title self explanatory.
I want to know how to travel europe, especially italy, (or just any other places on earth) without a solid plan and without using too much money on non-air-transportation and getting a place to sleep.
When I have to move from a city to another, or from a country to another, I want to use the transportation method which local people use. I know there is an eurail pass but it is, in my opinion, little bit expensive and it doesn\'t fit to the traveling style. I don\'t know how many days i might stay on each city and country- because there is no solid plan. are there cheap busses connecting each cities? how bout a single-use train tickets?
as for getting a place to sleep, I think youth hostels are the cheapest. but i\'ve never used them before. is there a site that links me to the hostels? do i need to book them before i go?
any enlightening responses are appreciated. thanks for the read.
Reply to this Hi there, difficult to answer your question re transport because it all depends on which country you are going to and when. Some countries have cheap buses and trains- some not (France and Germany have very little of intercity buses for example, so you have to take the train). Usually for trains (and ferries) booking ahead get you better prices, sometimes substantially cheaper, while just turning up at the station is the most expensive option. If you are going only to Italy to travel round probably the cost of travel won't be very high as distances are not that long. Be aware though that summer and especially August is HIGH season and millions of Europeans travel around, prices are ridiculously high and maybe very difficult to find a place to sleep. When you calculate your cost also take into consideration that entrance fees to museums, archaelogical sites etc. can be a quite substantial part of your budget. Many people of course travel without a plan and while it may be harder it also gives you unforgettable experiences (positive and negative) that you wouldn't have if you followed a rigid plan. You could of course also do something in between, and decide for the first few days in advance, booking the hostel and then see how it goes, maybe if it is high season book in advance along the way, if it is off season find a place on the spot. If you are going with someone else the last alternative is fine, as one person can wait (with luggage) while the other checks around.
Reply to this Hello John 😊
Id say it is quite easy to travel in Europe without a solid plan. You could just use a book such a Europe on a Shoestring, by Lonely Planet to give just about all the information an independent traveller needs.
If you dont plan a little in advance, flights and train rides will be expensive, because you will miss out on bargains that are available when you buy in advance. Night trains in Europe can be inexpensive, when you score bargains, and they also have the double advantage of saving on a nights accomodation.
Check the 'Find a Hostel' link at the top right of the Home Page of TravelBllog. It generally has the best prices available of all the Hostel search engines, in my experience.
Hitch hiking is an option for you to get around too.
Also, some countries have organisations which find passangers for those driving to share the expenses. For example, the one in Germany is
www.mitfahrzentrale.de
Mel
Reply to this Hi! There are a lot of people who visit to other countries, and use the local means of transportation, but it is safer to visit far off destinations in a group. You can easily find out the cheap accommodations at every place, but you will have to decide the destination first.There are a lot of information available on the net.
Reply to this There are many options...from using railroad to hitchhiking which is not very uncommon. Make sure you do it safely!
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