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GETTING AROUND
TEXAS |
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Texan distances are best negotiated by car ; in fact, in the larger
cities like Dallas or Houston driving is all but essential. Greyhound
routes are concentrated between the major cities of the east and the
central region, though buses also serve the Gulf Coast, the Rio Grande
Valley, West Texas and, to a lesser extent, the Panhandle. Two Amtrak
trains pass through Texas: The Texas Eagle travels between Chicago and
San Antonio, stopping in Dallas and Austin; while the Sunset Limited
stops in Houston, Alpine and El Paso on its way between Orlando and Los
Angeles. An Amtrak Thruway bus links San Antonio with Laredo. Flying
saves time and can be very cheap; look out for price wars between
airlines such as Southwest and smaller local carriers.
Where Texas really falls down is on public transportation within the
cities themselves; mass transit has proved impractical in a state where
long distances - in Houston many people travel at least thirty miles to
work - and low gasoline prices make the love affair with the car almost
inevitable. Cycling only really makes sense within cities like Austin
and San Antonio.
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