When going to Europe for a vacation, work trip or to reunite with family, our biggest concern is the travel costs we will have to inevitably pay. European countries have the most expensive public transport in the world with Ireland being on top of the list. And in this age of post-recession and inflation, we all need to consider the money we can afford to spend. Let us face it, even the Europeans will vouch for the daunting prices of travel in Europe.
Europe is a continent of contrasts. You can travel across it for weeks and never see the same thing twice. The best way to experience Europe is to get off the beaten track and explore the cities and countryside on your own. But that doesn’t mean you have to spend all day in a port-of-call waiting for your cruise ship to dock.
However, this does not mean you cannot dodge these loopholes with the right planning. It truly pays to plan ahead for it will be very beneficial for you in many different ways. However, most travellers are not aware of these tips and tricks that have been benefiting the ones who use them for a very long time.
Do not worry, we are here to tell you about the best ways to travel in Europe and what time and money saving tips you can follow.
Best Ways To Travel In Europe
The cost of transport in Europe is high, because the tax on fuel is very high. The tax on petrol (gasoline) is about 80%. The tax on diesel fuel is 40%, and for diesel-electric hybrid vehicles it’s 20%.
The higher the price of fuel, the more expensive it becomes for drivers to travel. To reduce their costs and to allow them to travel at a cheaper price, many people buy cars that have a lower consumption level than normal cars. They also choose public transport instead of private transport when they have to travel long distances or are going to cities where there are lots of people living in small houses.
No matter what time of the year it is, public transport in Europe will always be more expensive than in other continents. We cannot blame them, the public transport quality is actually quite outstanding. The following are some options you have and some hacks that will benefit you.
If you are traveling to Europe, the first thing that you need to do is to understand why transport is so expensive. The reason behind this is that most of the countries in Europe have a high quality of life and they are also rich in natural resources. If you compare them with other developing countries, then it will be easier for you to understand why transport is so expensive in Europe.
Transport in Europe is very expensive because most of the people who live in these countries have high standard of living. They use their money to buy cars and other luxury items like houses and even cars. This means that there are more expenses involved when traveling from one place to another compared to other developing countries like India or China.
Train Travel Hacks
If you choose trains as your main mode of transport in Europe then it is important to understand that train travel is very expensive compared to other forms of transportation such as planes or buses. First things first, rail travel is the best option that all European travellers have. From being much cheaper than air travel and being much more time-saving than road travel, most people prefer to travel by train. Rail travel is cheaper than air travel however, it is still quite expensive. The train is the cheapest way to get around Europe. In most countries, you can take a train from city to city for less than $10 each way. You’ll want to book ahead of time and make sure that there’s a seat available for you on your chosen train, but otherwise it’s simple to find a ticket and board the train without having to worry about finding parking or lugging around all your luggage.
If you don’t mind staying in one place for awhile, consider staying with locals instead of at a hotel. Hostels are usually more affordable than hotels, especially in big cities like Rome or Paris where there are plenty of places to stay (or at least crash on someone’s couch). Here’s what you can do.
Pre-Book Your Trips 12 Weeks Prior
Train tickets are not available earlier than 12 weeks before the departure date. So the best time to book a train ticket is right when the become available. Prebooking will allow you to save a great deal of your money. The amount that you pay on spot for a ticket can be bought for half price if you pre-book. You can buy cheap train tickets in Europe at Rail Online and get your hands on the best options available.
Use Railcards
One more tip we can give you is to use rail cards. Railcards offer great discounts for tourists to encourage tourism. You can also use 16-25 rail cards depending on your eligibility. However, rail cards are only advisable for weekend travelling. The amount you save here can be spent on a nice lunch or dinner!
Be Flexible On Stations
One best tip we can give you is to use different stations. The busiest train stations will have the most expensive tickets. However, if you switch up the stations, you will be able to save a great deal of your savings. This is a tip for the patient people who will be willing to travel to a different train station but let me assure you, this extra effort will defining be worth your while.
Bus Travel
Bus travel is also very expensive compared to other modes of transport but buses are generally cheaper than trains since they do not require high levels of infrastructure investment like trains do; however there are still some disadvantages associated with bus travel such as being slow and uncomfortable at times due to crowded conditions which may make you feel uncomfortable during your trip.
