A new report from Avis car rental has revealed Luxembourg as Europe’s ultimate destination for travellers seeking to make the most of their holiday time.
The study, which looked at airport transfers and queue times at key tourist attractions, crowned Luxembourg as the most time-efficient city in Europe, allowing visitors to spend less time waiting and more time exploring.
The study conducted by Avis car rental found that Luxembourg is a dream for time-conscious tourists. With an impressively short 12-minute drive from the airport to the city centre and the lowest Tripadvisor Queue Score on the continent, this compact city tops the list for anyone wanting to maximise their time away. Vilnius and Stuttgart took second and third place respectively, also boasting low visitor numbers and minimal waiting times at popular sites.
However, not all cities fared so well in the time-saving stakes. Athens was named the worst European city for time efficiency, burdened with the longest airport waiting times and a Tripadvisor Queue Score that reflects the frustrating delays visitors endure at its top attractions. Istanbul and Berlin followed close behind, where long queues are a regular part of the tourist experience.
Time-Efficient Airports: Rome Comes Out on Top
While city-centre waiting times varied dramatically, the research also pinpointed Europe’s fastest and slowest airports for travellers. Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport emerged as the most time-efficient, boasting a Skytrax waiting time rating of 4.25 out of 5, combined with a short 35-minute transfer into the heart of the Italian capital. Airports in Ankara and Budapest also performed well, with shorter waiting times compared to busier tourist hubs.
Conversely, Athens International Airport, Nice Côte d’Azur, and Kraków’s John Paul II International Airport ranked as the worst for airport delays, leaving travellers cooling their heels for longer than they’d like.
Queue-free Attractions: Luxembourg Leads Again
Luxembourg didn’t just top the charts for airport efficiency; the city also triumphed in terms of queuing at local attractions. Avis found that visitors to Luxembourg, Belgrade, and Ankara rarely face the long waits that plague tourists in larger cities. In contrast, travellers in Istanbul, Barcelona, and Paris are often caught in extensive queues, with sights like the Blue Mosque, Sagrada Familia, and Louvre forcing tourists to wait for up to two hours.
Martin Gruber, International Commercial Vice President at Avis, commented on the findings, emphasising the importance of time management while on holiday:
“At Avis, we know how precious time is when you’re on holiday. Our research shows that tourists can waste nearly six hours just waiting in queues or at airports, which cuts deeply into time that could be spent enjoying a destination. Planning ahead and utilising priority services can be a game-changer for maximising your experience.”
Whether you’re planning a quick city break or an extended holiday, Avis car rental recommends taking these findings into account to ensure you make the most of your hard-earned time off. Luxembourg, with its short airport transfer and minimal queues, stands out as a hidden gem for time-savvy travellers looking to squeeze every drop of enjoyment from their holiday.
