Expat Chronicles: Life without a Car
Hello friends! I am writing you from our holiday, which began in the city of Maastricht, located in southernmost tip of The Netherlands
and is winding down in Germany at the Mosel River valley.
It has been such a treat to see new places, learn about the history of this region and relax and play as family.
Our trip has involved bus, train and automobile. What a good time, I thought, to share with you the realities of getting around without a family car.
It was tough for us to imagine life without owning a car. In the United States, almost all families in our area had two cars and both were busy commuting to work and running kids to school and other activities. When teenagers get a job another inexpensive car is often added to the family, to meet increasing transportation needs. Public transportation was uncommon and undesirable in all the areas I’ve lived in the United States (non of which were major cities). Most areas are not organized for safe biking.
By our calculations we were spending on average $800 a month total on our cars in the United States. Both vehicles were fully owned, so these costs were solely for maintenance and gas. Could we really ditch this huge expense? Would we regret it?
By Bike
In The Netherlands biking is a part of the culture. According to studies, there are actually more bikes here than people! With safe bike lanes, cautious automobile drivers and flat terrain, there’s probably no place on earth where biking is a better fit.
So how has it gone for us? I think you can tell, it was an easy transition. The past seven months bicycles have been our main form of transportation. Sure there are times when I’m feeling lazy or it’s raining outside, and I wish I could go by car; however, those feelings don’t compare with my appreciation for this change in our life. Biking is good for my state of mind, for my body, my pocket book and the other creatures living on this planet. It’s also good for my big kids! They’re having more fun and connecting more naturally with their friends, in real life, thanks to the freedom of bicycle transportation.
This is our stash of bikes, parked in our backyard “garden”. We have one bike for each of us, except Rora, plus an extra bike as a back up. All of these were purchased second-hand, and Brandon has learned how to maintain them and troubleshoot common problems. Because they’re stored uncovered, we use plastic rain covers for our seats. A dry bike seat is where I draw the line.
After the initial purchases, we’ve spent about $60 a month on specialty tools, parts, accessories, etc. We also had to buy Aria a new bike when her bike was stolen in December. She forget to lock it, oops. That said, this change has certainly been a huge money-saver, contributing to our ability to live on one, modest income. We agree with the Dutch - biking is a fabulous way to get around!
By Bus
Even though bikes are great, buses do play a roll in our life. A bus ride could be the most practical way for us to reach an attraction like Ikea or a fall festival, the next town over. We also take the bus when traveling with luggage. Here is my family at the bus stop just 3 minutes walk down our street on our way out of town for holiday.
At first I was a little worried about what the busses would be like inside. So far my every experiences have been completely pleasant. The environment is orderly, quiet and clean. Rora’s occasionally squeaks haven’t earned us that look yet, either.
The ride from our home to the train station takes about 15 minutes, and then we’re off to just about anywhere!
In Maastricht this week, we got around by bus and foot exclusively. Easy and cheap!
By Train
First of all, train travel within The Netherlands is so affordable! Our family of five traveled about 4 hours south by train for a grand total of €40. One person can travel by train all day, on and off as much as you like and anywhere in The Netherlands for €20. Wow. The train seems to be more expensive in Germany, but it’s possible I don’t know all the ins and outs of how to save. Some Dutch friends taught us about the best way to buy tickets in The Netherlands, and that made all the difference.
This train is traveling through the German town across the river from our holiday lodging.
We use the train for things like this holiday, but also for business and short trips. I’ve traveled to sewing meet ups by train, for example. It’s fair to say that not owning a car has not impacted our decisions regarding weekend activities and trips. At least in the Netherlands, the train is no more expensive than gas and possibly less so! It’s also much more relaxing, spacious and kid-friendly. Rora much prefers traveling when she’s not strapped into a car seat. On the train I can hold her, play games with her and read her a book. Not to mention, my hand sewing! So nice.
By Car
What? By Car? Haha! Yes, we do find reason to rent a car now and then. Although it’s never nice to spring €100 or so a day on car rental, I try to remind myself that the bills at the car mechanic were always much higher.
Of course we rented a moving van each time we moved. Other than that, we rented a car once to visit a nature park that would have been time-consuming to reach by public transportation. Here in Germany we’ve made our second leisure car-rental since leaving the States.
With the elevation changes, these towns along the Mosel river aren’t ideal for biking. Getting a car seemed best to make the most of our vacation in an unfamiliar are. But you should have seen our faces when we set off at about 45 miles per hour down these winding roads! We’re so used to bike speed and bus speed, apparently. It felt entirely too fast! Funny how quickly we adapt to change.
I hope this overview gives you a feel for the realities of going car-free, here in Northern Europe. If you’re curious, I do think we may own a, compact car again someday. That said, I so value the bike culture that I strongly prefer we only live where biking is practical and safe. Even the beautiful Mosel River Valley can’t shake my resolve!
xoxo,
Rachel
