As the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays approach, many of us are starting to make plans to visit family and friends. This means that many of us are torn between the pros and cons of the different modes of transportation available.
Distance, speed and comfort always play an important role. As such, most Gonzaga University students must choose between driving, riding, or flying home for the holidays.
Driving is probably the most common option students choose, at least among students who live close to home. Driving gives you complete control over your route, arrival and departure times. It’s also often much cheaper than flying, as the only cost is usually gas. It’s also much easier to drive than going through the hassle of parking, security, and ticketing at the airport.
However, driving has considerable drawbacks, mainly in terms of speed and safety. Spokane is in a remote location. The next comparable cities in size, Seattle and Boise, are 4 to 6 hours away by car.
Those who prefer to drive may lose out on the equivalent of a travel day. Additionally, driving requires constant attention, and winter road conditions are often dangerous and nerve-wracking.
If driving is not possible or practical, the other option available to students is flying. Flying is usually the fastest and safest option. For example, flights from Spokane to Seattle are typically less than an hour. The time saved by flying is invaluable on short trips, and the chances of anything going wrong are usually low. I personally fly over Thanksgiving, avoid the snow in the mountain passes, and make the most of my short vacation as possible.
The biggest drawbacks of flying are definitely cost and comfort. For me, the seat is too small for my wide shoulders, and bags and drink carts going up and down the aisle constantly hit my lap. Flights from Spokane can also be expensive, especially during the holidays when demand spikes. Students from Eastern Washington University, Whitworth University and GU flock to airports on their way home, sometimes inflating airfares to rival traditional transcontinental flights.
However, in my opinion, the best option for long distance travel, which is unfortunately not practical for us at GU, is to travel by train. As a former East Coast resident, trains are the perfect combination of the best of both plane and road travel.
On the train, all the benefits of driving remain, including cell phone service, food, and comfortable seats. However, due to the nature of train travel, the speed between destinations is close to that of an airplane, and the journey does not require your full attention as in a car. Although it can still be relatively expensive, train travel is definitely worth the extra cost.
When moving long distances, it’s important to understand the factors to consider. For short trips, flying may be a better option due to its speed and safety, but longer trips may require driving instead.
However, regardless of your choice, we highly recommend that you consider riding the rails at least once. You just might find your true love for train travel.
Jackson Hudgins is a staff writer. Follow him on X: @judge_hudge63.