in diameter and back wheels are 7.25". 

This product is a great fit for mobile older adults who want the option to sit, rest, or be pushed between walks. The CDC recommends that older adults exercise as much as possible to maintain physical and mental wellbeing. This transport chair design encourages older adults who have limited mobility to continue exercising when possible, which can help maintain health, independence, and quality of life. 

• Convertible design between rollator and transport chair 
• Lightweight design without compromising weight capacity (250 lbs) 
• Includes side carrying case, cup holder, and basket underneath the seat 
• Rollator option encourages mobility and independence 
• Accessories are convenient 
• Hand brakes accessible to the user 
• Product comes pre-assembled 
• Smaller wheels not as suitable for rough terrain 
• Lightweight design makes it a little less smooth 

#4   Lightweight Folding Transport Wheelchair by Vive Health

Best for outdoors.

#4 on the list is the Lightweight Folding Transport Wheelchair by Vive Health . This is a great option for older adults or adults with limited mobility who are looking for a highly rated comfortable transport chair for frequent use. One of the main perks of this chair are its large back wheels (12” in diameter) along with the two supportive front wheels (8” in diameter). These ensure a smooth ride and make the product suitable over rough terrain, especially outdoors. The product weighs 29.5 lbs but it can accommodate up to 300 lbs in weight capacity. 

It also features caregiver hand brakes located on the handles; most transport chairs only feature rear locking wheels. It is simple to fold for storage and fits easily into the back of cars for transfers to appointments and other day-to-day outings. 

• Great option for frequent outdoor use 
• Designed for compact storage 
• Larger back wheels make for a sable, smooth ride
• Accommodates up to 300 lbs
• Sleek design makes it easy to disassemble and store
• Has hand brakes accessible to the patient 
• Cushioned seat is comfortable and an appropriate height to sit at a table
• On the heavier side of transport chairs 

#3   Ultralight Transport Chairs by Medline

Best ultra-lightweight.

Our #3 choice is the Ultralight Transport Chair by Medline . This product is impressive because it offers high performance and weight capacity (300 lbs) while only weighing 15 lbs–the lightest on the market! It is ideal for users who are constantly on-the-go and need to be transferred frequently between locations. It also includes a seat belt for added safety and a cup holder for convenience. 

The seat is in the standard range at 19” to accommodate the majority of users on the market. It also features desk-length armrests for added comfort. The back folds down for easy folding and storage. The back two wheels are 8” diameter for stability but the front two are smaller (6” in diameter), which contributes to the product’s overall sleek and lightweight design. 

• Ultra lightweight design at 15 lbs is ideal for travel 
• Available in many colors, including a unique, cancer-awareness pink design 
• Can accommodate a high weight capacity despite small size 
• Users appreciate the range of colors
• Lightweight design makes it easy to travel with, even at airports 
• Lower price compared to many comparative transport chair models
• Smaller wheels are not ideal for outdoor use

#2   StrongBack Transport Chairs - Excursion 8 and 12

Best ergonomic.

Earning the #2 spot on our list is the StrongBack Transport Chair, the Excursion 8 and 12 , by Strongback Mobility . This chair was specially designed to provide ergonomic back support and enhance posture for individuals seated for longer periods of time. One of the main advantages of this model is the range of chairs available–it comes in 3 widths and 2 rear wheel sizes to provide a variety of options for users. 

The larger back wheel size is a 12” model, which weighs 26 lbs and is a great option for users who frequently travel on outdoor terrains such as mud, grass, gravel, snow, or even sand. The smaller option has 8” back wheels and is more suitable for indoor surfaces. It weighs only 19 lbs and folds even smaller than the 12” model to fit easily in a car trunk, under a bed, or for use on public transportation. Both models can accommodate up to 300 lbs in weight capacity. 

• Available with 12” or 8” rear wheel diameters 
• Designed to support back weight; great for patients with underlying back pain 
• Has adjustable lumbar support for added flexibility and comfort 
• Available in 3 widths to accommodate more users 
• Extremely comfortable design makes it great for sitting for long periods of time 
• Hand brakes are accessible to the person sitting in the chair for increased independence 
• Compact design makes storage easy 
• Higher price compared to many other models without specialized back support 

#1   Ultra Lightweight Ergonomic Transport Chair by Karman Healthcare

Best all-around.

The best overall choice is the Ultra Lightweight Ergonomic Transport Chair by Karman Healthcare . The most impressive feature is the combined stability and comfort of this item without the compromise of weight; although the ergonomic transport chair weighs just 23 lbs, it can support up to 250 lbs and has big back wheels (14” in diameter) to carry users over challenging terrain. It is one of the most comfortable transport chairs on the market according to the customer reviews. Its ergonomic design supports the user’s back and evenly distributes body weight to reduce the risk of pressure sores with long-term use. 

Other notable features include the special push-to-lock manual brakes, which give users more flexibility and independence over when they want to stop and stand. The material on the seat is made from breathable antibacterial upholstery that is removable for easy cleaning. It is also one of the smallest transport chairs on the market when folded up, making it great for longer trips or any travel that might require a caregiver to carry the item. 

• Extremely robust design is suitable for use as a transport wheelchair and every-day wheelchair 
• Plush seat design lowers the risk of pressure sores from long-term use 
• 14” back casters provide stability and support for a smooth ride 
• Ergonomic design supports posture and is great for patients with underlying back issues 
• Product is available in three seat widths to accommodate many users 
• Ideal for use outside due to large back wheels 
• Folds up to 12” for simple storage and travel 
• More expensive than most other transport chairs on the list

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: who needs a transport wheelchair.

A: The best candidates for transport chairs are older adults or adults with limited mobility who can be transferred from varying seated positions without much difficulty. They are also suitable for individuals who need to travel to/from appointments and other day-to-day activities. An analysis of wheelchair users in London showed that these individuals experience more difficulty with transportation; transport chairs are therefore designed to make transportation less cumbersome. 

