Plane, train, or, well...maybe not automobile...

[Graffiti62]

I have learned that for my new job with Pitney-Bowes that I have to travel to Atlanta, GA for training a few times within the next year. The company is issuing me a corporate credit card to help with travel and expenses, but at the same time, I have never really traveled a whole far distance from home, except for a trip to San Francisco back when I was 16, in 1998, which is the lst time I flew.

Now, go foward 14 years from then:  9/11, TSA, airline horror stories, etc., etc., etc. I'm not scared of flying or anything like that, but I'm not tickled pink of the thought of doing it. When I thought about it, there was an alternative that came to mind:  AmTrak. Mind you, while it takes longer to get from Milwaukee (the closest AmTrak terminal to Marquette County, MI--AmTrak has to send a bus up) to Atlanta, the cost is a little lower, in addition to the added intangible of a more stress-free trip. Plus, I can also add a small bedroom to the longer trains for an added cost, which will give me someplace private to sleep, work on things, etc.

Since the UW group prides itself (at least it's one thing that I find so cool about this board) on the diversity we all share, I'm sure that there are a few of you who have traveled both ways, and I'm wondering if anyone could shed some pros and/or cons on going one way or another, and also, especially if you've traveled by train, what your opinion of it was.

 

[Cagey]

Unless you're being paid time and half by the hour to travel, fuhgeddaboudit. Train travel in this country is miserable. You're almost better off walking. As I'm sure you've already found out, there's almost no way to get there from here and it'll take you a million years plus a ton of trouble. These days the fastest/cheapest way to travel is by car, and that's usually not any bargain on trips longer than about 200 miles.

I used to travel for work extensively, and even in the days before deregulation and security theater it was still a special form of punishment in competition with the 7th ring of hell. Luckily, I was paid by the hour to travel, but it was cold comfort. It's like being paid to take a beating. No amount is enough compensation.

For the distance you're talking about, flying is the only way to go. It's not going to be easy, and you'll learn to hate the gummint and humanity in general for more reasons than you do now, but it'll beat the stuffing out of any other choice.

 

[line6man]

For the distance you're talking about, flying is the only way to go. It's not going to be easy, and you'll learn to hate the gummint and humanity in general for more reasons than you do now, but it'll beat the stuffing out of any other choice.

Sounds like you'd be the type to prefer Mr. Garrison's alternative to dealing with airlines.

 

[Cagey]

Hehe! No, I don't think so. But, it's a close call. And as I said, back when I traveled it was relatively easy. Today?

Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent.​

 

[AutoBat]

You could MegaBus Milwaukee to Chicago, Chicago to Memphis, Memphis to Atlanta.  It'd be faster than Amtrak.  I took Amtrak from northeast Indiana to Washington DC to Orlando about 12 years ago.  It was painfully slow.

 

[Cagey]

While it would still be slower than driving, it wouldn't be quite so painful if they went from one place to another without screwing around. But buses and trains want to stop dozens of times in an (essentially fruitless) attempt to increase ridership, so what would be a 150 mile 3 hour trip in a car will take you 7 hours, and you risk losing/breaking your luggage and/or sitting with/near some kind of sub-human mouth-breathing knuckle-dragging nose-picker with B.O. who sounds like (s)he's making a career out of yakking up a lung. And then there's the non-stop flesh-curdling spine-tingling screaming kids... and when they finally drop you off somewhere within 50 miles of where you want to be, you still have a transportation problem. So, you either have to rent a car, or depend on somebody else to be responsible. Phbbbt. Good luck with that.

Yeah. No buses. No trains. Car or plane. Only way to go.

 

[Who?]

I travel quite a bit for work.  I'm required to stay places for extended periods, so I mostly drive (company vehicle).  If I'm going to be somewhere for a shorter period, the best way is to fly.  I hate to because it has become such a huge pain, but it is the quickest way to get where you're going.  I rode a bus once and never agian.  The train isn't much better.

Good luck.

