HOW WE DECIDE THE BEST WAY TO MOVE BETWEEN CITIES
Trains, cars, planes, and cruises — costs, time, and convenience for slow travel
When we move between bases, every choice comes with real trade-offs in money, time, and energy — and the wrong choice can slow down an entire week. Trains are predictable, scenic, and let us travel without worrying about parking or traffic, but tickets can be expensive if booked last-minute or for longer distances. Driving gives flexibility and lets us carry more luggage, but long hours on the road, city parking, and tolls add hidden stress. Flights are fast, but you have to account for luggage fees, early airport arrivals, and the energy drain of transfers. And cruises — we’ve learned they can be surprisingly efficient when timed right, combining transport, lodging, and meals, though taxes, port transfers, and schedules require careful planning.
Over five months of testing this, we’ve developed a simple mental framework: first consider cost, then convenience, then how it fits our routine. For example, when traveling Lyon → Barcelona, a train made sense for timing and comfort, but the cruise to reposition between bases allowed us to cover longer distances while resting and packing strategically. Driving worked best for short stretches between smaller towns where public transport was limited. Each choice influences what we pack, how we plan the week, and even which cities we can realistically visit next.
The key insight is this: slow travel isn’t just about moving slowly, it’s about choosing the method of movement that preserves your energy, your schedule, and your lifestyle. Once we applied this framework consistently, each trip became easier to plan, more predictable, and less stressful, letting us focus on living fully instead of just moving from place to place.
That same principle applies to packing: the choices we make about what to bring directly affect how smoothly we can move between cities, trains, planes, and even cruises. If an extra bag slows us down or adds stress, it doesn’t earn its place — and that’s exactly what we tested over five months.
We show how those packing choices played out as we kept moving.
– Scott & Liza
