Flying
It's now possible to fly very cheaply within a European country.
But with the craziness of how early you have to get to an
airport, how much time it takes to get through security, and the
risk of your bags being misplaced, I don't recommend it within
one country in Europe unless it's going to save you massive
amounts of money over a train or bus and saves you more than two
hours on train trip. In most places, you are going to be safe if
you are a woman traveling alone, but it's always a good idea to
stay alert of your surroundings, even after you have gone
through security.
Trains
Most of Europe has wonderful mass transit, which alleviates the
stress of finding parking and paying for fuel and for going
through ridiculously huge amounts of security, and leaves you
more freedom to enjoy the view. I love trains, and they are
always my personal preference for traveling just about anywhere
(except the USA, where, outside of the East coast, they are
virtually non-existent for travel between two metro areas). I've
ridden more trains than not by myself -- though never in a
developing country. Please also see my advice
about safety on trains and other places.
Buses
In the USA, because of its very poor transportation
infrastructure and lack of trains, buses are often the only way
to get from one major city to another, unless you have a car or
can afford to fly. However, bus availability is decreasing in
the USA every year, and I would never advise a woman to ride a
long-distance bus alone at night. So in the USA, you often have
no alternative for multi-city or multi-state travel other than a
car or flying. In other countries, however, buses are often
plentiful. Just make sure, when in another country, that you
confirm your destination with the driver and/or other
passengers, even if you are relatively sure you are on the right
bus. I took the mini-bus in Jordan
with my partner to Petra from Amman, with the assistance of a
taxi driver who drove me and my partner from the hotel, and it
was a fascinating experience. Would I do it alone? Yes, but I
would have sat with another woman always and put on a
head-covering.
Oregon has some inter-city public transportation options. In addition to Amtrak, which can get you North to South or vice versa, there's also NWConnector, a network of regional public bus lines that can get you between coastal towns and Portland or Salem or Albany (cities along Interstate 5). Good option for overnight trips, not for day trips.
Mass transit
This comes in the form of buses, trains and light rail. It not
only offers a much, much cheaper alternative to taxis, it also
offers a way to get more in-touch with the flavor of a culture
and community. It's always worth learning the options for a
region or country you are going to visit. The downside with mass
transit is transfers: switching from one bus or train to another
always takes longer than you think, and if you miss your
connection, it can mean an hour, or HOURS, in delay. Still, in
most cities abroad, I use trains almost exclusively. Single
women should take care never to be alone in a train car, and to
sit near the driver on a mostly-empty bus. And if anyone ever
touches you in appropriately, follow the lead of the Italian and
Greek women and RAISE A RUCKUS!!! Forget about being polite.
Please also see my advice about safety
on trains and other places.
Back packing
First, let's be clear: most back packers do NOT hike everywhere
-- they do use various means of transportation to get where they
need to go, even taxis sometimes. But in remote areas, indeed,
back packers must sometimes hike from the train station to their
accommodations, and this may be more than a couple of miles. And
if you are back packing, your accommodations do not
automatically have to be a youth hostel or camping; many back
packers stay in bed & breakfasts or hotels. The advantage of
the latter is that you can leave the back pack behind while you
tour a city. If such is available and looks secure, consider
storing your back pack at the storage provided at many European
train stations.
Back packing in the USA is very difficult, given our poor train and bus systems, and lack of pedestrian walkways along most inter-city and inter-state roadways. But it can be, and has been, done. You have to be prepared for long periods of waiting, for being stuck in one place for long amounts of time as you try to find a ride, and paying for taxis occasionally.
Hitching
I just cannot recommend this, even though I've met all sorts of
people, including women, who have done it and had no problems.
The thing about hitching is that you could meet 100 nice,
supportive people -- it just takes one to ruin your trip and,
maybe, your life.
I suffer from motion sickness. It gets worse every year. I can sit in the back of a car only for short distances, and have to ask the driver not to take curves too quickly. I cannot read in a car under any circumstances -- I can't even read messages on my cell phone. I can't sit backwards on a train, and can't read on a train except at night, and then only if it's not going through too many turns. A gently swaying ferry will ruin the day for me. The back of a bus is out of the question for me. I can't even watch movies that shake around too much.
Of course, when I travel, I cannot absolutely control all of my transportation conditions, and can't avoid all of the above situations. So, when I take a trip, I have to take a lot of preventatives so that motion sickness doesn't ruin my trip:
Are you a woman? (however
you define that, I don't care). Have you traveled somewhere and
want to talk about it? Have a travel blog? Have an online album
of photos from your trip that you want to share? Have a tip for
travelers? You can post links to your blog at r/womenwhotravel,
an online discussion group on Reddit (a subreddit). Unlike other
women and travel subreddits and many other online communities,
this group DOES allow people to post links to their blogs,
YouTube channels, etc., so long as it's either focused on women
and travel or is by a woman who travels. Whether you are a
backpacker, a bicycle traveler, a budget traveler, a luxury
traveler, an adventure traveler, a cruiser, and whether its a
weekend getaway or some epic experience in another country, come
share your experiences at r/womenwhotravel.
And if you are an experienced traveler, join the group and help
answer questions from newbies. There's just one thing this group
doesn't allow: the question "Is such-and-such area safe."
Because that question is impossible to answer.
Quick Links
Some of my favorite photos from my travels. Very hard to pick favorites.
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Please contact me for permission to reprint, present or distribute these materials (for instance, in a class or book or online event for which you intend to charge).
The personal opinions expressed on this page are solely those of Ms. Cravens, unless otherwise noted.
