Get on the bus

The funny thing about travelling is how people that poo-poo public transit at home will gladly squish themselves onto the subway when they're in New York. Or a double-decker bus in London. Or the metro in Paris. Go figure. Could it be that we're more tolerant of the "public" (i.e. crowds, crazy people and those with questionable hygiene) when we're on vacation?

While I wish these people would become champions for public transit all the time, I do applaud their approach to getting around while they're travelling. Whether you're taking the bus, train, ferry or tram, it's a great way to save money when you're away, and in some cases the trip is actually an experience in itself. Here are a few of the awesome (cheap) public transit trips that I've taken recently:

1. Taking the train over the Sydney Harbour Bridge - taking the train from anywhere in the Central Business District over the bridge to North Sydney gives you amazing views of Sydney Harbour and the Opera House, all for just AUD $2.60 (CAD $2.06). Also worth a mention is the Manly Ferry, although I didn't take it on my last trip. For AUD $6.40 (CAD $5.07) you get a delightful half-hour cruise through Sydney Harbour.
2. Hong Kong's Star Ferry - for 110 years these ferries have been crossing Victoria Harbour between Kowloon and Hong Kong island. The ferry itself is charmingly without pretension, and as the subway is a quicker way to make the trip, passengers on the ferry tend to be those in less of a rush than the average HK resident, happy to enjoy the dramatic skyline come into focus. A one-way trip is HKD $2.20 (that's CAD $0.34. Believe it...)
3. The Q train out to Coney Island from Manhattan - it's no surprise that New York has some great public transit trips. As you get into deep suburban Brooklyn and the train continues above ground, you can spot all of the Russian and Eastern European businesses out the window before coming upon the bizarre vista of a New York City beach. It's a long trip, but there are hot dogs and bumper cars at the end. ( USD $2.00 / CAD $2.40)
4. Staten Island Ferry - OK, this list is becoming a little ferry-heavy, but this is a good one. For free (yes, free! I just peed a little!) you can take the 25 minute trip from the tip of Manhattan over to Staten Island, passing by the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
5. The tram from the Melbourne city centre out to St Kilda - There's nothing particularly quick about the tram. It just kind of meanders from downtown, through some lovely old suburbs and down to the beach. It makes you think of how it might have been in the olden days when people packed a picnic and took the train for a day on the beach. Except for the bright yellow modular seats, that is... AUD $3.50 (CAD $2.78).