During a trip of any length your in-country or between country transportation can be one of your biggest expenses. Depending on how much you move around and how far in advance you plan, the bus/train/ferry tickets to the next town or between countries can end up being more expensive than your actual plane ticket from home (especially if you get handy at travel hacking!).
Luckily there are a growing number of budget travel companies, platforms to connect like-minded travelers, and little known alternatives for the resourceful traveler. For all of these, read on…
1. Use budget travel companies
While not yet the case with trains, airlines and buses now offer decent budget lines just about anywhere in the world. These companies often (though not always) get away with tickets at the fraction of the price of their traditional competitors by skimping on things like proper leg room, centrally located stations/airports, or free baggage allowances.
Beware though, these “side costs” (sometimes actually essential- as in the occasional airline that charges you for your ticket, and then for your seat) can add up real fast, and occasionally make a budget ticket the same price as a regular one. Though this isn’t usually the case, be sure to read the fine print and calculate these extra costs into the total when comparing options.
In the case of bus lines like Megabus and FlixBus, they advertise $1 (or the local equivalent of) tickets, if reserved far enough in advance, high travel days excepted.
While I have never personally booked a ticket for this little (last minute travel being my speciality… ), their $5-$20 tickets are still plenty to be happy about. Last week I traveled from Kraków to Vienna for $15, with comfy reclining seats, wifi, and pretty views all the way- no complaining about that!
2. Buy a pass
Learn when and where it is cheapest to book (at the station vs internet; months in advance vs day of). What is true in one country or region may not be in another.
Learn the cheapest mode of transportation within the country (train vs bus vs car vs motorbike vs boat), explore budget options.
In Sweden it can save you quite a few krona to book train tickets weeks or months in advance. In Bulgaria, it doesn’t matter so much how far in advance you do it, but the bus is significantly superior to the train in cost and quality.
The point is, don’t assume whatever has helped you save money in the past will work in a new place. Do your research before you arrive or on the ground to feel out local quirks, deals, and best practices.
If you want to see a ton of places but don’t want to bother with a car (or if you do, see below), the main rail and bus networks in many countries offer a sort of “hop on hop off” network pass.
The infamous Eurail pass gives you great flexibly to travel all around Europe, on a pass that’s scaled to fit your itinerary. You choose the time frame and number of countries/stops, then you just book your seats as you go along, all within the set price for the pass. And, if you travel under the age of 27 (i.e. a generous “student” range), you get a handy 20% discount.
In the United States, travel from coast to coast is a definitely pricier, but Amtrak offers a similar setup. Passes can be bought for the entire country or California alone, depending on the time frame and how many segments (or stops) you want to use in that time.
While there aren’t stations in every city, the train lines run through some of the most beautiful parts of the country and offer a peaceful (and often uniquely historic) way to see this vast country without ever having to hit the interstate.
Many other countries offer similar options like Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. For all things train travel related, The Man In Seat 61 can fill you in on just about everything you need to know!
3. Where appropriate, master and utilize bartering
In many places, bartering will get you nowhere (metaphorically speaking). In others, it could be the difference of paying double what a local would pay.
The primary place I’ve utilized this technique for something as basic as intercity bus travel is in Southeast Asia. Do your best to get a good grasp of the range of prices, and what might be considered “normal”. Shop around a bit before purchasing and don’t be afraid to walk away (in fact, make sure you do- as this is one of the best techniques to drive down any price ).
Accepting that you’ll almost invariably pay more as a foreigner, don’t let yourself be one that pays without knowing what’s [relatively] fair.
4. Carpool
Thinking of renting a car but it’s much too much for just one person? Need help with the costs?
Carpooling is an awesome way to mediate fuel costs and carbon emissions, whether you’re doing the good ol’ 9 to 5, or trying to roadtrip from Istanbul to Budapest. There are a number of platforms to connect travelers and drivers, though sometimes the best way to find a travel buddy is to soldier up and ask somebody in person.
Place an ad at your hostel. Check if there are traveler or expat Facebook groups for your specific locale. If not, post an ad on one of the general travel groups. Reach out on Couchsurfing or other traveler social networks.
I did this just last winter in Bulgaria and ended up spending an awesome week with a fellow solo female traveler chasing mountains and swapping stories.
A few basics to check:
BlablaCar: An awesome platform to connect drivers with spare seats, it is most popular in Europe, but is beginning to be used the world over (India, Mexico, a few places in the United States). Drivers and passengers create brief personalized profiles and are reviewed from past rides. Drivers set their rates for a journey, as well as their routes/ability to stopover. I’ve used this network numerous times with only positive experiences.
Ridesharing.com: I have no personal experience with this platform, but it lists over 100k users in Canada and the United States; pairing drivers with riders over short and long distance journeys. Similar to BlablaCar, drivers set their rate per journey.
Craigslist rideshare: A U.S. based website for posting classified ads but popular in a few other countries. Rideshares have their own category under “Community”; you can post either as driver or rider. Price/exchange is negotiable (sometimes driving time/company is valued as well as money).
Gumtree: Similar to Craigslist, this classifieds website started in the U.K. as a way to connect fellow commonwealthers from Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. It has now spread to Poland, France, Canada, and Hong Kong. The websites for these countries are separate and can be located either by adding the country code to the end of the gumtree.com url or simply searching in Google.
Trademe: Similar to Craigslist and Gumtree, this is a classifieds website, but is only used in New Zealand.
