Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Once you know Where you're going the question becomes HOW to get there. Transportation can be expensive and confusing. The cost and headache of the logistic of the literal travel part of traveling is enough to derail some people's trip plans all together. ​ But there are resources out there that make both route planning and cost manageable.
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If you plan on driving you'll need an International Drivers Permit (and be sure to check which side of the road the locals drive on.) In the US it’s a pretty simple process - you can start at International Drivers Association 🔗
Hot Tip - Set up auto-alerts to email you when your trip price drops. Many sites offer best price guarantees, where if their predicted lowest offered price is wrong they will reimburse you the difference in price!
Getting the Best Deal to your Destination
Where to Start...
Nothing beats the Rome 2 Rio 🔗 website for figuring out all your travel options from any point A to any point B in the world. It shows you what forms of transportation are possible, from flights to ferries and will even offer $ estimates and travel times for future dates and you can book most forms of transport through the site.
Flying.....
If I'm going to fly, I use Skyscanner 🔗 to compares flights. It searches other search engine websites, not just airlines. You don't book directly with Skyscanner - it merely connects you the search site of your choosing.
​If your are booking fairly far in advance don't buy on your first search. Use a site that offers predictive pricing to see if there is a better time to book. (My Capitol One Rewards Booking offers this.) If you have flexibility in your travel dates these sites will also show you if moving your flight date a few days will save you money.​​
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Once I know which flights are the cheapest (and when the best time to book is,) I double check to see if those flights are on any airline credit card rewards programs I have before I use the suggested Skyscanner 🔗 company and compare to see which deal is better.​​​​
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Riding the Rails...
For train routes & prices check out Man in Seat 61 🔗
EuroStar 🔗 & Eurail 🔗 if your traveling in Europe - I use the Omio 🔗 app for my train tickets, but depending on the line & what continent you're on you may need to purchase through other apps or directly from the company.
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On the Open Road...
For Bus Tickets check out BusBud 🔗
Looking to save even more? Consider a ride sharing road trip - BlaBlaCar 🔗 in Europe will connect you with other travelers going to the same city so you can carpool and maybe make a new friend on the way.
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You can also, of course, rent a car. Discover Cars 🔗 will search rentals internationally . It can be expensive, but sometimes, depending on your destination, it makes the most sense. For example, if you are visiting multiple spread out locations outside of urban city centers, or want to explore the country side. (Iceland or the Scottish Highlands for example are places where car rental may be worth the cost.) You can even Rent Campers 🔗.
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Public Transit
Once at your destination, Public Trains, Buses and Metro, are usually the cheapest option for getting around. If they are your only transportation while in town it's likely that an unlimited discount card will save you money. Not only is it cheaper than buying one trip at a time or even daily passes, it gives you lots of flexibility on your plans (and built in peace of mind that getting temporarily lost/ turned around won't cost you additional money.) Most cities offer weekly and monthly passes.
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Worried about finding your way around town someplace new, with no internet connection?
Pre-download off-line maps with Maps.me 🔗.
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Hot Tip - Do the Math - I usually get the monthly city pass even if I am only in town 2 -3 weeks, its often cheaper than buying multiple weeklies.