By Rachel Puryear

Many people dream of van life, and – true to the name – presume that they’ll need a suitable vehicle to do so.

The problem is, not everyone can drive, some people hate to drive, while others might not yet be able to afford a suitable vehicle (and especially in remote areas far from home, you’ll want a reliable vehicle in good condition).

Therefore, for those who dream of van life but for whom driving themselves is not a viable option, this then begs the question: Can one explore the country, world, and amazing natural sights on public transit? Let’s explore the options for such.

City Transit

Typically, cities will have their own regional transit systems. This will often also extend, to some extent, into the greater metro regions in which they are located.

In most major cities, it is possible – perhaps even preferable – to explore the city and even nearby suburbs and towns, using solely public transit.

That’s great for exploring urban regions – however, van lifers usually want to also see rural and remote areas, parks, and other places that city transit might not take them. Therefore, let’s look at other kinds of available transit, as well.

Park Transit

Some parks have their own transportation system around the parks, providing regular shuttles for visitors. One example, although there are several others, is Yosemite National Park.

This means that if you can get to the park – or nearby – you can ride around the park shuttle to see the sights, without having to drive them yourself. You can probably see more that way, too, and have less stress from traffic (and an expert driver making those hairpin turns around steep cliffs).

See here for a brief statement by the National Park Service about transportation within the parks, and also here to search for more information about specific parks, including possible transit options.

Long Distance Bus Service

Most bus service transports people between different parts of a city of metro region, but there are also intercity bus services which transport people over longer distances, and between different cities and regions.

One of the most well known of these in the USA is Greyhound, though there are several others – including Flixbus, Chinatown bus lines, Megabus, and Trailways.

Intercity bus service can be a pretty affordable option for long distance travel, especially compared to the cost of other means of long distance transportation.

Trains

There are options available to take long distance train rides, as well. This can be a lot of fun.

Amtrak is a train service which stops in many cities and areas across the USA, and some rides offer sleeper cars.

Train rides are more expensive than buses, typically, but are typically more comfortable, and offer more on-board amenities. And if you can sleep on the train, you save on hotel/campground fares while you’re in transit.

Sea and Air Transit

One can of course fly to their desired locations, and that’s typically a quicker option than ground transit. The downside, of course, is that it tends to be much more expensive for that convenience, as well – not to mention cramming your butt into those ridiculously tiny little airline seats! But it’s an option, and one to perhaps splurge on once in a while in combination with other cheaper options.

Some National Parks – including Gates of the Arctic in far north Alaska – are best explored by air, due to the lack of ground and sea options.

Sea transit is an option where you’re crossing water, and being on a ship can be a lot of fun. Costs for this option will vary widely – with cruises being expensive, and many local ferry systems being offered for a nominal fee. Note that there are some cruises that sail specifically between continents, and if you have the time and money, can be a fun way to travel overseas.

Some of the other National Parks – including the Channel Islands in southern California, or south Florida’s set of parks in the Everglades – are best explored by water transit, as they’re on the water.

Private Transit

Okay, this isn’t public transit, by definition. But if this works better for you and you don’t mind paying for it, this is also an option.

There are rideshare and driver services for individual parties, as well as tour buses and so forth for large groups, the latter being a less expensive option as well as meaning that you’ll share the ride with lots of others, and on a fixed schedule. Depending upon your personality, you might or might not enjoy that.

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Accordingly, it’s actually quite possible to see a lot of the world, even including parks and other remote destinations, using public transit – and enjoying the views while relaxing, and letting someone else drive. There’s a variety of options, and for a variety of budgets, too. Therefore, you can still do van life, even without your own van or traveling vehicle.

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Thank you, dear readers, for reading, following, and sharing. Here’s to seeing the world, by any means available. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” and subscribe, if you have not already.

Check out my other blog, too – World Class Hugs, at https://worldclasshugs.com.

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