Q: What is the difference between a transport chair and a wheelchair?

A: The main difference is that transport chairs have smaller wheels and are usually pushed by a caregiver, whereas standard manual wheelchairs allow the user to push themselves. Because of this key difference, transport chairs are generally lighter in weight (15-30 lbs compared to 30-40 lbs). 

Q: Does Medicare pay for a transport chair?

A: Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) will cover up to 80% of the cost of transport chairs. However, this depends on whether you meet some or all of the defined criteria. You may want to review and discuss your eligibility with a provider before investing in a transport chair.

Q: What are transport wheelchairs’ best uses?

A: Transport chairs are less stable than standard wheelchairs and require the help from a caregiver, so they are best for individuals with caregivers who want to take part in outdoor outings, grocery shopping, or who have frequent doctor’s appointments requiring frequent transfer between home and a clinic. 

Q: How much does a transport wheelchair weigh? 

A: Transport wheelchairs are lighter than standard wheelchairs, weighing between 15-30 lbs (compared to 40-50 lbs for a standard wheelchair). The lightest models on the market usually have the smallest wheels and are a bit less stable and smooth, while the heavier models are harder to store but offer more stability and are more suitable for outdoor use on uneven terrain. 

Q: How much weight can a transport wheelchair hold?

A: Standard transport wheelchairs typically support 200 lbs, although some are designed to accommodate more weight (up to 300 lbs). 

Q: Can a transport wheelchair be used as a regular wheelchair?

A: Some individuals may find standard wheelchairs too heavy and cumbersome to use; in these cases, a transport wheelchair may be appropriate for use as a regular wheelchair. There are benefits to standard wheelchairs for everyday use, however, including the ability to operate independently. Since a transport wheelchair involves help from a caregiver, only individuals who have around-the-clock support will be able to use transport wheelchairs for regular use. 

Q: What is the width of a transport wheelchair?

A: Transport chairs generally come in three sizes: Narrow, which is 17 inches or below; Standard, which is 20 inches; and Wide, which is 22 inches or wider. There is a general association with the seat width and weight capacity (more narrow seats generally accommodate less weight than wider seats), although there is substantial variability between chairs. 

Final Thoughts

Having a supportive transport chair that is also easy to use and store can make a world of difference to wheelchair users or any adults with limited mobility. Wheelchair users all have unique preferences in terms of what they consider the most important features, and luckily there are products on the market that suit a wide range of patient preferences. If you are considering investing in a transport chair for the first time (or helping a loved one pick out a chair), begin by identifying which product features you want to prioritize in your search. 

We believe that our #1 pick, the Ultra Lightweight Ergonomic Transport Chair by Karman Healthcare , has the best overall combination of user-friendly features, including a large back wheel for outside use, ergonomic design for back comfort, high weight capacity, and small folding size for easy travel. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read about our seven top picks for transport wheelchairs! For more information about transfer chairs, take some time to check out our transport wheelchair and portable wheelchair page and be sure to visit Caregiver University for more information about products and caregiver resources!

Drive Medical Expedition Aluminum Transport Wheelchair with Loop Locks

Drive Medical Bariatric Aluminum Transport Chair

Medline Aluminum Transport Chair by Medline

Lightweight Folding Transport Wheelchair by Vive Health

Medline Ultralight Transport Wheelchairs

Excel Translator Combo Transport Chair and Rollator by Medline

ProBasics Heavy-Duty Transport Wheelchair

Drive Medical Bariatric Steel Transport Chair

Drive Medical TranSport Aluminum Transport Chair

Lightweight Folding Transport Chair by McKesson

Subscribe for caregiver university updates, shipping information, standard ground shipping, freight shipping (truck freight).

• Strollers /
• Car Seats /

Best Travel Systems for Parents Who Want a Car Seat + Stroller Combo

Travel systems—car seat + stroller combos—make getting out with your baby a lot easier., by jen labracio, cpst | medically reviewed by holly peretz ot.

When you’re ready to get out the door with your baby, a car seat and a stroller are key. Thanks to the genius who designed the first travel system―an infant car seat that attaches to a stroller―you can make one purchase and get both essentials. 

We’ve weighed feedback from thousands of Babylist families, spoken to several experts and tested dozens of car seat stroller systems over the years, and we think the Chicco Corso LE Modular Travel System is the best travel system for most families. It combines our top infant car seat pick, the KeyFit 35 , with the Corso LE stroller, creating a travel system that’s high-quality, easy to use and competitively priced.

And since we know parents shopping for a travel system often appreciate a good value, we’ve chosen three additional favorites in an affordable, mid-range and luxury price point so you can find the best combo for your budget and your lifestyle.

Why Trust Babylist?

Babylist is the expert in baby; we know baby gear inside and out. We talk with parents face-to-face in our showroom and on our user panels and hear from thousands of people annually via our Best Baby Products survey. We know what items millions of expecting parents are adding to their baby registries. 

I have over half a decade of experience with baby gear of all types, especially car seats and strollers. I’ve tested countless travel system combos both in my role as Babylist’s gear editor and as a mom of two young boys, ages ten and two. I also spoke with many industry and safety experts while writing this guide, including Joe Colella, the Director of Child Passenger Safety at the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association and 2020 Child Passenger Safety Hall of Fame Inductee, pediatrician Kelly Fradin , MD, FAAP and Courtney English , a pediatric occupational therapist. I also talked to a car seat safety expert, Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) Samantha Taylor of Mama Knows Car Seats . 

I interviewed Babylist Showroom Registry Consultants Tatyanna Hunter Jones and Pateel Markaradi, part of a trained team of experts who work on the Babylist Beverly Hills floor, answering questions daily about baby gear and helping parents-to-be build their baby registries. I also incorporated travel system feedback from thousands of parents through Babylist’s annual Best Baby Products survey of over 6,000 Babylist users and talked to parents at Babylist for their input.

