When you're planning a big day of shopping, one of the things that you'll need to think about is how you want to get to the local mall. Driving may make sense, but if you live near a public transit route and there's a station at the mall or very close to it, taking public transit may be something that is worth considering. Here are some pros and cons of traveling to a local shopping mall in this manner.

Pro: Avoiding The Challenges Of Parking

Parking at some shopping malls can be a challenge, especially at certain times of the year. If you're shopping in December, for example, it's possible that you may need to make a few laps of the parking lot before you find an open spot. Or, you may need to park a considerable distance away from the mall itself. Taking public transit not only helps you to avoid this challenge, but may drop you off closer to the mall's entrance than you'd be if you parked in a distant corner of the lot.

Con: No Place To Put Your Items

For people who plan to buy a lot of items throughout the day, it can often make sense to make repeated trips to your vehicle to store what you buy. Doing so prevents you from having to carry a lot of bags as you shop. When you take public transit to the mall instead of your personal vehicle, you won't have this option, unfortunately. However, you may have the ability to put some of your items in a storage locker if the mall has lockers for shoppers.

Pro: Beating Area Traffic

The traffic around shopping malls can sometimes be congested, especially during peak hours on the weekend when the mall is busy. The traffic situation can be even more backed up during the holiday season or when the mall has a number of featured sales. Using public transit, provided that you're taking a train rather than a bus, can help you to avoid this congestion. You'll be able to hop on the train and zip past all of the cars that are stopped on the road.

Con: Watching Transit Schedules

When you visit the mall with your vehicle, you simply shop until you're done, and then return to your car. Things are slightly more complicated when you involve public transit. For example, you'll need to brush up on the transit schedule and keep an eye on the clock. If your train leaves only every 20 minutes, you'll need to make sure that you get to the platform on time to catch it.