Sentry Page Protection
Tip Store: Travel: Europe Travel
Budget and Research for Cheapest Transport Options
We've just arrived home from 3 months in Europe. The cheapest credit card to use is 28 degrees without any fees! We checked prices of buses as well as trains, by googling on websites getting from Munich to Paris, etc and chose the cheapest option. Book these 3 months ahead and sometimes very cheap. Check Tripadvisor for your information on places to visit. It's a great site. Just google accommodation in the places you're visiting and you'll have plenty of budget places to choose from. Make sure you read the reviews before booking! Our favourite was the Hurtigruten cruise in Norway, but it's hard to budget in the Scandinavian countries. Greece is pretty cheap and beautiful and interesting. I love Europe. Hope this helps!
Contributed by Linda Marsh, 22nd November 2017
We've just arrived home from 3 months in Europe. The cheapest credit card to use is 28 degrees without any fees! We checked prices of buses as well as trains, by googling on websites getting from Munich to Paris, etc and chose the cheapest option. Book these 3 months ahead and sometimes very cheap. Check Tripadvisor for your information on places to visit. It's a great site. Just google accommodation in the places you're visiting and you'll have plenty of budget places to choose from. Make sure you read the reviews before booking! Our favourite was the Hurtigruten cruise in Norway, but it's hard to budget in the Scandinavian countries. Greece is pretty cheap and beautiful and interesting. I love Europe. Hope this helps!
Contributed by Linda Marsh, 22nd November 2017
Plan on Self-Catering and Try Out the Trains as a Travel Option
We're here in Europe now and have learned much about frugal travelling. Hired bicycles in France and loved slow travel, picnic lunches and either self-catering or eat picnics in hotel room. Trains in France are expensive and we should have bought a Eurail pass before we came for the long distance trips. German trains are fantastic, regional day pass for 2-5 people works well. Also train pass for just Germany, not Eurail, is worth it, say 3 or 5 day pass over a month for the long intercity trips. In France, Appart'hotel brand is great for self-catering and good space. YHA in U.K. Is fantastic but less so in France. Good in Germany six years ago too. Buy YHA membership in Australia, it is such good value now. Take some picnic gear, BUT don't take your best folding camping knife on Eurostar! It's banned and ours was confiscated - so sad!
Contributed by Vanessa Reynolds, 18th February 2017
We're here in Europe now and have learned much about frugal travelling. Hired bicycles in France and loved slow travel, picnic lunches and either self-catering or eat picnics in hotel room. Trains in France are expensive and we should have bought a Eurail pass before we came for the long distance trips. German trains are fantastic, regional day pass for 2-5 people works well. Also train pass for just Germany, not Eurail, is worth it, say 3 or 5 day pass over a month for the long intercity trips. In France, Appart'hotel brand is great for self-catering and good space. YHA in U.K. Is fantastic but less so in France. Good in Germany six years ago too. Buy YHA membership in Australia, it is such good value now. Take some picnic gear, BUT don't take your best folding camping knife on Eurostar! It's banned and ours was confiscated - so sad!
Contributed by Vanessa Reynolds, 18th February 2017
Seasoned Traveller Shares Her Best Tips for a Great Trip
We've travelled in Europe several times and learned so much. As to accommodation, we found that serviced apartments were excellent. They have kitchens and often a washer and dryer in the unit. On a three week stay in Ireland, we ate out only twice, which saved a fortune. When traveling from country to country there are two discount airlines--Easy Jet and Ryan Air. We travelled to Sweden and Spain on these for a low price. Lastly, organized tours can be excellent. In Scotland we had an all day tour of the Scottish Highlands that we never could have covered on our own for a reasonable price.. We even got to hunt for Nessie on Loch Ness.
Contributed by Trudy Cordes, 17th November 2017
We've travelled in Europe several times and learned so much. As to accommodation, we found that serviced apartments were excellent. They have kitchens and often a washer and dryer in the unit. On a three week stay in Ireland, we ate out only twice, which saved a fortune. When traveling from country to country there are two discount airlines--Easy Jet and Ryan Air. We travelled to Sweden and Spain on these for a low price. Lastly, organized tours can be excellent. In Scotland we had an all day tour of the Scottish Highlands that we never could have covered on our own for a reasonable price.. We even got to hunt for Nessie on Loch Ness.
Contributed by Trudy Cordes, 17th November 2017
Book Ahead, Check Before You Leave, then Cancel for Free
We have been to Scotland, England, Amsterdam and Belgium in the last few years, I also have been to Spain and Greece. All great places depending on the time of year and Amsterdam is amazingly covered by trams. Trains are easy and quick but can be expensive try to book ahead for cheaper prices. I usually use booking.com, you can book accommodation with a cancel policy right up to your stay. Always best to check before your visit as you can get some really good accommodation really cheaply due to cancellation and then cancel your previous booking for free. I usually go for private homes so I can cook cheaply at home. Have a great time!