 

[NQbass7]

I did Amtrak from Chicago to L.A. one time, just for a fun vacation. I had some extra vacation days at the end of the year that I needed to use, and a concert in L.A. I wanted to see, so I made a trip of it. It was 40 hours on the train each way, and I didn't pay the extra for a sleeper car - it would have been $1300 round trip instead of $300.

It was fun, and I might do it again sometime, but I wouldn't recommend it if you're actually trying to get somewhere and don't have plenty of time to waste. Flying isn't pleasant, but I don't mind it a ton either, it's just a pain to spend as much time at the airports as you do on the plane.

 

[Justinginn]

Living overseas, I fly across the Atlantic almost twice a year. So I might be biased but in all that time I haven't had any real issues with flying. It's so fast and, really, quite pain-free once you get the hang of it. Pack light, think through security before you get there, buy a new album to listen to on the plane four times, and bring snacks. I'd go head and fly.

 

[DangerousR6]

Even though it seems to be more of a pain in the ass than it was before 9/11, I'd go with the plane. It's faster, and in some cases cheaper than driving. :dontknow:

 

[Justinginn]

Gas is expensive. Over here we pay $7 a gallon.  :help: A trip to Germany is $800 just in gas. Compared to that, driving in the US does look good, doesn't it?  :redflag:

 

[Cagey]

$7/gallon gas isn't too far into the future here, either, if The One gets his way. On the plus side, the women will all be paid to have unproductive sex (it's a health issue) so quality of life stands to improve. Can't afford to go anywhere, so may as well make the grunty, slobbering beast with two backs. Gotta love that, unless you're one of the 14 people left who still have a $25K+/yr job and so are considered fabulously wealthy. Then it'll suck to be you, because it'll be up to you to buy 300M+ people gas and health care. And food - don't forget food. Manna from heaven is as much a right as a multi-billion dollar high speed rail system between nowhere you'd wanna be and nowhere you'd wanna go. Of course, you'll need to be x-rayed and groped to take advantage of such fantabulous transport, but we'll just call that "foreplay" <grin>

 

[crash]

Less than 400 miles - drive
Over 400 miles - fly

In your case, definitely fly. 

The only part about flying I hate is the airport.  Security line, waiting for the plane, taxing around forever, baggage claim.  The actual flight is the best part.

And those scanners, the x-rays from those don't penetrate the skin.

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

Yes, flying really stinks these days, but in your case I think its your only real option.  I've travelled extensively on business and most often it was by airplane.  If it was just a short trip within the Northeast Corridor I used to take the train (ie from New York to Philadelphia).  I have taken long bus rides and train trips on my own time back when I was a poor college student.  Each method stinks in its own way.

But if you are travelling on business then air transportation is the only one that makes sense.  Plus, you should think of the image that you would be putting forth to your new employers.  Its a little bit weird for someone to take a train from Michigan to Atlanta if they have the means to fly.  Who knows, it might be enough to be skipped over for a promotion later on if they were worried that you'd have issues with travelling by airplane.

Business travel is never fun, but you just have to make the most of it. You'll live.

 

[DangerousR6]

Less than 400 miles - drive
Over 400 miles - fly

In your case, definitely fly. 

The only part about flying I hate is the airport.  Security line, waiting for the plane, taxing around forever, baggage claim.  The actual flight is the best part.

And those scanners, the x-rays from those don't penetrate the skin.

 

[Graffiti62]

Yes, flying really stinks these days, but in your case I think its your only real option.  I've travelled extensively on business and most often it was by airplane.  If it was just a short trip within the Northeast Corridor I used to take the train (ie from New York to Philadelphia).  I have taken long bus rides and train trips on my own time back when I was a poor college student.  Each method stinks in its own way.

But if you are travelling on business then air transportation is the only one that makes sense.  Plus, you should think of the image that you would be putting forth to your new employers.  Its a little bit weird for someone to take a train from Michigan to Atlanta if they have the means to fly.  Who knows, it might be enough to be skipped over for a promotion later on if they were worried that you'd have issues with travelling by airplane.

Business travel is never fun, but you just have to make the most of it. You'll live.

Wow!  I never thought it would look bad by going with AmTrak over Delta. I'll fly in that case then. Plus, they're covering the cost of a ticket in the first place, as well as the cost of a rental car, hotel, meals, the whole smear.

