How to travel cheaply around the world and home country

When you watch the "Club of Travels" on TV and similar programs, you want to go to distant countries! To see all these exotic wonders personally - is not this a dream? But many are stopped by difficulties, primarily of a financial nature. Now that the ruble melts just before our eyes, even seasoned travelers refuse to travel abroad. Yes, and by native Homeland to go was not cheap. But this is not an excuse to give up the dream of life and spend another vacation at the mother-in-law at the dacha. If you approach the planning of a trip wisely, you can save a lot. For this you need to know some secrets. In this article we will reveal them and tell you how to travel cheaply across Russia, Europe and the world. For such trips does not necessarily have to be young and healthy: everywhere you go on foot, spend the night in tents and eat canned goods, which they take from home. There are many other options, when the journey will give only positive emotions, and not memories of hardships and adversities against the background of the "holiday of life". Read the article and go on a budget trip to distant countries.

Travel around Russia

Let's start with a simple one. Many complain that the rest in Russia is more expensive than abroad, and even the service leaves much to be desired. But there are a lot of reasonable arguments in favor of a vacation in your home country. First, there is no need to take a visa, and in general to have a foreign passport. Access to Europe costs at least thirty-five euros. And not the fact that you will open a visa. The second plus of the holiday in Russia is the absence of a language barrier. Not knowing English, you should not go yourself where you will not be understood. And the third argument: you do not need to change the currency and depend on its leaps. Russia is a big country. To see all her beauty, and life is not enough. But overcoming long distances is, of course, waste. And if we want to go not on foot hiking, but away and on vacation, you need to think over a scheme how to get to the place. To do this, you must constantly monitor the proposals of Aeroflot and other air carriers, as well as take interest in tickets for charter flights. If you are traveling for short distances, choose a reserved seat car for the train. The "Bla-bla-kar" system is just beginning to pierce its way to Russia. But there will always be kind people who can throw you up, because they are on the way. There are a few more tips on how to travel cheaply in Russia. Staying at the resorts is best in the private sector, and in big cities - in hostels. This will help you to save on food. After all, unlike hotels, in these places there is a kitchen.

Travel while you are young

In some countries, a passport is sufficient, stating that you are not yet twenty-five years old to receive substantial discounts. This concerns transport and access to museums. What a pity that the times of youth often pass in the period of lack of money, because people have not yet established themselves in life and earn little. But youth has significant advantages - health and irrepressible energy. When and to travel, how not in the young years! And you can make it very cheap. First of all we go to the store "Goods for tourism and recreation" and buy a tent for two, carets, sleeping bags. Modern tents are compact enough and easy to lay them in a backpack. Young people in Europe have long practiced such a system of hospitality as "coaching" or "hospice club". You can stay in the family absolutely free of charge in order to later provide your accommodation for the guest's stay. For the movement of young people you can buy a bicycle for tourism. In some cities there is a practice of renting two-wheeled vehicles, sometimes even free. Traveling by bike, you can look for a motel outside the city - it's cheaper there. Or stay overnight at the campsite. You can eat in fast food or prepare food yourself.

How to travel for free

And would you like to go to the country of your dreams for nothing, but also so that you get paid for this trip? Then you need to master traveling professions. In countries where a lot of Russian-speaking tourists rest, hotels are looking for communicative young people for the animation team. If you have a sporty appearance or you have creative talents, you can try your luck and go to Egypt, Turkey, Greece not to spend money, but to earn it. The professions of instructors in alpine skiing and diving are also in demand. You can hire in a travel agency and go on a trip to the country of your dreams as an accompanying group or guide. Good photographers and journalists are also sent by various publishers to obtain quality articles about life in other countries. Brilliant knowledge of foreign languages allows a person to get an interpreter or get a receptionist at the hotel. Another profession that allows you to travel around the world is a remote worker. Now, web designers, copywriters, programmers and content fillers get enough money to live with their laptop anywhere and not be in financial trouble.

Visa. Is it possible to save money?

