Budget Travel Part 5 – Transport Tricks with Trains!

Note: the following is not intended as professional travel advice. Always do your own research to stay up-to-date!

It’s budget travel time again, when we go back to basics to give you the latest tips and tricks to keep your travel costs down. Read on to find out about rail journey savings you never thought were possible!

Where it all begins  – the airport

Airport to city transport can cost an arm and a leg – but there are always alternatives. Before you leave home, check your transport options on a site such as Google Maps. There, you’ll find private, as well as public, transport options. If there’s just a few dollars difference, the private option is usually the one to go for (it’ll be less complicated). But where there’s a big difference in cost, choose the public transport option.

To help you learn how to use public transport to get from the airport to your accommodation, check out YouTube sites (such as this one for trains from Narita Airport to Tokyo). These sites will help you learn how to purchase public transport tickets.

Tip: it helps to know in advance what suburb your accommodation is in.

Senior savers

Many cities around the world offer seniors discounted, or absolutely free, travel on public transport, including metro and suburban trains. Always check, via the internet, if you are eligible. You will usually be required, if asked, to show proof of your age so be sure to carry your ID on you in a safe location. When booking longer distance trains (which are unlikely to be free), always study the online booking forms carefully so you don’t miss the senior ticket-buying option.

Skip the middle man

When purchasing the cheapest longer-distance train tickets, it almost always pays to go directly to the official railway booking site of the country you are travelling in, rather than via a third party booking site. To find the official site, simply type into your search engine the following question: “What is the official booking site for [for example] Finnish Rail?” In this case, the answer is ‘VR.’ Type ‘VR’ into your search engine, and scroll down until you find the site (watch out for advertisements which sit above your search results). In our Finnish example, the only site you want to click on is VR.

You’re not in NZ now!

As Kiwis, we’re so conditioned to think there’s only one form of long-distance public transport a day going in our direction. This is why, when travelling abroad, it’s time to reprogramme your brain. When choosing a destination, there are likely to be several trains an hour going to your destination, and some will be cheaper than others. If you’re willing to put up with a little inconvenience, such as leaving earlier or later in the day (although it’s not always the case you will have to), you’re in a position to choose the cheapest trip available!

Skip the reserved seat

Most rail services offer a ‘reserved seat’ option at a premium price. Do your research before booking because, in many cases, a non-reserved seat ticket doesn’t mean you can’t board, if no seats are available. All it means is you board a ‘non-reserved’ carriage where you may have to stand until a seat becomes available, which will happen when passengers disembark at a station further down the track.

Tip: if you’re boarding a non-reserved carriage, always be first in line so you get any seats that are vacant.

Book ahead

Once you know where you want to travel, it almost always pays to book ahead. Check on the official booking site of the country you’ll be travelling in for details. Be aware cheaper tickets are often only offered during designated booking periods, and become available just a few weeks ahead of your travel date. You may wish to wait for these booking periods to arrive (and be in with the rush of others who are looking for cheaper options) or (for peace of mind) you may wish to book the cheapest possible fare outside these periods. If you choose the latter option, you will still find great fares when you get in early.

Speed counts

Locals often value speed over cost, but if you’re on holiday, there’s nothing like taking the slower train to get the best views from the window. Fortunately, slower trains (those that make more stops or which require you to change trains) are usually much cheaper than fast trains. The option is yours – but we know which one we’d go for!

Do the maths

It’s tempting, as a traveller, to choose a ‘tourist saver ticket,’ – the sort that covers travel for a stipulated number of trips during a designated period. While these tickets can be convenient, they are not necessarily cheaper than booking individual trains on a one-off ticket basis (especially when you choose cheaper fares).  So, is it really worth buying a ‘European Rail Pass’ for 60 days for X number of dollars when, if you booked individual train tickets as required, the cost may come out significantly cheaper? Do your maths to help you decide.

Tip: some country rail booking sites (like this one for Japan Rail) offer you an online calculator to help you decide for yourself which option to go for.

Using trains to buzz from place to place around the world is an exciting prospect, and much more environmental than flying. By researching thoroughly, there are many savings to be made.