[Piwoslaw]

We're planning another trip to the mountains next week and some friends are coming. Here are the two options for the trip (one way distance about 400km):
(1) 8 hour overnight long distance bus ride, 1 hour wait, 45 minut local train. Return by local and express trains. Total cost: 160 PLN, about US$40-45, per person.
(2) 6 hour car ride. Total cost of fuel: 160 PLN, about US$40-45, divided between 4 or 5 people.

The bus is overnight, so in theory everyone would get some sleep, but I know from many similar trips that 2-3 hours of dozing is the best you can wish for. The car option is MUCH cheaper, but requires me driving the whole way (one of the passengers might be willing to do an hour on the highway). I'm all for mass transport (for environmental reasons), but in this case I wonder:
- The bus will most likely be a 20-30 year old diesel clunker, compared to my 3yo turbodiesel, which has the best FE in its class, plus my hyperkilometering techniques. The bus doesn't Pulse & Glide.
- The bus takes 40-60 passengers, but every 50km does a 15km detour off the highway to a stop in the center of some small town, even if nobody gets in/out. My car will go straight to where we're heading with few stops, but with only 4-5 people.
- There's lots of waiting involved when switching buses and trains.
- It's hard to find a safe place to park while we're hiking for 3 days.
- If we take the car, then 4-5 more people will fit in the bus, people who might take their own inefficient cars if they can't get on the bus.
- The train is twice as expensive as the bus, but it's faster and more comfortable, unless you're riding with a bunch of hools coming back from a game.

So a car ride is faster, cheaper and more comfortable. Buses are supposed to get better FE per passenger-kilometer, but the bus we're talking about makes lots of detours and stops. Plus it's got an old smoking engine. The express train goes two times faster than I drive (160 vs 80-90 km/h) and uses electricity which comes in 90%-95% from coal and only 2% from RE (mostly hydro).

So this is an example of a problem I often face: I'm hardwired into thinking that mass transport is more FE and just plain better for the environment, but real life seems to verify that. New cars, with a full load of passengers and with ecodriving techniques and biofuels, might be more fuel efficient and cleaner than buses, maybe even trains.

Comments, advice, anything?