That also makes me think of something else to run past you guys--this would be a two-part question of sorts:  what rental car agencies have you had very good luck/very bad luck with, and, with the thought of corporate image in mind, would the decision to bump up a few bucks and go with an Impala over an Aveo reflect badly on me? I'll drive the pregnant rollerskate if I have to, but, truth be told, I'd rather go with an Impala or, at the very least, a Corolla.

 

[Cagey]

It's been a while, but my experience in the past has been that all the biggies are so similar that it doesn't make a lick of difference. If one is too much of an outlier, they'd be out of business in no time flat. Competition is fierce.

As far as what to reserve, most companies, especially large ones like you're working for, follow federal tax guidelines when it comes to travel expense, which includes transportation, rooms, food and entertainment, etc. and is somewhat sensitive to the value of time. What that usually boils down to is you can't be expected to live below your means, nor are you allowed to live above them. So, that usually means mid-sized car, Holiday Inn (or equivalent), $30/day for food. That's often adjusted for area. For instance, at $30/day for food, you could get hungry in New York. Holiday Inn prices will have you living in the car park in San Diego. So, there are allowances made.

The company quite likely has a written policy re: travel expense. If you can get a copy without asking the powers that be, you're better off. Ignorance is a good excuse until you get called on it, so don't make it obvious that you know better. Travel is miserable enough without getting restricted.

 

[Rickgrxbass]

Less than 400 miles - drive
Over 400 miles - fly

I'd modify that to say "Less than 6  hours- Drive, over 6 hours, fly" since (for me, at least, since I can't seem to get a direct flight anywhere) that seems to be the breakeven, once you factor in check-in, security, etc. I travel a good bit for work to Knoxville, and from my house in Indy it's right on the edge.

$7/gallon gas isn't too far into the future here, either, if The One gets his way. On the plus side, the women will all be paid to have unproductive sex (it's a health issue) so quality of life stands to improve. Can't afford to go anywhere, so may as well make the grunty, slobbering beast with two backs. Gotta love that, unless you're one of the 14 people left who still have a $25K+/yr job and so are considered fabulously wealthy. Then it'll suck to be you, because it'll be up to you to buy 300M+ people gas and health care. And food - don't forget food. Manna from heaven is as much a right as a multi-billion dollar high speed rail system between nowhere you'd wanna be and nowhere you'd wanna go. Of course, you'll need to be x-rayed and groped to take advantage of such fantabulous transport, but we'll just call that "foreplay" <grin>

<notsureifserious.jpg> I think my generation is planning on a zombie apocalypse or Global Warming to boil off the seas before we have to deal with that...

That also makes me think of something else to run past you guys--this would be a two-part question of sorts:  what rental car agencies have you had very good luck/very bad luck with, and, with the thought of corporate image in mind, would the decision to bump up a few bucks and go with an Impala over an Aveo reflect badly on me? I'll drive the pregnant rollerskate if I have to, but, truth be told, I'd rather go with an Impala or, at the very least, a Corolla.

Siemens (my corporate overlords) uses National, they seem pretty painless, plus they've got the "emerald club" which I believe is free to join and you can pick any mid-size car in the aisle, or for a nominal upcharge the bigger airports ("bigger" apparently being Indianapolis as opposed to Sea-Tac) have full-size, luxury, sport, SUV, what have you. Just remember that rental car fees are completely made-up and negotiable.

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

It probably doesn't make a big difference either way regarding any of these decisions, however the general rule of thumb is that its always best to be frugal whenever possible.  I'm not saying there definitely will be a problem with your choice of flying or taking a train, or which kind of car you rent.  Its just that in general they are going to prefer that you spend as little money as possible.

Its a large company so the accounting department probably has a good idea of what these expenses normally cost.  Its best that your costs fall within the normal range.  You probably have some leeway in any direction, but there is no sense in triggering any red flags while you are new.  I'm sure after one or two trips you'll have an idea of what you can get away with.

 

[crash]

Just remember, don't put the strip club on the expense report.