Transportation can be cheap in Europe if you know how to find it. I spend just 100€ on transportation to 3 different countries and 6 cities in total. Below, you will learn how I used car, trains and buses to get around Europe at a fraction.
My Route
Maastricht (Netherlands) – Cologne (Germany) – Bonn (Germany) – Lille (France) – Nantes (France) – Paris (France) – Brussels (Belgium) – Maastricht (Netherlands)
I was being greedy, and wanted to celebrate Carnival in 3 cities (Maastricht, Cologne, Bonn) and to visit my friends (Lille, Nantes) and visit the museums (Paris). I wouldn’t have time to visit Brussels (again), but I decided that after the intense week, I shall return home early. Nonetheless, I had some nice chocolate and fries in Belgium before heading home!
3 Trevellers Hack: Transportation in Europe
Blablacar
Blablacar is like uber, but for long distance. People driving to another city take on other passengers to help on patrol cost and have a company. It is a start-up company based in France. You will need a contactable number to register for free.
Once you register, you can search on the web for your destination. Popular routes like Brussels – Paris is always available. For other routes, they will give you the nearest city instead.
Blablacar is really affordable. The prices indicated in green are below usual rates, yellow at usual rates and red above usual rates. You can book your ride anytime it is available and it is very easy to use.
The only downside is that not all routes are available. I was lucky and found blablacar rides for the cities I was going to. i.e. Maastricht to Cologne, Paris to Brussels.
Train Deals
Netherlands
Trains can get crazily expensive. However, you can get several deals. Find out about the special train & transportation deals in Netherlands.
France
In France, you have the train operator: SNCF. They operate a low cost train, under ouigo. There are train tickets for as low as €10! The train ticket from Lille to Nantes (direct, one-way) is only at €10 with them!
Belgium
The best thing about Maastricht is the close proximity to Belgium. There is a deal in Maastricht, where the trains from anywhere in Belgium costs €7,60 to Maastricht, Netherlands! The ticket is called Go Pass 1.
Bus Deals
There are also bus deals from cities to cities. With Flixbus you can go between cities of Germany from €5! I took the bus from Cologne to Lille and it cost me €34, which was the most expensive item of my trip! The bus goes all the way to Paris.
Flights are also cheap, but I prefer these other transport because it brings you to the city center, whereas the airports are usually located quite far away. Do you think transportation is expensive in Europe? Do share on your cost saving methods too!
Trevellers is my way to change the world. Through my stories, tips and lessons learnt, I truly hope to inspire you to get out of your comfort zone, see the world and see who you truly are. Travel is more than just taking a selfie. Travel is an adventure, where you can truly become who you are, give you the time to reflect and grow to become the person you’ve always wanted to be.
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