Our Guide for Travelling on the Cheap

From mastering the art of snagging affordable metro passes and train tickets to embracing the freedom of renting a bike, hitchhiking with mates, and discovering the thrills of free walking tours, we've got the ultimate guide to budget-friendly transportation. Learn how to carpool like a pro, discover the secret to relocating a vehicle for next to nothing, and uncover ingenious ways to explore the world on a shoestring budget.

Rent a bicycle to see the city from a totally different angle

There are only a couple of places in Australia which can be said to have halfway decent cycling infrastructure, leading most Aussie to think that cycling around any city is totally unimaginable. But once you travel overseas, you’ll start to notice that lots of cities are quite bike-friendly, with protected lanes, options for storage, and lots of bike-share apps or depots. The great thing about travelling by bike is that you blend getting around quickly and conveniently with getting a feel for what’s going on at street level. Just make sure you check with your travel insurance about whether you’re covered in case you take a bit of a spill.

Take advantage of walking tours

Every hostel worth its salt has some kind of walking tour, usually offered for free (or very cheap). Look – will they be from the best of the best? Probably not – but they’re bound to be entertaining, with lots of local knowledge about where’s good to eat, drink and hang out. Plus, they’re a great way to make friends if you’re travelling solo. Ask around and about what people are up to next, or whether they’re going to the pub crawl / toga party / open mic night later on. Plenty of museums offer free tours as well, and they’re a really great way to hear the story behind some of your favourite historical events, or artistic masterpieces. If there aren’t any free tours available, you could always try your luck at vaguely wandering around within earshot of the tour guides to pick up some extra facts here and there.

Carpooling could be the move

Buses and trains are a great way to get around on the cheap in places with good infrastructure. If you’re travelling somewhere cheap and can afford it, you can also hire a driver and split it with some friends (or friends to be) heading in the same direction. But if you’re solo (or just with a mate) and strapped for cash, you can try out apps like FlixBus, BlaBlaCar and others like it. These apps pair you up with drivers heading in the same direction looking to get a bit of petrol money while they travel. You’ll have to pay a bit of cash, but way less than if you were getting a private car.

Be a stingy student

You’d be surprised at how many special deals there are for students overseas. From public transport to movie tickets, meals, museum admissions and more, you could end up saving plenty of cash if you remember to flash your student ID card.

Look out for bundled attraction deals or city cards

Plenty of cities offer a special sightseeing card that bundles museum and attraction tickets, public transport, extra discounts and express lines (as they say, time is money!). They cost a bit of cash up front, but usually after seeing two or three attractions you’ve already made your money back. The trick with these ones is to look up the stuff you were going to do anyway, add up the admission costs and see if that comes out higher or lower than how much the pass costs.

If you’re not much for museums, it might not be for you – but if you’re spending a few days somewhere you could save heaps.

If you’re in the process of planning a trip and need a little bit of help sorting your budget out, why not head over to our Travel Hub for more info, tutorials and tips?

This content has been created by Year13 and is sponsored by Westpac.