There are many different ways to get around the globe: by land, by sea, and by air. And when it comes to ground transportation, Travel + Leisure can help you navigate the diverse (and sometimes complicated) systems.
After all, travelers can explore by foot or by bike; by car, van, or camper; by train — be it luxury travel like the luxurious Orient Express, or more mundane methods like the public subway — by bus, tram, streetcar; by funicular or by cable car; by golf cart or by Segway; by horse or by camel; even hopping in an Uber or hailing a classic New York City yellow cab.
Ground transportation touches just about everything the ground itself does. Travelers can now hail a taxi in Paris created exclusively for women, but should know that your Uber app won’t be of use during trips to London, where the ride-sharing company recently lost its license to operate.
Sometimes, ground transportation isn’t just about getting around — it’s also the main attraction. In Chicago, visitors can explore the underground Pedway tunnels beneath the downtown Loop, and learn about new plans to revitalize them.
And while it may not seem as luxurious as cruising or flying, ground transportation can still be impressive. On Travel + Leisure, for example, you can read about two 23-year-olds who took an old fashioned, but now relatively rare, route across the United States: by hitchhiking.
And while nothing is as basic or low-tech as taking a hike, ground transportation can be seriously forward-thinking and futuristic, too. Here, you can puzzle out the implications of Elon Musk’s proposed high-speed Hyperloop route from New York City to Washington, D.C., which promises a 29-minute inter-city commute.
Though flying is (usually) faster, ground transportation gets you places no plane can: whether it’s a motorbike on the back roads of Bali or a bucket list trek to the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu. Get the most useful tips on traveling by cars, buses, trains, bikes, and good old fashioned feet here at Travel + Leisure.
