Long distance travel options during rail strikes
More rail strikes are happening today and tomorrow, and there’s word that train strikes could continue for months more according to the boss of Britain’s largest rail union. If you rely on the train to get around, this can be an unfortunate inconvenience, which is why we’ve listed out a few alternative ways to get around during the rail strikes for those travelling far.
Jump on a coach
Coach services like Megabus and National Express are still operating across the country throughout the strikes. Unlike the trains, if you secure yourself a coach ticket, then you’re 100% guaranteed that you’ll have a seat for the journey - a must-have if you’re on a 5 hour long coach trip! Airports have recognised the need for travel in these times, with Heathrow asking local bus and coach operators to increase their services where possible.
Try and plan in advance if you’re thinking of taking the coach, as the cheaper seats sell out fastest.
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Travel by taxi
With apps like Uber where you can schedule a taxi in advance, you can pre-book a pickup time to suit you. This can work well if you live in a city, but you may face issues if you try this in a more rural area. Local taxi operators can also be booked in advance, but it’s worth calling to check as some will only travel a certain distance and this option can be much pricier, especially if you’re travelling alone.
Lift sharing (“car pooling”)
Lift sharing is a great way to be able to make use of an empty seat in someone else’s car. You can use sites like BlaBlaCar or Liftshare to find fellow travellers heading in the same direction as you and jump in their car! As a company that’s all about sharing, we recognise this as a valuable way to make use of resources that already exist. If you’re up for a long road trip with someone you’ve just met, then this could be a great option for you!
Car sharing - rent a car from your neighbour!
I know we’ll seem biased here, but this option really does give you the most flexibility out of all the options above, while also providing a sustainable way of travelling from A to B.
Going for car sharing instead of traditional car rental companies means you can instantly rent a car from someone in your local area and unlock it using the Karshare app. There’s no need to go to a rental kiosk, no queues, no restricted pick up or drop off times - just total flexibility around a schedule that suits you.
All the cars are instantly bookable as well, so if you find your plans derailed by the strikes at the last minute, you can create a Karshare account and book a car to rent within minutes. With cars from £30 a day, this method of car rental doesn’t need to break the bank either. If you’re travelling with others then that’s even better as you can split the costs or add an additional driver to help break up the long drive. Or, if you’re travelling alone you can even list your journey on the lift sharing websites mentioned above to find a travel companion to help with the costs.
Turn your rail strike stress into a spontaneous road trip, where you get complete control over the service station stops and can choose whatever you like to blare out of the speakers - no judgements here!
