Traveling Via Public Transportation

In North America
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Public Transportation Resources

Other Resources

Specialty Resources

The Internet is a great resource for car-free information. Almost all public transportation systems, tour operators, car sharing services and car rental companies maintain websites with maps, timetables, fares and other helpful information. There is also a substantial amount of information on-line relating to shuttles, biking, walking and other forms of car-free transportation.

Locating this information, however can sometimes be difficult. Search engines are sometimes helpful, but more often they just add to the frustration, taking you to places that may be related, but don't provide the need information. Other times they will list sites that include one of the keywords you used, but have absolutely no relation to the information you are seeking.

The links below will help to eliminate your frustration. You will find information needed to help plan a trip without a car, such as service operator websites, timetables, maps of transportation systems, travel planning services, fares and much more. Just about anything needed to plan your trip is available on one or more of these websites or on the further links they include. If anything on these sites is unclear, contact the service provider or web-site to confirm details.

Tour Resources

Tours are frequently an option when visiting a location not served by public transportation. In addition, tours have the advantage of narration by an experienced guide, an educational experience involving less planning on your part. When your destination offers both, combining a tour and public transportation is a excellent way to make use of the advantages that each offer.

A tour offers narration by an experienced guide as well as a general overview of the area or point visited. This gives you the opportunity to determine what you want to see more of, a better understanding of the history and culture of what you are visiting. Public transportation then offers the means to revisit for as long as desired. Or use public transportation first and then the tour for a better understanding of the area already visited. Private guides provide an opportunity to spend as much time as desired at a point of interest and to arrange the itinerary to suit your preferences. While more expensive than scheduled tours, this is great way to set up a tour exactly as desired. Tours of many lengths exist, anywhere from a few hours to many days or weeks. This website concentrates on tours of one day or less as a supplement to public transportation with a few overnight or multi-day tours as distance or circumstances require. Use the links below to find tours in the area(s) you are planning to visit. These links include tour listings provided by government agencies and tour associations as well as tour operators and booking services. Booking Services do not operate tours, but provides booking services for tour operators. Once you book with them, they will send you the name of the tour operator along with confirmation and meeting and contact information. Google Maps - This search engine works well for finding tours. Type in tours and then the area you are interested in (i.e tours new hampshire). You can fine tune the search by specifying a type of tour such as sightseeing tours, walking tours, day tours, etc.

Your Hotel - Most hotels have access to just about any tour available in the surrounding area. Typically, you will find a rack of tour brochures in or near the lobby and the hotel will usually help in making reservations. When making your hotel reservation, check their web-site or contact them directly for tour suggestions and reservations.

United States

Canada

Bicycling/Walking Resources

Many popular destinations that are not served directly are within a few miles of public transportation services. Bicycling and walking are convenient options for those last few miles. Biking and walking are both great exercise, a great way to improve your fitness, health and well being. Many doctors recommend biking and walking as alternatives to the gym. Biking and walking provide the opportunity to experience an area more intimately. Scenic vistas, unique architecture, beautiful wildflowers or wildlife just off the road are often missed when speeding along the interstate. The slower speed of biking and walking allows time to experience the surrounding terrain and is conducive to meeting people along the way unlike the isolation encountered when driving.

The links below provide information on biking and walking including basics, safety, repairs, links to bike rental shops, trail maps, biking and walking tours and policy details when traveling with your bike on public transportation.

About.com - Bike riding basics, equipment and maintenance.

Adventure Cycling Association - Detailed bicycling information. Maps of scenic roads and trails in the US. Cyclists' Yellow pages includes links to bike shops, maps, accommodations, and trails

Bicycling Street Smart - A how to ride manual detailing safe bike riding, necessary equipment and other helpful information.

Bicycling Life - Detailed bicycling information, minor repairs and links to other sites with helpful information.

Bike Access - On-Line guide about traveling with your bike. Most information is listed by web-site visitors, and is well indexed to help find details of interest. Includes information about traveling with your bicycle on planes, trains and ferries, bicycle tours, packing information and rental shops.

Bikely - Helps cyclists share knowledge of good bicycle routes.

Bikes on Transit - Detailed bike policy information for transit operators in the US and Canada.

Federal Highway Administration - Detailed bicycling and walking information including health and environmental benefits, U.S. Department of Transportation links and trail links.

League of American Bicyclists - Bicycle information search engine, bike shops, advocacy groups and much more.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center - Bicycle and walking resources including health and safety, engineering, advocacy, education, enforcement, access and mobility.

Rent and or Buy - Find bike rental shops throughout the United States. Links by state.

Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition - Bicycling resources in Santa Barbara, California, the United States and throughout the world.

Walkinginfo - A national clearinghouse for information about health and safety, engineering, advocacy, education, enforcement, access, and mobility for pedestrians (including transit users) and bicyclists.

United States

California

511 SF Bay Area - Bicycling resources in the Bay Area including commuting information, maps and other resources.

Downloadable Bicycle Maps - Bikes on Transit

Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition - Bicycling resources in Santa Barbara, California, the United States and throughout the world.

Delaware

Delaware Bicycle Council - Detailed biking information in Delaware.

Maps - Bike Laws

District of Columbia

goDCgo - Transit, bicycling, car sharing and etc. in DC including an interactive map.

Maine

Explore Maine - Visiting Maine by bicycle.

Massachusetts

Boston Region Metro. Planning Org - Getting around the Boston Metropolitan area, including public transportation, bicycling, walking, park-and-ride lots and ride-sharing.

Massachusetts Bike Paths - Bike trail Information and maps in Massachusetts.

MassRides - Public transportation and biking resources in Massachusetts.

Smart Guide - Car-free travel on Cape Cod and the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket including bicycle travel.

New York

New York State DOT - Public transportation, bicycling and walking in New York State. Click on icons on upper right for the mode you are interested in. Rail - Bus - Biking - Walking

Oregon

Trip Check - Bicycle and pedestrian resources in Oregon.

Vermont

Go Vermont - Rideshare, biking, walking and public transportation resources in Vermont.

Virginia

VDOT - Virginia Bicycle Resources.

Washington

Travel by Bicycle - Washington State bicycle resources including bicycle laws, safety and commuting tips, state and local bike and trail maps.

Travel by Walking - Washington State walking information. Includes pedestrian laws, walking and hiking trails and more.

Wisconsin

Traveling by Bike - Wisconsin biking resources including maps, commuting details, safety and bikes on transit.

Car Share/Rental Resources

Car rental contacts are listed in the resources below. However, contacting a travel agency for reservations is recommended. They have access to all rental companies, are able to compare all the options and usually find the best rate.

While not as environmentally conscious or as economical as using public transportation, car sharing or rental does offer an alternative when public transportation does not serve all segments of your itinerary. Since the car is owned by the car sharing or rental company, you eliminate many of the details encountered with car ownership, such as registration, repairs and insurance.

Car Sharing

• ZipCar - Cars available in 50+ cities and 100+ university campuses in North America.

• Earth Easy - Car sharing services in the United States, Canada and other parts of the world.

• Car Sharing - Car sharing services in the United States, Canada and other parts of the world.

Ride-sharing

• eRideShare - Ride-sharing in North America and around the world.

• Go Vermont - Ride-share, biking, walking and public transportation resources in Vermont

• Rideshare Directory - Ride-share sites in the United States.

• ShareRide - Ride-sharing in the United States

• Trip Check - Ride-share resources in Oregon.

• Zimride - Ride-Sharing in the United States.

Car Rental

• Alamo

• Avis

• Budget

• Dollar

• Enterprise

• Hertz

• National

• Thrifty

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