Daytrip: This one isn’t specific to carpooling, nor is especially budget worthy- but!- If you like the idea of carpooling yet want to stop along the way, or just want the value of some local knowledge, this new network lets you hire local drivers to take you from city to city with guided stops that fit your interests. I have yet to take a trip with them, but if you do, let us know what you think!
Safety note: I have never had any problems carpooling, but I am stringent about rides and passengers that I accept. When reading an ad, try to get a feel for whether they’re a person you won’t mind spending quite a few hours with.
As always, listen to your gut and don’t hesitate to ask for more information (and photos!).
5. Hitchhike
Where safe, this is definitely a viable option for the truly adventurous. Best to undertake if you have a flexible schedule, the weather doesn’t suck, and you (ideally) have a backup plan if needed.
Some regions hitching is illegal and it’s enforced, others it is very common and quite safe; New Zealand, Australia, and much of Europe come to mind as the best places to get started as a hitching newbie.
The Basics:
1. Make sure you stand in a safe, well lit place (i.e. not where people drive super fast on roads with no shoulder).
2. Always be prepared to turn down a ride if it doesn’t feel “right”.
3. The best combination in terms of getting a ride and staying safe is 1 girl, 1 guy, no dog.
For everything you could possibly want to know about the technicalities and community of hitchhiking, check out Hitchwiki.
Budget Options for the Roadtrip
I’m a huge fan of roadtripping for many many reasons, which I won’t bore you with at this exact time (but I will soon, don’t worry).
But essentially: you sure can’t beat the freedom to stop as you choose and the ability to reach isolated locations.
Depending on your trip, your preferred activities/sights, the other transportation options, and the landscape, a car may actually be a financially savvy decision that will enable you to have the adventure you’re really after.
6. Share a car rental
Renting a car is never cheap, but if you’re trying to get to remote locations or will be making many stops, it may be less expensive (both in time and money) to drive than to make a many-legged bus or train journey.
As a solo traveler finding someone to share a car with can be a little challenging, if only in finding a semi-stranger you don’t mind pitching in with for a few days or weeks at a time, especially through moderately stressful situations. But that’s also part of the adventure, isn’t it…
Online forums such as Facebook travel groups and Couchsurfing can be good places to start if you want to cast a wider net. More locally, notice boards at hostels or simply socializing are great ways to meet people already on the same trajectory (see the section above on carpooling).
7. Utilize budget car rental options
These days there are budget options for everything, even car rentals. Two companies I have had personal experience with and highly recommend to anyone needing a rental are Turo in the United States and SAD Cars in Iceland.
Turo: The AirBnb of car rentals, car owners rent out their personal vehicles to travelers, at much better rates than traditional car rental companies. In addition to giving your hard earned dollar to a friendly Jo Schmo instead of a corporation, you also have a huge range of options and know exactly what you will be renting when you make a reservation.
Finding a 4 wheel drive vehicle through a traditional car rental company can often be a huge headache and added expense, on Turo you can search for the option, as well as many other features.
The price is set by the owner, as are mileage limits (though these can often be negotiated), as well as drop off and pick-up locations. Best of all, insurance is included in the rental cost.
RentAWreck: Based in the United States, available in most- but not all- 50 states as well as Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, they rent and lease used vehicles for substantially cheaper rates than a traditional car company.
SAD Cars: Operated out of BUS Hostel in Reykjavik, both of which are owned by the same group of guys, SAD Cars are older and generally reliable vehicles that are significantly cheaper than the regular shiny new car rental options. In a wild and expensive place like Iceland, it’s a relief to not worry about every scratch or ding; the roads and weather are seriously no joke.
Note: if you stay at the hostel and rent a car, you receive a 10% discount for your stay- but make sure you tell them to get it.
8. Consider buying a car
Some countries, depending on how long you’ll be there and where you want to go/do, it can prove to be more economical to simply purchase a vehicle, ideally with a friend or partner to split the upfront cost. This is often the case in New Zealand and Australia, where their vast land area, incredible scenery, yet pricey transit (or really everything) attract long term travelers by the bucketful.
Follow the same routes you would to purchase a vehicle at home: ask around, check the classifieds (Gumtree, Craigslist, Trademe), to be sure to dig up something trustworthy and appropriately priced.
Additional resources: message boards at hostels and Facebook groups for backpackers in said country. Many people will be at the end of their trip, depending on the season, and looking to resell. In the South Pacific, this generally means early fall (so March-May).
9. Relocate a car or camper van
In countries where there is a distinct tourist season and direction to the flow of traffic, car rental companies often have too many vehicles in one place and not enough staff to get them where they need for future customers.
This is a huge win for travelers as they will sometimes offer extremely cheap or free rentals, often including ferry and bridge tolls, and sometimes even petrol. The catch is that you will generally be required to pick up and drop off at specific cities and dates, so a certain amount of flexible schedule keeping is required.
While there are the most opportunities in Australia and New Zealand, where millions of tourists travel each year across these large countries by flying into one city and out of another, there are also options in the United States and Europe. Transfercar, Jucy, iMoova are all good places to start, but dropping in at any car rental agency and inquiring in person is also a great option.
Conclusion
And there you have it! With the right amount of planning in all the right places, there is no reason why getting to see exactly what you want + your bank account should be a deal breaker.
Remember: every dollar saved is a dollar for the next trip. Or beer. Yay! 🙃