Let's now consider the question of how cheap it is to travel abroad. Some countries do not require the opening of visas for Russians. Others make access free during the tourist season. But if we want to visit the countries of the Schengen zone, we need to go through this troublesome procedure - the opening of a visa. But here you can save money, especially if you are a Muscovite. The embassies of all European (and not only) countries are located in the Russian capital. Therefore, it is not necessary to apply to the visa center and pay its employees for the provision of services. You can register on the consulate's website for an appointment and bring a package of documents for opening a visa yourself. Advice to those who have already been abroad many times. If you already have a few stickers on your passport in the Schengen area, ask for a multi-visa for several years. Embassies of France and Germany issue permits for entry for three years to those who have visited these countries twice. Recall that with the Schengen visa can travel almost throughout the EU. But to stay in the country you need no more than ninety days from a half-year term. The embassy, having made sure of your loyalty to their visa requirements, on another occasion can grant you the right to enter for five years.

How to travel cheaply around the world: create a "road map"

First of all, you need to think about where we are going. No less important in planning the estimate of the trip will be the answer to the question of when the trip will take place. The fact is that in many tourist countries there are such concepts as high and low season. And in this last price fall on everything: air tickets, hotels and even food. Believe me, Thailand during the rainy season looks no less attractive. Showers do not go for days, and the sun dries puddles in ten minutes. Therefore, in the "Kingdom of Smiles" is better to go in the summer. But in Iceland and the countries of Scandinavia you can go in the winter. At least to enjoy the aurora borealis. On the beaches of Greece you can swim in late April and early November. And stay in this country during these periods will cost several times cheaper than in the summer season. When we travel ourselves (and this is an indispensable condition of budgetary rest), we can plan our trip and offer our own itinerary. Air transport is good when we need to travel a great distance: to get from Moscow to Petropavlovsk-on-Kamchatka or to Cuba. But if we want to visit Poland, Sweden or Hungary, it is possible to take the road by train. To see several countries in one fell swoop - is not it wonderful?

Flights

If you go to the site of such carrier companies as Aeroflot, and inquire about the price of a ticket for a certain date, then a figure with several zeros will greatly disappoint us. But here there are secrets too. Want to know how to travel cheaply by air? To do this, there are special sites for finding budget air tickets. Do not be lazy to study all the sentences. The price policy of air carriers is complex and unpredictable, but we can say one thing: buying tickets is best for a month or more before departure or the day before. Of course, in the second case you need to sit on suitcases, but the "Last Minutes" campaign is quite profitable. You can fly to Italy or Spain for fifty dollars. Unfortunately, Russian monopolists drive out low-costers from our market. But if the budget airlines do not go to the tourist, he goes to them. Petersburgers have long traveled the world, leaving first by bus to the Finnish cities of Lappeenranta and Tampere. There they board the Rianair, Wizzare, IsiJet, JemannWins and other low-cost battles. From Scandinavia to sunny Milan, this way you can get only twenty euros. Another way to reduce the cost of a flight is charter flights. The only drawback is that they are sent in the season and only on popular tourist routes (usually on beach resorts).

How to Cheaply Travel Domestic

Many budget lines of bus and railway transport in Europe are "hidden" from tourists. If you just ask the cashier how much a ticket costs for a train from Berlin to, say, Bonn, the amount that he called will shock you. However, in vending machines at the station, the ticket "All Germany" is sold, which costs fifty-two euros on weekdays and forty-four - on weekends. And the other three passengers on this travel document can go at all for ridiculous money. There are also tickets inside a separate federal land. If you plan your trip in advance, you can buy a seat in a high-speed train, such as the German "Thales" or the French "TGV", for twenty euros. In Europe, budget buses run. These are such lines as "Erolines", "City City" and others. In some provinces of France, you can reach any point for one euro on so-called social buses. The same tricks exist with urban transport. In some tourist places there are completely free "navelets" - municipal buses. A bicycle for tourism will be an excellent help to look at the country "from within", because the best local culture is revealed in the province. You can move between cities and even countries by joining the "Blah-blah-kar" program. The driver, intending to go from point A to point B, advertises that he will take fellow travelers. Place in "Blah-blah-kar" is much cheaper than in a bus or train.