Contributed by Heather Wilson, 16th November 2017
Website: booking.com
We have been to Scotland, England, Amsterdam and Belgium in the last few years, I also have been to Spain and Greece. All great places depending on the time of year and Amsterdam is amazingly covered by trams. Trains are easy and quick but can be expensive try to book ahead for cheaper prices. I usually use booking.com, you can book accommodation with a cancel policy right up to your stay. Always best to check before your visit as you can get some really good accommodation really cheaply due to cancellation and then cancel your previous booking for free. I usually go for private homes so I can cook cheaply at home. Have a great time!
Contributed by Heather Wilson, 16th November 2017
Website: booking.com
Train Travel is Easy in Germany
Every two years my granddaughter's school has an 'excursion' to Germany. The past two they have used trains for transport as buses became too expensive. The trains are frequent, reliable and comfortable. Some have free wifi too. You can be in another country in a couple of hours.
Contributed by Gaylene Falconer, 16th November 2017
Every two years my granddaughter's school has an 'excursion' to Germany. The past two they have used trains for transport as buses became too expensive. The trains are frequent, reliable and comfortable. Some have free wifi too. You can be in another country in a couple of hours.
Contributed by Gaylene Falconer, 16th November 2017
Save on Train Passes by Waiting to Book
Train passes can be expensive because you have to travel virtually every day to get your money's worth. Booking a train when you get there costs about a 10th of what it does if you try and do it with an agent from here. You can do it online. There seems to be some sort of problem doing it online from here but that may have changed recently. For France you have to be able to negotiate the website in French but you can sort of guess. There is an English version of the SNCF site but I found I did not get so much choice of prices and places and prices were generally higher. Remember if you want to save money choose the lower class; sometimes because many lower class tickets are booked and prices go up when demand is high, first class ends up cheaper because people assume it is more expensive and there is less demand.
There is one disadvantage with going by train - they do not necessarily take you where you want to go, you cannot stop and look at something interesting, and stations can be miles from your accommodation so then there are expensive taxis on top.
Contributed by Susan Czermak, 16th November 2017
Train passes can be expensive because you have to travel virtually every day to get your money's worth. Booking a train when you get there costs about a 10th of what it does if you try and do it with an agent from here. You can do it online. There seems to be some sort of problem doing it online from here but that may have changed recently. For France you have to be able to negotiate the website in French but you can sort of guess. There is an English version of the SNCF site but I found I did not get so much choice of prices and places and prices were generally higher. Remember if you want to save money choose the lower class; sometimes because many lower class tickets are booked and prices go up when demand is high, first class ends up cheaper because people assume it is more expensive and there is less demand.
There is one disadvantage with going by train - they do not necessarily take you where you want to go, you cannot stop and look at something interesting, and stations can be miles from your accommodation so then there are expensive taxis on top.
Contributed by Susan Czermak, 16th November 2017
Drive Yourself is a Cheaper Option for Getting Around
Personally I find if there are more than one of you travelling hiring a car can be cheapest and what is more you can stop where you want to see what you want, and go where trains don't. Cities are not the most exciting places all the time and in Europe the villages and countryside are much more interesting.
If you are going for more than three weeks it is cost effective to actually lease a brand new car from the European
car manufacturers. There are a couple of specialist agencies that do that here in Australia and comprehensive insurance is included so it is a good deal.
Don't hire a big car or accept a big car free upgrade, because you will find you can't park it anywhere easily and believe me in Europe that is a real nuisance. Also try taking a big car around the bends of a medieval village!
Contributed by Susan Czermak, 16th November 2017
Personally I find if there are more than one of you travelling hiring a car can be cheapest and what is more you can stop where you want to see what you want, and go where trains don't. Cities are not the most exciting places all the time and in Europe the villages and countryside are much more interesting.
If you are going for more than three weeks it is cost effective to actually lease a brand new car from the European
car manufacturers. There are a couple of specialist agencies that do that here in Australia and comprehensive insurance is included so it is a good deal.
Don't hire a big car or accept a big car free upgrade, because you will find you can't park it anywhere easily and believe me in Europe that is a real nuisance. Also try taking a big car around the bends of a medieval village!
Contributed by Susan Czermak, 16th November 2017
Clothing to Pack for a European Holiday
Unless you are going in the dead of winter, pack your normal summer clothes and take lightweight polypropylene underwear to layer if there is a cold snap and one polaratec top. Most people pack far too many clothes. If you run short you can always buy something there. Take some underwear on the plane (bags can get lost but I have never had that happen).
Contributed by Susan Czermak, 16th November 2017
Unless you are going in the dead of winter, pack your normal summer clothes and take lightweight polypropylene underwear to layer if there is a cold snap and one polaratec top. Most people pack far too many clothes. If you run short you can always buy something there. Take some underwear on the plane (bags can get lost but I have never had that happen).
Contributed by Susan Czermak, 16th November 2017
Flying Around Europe can be a Saver
Within Europe it can be useful to take flights. Easyjet and Wizzair and a few others provide very cheap and good flights. Avoid Ryanair as it is cheap but very nasty.
Contributed by Susan Czermak, 16th November 2017
Within Europe it can be useful to take flights. Easyjet and Wizzair and a few others provide very cheap and good flights. Avoid Ryanair as it is cheap but very nasty.
Contributed by Susan Czermak, 16th November 2017