The Best Travel Systems

Best Overall: Chicco Corso LE Modular Travel System

Best Affordable: Graco Modes Nest Travel System

Best Mid-Range: Nuna x Babylist PIPA urbn & TAVO Travel System

Best Luxury: UPPAbaby Aria Infant Car Seat & Vista V2 Stroller Travel System

How We Judged

Ease of use. Most parents choose a travel system for convenience. All of the car seat stroller systems on our list work seamlessly both together and on their own. 

Best of both worlds. Many travel systems on the market offer a great stroller but a not-so-great car seat—and vice versa. We chose car seat stroller systems with the best of the best in both categories.

Features. We focused on features like safety, ease of install, canopies, a multi-position seat, storage and recline options when choosing our best travel system picks. 

Value. Travel systems range from a few hundred dollars to well over a thousand. We factored in cost while making our top choices to provide you with a solid option at any budget. 

Best Overall Travel System

Chicco Corso LE Modular Travel System - Veranda

• Car seat is a parent + safety expert favorite
• Slim car seat, works 3-across in most cars
• Stroller has great maneuverability + many high-end features (for a mid-range price)
• Rear suspension and rubber tires = smooth ride
• Car seat is heavier than some other options
• Stroller handlebar isn’t adjustable
• No snack tray or cup holder included

Most parents choose a travel system for two reasons: convenience and value. Chicco’s Corso Travel System checks both of those boxes—and more.

This travel system includes the KeyFit 35 infant seat, a popular parent and expert favorite and our top pick for best infant car seat . It’s “remarkably easy to install,” according to CPST Taylor, and fits babies of all sizes well. It also has high rear-facing height and weight limits, meaning you’ll be able to rear-face your little one longer than in many other car seats. (This is called “extended rear-facing,” and it’s a term you’ll likely come across as you research car seats.)

“According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it’s safest for infants and toddlers to ride rear-facing in a car seat for as long as possible,” explains Colella. “This recommendation is based on data showing that rear-facing seats offer better protection in crashes for children from birth through 23 months of age.”

The included stroller is just as praiseworthy. Every time I push it, I forget I’m not maneuvering a stroller that’s double the cost. That’s because of the many premium features like large, foam-filled tires and rear-wheel suspension for a smooth ride, a multi-position reclining seat, an adjustable canopy and footrest and leatherette trim. The seat is modular so you can face your baby toward you or out into the world. And the stroller seat is fully removable, turning it from a full-featured toddler stroller into a lightweight, skeleton frame that’s much easier to manage when you’re using it with just the infant car seat.

There aren’t many downsides to this travel system, especially considering the price. The few I’d note include that the car seat is on the heavier side (just over 10 pounds), which can make a difference when you’re getting it in and out of a car, and is a longer seat front-to-back, so fit could be an issue in more compact cars and/or if your front seat driver or passenger are tall. Speaking of tall folks (I’m 5’10”), the stroller doesn’t have an adjustable handlebar. And the storage basket has a 10-pound weight limit, which is lighter than most and isn’t ideal if you use your stroller for heavier items like groceries.

Real Parent Reviews

“This travel system has been so great, and is holding up well 8 months in. The car seat is really easy to adjust as baby has grown, and is so easy to install. And I love that the 35-pound weight limit means we’ll be able to have her rear-facing for longer. The stroller is the thing that I use the most, and it is one of the best pieces of baby gear we have. It’s super maneuverable and very easy to push one-handed. We walk every day in our city neighborhood with old broken sidewalks and the stroller handles all that terrain beautifully. The stroller can also be used comfortably by people of different heights. I’m 5’5” and my husband is 6’2” and we can both comfortably push the stroller. My husband doesn’t kick the stroller when he’s walking (something that I’ve read can be an issue for tall people with other strollers).” — Kate H

“As a CPST I trust Chicco and all of their products. The ease of the KeyFit35 install is to die for. The car seat also feels comfortable and sturdy. I also love this stroller! The one-hand fold and the sleek design. It looks beautiful with the flower-like wheels and leather handle. It’s also a beautiful color. I would recommend to anyone.” — Patience Mabin

“I get so many compliments on my Corso LE travel system. I love it so much… It is a smooth, stylish ride. My only conundrums are the following: I’m 62 inches tall (5ft 1.75in) and the handlebar is to my chest. I don’t mind it too much, but it would be nice if the handlebars were adjustable. I wish the storage basket supported a bit more weight. I haven’t had any issues yet, but the limit of 10 lbs is always on my mind while food shopping alone…Overall, definitely recommend this stroller. Very easy to fold and store. I love the handle it has, and it’s a great price.” — Ysa

Additional Specs

Best Affordable Travel System

Graco Modes Nest Travel System - Sullivan

• Good value considering safety + features
• Infant car seat is easy to install; also has anti-rebound bar
• Stroller includes bassinet mode
• Child snack tray and cup holder included
• Plastic wheels, no suspension system (rides can be bumpy)
• Self-standing fold only works when toddler seat is forward-facing
• Folding and unfolding take some getting used to

Affordability can be a roadblock with some travel systems. Even mid-priced systems average about $500, and many creep well over that mark. The Graco Modes Nest is our favorite for an affordable pick, coming in at under $400.

Like the Chicco system above, the car seat included with this travel system is a parent favorite from the brand’s SnugFit line, a line of seats known for their ease of install. “The SnugLock arm on the base makes installation in any vehicle an absolute breeze,” says Taylor. The seat weighs under 10 pounds and features an anti-rebound bar (a bar that reduces the movement of the car seat in the event of a crash, adding a layer of safety) and five recline positions for proper installation and a comfortable fit. It also has a high rear-facing weight and height limit.

