Getting Around Europe on a Budget

Taking a European river cruise is a great way to see a lot of beautiful foreign cities in a short time, while enjoying the comfort of a cruise ship and not having to take up all the work associated with planning your own itinerary. Planning trips can be stressful, especially when everything is in a different currency and looks expensive. But planning your own trip to Europe on a budget to explore pre- or post-cruise can be exciting, and if you use the right types of transportation, you can keep costs down.

Planes

Flying can cut travel time exponentially, but that usually means paying a higher price. This does not always have to be the case though. Airlines like easyJet, Ryanair, and WOW air offer really cheap options for travel around Europe. EasyJet even offers deals on entire vacations. If you are looking for last-minute holiday vacations, they will have a wide variety of deals to choose from on their website. Ryanair is known to have some of the cheapest tickets around Europe, but be careful while booking: sometimes they don’t fly to the big airports, and you’ll have a longer distance to get to the city. WOW air, in addition to affordable flights in Europe, can get you to and from Europe at an affordable price.

Don’t forget that with cheap airlines comes fewer amenities. You will have to pay for meals on your flights, as well as any checked luggage you want to bring with you. But if you travel light, then these airlines can make your European adventure possible on any budget.

RELATED: How to Get the Most Out of Your European Wine Cruise

Trains & Buses

Trains and buses may take a lot longer than flying, but they are also generally much cheaper. FlixBus, who has recently brought their business over to the US, is a great option for traveling through Europe on a budget. They are known for their buses, but they have recently started making trains available on select routes through Europe. Enjoy the scenery while traveling within or between European countries; this is something you won’t get to appreciate as well from thousands of feet in the air on a plane. FlixBus even has a deal called InterFlix, which allows you to visit five European cities within 90 days for just 99€.

Automobiles

If you have the option to be spontaneous, then consider using a car sharing service. BlaBlaCar  operates in many European countries, and it is a great way to meet people. Many of the people offering up seats in their car are just going for a weekend or business trip, and to make a few extra bucks are allowing you to join them. By using BlaBlaCar, you can meet local people who live in the cities you are just visiting for vacation. If you want a more authentic experience but still need to see Europe on a budget, then maybe a car sharing service is a good option for you.

-Grace Douglas

Grace Douglas is a lover of cats, books, and travel. She is currently working toward her Master in International Security Management in Berlin.