Whenever I’m conversing with someone about travel and holidays, it’s surprising how many people seem to find land transport to be one of the most difficult issues to navigate through (pun intended).

Travel, in my opinion, is all about adventure and exploration. I’m not one to spend hundreds of euros to travel to a beach to relax somewhere, which I can very well do in Malta or Gozo (my home-country) anyways. Instead, I prefer to see as much of the country I’m visiting as much as I possibly can.

So, when people ask me how I managed to see so many different attractions and places in such a short space of time, it’s mainly because most of them seem to have difficulty with sightseeing when the locations they want to reach are not conveniently placed in a capital city, or in a major urban area. Well, guess what? Aside from taxis (which are too expensive and inconvenient most of the time), there are actually many other easy and economical ways of travelling on land when you are in a foreign country. All it takes to be aware of them is some online research – and for this, I’m eternally grateful to the founders of google.com, Larry Paige and Sergey Brin.

Here are some ideas to help you out with regards to land travel when abroad:

The Tube/Underground/Metro

Granted, this mode of transport is not to be found everywhere, however the network is much vaster than one might believe. Although the London Underground is the most well-known and the oldest system of its kind, there’s actually a vast list of countries which make use of it. These include Algeria, Austria, China, Germany, Belgium, Russia, Japan, Italy, USA, Switzerland, Spain, and many others. The underground is usually my preferred mode of transport to and from the airport, since it’s not only economical, but also very convenient as most airports sport an underground station directly next to, if not beneath them.

Train Stations

The first recorded train station started to be active in 1803. Nowadays, efficiency and easy access to tickets have soared, in that not only can you purchase tickets from automated machines within stations themselves, but also online, which can be done days, if not weeks in advance, foregoing long queues. Railway tracks pass through mountains and valleys, operating cross-border through different countries and states. Most airports are found within at least one or two railway routes, as are a large number of remote countryside towns and even villages, aiding one in travelling across the length and breadth of most countries around the world in a relatively easy manner.

Private Coach

This is a service provided by a number of companies worldwide. Coaches are usually available from a number of focal points, such as airports or key points within the city centre, or even in front of specific hotels. All the traveler has to do is book their passage online at the time and place desired, and they’ll be automatically pooled in with a number of other passengers. Coach routes can vary, ranging from one-hour to twelve-hour journeys or more, and they’re usually furnished with bathrooms, luggage compartments, nightlights, and even beverage-machines. Most coach services are advertised in airport websites themselves, so that’s a good place to start choosing one.

Public Buses

Although these operate mostly in and around cities, towns and suburbs, it’s still worth checking out the relevant timetables before making plans for sightseeing routes, in order to already have the times and distance between different attractions already in mind when you start out. Also make a note on night bus routes, which may be different from the day ones. Bus tickets can usually be purchased as block tickets; instead of buying a ticket each time, you can buy a 3-day ticket or a weekly ticket, depending on how many times you think you’ll be making use of the service. This could save time as well as money.

Car Rental

If you’re travelling in a group, or even as a couple or on your own, and if, of course, there’s at least one driver in your group who doesn’t mind driving abroad, this is perfectly ideal. Nowadays, there are a large number of reliable Sat-Navs (GPS) on the market, which are much more efficient than the old map-and-directions routine. Of course, it’s always advisable to look up the locations you’re visiting beforehand, and get the lay of the land. I would also recommend using Google Earth and zoom in on street view, in order to virtually acquaint yourself with the surroundings you’re about to travel through. Be especially careful if you’re going to visit a country where people drive on the other side of the road, as this may take some getting used to.