The standout feature of the Modes Nest stroller is optionality. It’s three strollers in one, working as an infant car seat carrier (you can click the car seat directly onto the stroller frame), a bassinet (called a pram in this case) and a toddler stroller with the ability to flip the seat parent- or forward-facing. The bassinet is a noteworthy addition here. While babies sometimes fall asleep in an infant car seat, AAP safe sleep recommendations say you need to transfer them to a firm, flat sleep space as soon as possible. The bassinet mode in this stroller allows you to stroll safely while your baby snoozes and not worry about moving them from a car seat. The toddler seat also has three different height positions, a nice perk when your baby is parent-facing so you can keep them close. Especially considering the price, these are all impressive (and convenient) features.

The biggest downside of this travel system lies in the stroller. Like many lower-priced options, there isn’t much suspension and the stroller’s wheels are plastic, making for a bumpy ride over anything other than smooth pavement. (More expensive strollers will have foam or air-filled tires.) This wouldn’t be my pick if I lived in a more rural area with dirt or gravel paths or if I was in a big city with uneven sidewalks. Many parents also note that this travel system is a pain to put together. But for the right family, the Modes is a solid choice and a great value.

“The car seat was easy to install and feels very tight and secure with the added Snuglock feature. It easily adjusts its harness height with just the squeeze of a button and the carry bar can be adjusted with one hand as well. The shade cover comes down nice and far and has a very elegant look to it as well….The stroller is very beautiful and customizable. My favorite feature is the HUGE storage basket! That is a must for me…The sun shade on the toddler seat comes down nice and low and the seat reclines in multiple positions. The braking system was easy to push and lift. The stroller frame itself is lightweight and easy to stick in the trunk for an outing. It works very well with the car seat…The main problem I had with the stroller was that it cannot handle going over any type of lip or ledge in the sidewalk. If it hits a bump it jarringly stops and can not glide over it. It then has to be lifted over said bump which is not easy to do since the storage basket collapses and doesn’t give much foot levering support.” — Macai

“I’m tall and this stroller does not have me hunching over. I feel very comfortable pushing it around and the height adjustment on the seat is wonderful. Another bonus is that it is very sturdy and has decent-sized storage underneath. On the downside, sometimes it’s not a smooth action when folding it closed if the wheels are pointing a certain way.” — Jaymills

Best Mid-Range Travel System

Nuna Nuna x Babylist PIPA urbn & TAVO Travel System - Refined

• Baseless infant car seat with a quick, easy install
• Car seat weighs just 7 lbs
• 4-wheel stroller suspension = smooth ride
• Thoughtful stroller features: adjustable handlebar, breathable seat, magnetic buckles
• Car seat has lower height and weight limits compared to many infant seats
• Stroller seat isn’t reversible to be parent-facing
• Child snack tray sold separately

Coming in at just under $700, this travel system is on the pricier side of mid-range but I think worth the extra splurge. It combines a popular car seat and stroller into one beautiful, functional system. “Just stop stressing and get this one,” one Babylist parent commented. (And if you’re stacking it up against other Nuna travel systems, I agree. The urbn also comes paired with the MIXX stroller, but it’s almost double the cost and I don’t think the MIXX’s features warrant that price tag. You can also pair the urbn with the TRVL , the brand’s lightweight stroller, but that combo is better suited for travel—and you can read why later in this guide.)

The infant car seat that’s included in this duo, the urbn, captivates me every time I install it. (You can see the installation for yourself in Nuna’s video .) That’s because it’s completely baseless and doesn’t even require a seat belt; simply push a button on either side of the seat to reveal the built-in lower anchor connectors and then attach them to the anchors in your vehicle’s back seat. That’s it! It’s foolproof and takes just a few seconds. And more so, it’s safe, as a properly installed car seat is a safe car seat. It’s also one of the lightest infant seats on the market, weighing in at seven pounds.

These features mean the urbn is a great seat for any family, but especially if you plan to use your seat on the go in rideshares or taxis. “I love being able to move the car seat in and out of any car without worrying about a base,” one Babylist parent told us.

High points of the TAVO are things parents have come to love about Nuna strollers, including a huge storage basket, four-wheel suspension for a smooth, easy push, an adjustable handlebar and a fairly compact fold considering the stroller’s size. I’m always impressed with Nuna’s attention to the little details that make a big difference. I love the breathability of the all-season seat and the magnetic buckles that make the task of getting your baby in and out of the stroller a bit less arduous.

The urbn does have a lower height and weight limit than many infant car seats, which is something to keep in mind when you’re thinking about your infant seat’s longevity. And the stroller doesn’t have a modular seat, so you won’t be able to parent-face your child unless you’re using the infant car seat attachment.

“After extensive research, this is the set we decided on. It had the most benefits for the price point. The baseless quick install has been a breeze. The stroller is really nice. It feels luxury and well-made and steers like a dream. The only con is that this is not a small, lightweight stroller. It will take up trunk space and it isn’t super light. It is great all around, however. The biggest benefit is that it has a built-in infant lounge position, which means you can use it from birth without the car seat.” — Dana N.

“I naively thought we’d never need a stroller (I could just carry the baby everywhere right?), but now that we have the TAVO I wish we had gotten it so much sooner. It’s a joy to use and makes everything about navigating the world with baby easier. They thought of it all when designing this model. It’s incredibly simple to use and everything about it is so smooth. Took a few tries to get the hang of the baseless car seat install, but now it’s a breeze to install and I love that there’s not a base always taking up a seat in the car.” — Ryan Q.

Best Luxury Travel System

UPPAbaby Aria Infant Car Seat & Vista V2 Stroller Travel System - Jake

• Stroller can fit up to 3 kids (with attachments; sold separately)
• Great suspension and huge storage basket
• Lightest car seat on the market at 6 lbs
• Car seat has anti-rebound panel and load leg
• Stroller has bulky fold
• Car seat is long front-to-back, may be a tight fit in smaller cars

If you have the budget and this stroller and car seat fit your lifestyle, this is my favorite travel system to recommend to parents-to-be who are up for a splurge. It’s similar to the car seat stroller combo I used (and loved) for years with my first son, although at that time the system came with the brand’s first infant car seat, the Mesa—and now that it includes the Aria instead, I love it even more. (But more on that later.)

