There are rail lines accross the world. The best web site to find out about this is Man at Seat 61 (seat61.com) who has it all worked out for you (e.g. how to get to the USA by ship and then train).

We have been by rail to Austria (Maurach), Italy (Verona and Venice), the French Alps (La Roche Sur Foron/Annecy), Brittany -Le Croisic, Alnwick, St Ives. In the case of Austria/Italy and the Alps this involved sleeping on the train in couchettes. 1st class gets you a 4 bed room to yourself and is nothing like as expensive as UK 1st class.

At home we all have bikes and our 4 year old rides up front on my Brompton folding bike quite happily for long distances - 6 miles recently non stop. (The fun bit for him was pulling in off National Cycle Route 12 into the services on the M25 at South Mimms to play on the slide - yes a bike route with services!)

Our one indulgency is to fly to Guernsey, but then we don't own a car, so feel we balance things that way.

Hope this gives lots of people ideas beyond car or plane!

Adam