Plan Your Trip
Getting Around Europe
For many, trains or buses will be the preferred mode of Euro transport. Flights are useful for covering distances quickly and are affordable, if booked in advance. If time isn't an issue, then cycling can get you from one end of the continent to the other, and keep you fit.
Train Europe’s network covering 240,000km is fast and efficient but rarely a bargain unless you book well in advance or use a rail pass wisely.
Bus Usually taken for short trips in more remote areas, though long-distance intercity buses can be very cheap.
Car You can hire a car or drive your own through Europe. Roads are excellent but petrol is expensive.
Ferry Boats connect Britain and Ireland with mainland Europe, Scandinavia to the Baltic countries and Germany, and Italy to the Balkans and Greece.
Plane Speed things up by flying from one end of the continent to the other. Book well ahead for cheapest fares.
Bicycle Slow things down on a two-wheeler, a great way to get around just about anywhere.
Air
In the face of competition from low-cost airlines, many national carriers have dropped their prices and/or offer special deals. For a comprehensive overview of which low-cost carriers fly to or from which European cities, check out the excellent www.flycheapo.com.
Air Passes
Depending on which airline you fly into Europe, you may be able to purchase one of the following air passes. Check the details carefully and compare prices with budget airlines, taking into account taxes and any luggage surcharges.
Visit Europe Pass (www.oneworld.com/flights/single-continent-fares/visit-europe)
Europe Airpass (http://www.staralliance.com/en/airpass-details)
Charter Flights
Charter flights are organised by tour operators for travellers who have purchased a holiday package that includes transportation and accommodation. Depending on when you fly they can be a very good deal. Certain charter airlines such as Condor (www.condor.com) and Monarch Airlines (www.monarch.co.uk) also sell flights directly without the accommodation packages.
SLEEPING IN AIRPORTS
Sometimes the cheapest flights are for very early morning departures or late arrivals after public transport has stopped for the night. In such cases, it may be worth checking out whether it's possible to snooze at the airport. Start your research at The Guide to Sleeping at Airports (www.sleepinginairports.net): in Europe it lists Munich, Helsinki and Zurich within the top 10 airports to sleep in, and Paris Beauvais-Tille as one of the 10 worst.
Train
Comfortable, frequent and reliable, trains are the way to get around Europe.
AMany state railways have interactive websites publishing their timetables and fares, including www.bahn.de (Germany) and www.sbb.ch (Switzerland), which both have pages in English. Eurail (www.eurail.com) links to 28 European train companies.
AThe very comprehensive, The Man in Seat 61 (www.seat61.com) is a gem, while the US-based Budget Europe Travel Service (www.budgeteuropetravel.com) can also help with tips.
AEuropean trains sometimes split en route to service two destinations, so even if you’re on the right train, make sure you’re also in the correct carriage.
AA train journey to almost every station in Europe can be booked via Voyages-sncf.com (http://uk.voyages-sncf.com/en), which also sells InterRail and other passes.
International Rail Passes
If you’re covering lots of ground, a rail pass (which usually needs to be purchased in your home country) is the way to go.
AYou can buy online from sites such as www.raileurope.com, www.railpass.com and www.interrail.eu. If you're already in Europe arrange for the pass to be sent to parents or friends from where it can be forwarded on.
ADo some price comparisons of point-to-point ticket charges and rail passes beforehand to make absolutely sure you’ll break even.
AShop around for rail-pass prices as prices do vary between outlets. When weighing up options, look into cheap deals that include advance-purchase reductions, one-off promotions or special circular-route tickets, particularly over the internet.
ANormal point-to-point tickets are valid for two months, and you can make as many stops as you like en route; make your intentions known when purchasing and inform train conductors how far you’re going before they punch your ticket.
ASupplementary charges (eg for some express and overnight trains) and seat reservation fees (mandatory on some trains, a good idea on others) are not covered by rail passes. Always ask. Note that European rail passes also give reductions on Eurostar, the Channel Tunnel and on certain ferries.
APass-holders must always carry their passport with them for identification purposes. The railways’ policy is that passes cannot be replaced or refunded if lost or stolen.
