Budget Travel: Transport

As a non driver, a car wouldn't be the first mode of transport that pops to mind for me when I think of making my way across country. Luckily though, there are lots of people out there who aren't cripplingly afraid of getting behind the wheel and who are happy to have a little company while doing it. Of course, if you do drive, you could always rent a car while you're away but, if not, here's how to make the most of a motor while travelling.

Hitch-hiking: Hitching a lift is an exciting way to meet some new and interesting people while travelling and I've found it a fun way of getting around while I'm away. I try and find a busy spot (the exit of a petrol station has worked well for me) and, as I mentioned in a previous article, I like to carry a quirky sign to grab the driver's attention, like 'I have cake' or 'freshly showered'. Also, don't forget to smile! This doesn't necessarily mean you won't be waiting for hours to be picked up but it can help. Look up hitch-hiking laws and etiquette in the countries you're travelling to. In some places it's just not safe and in others there are customs that you may need to be aware of. For example, in Romania, drivers generally expect a small tip from hitchers. There are, of course, a few safety concerns to keep in mind before sticking your thumb out. If a car stops for you and it just doesn't feel right there's absolutely nothing wrong with saying no to the lift. If you do decide to hop in, take a photo of the registration plate before you do and send the details on to a friend. That way, someone knows who you're with and where you are.

BlaBlaCar: I love BlaBlaCar, and not just because it's so much fun to say! It's sort of a prearranged, reliable form of hitch-hiking only safer and without all the waiting around. On the website, you can search for motorists driving your route, see what they're charging for a seat in their car (usually relatively little) and check out the driver's profile which will show you everything from their reviews to whether or not they like listening to music on the road. Once you've booked your space, you're given the make, model and license plate of the driver's car and their phone number for arranging a pick-up point. I've traveled using BlaBlaCar in the UK, Ireland, Italy and Croatia and never had a problem with it. Having a chat with a friendly stranger while coasting through the countryside, music playing gently in the background, is a beautiful way to get from A to B (although once, exhausted, I did just pass out in the back of a car only to wake up at my arrival point apologising profusely for not being better company!)

What could be a better (or cheaper) way of getting around than using your own two feet!? Your body is a wonderful tool that can do so many amazing things and moving is one of them. So, if you're in relatively good physical health, and want to spend next to nothing on your transport, then get those legs working!

Walking: I walked part of the Portuguese route of the Camino de Santiago in September 2016 from the picturesque city of Porto to the stunning Galician centre of Santiago de Compostela (the photo above is of me on the bridge that connects Valenca, Portugal to Tui. Spain).  I did it all on foot (admittedly rather sore ones) and had one of the most amazing travel experiences of my life. If you do decide to brave the road with your legs alone there are a couple of things definitely worth remembering though. My first recommendation has to be: find the right shoes! I bought a pair of seemingly comfortable boots before the camino and ended up dumping them about a week into the walk, switching my cut, blistered and swollen feet (oh how lucky you are that I didn't post a picture of them here) over to flip flops for the rest of the 150km. Thankfully, I have strong feet used to many years of barefoot wandering so the flip flops actually worked out perfectly for me. I was lucky though, this could have been a complete disaster. Find your shoes well in advance and wear them in before you set out on any serious hikes. Secondly, pack light. Whether you're sauntering across flat, open plains or trudging up and down steep mountain sides, having a heavy rucksack full of crap you don't need is going to be a drag, literally. Bring only what you need, which is probably a lot less than you think. 1 or two changes of clothes, a towel, toiletries and a first aid kit should just about do it.

Cycling: I haven't had a bicycle since I was about 13 years old so, bar a few afternoon jaunts to the forest during a stay in Denmark (and, really, you can't not cycle in Denmark) I haven't had much experience with it. Having said that, I've met a few people on my travels who swear by it and, if my parents' legendary stories of their cycling trips across Europe and Greece are anything to go by, it would seem these cyclists are on to something. It's quicker than walking and less brutal on the feet but, as my dad says, it just doesn't seem fair to invest 30 minutes slogging your way up a hill only to spend a short 30 seconds gliding down the other side (as fun as those 30 seconds may be). As with walking though, it's cost effective and a much healthier option than sitting for hours on a bus, plane or train.

