Transport

Getting Around: How We Actually Travelled for a Year

Transport ended up shaping the trip almost as much as the destinations themselves. Here's how we actually got around, country by country, and what we'd tell anyone planning a similar route.

The US: You Need a Car

There's no way around this one. The US is built for driving, and without a car, you're limited to major cities with decent public transport. For anywhere else, having our own wheels was essential.

Latin America: Buses Are the Backbone

Once we crossed into Latin America, buses became our main way of getting around, but "bus" covers a lot of very different experiences depending on where you are and what you're willing to pay.

• Local buses — the cheapest option, often converted school buses or older vehicles running fixed routes within a city or region. Basic, crowded at times, but a genuinely authentic way to travel and see how locals actually get around.

• Chicken buses — a specific style of local bus common in parts of Central America, retired US school buses repainted and repurposed. Cheap, frequent, and part of the experience in their own right, though not always the most comfortable option for long distances.

• Shuttle buses — a step up, typically aimed at tourists and backpackers, running fixed routes between popular destinations. More expensive than local buses, but faster, more direct, and usually more comfortable, often with door-to-door hostel pickup.

• Coaches — the most comfortable option for longer overland journeys, particularly overnight routes. Reclining seats, sometimes onboard toilets, and a noticeably smoother ride than local buses. Worth the extra cost for longer stretches, especially overnight, when a bad night's sleep can cost you the following day too.

Forget Trains

As a backpacker in Latin America, trains are barely worth considering. Routes are limited, infrequent, and in most places simply don't exist as a practical way to get between destinations. Buses do the job trains would elsewhere.

Boats and Ferries

In certain parts of the trip, particularly around islands and river regions, boats and ferries were the only realistic way to get somewhere. These varied in comfort and reliability, but were often one of the more memorable ways to travel, especially compared to another long bus journey.

Border Crossings

Worth mentioning on their own, because they can be a genuine faff. Expect long wait times, unclear processes that vary by border, and be wary of people offering to "help" with paperwork or currency exchange at crossings, a common spot for scammers to target travellers who are tired, disoriented, or unfamiliar with the process. Patience and a bit of caution go a long way here.

Flights: Used Sparingly

We tried to avoid internal flights where possible, partly to keep costs down, but also to minimise our carbon footprint. There was also something that felt a bit like cheating about flying over a country rather than actually travelling through it. We used flights only when the alternative overland journey genuinely wasn't practical, particularly across some of the vast distances in South America.

Rental Cars: An Occasional Treat

We rented cars in three places, the US, Costa Rica and Argentina, and every single time, it was one of the best decisions we made. Being able to throw everything in the boot rather than living out of packed bags, going exactly where we wanted on our own schedule, no waiting around for buses, it felt like a proper treat each time. If it fits the budget for a stretch of the trip, it's worth it.

How We Actually Got Around: The Breakdown

Looking back across the whole year, this is roughly how our transport time split out:

Quick flag before the article: your percentages (buses 65%, boat/ferry 10%, rental car 10%, flight 5%) add up to 90%, not 100%. I've added a rough "other" category (walking, taxis, local transfers) at 10% to make the chart complete, but swap in the real number if you have one in mind, or let me know what's missing and I'll adjust.

Getting Around: How We Actually Travelled for a Year

Transport ended up shaping the trip almost as much as the destinations themselves. Here's how we actually got around, country by country, and what we'd tell anyone planning a similar route.

The US: You Need a Car

There's no way around this one. The US is built for driving, and without a car, you're limited to major cities with decent public transport. For anywhere else, having our own wheels was essential, not optional.

Latin America: Buses Are the Backbone

Once we crossed into Latin America, buses became our main way of getting around, but "bus" covers a lot of very different experiences depending on where you are and what you're willing to pay.

• Local buses — the cheapest option, often converted school buses or older vehicles running fixed routes within a city or region. Basic, crowded at times, but a genuinely authentic way to travel and see how locals actually get around.

• Chicken buses — a specific style of local bus common in parts of Central America, retired US school buses repainted and repurposed. Cheap, frequent, and part of the experience in their own right, though not always the most comfortable option for long distances.

• Shuttle buses — a step up, typically aimed at tourists and backpackers, running fixed routes between popular destinations. More expensive than local buses, but faster, more direct, and usually more comfortable, often with door-to-door hostel pickup.

• Coaches — the most comfortable option for longer overland journeys, particularly overnight routes. Reclining seats, sometimes onboard toilets, and a noticeably smoother ride than local buses. Worth the extra cost for longer stretches, especially overnight, when a bad night's sleep can cost you the following day too.

Forget Trains

As a backpacker in Latin America, trains are barely worth considering. Routes are limited, infrequent, and in most places simply don't exist as a practical way to get between destinations. Buses do the job trains would elsewhere.

Boats and Ferries

In certain parts of the trip, particularly around islands and river regions, boats and ferries were the only realistic way to get somewhere. These varied in comfort and reliability, but were often one of the more memorable ways to travel, especially compared to another long bus journey.

Border Crossings

Worth mentioning on their own, because they can be a genuine faff. Expect long wait times, unclear processes that vary by border, and be wary of people offering to "help" with paperwork or currency exchange at crossings, a common spot for scammers to target travellers who are tired, disoriented, or unfamiliar with the process. Patience and a bit of caution go a long way here.

Flights: Used Sparingly

We tried to avoid internal flights where possible, partly to keep costs down, but also to minimise our carbon footprint. There was also something that felt a bit like cheating about flying over a country rather than actually travelling through it. We used flights only when the alternative overland journey genuinely wasn't practical, particularly across some of the vast distances in South America.

Rental Cars: An Occasional Treat

We rented cars in three places, the US, Costa Rica and Argentina, and every single time, it was one of the best decisions we made. Being able to throw everything in the boot rather than living out of packed bags, going exactly where we wanted on our own schedule, no waiting around for buses, it felt like a proper treat each time. If it fits the budget for a stretch of the trip, it's worth it.

How We Actually Got Around: The Breakdown

Looking back across the whole year, this is roughly how our transport time split out:

Buses: 65%

Boat/ferry: 10%

Rental car: 10%

Flights: 5%

Other (walking, local taxis, transfers): 10%