UPPAbaby’s Vista V2 stroller consistently makes it into our best strollers guide. Almost 30% of the 6,000+ Babylist users who completed our Best Baby Products survey voted it as their favorite stroller—the highest percentage for any stroller on the list—saying it’s “worth every penny” and calling out the stroller’s quality as “amazing.”

The Vista is a pleasure to push. It steers easily with one hand, turns on a dime and takes on rougher surfaces like cracked sidewalks and gravel effortlessly. It also grows along with your family, accommodating two infant car seats, two bassinets and countless other combinations. Other features parents love include the modular seat (so baby can face you or the world), huge storage basket (with a 30-pound weight limit to hold all the things) and adjustable handlebar.

The Aria is just as great. It weighs just six pounds minus the canopy and inserts, the lightest infant car seat on the market and four pounds lighter than the brand’s other infant seat, the Mesa V2 . Even I was surprised at how light it was when I picked it up—and I’ve tested a lot of car seats. Safety features include an anti-rebound panel and a load leg as well as an easy-to-install LATCH system complete with visual indicators that turn red if something’s not right with installation.

Minus the price—this travel system’s obvious downside—know that the Vista V2 is a large stroller that’s not for everyone. (Need something to travel with or a stroller that you can pop in and out of your trunk a few times a day? The Vista probably isn’t for you.) The Aria takes up a bit more room front-to-back than some other seats, a concern if you drive a compact car or need more room in the front seat.

For a slightly more affordable option, check out the UPPAbaby Cruz V2 & Aria car seat stroller combo. The Cruz is more compact than the Vista and doesn’t convert to hold two+ kids, but you’ll save almost $400.

“We’ve been a big fans of UPPABaby strollers so we were excited about this pairing when looking for a travel system for our second baby. I could not be happier with the Aria. It’s SO light—I still can’t believe how much easier it is to carry than the last infant car seat I used. I also wanted a seat that prioritized safety and the Aria more than delivers. It’s also easy to install both with or without the base.” — JL

“So many options for car seats but we choose the V2 and it made sense to have the car seat as well. This was helpful when traveling to the doctors’ appointments on the 1st months. It’s easy to lift and place on frame with no hassle.” — Ellena

“Holy grail of strollers…Bassinet has been amazing for walks & for our baby to sleep during hockey games. The car seat is easy to maneuver from car to stroller which makes shopping & travel super easy! We can’t wait to use the toddler seat & love that this will transition with us when we decide to have a 2nd baby! The stroller is smooth and I can control with one hand when other hand is occupied…Worth every penny.” — Nikki W.

Other Travel Systems We Love

If you’re looking for something more specific in your travel system, like an extra lightweight option or something for jogging, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few more of our favorites. 

Best Lightweight Travel System

Nuna PIPA urbn & TRVL LX Travel System - Cedar

• Compact, lightweight stroller with easy fold
• Baseless infant car seat, weighs just 7 lbs
• Carry bag included
• Car seat has lower height and weight limits compared to other car seats
• Handlebar isn’t adjustable like with other Nuna strollers
• No snack tray available

If you plan on traveling frequently while your baby is an infant, or simply prefer a more lightweight stroller for everyday use, this is my travel system of choice. It includes the urbn, the baseless infant car seat reviewed above, and the TRVL stroller, Nuna’s lightest and most compact stroller. Standout stroller features include a quick, one-handed fold, a compact size (it stands on its own and weighs just over 13 pounds) and a smaller but easily accessed storage basket.

“Assembly was super easy and the quality of the materials and fabric is amazing. The set is compact, lightweight and the stroller is very agile with an effortless push/pull/turn functionality. The stroller’s easy collapse and standalone feature makes life much easier. I am giving it 4 stars and not 5 for the following reasons…Car seat requires rethreading harness which is less than ideal. Handlebar on stroller is not adjustable and when the canopy is pulled back it touches the handlebar, and therefore rubs against your hands. It would be nice if you could adjust the handlebar by being able to move it up, down, or out towards your body to avoid this and also for general height consideration of the person pushing the stroller. The button to secure the car seat in the stroller is very firm and not easy to click back and forth. The storage basket is very small and will not hold a normal-size diaper bag unless you squish it in. Adjusting the straps within the stroller isn’t difficult but the remaining slack dangles and isn’t easily secured. Overall, I think the quality and functionality outweigh some of the cons but its something for Nuna to consider when designing future models.” — Kristina D.

Easiest to Fold Travel System

Baby Jogger City Mini GT2 All-Terrain Travel System - Opulent Black

• Stroller folds with one hand in seconds
• 3-wheel design = easy to maneuver
• Car seat includes anti-rebound bar
• Bulky items/large diaper bags may be difficult to fit in the storage basket
• Stroller seat isn’t modular; only faces outward
• Car seat is heavy and fabric isn’t very breathable

The Baby Jogger City Mini GT2 stroller is a parent favorite and a Babylist bestseller thanks to its agility and unparalleled one-handed fold. This travel system matches it with the brand’s City GO 2 infant car seat.

The GT2’s slim profile and ability to quickly turn corners make it perfect for crowded city streets or suburban sidewalks. You can whip it closed with one hand and carry it up stairs or onto a commuter train no problem—it’s lighter than most full-size strollers. And because of its tight fold, it fits in smaller trunks. The compatible City GO 2 car seat is just as great. You can install it with or without a base (perfect for taxis or ride shares) and it pops right into the stroller.

