Air taxes are likely to go up to go up, so you need to seek cheaper alternatives, some of which already exist. Here's how to visit 29 countries for just £5 per country!
The Environmental Audit Committee -- a group of MPs -- has suggested in a recent report that air travel taxes should be raised in order to cut greenhouse gases. Its report said it is 'scandalous' that governments have failed to grasp the nettle of taxing aviation fuel. They put forward the idea of charging VAT on air tickets and complained about cuts in Air Passenger Duty. It's no surprise, but it seems this is the beginning of the end for cheap foreign travel.
This is a particular problem for me, as I have a competition with a friend of mine to complete 100 pre-agreed tasks before we turn 65. Two of those tasks are:
* Visit every country in Europe.
* Visit every continent.
If we can't do this with cheap flights it makes things a bit more difficult. That's why I've been looking into alternatives, particularly travel by rail and ferry. Whilst researching this, I've realised how much fun it might be. Travelling by plane may be quick but I find it boring, and some of the alternative options not only get you to lots of countries very cheaply, but could turn the journey into one of the highlights of the holiday. Here's what I've found:
Rail travel
The MPs' report claimed that high-speed rail, such as Eurostar, emits a fifth or less carbon emissions than short-haul flights. You might now be thinking: "Yeah I've done the Eurostar to Paris a dozen times. Been there, got the cheap cigarettes." But Eurostar doesn't just take you to Paris. It can take you directly to the Alps, Brussels, Lille, Disneyland and Avignon. It can also connect you to over 100 places in Europe, including Amsterdam, Strasbourg, Bruges and Lyon. People over 26 can get a return ticket for as little as £59, while younger people can get discounts.
Britons are going on more short holidays, apparently to take advantage of cheap flights. But you can visit up to 29 European countries, plus Morocco, with one rail pass from just £145 with RailEurope. You could cover a lot of ground and truly see the countries you're visiting.
Long trips could be a merry jaunt! Try the new Beijing in China to Lhasa in Tibet route, which covers 3,400km of beautiful terrain. It can cost as little as £60. You can find this journey on Seat61, which uncovers lots of routes around the world.
You can also book holiday packages based on train routes. The Russia Experience, for example, takes you from Moscow in Western Russia right across the country into Mongolia and down into China, finishing in Beijing. The 26 day trip costs £2,190 and includes accommodation.
Ferries
Back on Seat61, you can go from Shanghai in China to Osaka in Japan by ferry for about £105. However, if ferries really make you excited, visit youra.com, which will give you routes in Europe, Asia, Australasia and the Americas.
If none of this appeals to you, you could always do a road-trip across the US. In fact, take me along - that's on my list of 100 things to do too!
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