When an Airport Shuttle Service is Most Valuable

Oct 21
10:59

2015

Lisa Jeeves

Lisa Jeeves

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Booking an airport shuttle service may cost more than public transport, but there are plenty of cases where it’s all but indispensable.

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When travelling,When an Airport Shuttle Service is Most Valuable Articles depending on where you go, you may be faced with a plethora of options to get you from the airport to your accommodation. If you can afford the rental costs and the insurance, you may choose to drive (especially useful if you plan to explore the area around your destination), or you may take a bus. Many airports are also well served by trains, while some are even served by boat or waterbus. There are, however, many cases where a private or shared airport shuttle service is your best option.

Public Transport Delays

As anyone who has to use it frequently will tell you, most countries in the world have to contend with frequent delays on their public transport system. Much of the time this isn’t more than a minor annoyance, especially if you’ve already set aside the day for travel. However, there are cases when more reliable transport is required. For example, you may be meeting somebody for dinner or a celebration, or you might need to make a connecting train or flight. In cases like these, you’ll be glad you booked an airport shuttle service in advance.

Travelling with Children

Many children, especially younger ones, find travel exceedingly unpleasant or boring (as do plenty of adults). After an early start, a drive or train to the airport, a long flight and a lengthy baggage reclaim process, the last thing anybody wants is more travelling, and younger travellers may be less restrained in their reaction to the prospect! While additional travel is never completely painless, an airport shuttle service is far more bearable than a crowded, sweaty carriage full of body odour and disapproving looks, especially if you’re travelling with a crying baby.

Travellers with Disabilities

Although those living with disabilities will already be aware of the challenges travel poses, you’ll need to remember to take the rest of your party into consideration if you’re the trip’s primary organiser. As well as the obvious difficulties involved with taking wheelchairs on public transport (or indeed on taxis not booked in advance), there is a wealth of other, less visible disabilities that can make certain aspects of public transport unbearable for people with disabilities (such as, for example, the cacophony of strong stimuli). A good airport shuttle service will, if informed in advance, make every effort to accommodate travellers with disabilities. Many disabilities are not obvious from the outside, so if in doubt, check with every member of your party before booking anything.

Timetabling

Public transport is subject to all kinds of time constraints. An ill-timed or delayed flight can cause hours of delay if you're trying to make a connecting train, or can have you missing a bus and being late to an engagement because of it. Landing late at night or early in the morning can result in missing the last train, and if you land on a Sunday or public holiday, trains to your destination can be slow and irregular, if they run at all. An airport shuttle service, by contrast, will stay informed of any flight delays and will be there for you regardless of when your flight lands - provided you organise it in advance, of course.

While being driven to your final destination or travel connection is almost always more comfortable and less stressful than going by public transport, some travellers do not feel that this alone justifies the extra cost. It’s important to remember, however, that in cases such as those described above, organising suitable transport is often more than just a preference for comfort.