National Rail Passes
National rail operators might also offer their own passes, or at least a discount card, offering substantial reductions on tickets purchased (eg the Bahn Card in Germany or the Half-Fare Card in Switzerland).
Look at individual train operator sites via http://uk.voyages-sncf.com/en/ to check. Such discount cards are usually only worth it if you’re staying in the country a while and doing a lot of travelling.
Bus
If you really want to make your budget go further then buses are always going to be a cheaper (but slower) form of transport around Europe.
One recent entrant into the market is Megabus (http://uk.megabus.com) which offers discount bus tickets throughout the UK and to cities in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Ireland and Spain.
Bus Passes
Eurolines Pass (www.eurolines.com/en/eurolines-pass) Allows passengers to visit a choice of 53 cities across Europe over 15 or 30 days. In 2016/17 the high season (mid-June to mid-September) passes for 15/30 days cost €270/350 for those aged under 26, or €320/425 for those 26 and over. It’s cheaper in other periods.
Busabout (www.busabout.com) Offers a 'hop-on, hop-off' service around Europe, stopping at major cities every two days from May to the end of October. Buses are often oversubscribed, so book each sector to avoid being stranded.
Car
While driving a car will give you the greatest flexibility in the places you can see across Europe, it will also be the most expensive way to travel unless you happen to be travelling in a group that can share the cost.
If that's not the case then hitching is another option – it's never entirely safe, though, and we cannot recommend it.
A variation on hitching is car pooling where you arrange a lift in advance. Scan student noticeboards in colleges, or check out services such as Bla Bla Car (www.blablacar.co.uk) or Drive2Day (www.drive2day.de).
Bicycle
Much of Europe is ideally suited to cycling. Popular cycling areas include the whole of the Netherlands, the Belgian Ardennes, the west of Ireland, the upper reaches of the Danube in southern Germany and anywhere in northern Switzerland, Denmark or the south of France. Exploring the small villages of Turkey and Eastern Europe also provides up-close access to remote areas.
A primary consideration on a cycling trip is to travel light, but you should take a few tools and spare parts, including a puncture-repair kit and an extra inner tube. Panniers are essential to balance your possessions on either side of the bike frame. Wearing a helmet is not compulsory in most countries, but is certainly sensible.
Seasoned cyclists can average 80km a day, but it depends on what you’re carrying and your level of fitness.
Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC; www.ctc.org.uk) The national cycling association of the UK runs organised trips to Continental Europe.
European Cyclists’ Federation (www.ecf.com) Has details of ‘EuroVelo’, the European cycle network of 12 pan-European cycle routes, plus tips for other tours.
SwitzerlandMobility (www.veloland.ch/en/cycling-in-switzerland.html) Details of Swiss national routes and more.
Transporting a Bicycle
For major cycling trips, it’s best to have a bike you’re familiar with, so consider bringing your own rather than buying on arrival. If coming from outside Europe, ask about the airline’s policy on transporting bikes before buying your ticket.
From the UK to the continent, Eurostar (the train service through the Channel Tunnel) charges £25 to £30 to send a bike as registered luggage on its routes.
For only £20 extra you can transport your bicycle and yourself on Eurotunnel through the Channel Tunnel; see www.eurotunnel.com/uk/traveller-info/vehicles/bicycles.
With a bit of tinkering and dismantling (eg removing wheels), you might be able to get your bike into a bag or sack and take it on a train as hand luggage.
Alternatively, the European Bike Express (www.bike-express.co.uk) is a UK-based coach service where cyclists can travel with their bicycles to various cycling destinations on the continent.
Once on the continent, you can put your feet up on the train if you get tired of pedalling or simply want to skip a boring section. On slower trains, bikes can usually be transported as luggage, subject to a small supplementary fee. Some cyclists have reported that Italian and French train attendants have refused bikes on slow trains, so be prepared for regulations to be interpreted differently by officious staff.
Fast trains can rarely accommodate bikes; they might need to be sent as registered luggage and may end up on a different train from the one you take. This is often the case in France and Spain.