Gone are the days when you had to pay an arm and a leg to travel in style and comfort. For many years, flying was pretty much the only option for individuals wanting to travel long distances and travellers had to choose between comfort or affordability – go budget and endure a cramped flight with little amenities or pay thousands more to go business or first-class.
However, times are changin’.
New modes of travel are offering individuals a luxury experience at a fraction of the cost. Here are 3 forms of luxury transport that won’t break the bank and even make you wish your travel time were longer.
Cabin
Experience all the perks of a hotel…on a double-decker bus. Founder Tom Currier sought to provide holidaymakers and businessmen in Los Angeles and San Francisco a cost-effective, comfortable way of commuting between the two cities without having to deal with wasting time at long airport wait lines or exhausting traffic jams which rob them of quality rest.
Passengers are each allocated their own sleeping pod. The pods feature private curtains, Wi-Fi, power outlets and hotel-quality bedding. The attendants present on-board come around offering complimentary drinks, which you can enjoy in the common lounge area at the tables. It costs only US$115 all-inclusive for a one-way trip.
Float
You don’t have to be a billionaire or celebrity to experience sunbathing and drinking champagne on a yacht. Float allows you to buy individual seats at an all-inclusive price of US$127, directly through its website or app. It services 3 routes: Saint-Tropez to Pampelonne, Monaco to La Mala and Monaco to Cannes, each with its own unique itinerary. Although the yacht has a 12-person capacity, Float allows only 8 onboard to provide the best and most personalized service to each passenger.
Tejas-Express
India’s first luxury, high-speed train boasts e-leather seats with USB chargers, snack tables, a LED TV and tea/coffee vending machine. It even features Braille assistance for visually impaired passengers.
The train is perfect for tourists who want a faster, more premium travel experience, operating between the popular areas of Mumbai and Goa (Karmali) 5 days a week during the non-monsoon period and 3 days a week in the monsoon period (stopping at Dadar, Thane, Panvel, Ratnagiri and Kudal stations).
There are two classes on the train – Executive and non-Executive. Seats in the Executive cars offer leg support while the non-Executive ones don’t. A seat in the former costs US$48 inclusive of food and US$39.60 excluding food, while the latter costs US$28.85 with food and US$19 without.