“We are an NYC family, but also do quite a bit of driving, so we wanted a car seat that could easily pop in and out of the car. The stroller is super easy to fold with the one-pull handle, and we easily carry it up one flight of stairs. It’s not a feather, but it’s not that hard to carry one handed with something else in the other. I wish the stroller bucket was bigger, but we knew going in it wasn’t as big as others.” — AFS1122

Best Travel System for Jogging

Chicco Activ3 Jogging Travel System - Solar

• Easy to access stroller brake and front wheel swivel lock controls
• Oversized treaded tires and good suspension
• Comes with easy-to-install car seat
• Shallow storage basket
• Front wheel needs to be removed for stroller to fold flat, otherwise the fold is bulky

While you can’t jog with your baby until they have strong head and neck control, usually around six to nine months, you can use this stroller with the infant seat attachment to walk with your little one from day one. This is the best choice for an out-of-the-box travel system from the same brand. (There are other jogging-friendly travel systems out there, but most you’ll need to DIY by mixing and matching brands.)

Babylist parents call this car seat stroller combo “amazing” and “in a league of its own.” It includes the easy-to-install KeyFit 30 car seat and the Activ30 jogging stroller. The jogger has something called a Control Console, a unique area near the handlebar that includes a hand-operated parking brake (to keep the foot area clear), a front swivel wheel lock (to keep the stroller steady when you jog with it) and a height-adjustable handlebar. It also folds more compactly than most jogging strollers.

“As a runner the stroller is easy to handle and the car seat is sturdy and stays in place the entire time while running, jogging, walking. I love how easily it folds up and fits in my car. It’s such a well-made product and I feel as though my child is safe and that as a parent makes me feel better.” — Amy C.

How We Chose Our Best Infant Car Seats

We analyzed results from Babylist’s Best Baby Products survey, which polled 6,000 Babylist users and asked them to share the baby products they love the most and why.

We utilized insight from the Babylist editorial team, including me, Gear Editor Jen LaBracio, an expert in the baby space for over six years and a mom of two who has written hundreds of baby gear guides and personally researched and tested hundreds of baby products, including many travel systems.

We interviewed several experts, including Joe Colella, Director of Child Passenger Safety at the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association and 2020 Child Passenger Safety Hall of Fame Inductee and pediatrician Kelly Fradin , MD, FAAP. We also spoke with Courtney English , a Pediatric Occupational Therapist, and Child Passenger Safety Technician Samantha Taylor of Mama Knows Car Seats . 

We talked with Babylist Showroom Registry Consultants Tatyanna Hunter Jones and Pateel Markaradi. They’re part of a trained team of experts who work on our Beverly Hills showroom floor, answering questions daily about baby gear and helping parents-to-be build their baby registries.

We researched information on car seat safety and reviews from several leading car seat experts, including Car Seats for the Littles and The Car Seat Lady , as well as information from the AAP. We also considered the NHTSA’s Ease-of-Use Ratings .

What Is a Travel System?

A travel system is a car seat and a stroller that attach. Just unclip the car seat from its base in the back seat, snap it into the stroller and you’re off—and vice versa. 

Sometimes also referred to as a car seat stroller combo, you can purchase a travel system in two forms:

As a package deal from the same brand (the type of travel systems we’re reviewing here), or

As a “make your own” set that combines a stroller and a car seat from different brands using adapters.

Travel systems from the same brand:

Guarantee that your car seat and stroller will work together—no adapters required.

Eliminate some decision fatigue.

Can be more economical than a DIY version.

Build-your-own travel systems:

Give you more choices and the ability to mix and match brands as you’d like. You’re not locked into one brand for both your car seat and stroller, which means you’ll be able to customize each item to best suit your lifestyle. But…

Not all car seats and strollers work together. And the ones that do often require separate adapters. Check Babylist’s Infant Car Seat and Stroller Compatibility guide to learn more.

Do you need a travel system?

TL;DR: you don’t need a travel system, but you do need a way to get your newborn from point A to point B—and a travel system can help.

Unless your stroller comes with a bassinet attachment or fully reclines and is approved for newborn use, it’s not suitable for your little one until they can sit up unassisted—which usually isn’t until they’re around six months of age (or 25 weeks , if you’re counting). And even if that is the case, you’ll still need to move your infant every time you want to transfer them from the car seat to the stroller (and back again).

Here’s where a travel system comes in. A travel system solves for strolling with your newborn before they’re able to sit up independently. It also means you won’t have to disturb your little one every time you need to make the switch between your car seat and your stroller.

“Parents are shopping for/prioritizing travel systems because they like the convenience of taking baby from stroller to car and vice versa,” says Hunter Jones, a registry consultant in Babylist’s Beverly Hills showroom. “Guests will come in looking for an infant car seat that will click onto the stroller,” Markaradi, another showroom consultant, echoes.

You’ll need a travel system right from birth if you plan on using your car to transport your little one. At around six to nine months old, your baby will learn to sit up independently and will likely want a better view of the world—and then you can use the stroller on its own. And because you can use the stroller from infancy through toddlerhood, it’s the only stroller you’ll need to purchase.

Want to skip the travel system altogether? You have a few other options for newborn transportation.

A stroller frame is a bare-bones frame with the sole job of wheeling around your infant car seat. They’re typically inexpensive but stop being useful once your baby outgrows the infant car seat at about a year old, and most lack some of the nice-to-have features you’ll find on a standard stroller.

You can wear your baby in a baby carrier until they’re old enough to sit up unassisted and graduate to a stroller. But this can be tough on some parents’ backs, and you’ll lose the convenience of the car-seat-to-stroller-and-back-again transfer.

Using a Travel System Safely

Travel systems are safe for newborns, but there are some guidelines to keep in mind.

The AAP’s safe sleep guide recommends against the use of car seats for sleep outside of a car. If your infant falls asleep in their car seat, they should be removed and placed in a crib or bassinet (or other safe sleep space) as soon as possible.

But what if your baby falls asleep in their car seat while you’re driving and is still asleep when you arrive at your destination? According to pediatrician Dr. Fradin, the best practice is to remove them and transfer them to a safe sleep environment.

“However, many parents, myself included, will want the child to finish their nap for a brief period. If you choose to do this to reduce risk be sure the baby is not overheating by removing hats, blankets and ventilating the car. Also, keep the straps snug and place the car seat on the floor under your direct supervision.”

