If quality sleep and rejuvenating vacations are important to you, jet lag is probably top of mind when it comes to planning vacations.
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To avoid jet lag, travelers carefully plan their flight routes and arrival schedules. They focus on what they eat and drink (or not) on the plane, what they have planned for their first day in paradise, and might even lean on jet lag prevention apps to minimize the impact.
Still, crossing continents is hard on the body’s metabolic system. Careful planning aside, you might want to consider your destination as an important part of the equation.
According to travel experts at Inspiring Vacations, an award-winning Australian travel operator, some European destinations are easier for international visitors thanks to one key reason: the city center isn’t a long drive from the airport.
In other words, you can get in, head to your hotel, and get set up for your trip without facing long train rides or expensive cabs. In short order, you can get through customs, hop into a taxi, and head straight to your hotel or rental.
From there, you can get out to start the day and get your circadian rhythm aligned with your destination. No complicated or expensive airport transfers needed.
European airports with easy transfers
This study has three straightforward metrics: cost for transportation to the city center, distance to the city center, and availability of affordable transfers, like link trains. The study looked at 60 of Europe’s most popular destinations.
Here are the top ten airports when it comes to straightforward transfers that can help you manage jet lag:
- Pisa, Italy (PSA)
- Vilnius, Lithuania (VNO)
- Geneva, Switzerland (GVA)
- Bologna, Italy (BLQ)
- Copenhagen, Denmark (CPH)
- Zurich, Swizterland (ZRH)
- Malaga, Spain (AGP)
- Tallinn, Estonia (TLL)
- Lisbon, Portugal (LIS)
- Naples, Italy (NAP)
If you want to know when to plan ahead for longer airport transfers, these are the European destinations with the longest and priciest trips:
- Reykjavik, Iceland (KEF)
- Milan, Italy (MXP)
- Ljubljana, Slovenia (LJU)
- Munich, Germany (MUC)
- Palermo, Italy (PMO)
