Money Saving Tips for Backpacking Europe?
September 28, 2010 by Hikerama
Filed under backpacking tips
Looking to spend about 3 months backpacking europe, and trying to do see as much as possible in the CHEAPEST way possible! Any and all tips are very welcome!
For instance, (from Canada) what is the cheapest location to fly in to?
I am a 19 year old student, are there discounts I can get because of this?
Is a eurail pass worth the money?
What are the cheapest destinations?
Again all advice is appreciated.
If you want to travel cheapest, forget Eurail.
Most Eurail passes only work in the more expensive parts of Europe, the west.
And you will have to be on the train more often than not to really get your moneys worth out of it.
It is much cheaper to limit your train journeys to short distances, within one country, and do your long distance travels by bus/coach.
If you are willing/able to book ahead you can get good savings on some long distance journeys, sometimes even still if you book only two days in advance, (like in Germany and Italy, and in the UK.)
In the eastern half of Europe, the former communist countries, the prices are generally lower and the train journeys within the countries much cheaper, but there is as much to see and do. But the capital cities and the beach resorts are not as cheap as they used to be and getting nearly as expensive as the cities in the west.
As a student, bring your student ID, from your university as well as one from one of the bigger organizations. And based on your age you will get some reductions as well, so keep your passport near at hand, (but tucked away safe, so pickpockets can not get it out.)
Like many international train tickets will be cheaper as you are not yet 26, and so will some hostels be.
All capital cities are more expensive as a rule, but they often have cheaper options too, and if you are happy just to walk around the famous sights, and not go into them, you might even be able to spend less in Paris than in a smaller town.
But in general in a smaller town or village you will not spend as much. The hostels are cheaper, you will have less options to spend your money and more things to do for free, like hiking.
Talk with the people you meet when traveling, get their opinion on the hostels they stayed and whether it was worth the money you spend on it.
An other way to spend less is to couch surf, I have never done it, I am not sure whether I can recommend it, but several of the regulars here do, so I will add links to sources too.
And when you have decided which countries or cities you want to see, search on the name and cheap or free things to do. (Or come back here and ask us, some of us do know a lot of options.)
And read in the older questions and answers here, as this kind of question is asked often.
Get an Interail (eurorail) card. They are brilliant. Plus on some of the longer journeys – especially some overnight ones – you can sleep on the trains.
I backpacked through Europe myself and learned a lot of important tips. I created a website that has 10 tips on how to save money when traveling in Europe.
http://hubpages.com/hub/10-Easy-Ways-to-Save-Money-While-Traveling-In-Europe
Being a student is a great advantage to you. You can get discounts almost everywhere. I loved traveling by train and I was able to see a lot of different places. It is a laid back way to travel without reservations. Check out the site for other advice!
Have fun
You are going to have the time of your life!
Eurail is worth the money for the Select Passes if you plan your time and travel carefully, and don’t want to worry about paying on the go when traveling long distances. They are at least equal to local prices with discounts on long distance travel when you plan out your time. I bought the most days across three months that I could, and it was more than enough, because I spent 3-5 days in each city anyway, and didn’t need an unlimited pass.
Buying cheap tickets as you go can be fairly simple too, but with the Select Pass, you prepay, so all the money you bring is for housing and sightseeing and entertainment and short-distance travel. Figure out what cities and places you definitely have to see, pull out a notebook, do research on pricing online, weigh that vs Eurail, and if you choose Eurail, plan your Eurail travel around your long distance travel. Use cash on the go for short travel distances by bus, train, or plane, and use the internet to your advantage to research prices for these.
Yes, as a student, you are entitled to discounts. Check out http://www.isic.org for ISIC cards (international student ID) and the applicable discounts. There are also plenty of discounts on travel and sightseeing for under-27′s. Lonely Planet guidebooks and the website are excellent resources for young people and students traveling abroad. If you find local websites and entertainment magazines (like Time Out in London or NY), you can even find plenty of free days at museums and stuff like that.
Once you’re on the road, you will meet plenty of people in hostels that can give you good advice on the go too. Huge advantage.
Make sure you bring enough money, at least $100 USD per day. Currently that’s about 68 Euros with our crappy exchange rates. Some days you will spend more, and some less, so it all works out.
Less expensive countries are in the eastern part of Europe, but don’t let that determine what you have to see. If you need Paris, go to Paris-you will find a way to make it work on a budget.
Have a great time.