The holiday season and its companion — holiday travel — are fast approaching. In these belt-tightening times, what’s the cheapest way to go?
If you’re a family of three or more, the car is still king — environmentally and economically — particularly if you travel less than 500 miles. If possible, though, travel in a fuel-efficient car because you can cut your emissions by up to 75 percent compared with traveling in a large sport utility vehicle, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).
Also, avoid peak travel times and consider purchasing a GPS that can alert you to traffic trouble spots, which can help reduce time and money waste as well as carbon emissions output.
If, on the other hand, you’re traveling alone to a major city, one of the many new intercity bus lines (www.megabus.com, www.boltbus.com and www.greyhound.com) can be worth checking out. Not only do rates start as low as $1, but it also is the most environmentally friendly way to travel, according to UCS. (Trains also can be a good alternative from an emissions standpoint, but they are more costly.)
Does flying ever make sense? Financially, probably not. But emissionswise and timewise, yes. Particularly, if you’re traveling by yourself for more than 500 miles, according to the UCS.
Happy trails!
- Gabriella Boston
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