Choosing the best ground transportation for business trips

Taxi, rail, rideshare? What should be your chosen choice of ground transportation for your next business trip? The answer is: it depends. Within Europe, rail is a great option for those traveling among the country or from one country to another; think Belgium to France; or Germany to Austria or Switzerland; or England to Scotland. This is also true in the US if you’re on the East Coast.

We’ll look at some tips and tricks of the trade to choose the best ground transportation for business trips. 

Getting started: ground transportation for business trips

Taxi, rail, rideshare, they all pose interesting options for your business trip, but it really depends on where you’re traveling to, when and for what purpose. 

Short regional business trips

If you’re traveling on a quick business trip from Brussels to Paris for example that is only lasting one day, then rail is a great option. You won’t waste time and effort getting to and from the airport and instead you can focus on working from the road and being as efficient as possible. The great thing is you will arrive directly to the city center, minimizing the need to move too much around the city. From the train station, you could then pop on a rideshare like Uber to get to the meeting destination instead of taking extra time to go by public transport like bus or metro.

Mid-distance trips

When traveling mid-distance, consider whether you have the option of traveling by fast train, which will considerately reduce travel time. If this is the case then rail is a great option. Otherwise, you may want to opt for a flight or car rental. 

Learn tricks of the trade to rent a car for your business trip.

Long distance business trips

If you’re traveling from one coast to another in the US, then you’ll most likely have to travel by plane and take advantage of a rideshare or taxi once you get to your airport destination. The same goes for traveling in Europe from Spain to Germany, for example. You’ll spend too much time and money traveling by rail, so you’ll want to book a flight, and once you arrive at the destination continue to your meeting point by rideshare or taxi. From some airports you might also have a local train to get to the city center so be sure to do some research before arriving. 

Business travel ground transportation checklist

• Is it a meeting, event, internal travel?
• Do you need to work while traveling?
• What kind of clients are you meeting?

•  Be sure to compare taxi / ride‑share / rental / shuttle / chauffeur costs
•  Consider  tolls, parking, fuel, surcharges
•  Are corporate rates or loyalty programs available? 

• Do you need fast access to a vehicle to get around the destination?
• Do you need reliable pickup/drop-off times?
• Can you use on-demand or rideshare with pre-booking to get around?

• Is it a short urban trip? Then simple transport (taxi/ride-share) might be enough
• Do you need to make multiple stops on your trip? Then maybe consider a dedicated driver, rental or plane

•  Do you need a quiet workspace?
•  How long of a distance are you traveling and how important is vehicle comfort level?
•  Did you select an appropriate vehicle type (sedan/SUV/executive) for your corporate image?

• Consider traffic 
• How available are parking garages? (Especially if your renting a car)
• Have you looked at local rules (restricted zones, congestion charges)?

•  Do you have a tight schedule? Then consider pre-booked or chauffeured
• Is your schedule flexible?

•  Do you prefer app-based booking?
•  Does your company need automatic receipts for expenses?
•  Do you need integration with corporate travel tools?

•  Is the provider approved by your company?
• Are there sustainability or EV requirements?
• What are your company’s reimbursement rules and how can the company you book through satisfy those requirements?

• Do you need an EV/hybrid vehicle?
• Can the provider give you emissions data or do they give you offsetting options?
• What is the best choice in terms of your company’s sustainability guidelines?