“If babies are in an approved stroller with the car seat properly restrained, I think of it the same as being in a vehicle,” explains Dr. Fradin. “Keep them cool and supervised.”

And since you may be using your infant car seat more frequently than parents who don’t rely on a travel system, keeping in mind what some experts call “the two-hour rule” is recommended.

“Safety experts [say] to limit car seat use to no more than two hours in a 24-hour period,” says English, a pediatric occupational therapist. “This is because research shows that when a baby is positioned in a semi-upright position for longer durations, it can restrict airflow to baby's lungs resulting in breathing issues. Additionally, it puts baby's spine in a stressful position when semi-inclined for longer durations.”

How to Choose a Travel System

Since a travel system includes two products, an infant car seat and a stroller, you need to think through the features of each (and how you’ll use them) both separately and as a pair.

Choosing an infant car seat

An infant car seat faces the rear of a vehicle and is designed specifically for younger babies. Infant car seats can be used from day one until your baby reaches the seat’s maximum height or weight limit (usually anywhere between 30-35 pounds, depending on the specifics of your seat).

As you review infant car seat options, look for a seat that meets these criteria:

Fits your child.

Fits your vehicle.

Can be used consistently and correctly on every ride.

All car seats sold in the US must meet the same strict safety regulations and pass all testing and requirements set forth by the NHTSA. But these three things—how a car seat fits your child, how easy it is to install and how easy it is to use day in and day out—are inextricably linked to a car seat’s safety. You can buy a seat with added safety features, but if it’s tricky to install or doesn’t fit well in your car, none of the extra bells and whistles matter.  

These are the features to think through when shopping for an infant car seat.

Size and weight, including how a seat will fit in your vehicle

A seat’s height and weight minimums and maximums

LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren, a way to secure your car seat to your vehicle that uses built-in anchors and straps instead of your vehicle’s seat belt)

Safety features such as an anti-rebound bar, side impact protection and a load leg (a metal pole that extends from a seat’s base to the floor of a vehicle and can help absorb crash forces to a baby’s head and neck)

Ease of cleaning and fabric type

Canopy size

For more information on how to choose an infant car seat, including the features to prioritize and why, safety information, determining car seat fit and our expert-recommended seat picks, check out our Best Infant Car Seats guide.

Choosing a stroller

You’ll be using your stroller longer than your infant car seat. Also, the specific needs and lifestyle of a family often impact the type of stroller they need more so than what infant car seat they choose. Here’s what to think about. 

Evaluate your lifestyle. “Just because one stroller worked for a family member or your bestie doesn’t mean it will be the perfect stroller for you,” stresses Hunter Jones. Think through your lifestyle and your daily needs to help you narrow down a pick.

Think through features. Things like a modular seat, fold, wheel type and suspension, an adjustable handlebar, a storage basket, fabric type and canopy size are features that can affect how you use your stroller day-to-day.

Factor in family size. If you’re planning on having multiple children close in age, you may want to consider a convertible stroller from day one instead of registering for a single stroller and then having to purchase a double shortly after.

Consider safety. Look for a five-point harness, an easy-to-operate brake and a good fit.

Keep cost in mind. Strollers range widely in cost. More expensive models will often have all-wheel suspension, better maneuverability, modular seats, high-end fabrics or the ability to convert to a double, but there are many high-quality, more affordable stroller options, too. It’s all about finding what works for you and for your budget.

How to Choose a Stroller walks you through making a decision step-by-step. You can also consult our Best Strollers guide for a deeper dive into all things strollers and our most-loved product picks.

Once you’ve narrowed down your stroller and car seat options, you can decide if a travel system is the best option for you and which one meets your family’s particular needs.

Jen LaBracio,

Senior gear editor, cpst.

Jen LaBracio is Babylist’s Senior Gear Editor and a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST). When she’s not geeking out over car seats, testing out a new high chair or pushing the latest stroller model around her neighborhood, she likes to run, do all things Peloton, listen to podcasts, read and spend time at the beach. In her past life, she worked for over a decade in children’s publishing. She lives outside of Chicago with her husband and their two boys, Will and Ben.

You are here: Home / TRAVEL ADVICE FOR NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL  

TRAVEL ADVICE FOR NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL

When Notting Hill Carnival is on, public transport in the area does not operate as usual. It remains the best way to get to and from Carnival, but please follow this advice and make note of these changes as it will give you a quicker journey and help you avoid any possible frustrations.

USEFUL LINKS

For full transport information please visit TFL’s Notting Hill Carnival web page

Plan your journey here

Check your travel here

WHAT ARE THE BEST STATIONS FOR NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL?

PADDINGTON STATION

Open for the entirety of Carnival

It has step-free access to the Elizabeth line, as well as the Bakerloo, Hammersmith & City and Circle lines

It is within walking distance of Carnival

Walking routes will be signposted or download walking maps from here

SHEPHERDS BUSH STATION

Well-connected station for Tube (no step-free access)

London Overground (access with ramps)

It is within walking distance

WHAT STATIONS ARE CLOSED OR PARTIALLY CLOSED?

Please note all times apply on both Sunday and Monday

Ladbroke Grove – Closed all day

Westbourne Park – From 11:00 no entry

Latimer Road – Closes at 23:30

Notting Hill Gate – 11:00 to 18:00 no entry / District/Circle lines will not stop / No interchange between Central Line and District and Circle lines all day

Holland Park – 11:00 to 15:00 no entry

Royal Oak – 11:00 to 18:00 no entry / 18:00 station closes 

HEADING HOME

Stations start to become busier from 6pm onwards

Plan your journey home in advance

Night Tube or Night Overground does not run on either night

BUSES & CYCLE HIRE

Buses do not operate at Carnival, Check bus status updates here

Santander Cycle Hire docking stations in the area of the carnival will be suspended from Saturday 24 August afternoon until midday on Tuesday 27 August

All other cycle hire has been suspended and will not work – check provider for details

What’s the fastest way to the Minnesota State Fair? We tried four methods.

