Flying is often the only real option for longer trips, over two or three hundred miles. For short trips (say, under a hundred miles), the time may not be critical.

But for trips in the middle range, you may have better alternatives. For example, New York City is about 200 miles from my home in the Boston area. I can get to New York by plane, train or bus. (I can also drive, but not if I want to use my computer.) Which is the best option for ? In this article, I'll share the productivity advantages and disadvantages for each transportation choice.

What Drives Notebook In-Transit Productivity

Based on my own experiences and that of fellow techno-travelers, the criteria for using a notebook computer productively while in transit include are, in order of importance:

Comfort: It's hard to get any work done if you can't open your notebook computer fully on a seat table and if you don't have at least some elbow room.