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Getting Around North America

© Jonathan Griffiths

This article is a continuation of last week's article on getting around Down Under.

This week our destination is North America. I will focus on ways that you can get around Canada, the USA, and Mexico. North America is the land of the automobile and some areas are very difficult to get around without a car. However, there are a surprising number of other options. I hope that this article will help you to find those transportation options that best suit your plans. There are a lot tourist attractions and other things to see in North America. In order to maximize your travel time, it is a good idea to do some research before you leave. If you purchase a good guidebook, such as Lonely Planet or Rough Guide, you should be able to plan most of your trip before you leave. Distances are vast on this continent and so it is wise to not try and see too much in one trip. Quality of experience is always more fulfilling than quantity of destinations.

Incase you are reading this article in isolation from the previous two, I should remind students and teachers to get some kind of identification card. Details about the International Student Identification Card (I.S.I.C.), recognized widely around the world, can be found on the Council Travel website. Whenever you buy bus, train, or plane tickets, it is always worth checking whether you can get a discount with your I.S.I.C. card.

Train is the best way to enjoy the dramatic scenery of this vast continent. Amtrak of the USA have a fairly extensive network that covers all major regions of the US and extends over the Canadian and Mexican borders. Trains are comfortable; long distance trains even have showers, restaurants, viewing cars, and movies. Find out more information about routes, prices, and timetables on their website. Rail services within Canada are primarily operated by CN (Canadian National). The network is fairly extensive and connects with several Amtrak lines to the south. Find out more about fares and times at their website. In Mexico, Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana offer rail services. You can find out more about TFM at their bilingual website.

Within North America, buses offer a much cheaper alternative to train travel. There are a variety of options for bus travel within the USA. Compare a number of different companies to find the best deals. Perhaps the most well-known bus company is Greyhound Lines who operate out of most reasonably sized American towns and cities. Their service is extended into Canada, where they are known as Greyhound Canada. Both have informative websites at which you can find out travel information and book tickets. A smaller American bus company is The Peter Pan Bus Line which runs along the east coast of the USA. In Canada, The Red Beaver Bus Company provides sleeper bus service nationwide. Along the east coast, SMT Group offer a scheduled bus service. Within Mexico, Grupo Senda offer long distance bus services. However, their website is in Spanish only.

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