What Is The Future of Traveling?

The volcanic eruption and the ash cloud over Europe sure put us all to the test last month, and has had many of us wondering what the world would be like without planes. Think about that for a second:

- what would the world be like without the ability to fly?

My sister was one of all the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the ash cloud. She and her baby were stuck in Rome for a week. This made me so aware of how much we really need the ability to fly between countries today for our daily lives to function properly.

I believe that many good things came out of this volcanic eruption.

We got a little taste of what the world would be like without planes, and soon, because of the ending supply of oil, flying will be completely different.

Some people claim we will run out of oil in ten years, others claim it will take way longer than that. However, most sources agree that eventually one day we will have run out of oil. It’s not a matter of if, but when.

Personally I’m kind of torn between when I hope for it to happen. In a way I wish it would happen sooner so that we will have ruined slightly less of our environment, but then there is my ego which knows that when it happens I would probably be tearing my hair off watching the prices go sky high on flights.

Flying has never in history been this easy, cheap, and more people than ever have the opportunity and economy to fly. How long will this last? Is this about to change again? Will traveling and backpacking become something only rich people can do?

I have many questions, but have found few answers.

The Problem With Traveling By Train

The obvious answer would be to go back to travel by train again. A few decades ago flying was something only a few could afford. Everyone else traveled by train. The most common way to backpack was by train.

Will we go back to the good old trains?

Well, it’s a good option, but there is a problem: Traveling by train is no longer cheap.

So what will happen when flying is expensive, will traveling by train become cheaper? I doubt it. That’s not how the business works.

Reading at the national railway site for Sweden, they explain the pricing system like this:

“When there are few who want to travel by train, all the prices are lower. If the competition for seats is fierce, however, the fare goes up.”

This means that the already over priced tickets will become even more expensive, because people will be forced to travel by train and therefore there will be more “competition”.

The Rise of The Electric Bike?

A few years back the electric bike was on the uprise, but it was pricey and seemed kind of lame. Today, with good health and environment being the hottest topics, the electric bike has finally had a true breakthrough.

How do I know? Because even my dad is considering buying one!

I also have a feeling that things are about to change radically when it comes to the way we look at traveling. We don’t want things to go fast anymore, we value quality more than the time it takes. ‘Slow travel’ is on many people’s tongues. We want the whole experience, not just to see the “must sees” and do the “must do’s”.

Will this lead to more biking? To more people exploring the world on a bike? You get to smell, see and feel the surroundings, yet, in an uphill, you can just sit back and relax and the electric bike will carry you the whole way up.

People are starting to understand the importance of good health, but aren’t quite as willing to make that big effort. With the electric bicycle you can do a little bit of biking, and if you get tired it’s not a problem since it can run by itself.

Parking will be free. Fuel will be free. Really, when I think about it. How come so many people still drive to work?

To be honest with you, I’m a big fan of biking. I bike everyday. People don’t believe me when I say that it’s actually faster biking into town than catching the tram – it really is!

What type of transport do you think we will use in the future? How will we travel? Do you believe in the electric bike?