Nowadays, the obvious way of getting from one country to the next is to take to the sky. If you don't plan well, or aren't aware of some of the ins and outs of doing this, you can end up paying a fortune for flights - in my early days I once payed nearly €300 for a one way ticket from Tenerife to Dublin!

Considering I tend to travel mostly within Europe, as a rule, I generally won't spend more than €70 (and usually a lot less) on a one way trip. Here's how I do it.

Flight comparison sites: As I've mentioned before, my go-to site for comparing flight costs is SkyScanner. While a few others have been recommended to me, such as Momondo, Flightmate and Kayak, I've always found SkyScanner very user friendly and reliable. If you aren't picky about where you want to go you can search for the cheapest flights to 'anywhere' from your starting point and really get some great deals. I try to scan through the website using an incognito browser though - if I don't, next time I come back, the prices have generally gone up by a few euro.

Ryanair: Oh the infamous Ryanair. You might have to squeeze everything into a carry on bag and sacrifice the blood flow to your legs as you wedge them in behind the seat in front of you but boy do they have some cheap air fares! Keep an eye on their website as they often run €9.99 (or less) offers around Europe. And while you're cruising at 30,000 feet trying to be sold yet another scratch card or bottle of Emporio Armani you can be happy in the knowledge that you've spent next to nothing on your flight.

Go off season: If you're not too pushed about when you go, you can knock a huge chunk off your flight costs. A ticket to Alicante will usually be much cheaper in November than it will in July. Yes, it's nice to bathe in the Algarve's summer sun or see the endless Christmas markets of Brussels but, unfortunately, the airlines know this too. If you go off season you not only get cheaper flights (and probably accommodation as well) but you also avoid the crowds of tourists - scrambling against ten other holiday makers for the last parasol at the pool really isn't any fun after all!

Book early or book late: Booking flights well in advance is usually a sure fire way of grabbing some cheap tickets. On the flip side, booking last minute can get you some seriously good deals too. Of course, it mightn't be possible for everyone to up and leave at a moment's notice but, if you're in a position to do this, it can be a great way to nab an affordable flight.

While, often, it can be very expensive to travel by public transport, I'm not completely averse to using trains and buses to get around while I'm away (by the looks of how much fun I'm having in the picture above, I frickin love it!). As always, it's just about knowing how to find the good deals and how to steer clear of the bad ones.

Flixbus: Flixbus is a European bus company that offers low-cost fares on thousands of routes daily within countries and across borders. The tickets can be a bit cheaper if you choose to travel by night and all buses are equipped with plug sockets, toilets and free WiFi. The buses are reliable, comfortable and, most importantly, affordable.

Megabus: Not only in Europe, Megabus also runs services in the USA and Canada. I've only ever used it while travelling through the UK and, although prices can sometimes be a little hit and miss, I've traveled 150km before for just €2! While, you can definitely get cheap tickets, there are one or two things worth bearing in mind before travelling with them. The app can be a little glitchy and difficult to use so if you can get to a computer to make your booking it will be a lot easier. Also, the onboard WiFi doesn't always work so, if you have a long journey ahead of you, bring a book just in case. And, probably the most important (and annoying) 'but' of the lot, the buses have a habit of being late. I had one experience where I waited 2 hours for my bus in Birmingham to arrive in the middle of the night.

Interrailing: Now, I've never gone interrailing so I can't personally vouch for how cost effective, reliable or comfortable it is but I do have a few friends who have tried it out and had an amazing time doing so. The interrail website has a few ticket options depending on whether you want to travel within one country, chug your way across Europe or go big and go global. As I said, I haven't any experience with it but I would definitely recommend taking a look at their website to see if any of their travel options work for you.

Trains and buses: In general, normal buses and trains going any substantial distance are just not cost effective, unless you're in a particularly cheap country. Sometimes you'll find a good deal so it's worth keeping an eye on local transport companies' websites but I wouldn't recommend relying on it if you want to keep costs down.