Deciding on the best combination of transportation for your student trip to Europe will depend on a number of factors, such as number of destination cities, distance apart, budget, group size etc.
How should my Student Group Travel Between Cities?
Plane
Of course, if your school is based in North America, you will be initially travelling to Europe on a transatlantic flight. Typically these are scheduled
overnight if traveling from North America, as this allows you to sleep on the plane, and arrive in the morning for a full first day in Europe. If you are planning on visiting multiple cities over a long distance, this is the fastest option that allows the most time to spend in each destination. While flying, you can often get another full day of activities rather than being stuck on a bus. However, this is obviously the much more expensive option. You will have to arrange inner city transportation, such as public transport.
Bus
The most popular option for student groups planning on visiting multiple cities in Europe is to rent a coach bus. This is the most economical method for large groups, and you can rent the coach for the duration of the tour to use for transportation between cities, and within cities between activities. Standard full size coach buses have approximately 56 passenger seats, A/C, TVs and DVD players, as well as an on-board washroom.
Train
Travelling Europe by train is a bucket list item for many, and for good reason. It often provides a beautiful, scenic trip and allows travelers to really admire the scenery of the region. In terms of value, taking the train is often between the cost a plane ticket and using a coach bus. A good tip is to take an overnight train ride if you are traveling a far distance, as many train cars are equipped with overnight cabins – you can save a night of hotel expenses, and spend your daylight hours exploring your new favourite city.
