Travel Tips for Students - Must Read

Exams, sessions, missed buses, the noisy life of the campus ... 

After all this chase, it would be a good idea to reward yourself and take advantage of your free time. How to make it more affordable?  What should you pay attention to before and during the trip? Read this article to the end to see the best tips and tricks on how to travel on a budget. 

Get Your Flight Ticket Early

The first point that those who want to spend a cheap holiday should pay attention to is flight tickets. You can get cheaper ticket prices if you plan your vacation well in advance - usually 3-4 months earlier. 

The earlier you book your flight ticket, which is one of the most important points, the lower your holiday budget will be. Because during the holidays, high amounts are paid for transportation other than food and accommodation.

You can find the most affordable airline companies by comparing prices from websites where online flight tickets are sold. Taking advantage of such sites will offer you that. Some of the best websites to do that are - Google Flights, Expedia and Skyscanner. 

Lastly, more and more airlines create their own new businesses operating under the “Budget Airlines” category where you can get highly discounted tickets. However, these airlines usually provide no overhead bin space for your carry-on luggage, have uncomfortable seats and do not provide in-flight meal services. You literally just pay for the seat in the plane, that’s it. 

Look for Buses or Trains (if available) 

You already know that bus and train tickets are more economical than plane tickets. You can choose buses to solve your transportation problem, whether in the country or abroad. These types of bus trips will provide a richer experience and allow you to see more places.

Cheap European and USA bus companies :

1-Megabus - An intercity bus service of Coach USA/Coach Canada operating in the eastern, southern, midwestern and western United States, and in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. 

2-Eurolines - Brand of intercity bus service owned by an international non-profit organization formed under Belgian law. Using the Eurolines brand, partner bus companies operate service to over 600 destinations in 36 countries of Europe, as well as Morocco.

3-Sindbad Bus - Sindbad Bus, is a bus company based in Opole, Poland. It offers departures in 21 countries, such as Poland, Germany, and Ukraine. It is one of the many bus companies in Poland, as it offers more than 2323 daily departures, mostly from cities like Lviv, Warsaw, and Krakow.

4-Student Agency - Student Agency is a Czech travel agency whose main focuses are on au-pair programmes, resale of airline tickets, bus and rail transport. Its headquarters are in Brno, Czech Republic. Despite the company's name, their services are not sold exclusively to students.

5- Bee-Line - The Westchester County Bee-Line System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. 

6-Ecolines - Ecolines connecting 170 destinations, covering the whole of Europe, priority Eastern Europe . It was founded in 1993 as Norma-A. Meanwhile, Ecolines is an amalgamation of various European bus companies. In the Baltic States. 

7-FlixBus -FlixBus is a German brand that offers intercity bus service in Europe, North America, and Brazil. . For instance in Europe ,You can choose from France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia and many more countries! Not to mention Sweden, Denmark, Luxembourg, Slovenia and Austria.

Choose Affordable Hotels

Speaking of comparison, another method you can plan for a cheap holiday is to compare hotel prices. By researching beforehand, you can compare the hotels in your destination.

It is an undeniable fact that the hotels located a little far from the city center offer more affordable prices. You can save a lot by making your hotel choices a little further from the center.

Considering that you will only benefit from the hotel's bed and breakfast services it may not be the right choice to spend a large part of your holiday budget on accommodation.

Hospitality Websites

Is the hotel boring or too much for you? Or want to find a travel buddy to share expenses? 

These websites will connect you with local people in the places you visit and save your money.

• Couchsurfing – This allows you to stay in people's empty rooms for free.
• Airbnb – Another alternative. Helps for connection with landlords who rent their houses/flats to you.
• EatWith – Thanks to the application, you can be invited to a house for dinner in the city you are visiting. So, you can taste the food of the region first hand with other taste lovers.
• BlaBlaCar – The companion application, Bla Bla Car, allows vehicle owners to take people traveling in the same direction and spend the journey together. In order not to spend their journey alone and to share the costs.

Stay Safe

Be aware of your surroundings, whether it's hitchhiking, a person from the internet, or someone you met at a nightclub. Do not trust anyone quickly. Keep your phone charged in case you get lost or need it for anything.

Travel with Few Items

Take as few items as possible with you so that you can move more comfortably.

Also, in case of hitchhiking, don't expect vehicles to stop for you with a big suitcase with you. 

The same is true for those who prefer the airline. You can use the economical package option of airlines by only taking a backpack with you. Since many airlines have different charges for baggage, you will pay much less when you travel with less luggage.

Especially if you are going to travel abroad, a single backpack can provide you with many advantages. Moreover, it can save you time.

Join Exchange Programs 

It is the greatest opportunity for a student to experience a new country while studying and connecting with other students. Get yourself acquainted with  this chance, look for new opportunities within your current school and see if they offer any exchange programs.

Visitor Cards or Programs

If you are making your holiday for a cultural tour, be aware of the benefits of the country you are going to. Your student ID might come very handy since most of these venues provide significant discounts to students.

If you get these types of cards, you can have the chance to see more places with a low budget. Even free guided tours can be organized for tourists from time to time.

By following such organizations, you can cut down on entrance fees and travel expenses.

Street Food

Every country has its own unique street food. Those meals we look at with our mouths watering on social media. Especially in crowded places, street vendors are likely to be there. Eating from a street vendor is a great idea, as it is cheaper and offers different tastes. However, pay attention to the overall sanitary condition of the street vendor and make sure you eat healthy.

Follow city events

In many cities, there are different activities at various times of the year, especially in the summer months and special days. By doing a little research before traveling on the internet, you can see the events that attract you.

There are various and delicious treats from free concerts, free public transport service for that day and even daily tours.

All you have to do is check out the festivals and special events of your destination in advance.

Get Vaccinated

In addition to entering the country, they can ask you for a vaccination passport, from an ordinary café to a big concert. If your health allows it, you need to get vaccinated, both for the safety of yourself and of everyone.