Unless you’re heading to Eastern Europe, travel in Europe is very expensive. With thriving metropolises with prices to rival London, expensive hotels and flights that really stretch budgets travelling in Europe can be a stressful on the wallet. Thankfully we’re on hand with 4 top tips to get a cheaper European break.
Travel at the End of the season or in the Off Season
There’s a reason ticket, hotels, airfare and other prices go up during the holiday seasons –it’s because there is a huge increase in demand. People want to travel, attend parties and raves, see music festivals and concerts, visit their favourite beaches, relax with the family on an exclusive beach resort and drink beers in a pub that’s not in their locality. But, once you decide to travel in the off season when there isn’t that much demand or traffic, you’ll often find that you can get to your destination for 40% less or even more.
Consider Rental Apartments
For most holiday goers, the first thing they think about during their travels is accommodation –that’s a good thing. The downside however is that most people automatically think of hotels alone, not knowing that rentals and hostels can be cheaper and more rewarding. For instance, if you’re travelling to Amsterdam, you will find that rentals in Amsterdam are considerably cheaper than staying in hotels. So, look for apartment rentals or vacation swap opportunities. This alone can save you a lot of money.
Fly with Less Popular Airlines and Airports
You would think many people would know this, but they don’t. As a result, they end up spending way more than they should for airfare. There are over 55 low priced routes around Europe to locations of your choice. And when booking the planes, be sure to book those going to neighbouring and less busy airports. If possible arrange use buses or trains to connect from the airport to your hotel. If you have to take a taxi shop around for a decent deal – or, if you’re staying at a hotel, ask them to provide you with one.
Think Trains and Car Rentals
The great thing about Europe is that the cities are connected via a complex railway system. So, if you want, you can board a train in London and travel to France. And the best thing about this is that it’s cheaper than air travel. So, make sure that your route can’t be travelled via trains before boarding a flight. And if you’ll be spending more than a week in your holiday destination, be sure to consider the necessity of a rental. In cities taxis and local transport tends to be a lot cheaper than car rentals. Most big cities everything can be reached walking so you can save even more here. In rural areas a car is often a necessity but you’d be surprised how easy it can be to get around with local bus and train services.