How to Travel in Europe on a Budget
Updated: 4 hours ago
Traveling is probably one of the most life-changing experiences you can live. We all know that traveling comfortably can be really expensive. In this post I'm sharing with you the tricks and hacks I've discovered over the years to help you save money when traveling.
Transportation in Europe on a budget
Transportation and accommodation are generally the two most expensive aspects of a trip, still, I have found that traveling inside Europe can remain relatively cheap if you do your research.
Flights
For comparing flights I personally use Kayak, but other well-know sites are Google Flights, Kiwi and Skyscanner.
Trains
The train network in Europe is pretty reliable although it can sometimes be more expensive than other means of transportation like buses, cars and even planes.
Trainline is a well-known train comparison site.
Eurail and Interrail allow you to buy train passes with unlimited travels per day. I have not personally used them yet, but if you are planning a long trip in Europe they might be worth checking out. Eurail is for people living outside Europe and Interrail is for European residents
If you are travelling in France, I recommend you check out Ouigo, which is the budget train line by SNCF. If you travel regularly in France you might want to explore the SNCF advantage card which costs about 50€ per year and allows you to buy train tickets at a 25-30% discount. The discount is only applicable to SNCF trains and not Ouigo.
Trains are usually a lot cheaper if they leave early in the morning ( 6 -7 am). Waking up earlier might save you a great deal of money.
Buses
The go-to when it comes to buses in Europe is definitely Flixbus. Their buses are usually confortable and the prices are usually really really good.
There is also Blablabus, although I've had a bus cancelled, so I'd rather pick Flixbus whenever possible.
Transportation comparison site
Finally, you also have transportation comparison sites like Rome2Rio and Omio that allow you to compare different means of transportation like plane, bus and train all at the same time.
Transportation in the city
Walking is always free and it might save you a couple of bucks, plus you get to see more :)
Public transportation is always cheaper than taking an Uber which is almost always cheaper than taking a taxi
Google maps isn't always the most up to date when it comes to public transport information. In big cities it might work well, but in smaller ones I would rather choose apps like maps.me , Citymapper, Moovit or, better yet, the official local transit app/site.
Accommodation in Europe on a budget
Although I like traveling on a budget, I give a lot of importance to comfort, so sleeping in dorms with strangers is not really something I want to do.
When it comes to accommodation I usually use one of these three platforms: Airbnb, Booking and Abritel which is quite popular in France.
Whenever possible, we usually book apartments, houses, or appart’hotels, which are hotels with a kitchenette. The advantage is that you can cook your own meals, which can save you a lot of money. We prefer doing that and eating out occasionally, treating ourselves to something we really want, rather than spending money just to eat out when the food is pretty average and usually overpriced.
Additionally, if you’re young and traveling with friends, I’d definitely take a look at youth hostels (auberges de jeunesse in France). If you’re lucky, you might even be able to get a private room instead of sharing a dorm with strangers, and prices tend to be pretty reasonable.
Another great hack is to stay further away from the main cities, as long as you have easy access to public transport or a car. The further you get from the city center, the cheaper accommodation tends to be. This is especially true in more rural areas or in countries where accommodation in major cities is particularly expensive. You can often find accommodation that is 20–30% cheaper outside the city.
Meals in Europe on a budget
Like I mentioned earlier, our main strategy when it comes to meals is cooking at our accommodation and eating out occasionally.
One of our go-tos is having a picnic, especially when we’re hiking or visiting remote places where we know it will be difficult to find somewhere to eat or where everything will be extremely expensive.
Our go-to picnic with a view
We no longer use it that often, but there is an app called Too good to go with offers groceries that are close to expiration date at great discounts.
If you are eating out, eating local might be one of the cheapest options and it additionally allows you to explore the local culture through a different lense.
An app we swear by is TheFork. Although it is not available in every city across Europe, you can still find it in many popular destinations. TheFork allows you to eat at restaurants with discounts of up to 50%, which is pretty amazing. We have used it quite a lot in Paris, especially when we wanted to try a nice restaurant without spending too much. If you use my code 8454CF05 when booking your first meal, you’ll get 20 € off your next meal at eligible restaurants once you’ve completed your first booking.
Another great money-saving tip, especially in France is that most restaurants will provide free tap water. Instead of buying bottled water or drinks, simply ask for a “carafe d’eau” and they’ll bring you a jar with tap water for free.
Aside from that, it might seem like a small thing, but bringing a refillable water bottle can save you a surprising amount of money. You won’t have to keep buying plastic bottles throughout your trip, and you can simply refill your bottle whenever you have access to drinking water. There are a lot of public drinking water fountains in Paris by the way.
Buying gear on a budget
Some trips require special gear or clothing, especially if you’re traveling in winter. Think winter jackets, snow boots, gloves, and other season-specific items. You might also need hiking poles, camping equipment, travel guides, cameras, or even drones. These are things you may only use occasionally, so buying them new isn’t always necessary. Instead, you can borrow, rent and buy second hand. I personally buy a lot of things second hand and love it. You can often find items in excellent condition for half the retail price or even less. And if you take good care of them, you can almost always resell them when you no longer need them and recover some of your money.
Some websites where you can find second-hand items include:
Youth / Student discount
Many museums and landmarks offer free or reduces prices for students or people under 27. The same is true for people over 65.
Tours
Taking tours is not always a money saver, but it can be a true time saver, especially when you are visiting a country where attractions are not that easily accessible. I usually use Trip Advisor, Get Your Guide or Viator.
Bill-splitting
If you’re splitting travel expenses with others, I really recommend Splitwise. It’s been a game changer for us. The app keeps track of shared expenses and automatically calculates who owes who and how much, so you don’t have to worry about keeping track of every little expense. It might not be a money saver per se, but it does help you keep track of you expenses and stay organized.
SIM Cards
If you live in a European country and have a mobile data plan, you'll usually have coverage in other European countries. If you do not, I recommend Nomad eSIM, they have great prices and coverage. I have not used it in Europe because I have my mobile plan but I did use it in Morocco and it was great. You can use my promo code TBLVAHOGWJKA to get $5 off your first purchase.
Spend less
Stop buying souvenirs that will end up forgotten in a drawer, or gifts for other people that you already know they’ll never use. You don’t need objects to remember your experiences. You already have your memories, photos, and journal for that.
Spend your money on what you genuinely enjoy. I can’t even tell you how many dozens of euros I’ve spent on castle interior entry tickets when I don’t even enjoy visiting castle interiors! I’m slowly learning my lesson and becoming more mindful about making sure that, whenever possible, my money goes towards things I actually want to do and experience.
And often, the most rewarding activities are free or almost free. Exploring a city on foot, soaking up the atmosphere from a café, having a picnic by the river, renting a bike, or going for a hike can be just as memorable, if not more so, than paying for another tourist attraction...
Finally, look for cheaper destinations
Unless you’re absolutely fixated on a specific destination, keep in mind that some European countries, especially in Eastern Europe, are significantly more affordable than others, while offering just as much culture, history, and natural beauty, if not more. So far, I’ve only visited Poland, Hungary, and Russia in terms of Eastern European countries, but was amazed by all three.
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