By bus, by car, by park-and-ride and by bike: four reporters race from downtown Minneapolis to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds to test a range of transportation options.

By Zoë Jackson

At the Minnesota State Fair , we’re all in it together — whether waiting for Pronto Pups, midway rides or the hottest new food items . We also line up together to get there — on buses, trains bikes and automobiles .

Longtime fairgoers have their preferred ways of commuting — a secret parking spot, a little-known express bus, a Falcon Heights friend’s driveway. So which form of State Fair transit is actually the fastest? We sent four reporters out in search of answers.

Starting Line

Our team took off on Friday morning from the Minnesota Star Tribune office in downtown Minneapolis. Last year, the first Friday of the fair set attendance records .

Public transit

I sprinted to the Green Line light rail at Government Plaza, barely catching the train leaving at 9:46 a.m.

As I sat in the mostly empty train — listening to the music playing from one passenger’s phone — I felt confident that public transportation could get me there first because it avoids the chaos of finding parking.

I rode the train for about 30 minutes before getting off at Snelling Avenue to transfer to the A Line bus.

The bus was standing room only and packed with fairgoers. As we approached the fair entrance, traffic came to a near-standstill because of a crash.

I got off the bus around 10:20. It took about 10 minutes to get through the line for prepaid tickets and get my bag checked by security.

I was a tiny bit disappointed a colleague who rode a park-and-ride bus beat me by about two minutes, but it was a painless way to get to the fair.

The slowdown

The biggest delay was the crash on Snelling Avenue. The only other slowdown was waiting for the Snelling light to turn red so we could cross the street. — Louis Krauss

Related Coverage

Eat & Drink

Stage & Arts

Park and ride

I sprinted to my parked car and hopped on the highway headed toward the University of Minnesota park-and-ride . It was a quick drive to the lot at Huntington Bank Stadium. One lot was already full before 10 a.m. , so I kept driving around the stadium until I found an emptier lot. Pro tip: Even though it was a little farther away, an emptier lot meant a shorter line to get on the bus.

The next bus was standing room only, but the ride was short and free. My seatmate and I chatted about what foods we would try when we got in.

It took longer to get through security than onto a bus. Once I made it inside the fairgrounds, I jogged over to the Star Tribune booth, where I was dismayed to find that I was beaten by bicycle. But I was happy with second place and felt that park-and-ride was a smooth way to travel to the fair. — Zoë Jackson

I had taken my bike on a test run a couple of times. I get a little competitive, so I mapped out the route to tweak for maximum efficiency.

We set out at 9:44 a.m. Google Maps directed me northeast on 3rd Avenue S., then southeast on S. 2nd Street until I hit 13th Avenue S.

From there it was a matter of hopping on the University of Minnesota bikeway on Bluff Street and winding through campus until I hit the U’s transit way. The route was straightforward: a direct line from Dinkytown to Falcon Heights with the occasional curve.

I was riding a single-speed bike, and by the time I had biked the better part of 3 miles, buses and maintenance vehicles roared past. But then the Lee and Rose Warner Coliseum came into view and the scent of manure grew from faint to pungent.

At this point, anything felt possible and the ground began to slope down as I zoomed past the buses that overtook me on the transitway. I arrived at the bike barn on Como Avenue at 10:09 a.m. and made it to the Strib booth nine minutes later.

I could have made it to the fair sooner if I had an e-bike or a 10-speed. A low gear would have helped me climb the last big hill. I also spent a good five minutes getting through the metal detector because the magnet in my glasses case kept setting off the alarm. — Eder Campuzano

All roads lead to the Minnesota State Fair, and if you’re smarter than me, you won’t drive on any of them.

I was the driving leg of the Minnesota Star Tribune’s race to the fair and I came in last. By a lot.

Never has a loss been more predictable or deserved.

On the upside, all the gridlock gives you plenty of time to admire the entrepreneurial spirit of St. Paul as you inch past the parking signs in every yard and lot you pass. $35 parking (full). $30 parking (full up). $20 (ha ha ha no). Absolutely No Parking (also somehow full).

As I edged down Snelling, there was a blazing moment of irrational optimism that I might actually luck into some on-street parking. Morning drizzle meant traffic wasn’t even backed up to the interstate the way it would be on sunnier days.

Within a block, drivers were honking and flipping each other off, because finding parking within a 1-mile radius of the fairgrounds is about as much fun as a root canal. Except it takes longer.

I staggered onto the fairgrounds long after Team Bicycle breezed up to the gates. I eventually lucked into on-street parking, in some remote corner of Como Park that I am definitely never going to be able to find when it’s time to go home.

Don’t be like me, gentle fairgoers. Take the bus. Hop on a bike. Park and ride. Walk from the Wisconsin border. You can thank me later. — Jennifer Brooks

And the winner is?

Bicycle! Biking to the fair from downtown Minneapolis took 25 minutes. Public transit and park-and-ride were neck and neck at about 33 minutes. Traveling by car came in last, at more than an hour.

As Eder put it, it’s the mode of transit that means you can eat whatever you want. Driving was not only the slowest and most frustrating, but also the most expensive.

However you decide to get to the fair, be patient. And thank your bus or transit driver!

about the writer

Zoë jackson.

Zoë Jackson is a general assignment reporter for the Star Tribune. She previously covered race and equity, St. Paul neighborhoods and young voters on the politics team.

More from State Fair

State fair’s opening day draws nearly 139,000, shattering first-day record set in 2019.

The 2019 fair set the overall attendance record, drawing more than 2.1 million people.

Top 10 funniest crop artworks at the Minnesota State Fair

Crop artists from East Bethel, St. Paul, Fridley, Minneapolis and other cities joke about politics, cats and the weirdness of seed art itself.