How to Hitch Hike

There is also such a way of moving across Europe, like carpelling or ridersharing. It's like "Blah-blah-kar." With the only difference is that the driver is one of the tourists. The rest of the passengers throw off on gasoline, paying for the autobahns and, if that's the case, renting a car. Sometimes they even lead one by one. But the cheapest way to move is after all hitchhiking. And then you need to know some tricks. Each country has its own nuances of finding a hitch. In Germany, for example, you will have few chances if you stand just on the sidelines. Yes it is impossible. You need to come to the gas station and kindly ask the drivers if they will throw you to the point you need. And in other countries (in Turkey, for example) the finger raised up means an indecent gesture and can be perceived as an insult. Hitchhiking around Europe, in principle, is easy, but very much depends on luck. You can wait only ten minutes, and you can breathe in the smell of exhaust gases for half a day. If it's best to travel in a company of four people for a ridership, then for a hitchhiking ideal - one or two people. In Ukraine and the countries of Central Europe , passing drivers count on a small, but still reward. It can be sweets or a very symbolic amount of money. In addition, be prepared for the fact that you will entertain them with a conversation.

Where to stay for the night

Hotels in capitals and tourist centers are always very expensive. And the closer they are located near the sights, the higher the price per room. If you travel by car or by bike, it is reasonable to stay at the motel when you enter the city. In picturesque places, on the seashore are camping sites. In Europe, these are places that are not at all like our dull sites, driven by cars and tents. If you do not carry in your backpack all the necessary goods for tourism and recreation, you can rent in the camping "mobile-hom" - a real house with its own bathroom and kitchen. Do not be afraid to spank the Internet. There are sites for coaching, exchanging apartments for the period of departure. At the resorts, owners of private housing offer their services via the Internet, so you do not overpay to intermediaries. In the low season, seaside hotels lure customers with very significant discounts or lodge in high-end rooms at the price of the "Standard".

Where to eat

In Europe, there is a huge difference between the prices of food in the supermarket and the dishes in the cafe. A loaf of bread, a slice of butter and a piece of cheese will cost as much as a sandwich served to you in a restaurant. A bottle of wine in the store is sold at the price of a glass of beer in the bar. What is the conclusion? How cheap is it to travel around Europe yourself? Correctly - rent apartments with kitchen and prepare food yourself. If you still want to have a snack while visiting the city's sights, then avoid places recommended by Michelin and Tripadweiser. Having received flattering stickers on the front door, the owners of such establishments are driving up prices. Often cafes offer a comprehensive menu or a "dish of the day." Such a dinner will cost you several times cheaper. Arab, Chinese, Vietnamese diners also will not devastate your wallet too much. In France, there is a rule: an order eaten at a table on the terrace will cost you more than the one that will be served in the hall at the counter.

Excursions and museums

Do you dream to look at the masterpieces stored in the Louvre? Go to the museum's website and see when he announces an "open day" (free admission) or at least a "white night" (the exposition will work until the morning). In many tourist cities in Europe, municipalities are interested in attracting tourists. On account of the municipality (ie free of charge for all comers), hiking tours to local attractions are organized. Of course, such hiking tours will not take place in Russian. Beware of guides offering you their services. At the end of the tour (not the fact that it will be interesting), he will show you a pretty big score. If you do not know the English or the language of the country where you intend to come, take care of the acquisition of the guide. In the cities, look for the tourist information office. There you will be provided with a free map showing the places of interest to the traveler, telling about festivals and other events. There you can buy a "tourist pass". This card can operate one, three, five days or even a week. Not in many tourist cities it is. This card not only opens the doors of many museums, but also allows free and unlimited use of public urban transport. The tourist information office can book free guided tours.

What you can not save on

Of course, on health. Always buy medical insurance when going abroad. Traveling with children? Then you can not replenish the army of backpackers, hitchhiking and stopping at hostels or tents. You are responsible for the child, his health and safety. Do not ride a "hare" - fines in Europe are very large.