How to travel with an electric scooter?

If you are an owner and rider of an electric scooter, you may not be content with just using it for local travel. Perhaps you are going to visit a friend in the neighboring state or flying cross-country to spend some time with family. In either case, you want to keep up your love of scooter riding and environmental friendliness intact. 

With any such situation, if you wish your scooter along with you, you are likely curious with regards to traveling with an electric scooter, and any limitations that might present themselves. Here, we explore the various modes of transport you may need to consider when traveling with an electric scooter.

Traveling By Car

If you are traveling to a neighboring or nearby state, you are likely using a car to get you there. Traveling with an electric scooter in a car is simple assuming you have ample space. Luckily, finding space for an eclectic scooter, even in a small vehicle, typically doesn’t present much of a challenge. Many scooters, including the top-of-the-line Varla Eagle One electric scooter, easily fold, in doing so consume very little space. They can be laid down or stood up next to other baggage that might be coming along for the trip, making them very versatile traveling objects. They can fit in the trunk, on the backseat, on the floor, or even leaned into the passenger seat.

Traveling By Train

If you commute by using the subway or an interstate commuter rail, and even if you are traveling across states to visit loved ones, you have the option of bringing an electric scooter with you. Many people commute for work into a metropolitan area by train but then have some distance yet to cover to get to their workplace. The electric scooter eases the burden of supplemental travel by making your trips faster. 

As a general rule, trains allow you to bring electric scooters on board, but it is conditional on them being able to fold, as the scooter cannot occupy a lot of space otherwise needed by other passengers. If the scooter can be folded and can sit adjacent to you during your trip, you should be completely fine traveling with it by train.

Traveling By Airplane

When it comes to traveling with an electric scooter by plane, the conditions are a bit trickier. First, there are battery restrictions by the FAA. Depending on your travel deportation and destination, the battery permissions vary. In certain Asian countries, they are stricter, but generally speaking electric scooters with batteries between 101Wh to 160Wh are permitted to be transported on a plane. You are also able to bring two spare batteries. However, only up to 100Wh is permitted as a carry-on. 

The problem you might run into with certain high-end scooters is that if you are bringing along an electric scooter for heavy adults, which tend to be equipped with bigger batteries, like a 1000W electric scooter or a dual motor electric scooter. These will run into some restrictions with the airlines. Certain airlines may make exceptions, and it never hurts to ask them ahead of time. In general, prior planning before trips, which includes collecting the necessary information needed will help you best prepare for your travels. Never just take a chance and hope for the best, or you can end up in a precarious predicament when it’s time to go through security or board your flight.

Hope you enjoyed this guest post that we published for Varla Scooter!