November 2nd, 2010 
admin Transportation Tips to Stretch Your Travel Budget
If you’re going to visit several cities consider flying with an “open jaw” ticket. It may cost a little more for the ticket itself, but you might save in time and ground transportation costs. If you’re renting a car, drop off charges might cancel any savings, so it could be better to get back to the same airport. Do your research to see which way you will save.
Once you’re at your destination, stretch your travel budget by using public transportation to and from the airport… taxis can be expensive. You can compare prices… if there are four of you sharing the taxi, it might be a push or only a little more and worth it.
Share rental car expenses. Rental cars can be a great way to get out to the countryside, but they add a daily expense to your budget. Cut that down by traveling with others. If four of you are traveling together, a car may be less than the price of four train tickets.
Try to avoid the collision damage waver charges on rental cars. Generally if you have a “gold” credit card, the credit card company will cover this insurance. Check with your card company though, because certain counties are not included in this coverage. In those counties, the CDW will be mandatory and should be included in the priced you are quoted.
You don’t want to have your rental car in big cities. Those big cities are a headache to drive in. To keep your rental car safe, you need to park in a garage, and parking fees are expensive. Do your city touring first. To save the headaches and stretch your travel budget, take trains or buses between cities, then pick up your rental car for your drive in the countryside.
If you’re going to stay only in cities, use the train and local transportation. When you’re taking the train, go second-class. The seats aren’t quite as cushy, but they are comfortable enough for your trip, and you’ll save a bunch.
When you’re using the local subways and buses, consider how many trips you’ll be taking on that transportation… It might be worth while buying a transit card… or at least a booket of tickets for a discount. If you’re only going to take one trip, just buy one ticket. No need to pay for transportation you won’t use.
Walk around the city on your own with a good map, rather than taking a bus tour. Organized walking tours can be a fun and inexpensive way to go. If you want to arrange a tour, you might do better arranging it through the tourist office rather than your hotel.
You can stretch your travel budget if you are smart about how and when you travel to your destination. Take the less expensive options to get around once you’re there. You’ll be traveling frugally, but having just as much fun.
