How to Save Money on Transport While Traveling: 13 Tips

Traveling, as the name suggests, is all about moving from one place to another.

Transportation is the thing without which you cannot complete your traveling.

That is, whether it is a car, bus, or airplane, you have to spend a reasonable amount of money on transportation to complete your journey.

However, spending too much on transportation can put a burden on your travel budget. Whereas, if you save that money for other things, you can make your journey more exciting.

Unsure how? Let’s learn!

How to Save Money on Transport While Traveling

Here are some super-basic tips that can help you save money on transportation during your journey.

Study the Transportation Cost

If you want to save money on transportation, check out every vehicle’s transportation cost first.

First, decide the country you will visit and then look for each transport’s expense, i.e., train, bus, car, plane, etc.

By knowing each transport cost, you can easily calculate how much it will charge you for your journey.

Take Public Transportation

Public transport is said to be cheaper than a taxi or renting a car.

You can Google to find out the public transports and their routes.

Thus, one of the best ways to save transportation costs is to rely on public transport, whether it is tram, subway, bus, or train.

Go with Ride Sharing

In major cities, you have lots of opportunities for ridesharing or carpooling services.

With this type of transportation, you can save almost 40% to 50% of your cost compared to solo transport.

What’s more, you can communicate and share travel ideas with the locals or tourists who share the ride with you.

Use your Feet

The best way to enjoy your journey is to explore it on your feet!

Walking is cost-free, healthy, and can save you a decent amount of transportation cost, which you can then spend on other things.

Walking on foot is free; a cab ride is not; apart from that, another huge benefit of traveling by foot is that you get to explore every corner of the city you’re currently residing to the fullest.

Travel Less & Slow

If you travel at a steady pace, you can significantly save your weekly or monthly transportation costs.

Every time you leave your place, you are increasing your transport costs.

Whether you are moving by bus or taxi, you’ll be spending a large portion of your traveling budget on transportation due to frequent relocation.

All in simple words, try to stay longer in one place so that you can save your travel budget and enjoy every place thoroughly.

Take Fewer Items With You.

Packing light can help you lower your transportation cost, and it can also reduce the burden on your journey.

That is, transportation cost is not only about your seat, but you also get charged according to your packing.

Hence, take only essential items with you lighten your journey and travel expense.

Use Bicycle

Many developed cities offer bicycles to their citizens, which they can use for inter-city transportation.

Usually, the bicycle is offered for free, but the rent cost is there, which is relatively cheaper than any other transportation option.

What’s more, you can easily explore the city using a bicycle, stop at the desired place, and not have to book a cab from time to time.

Learn to Bargain

It is totally fine to haggle for transportation cost in developed countries.

Bargaining is incredibly useful and essential when using local transportation or booking cabs, motorcycles, taxis, rickshaws, minivans, etc.

Make sure you discuss with the driver about the cost reduction initially; otherwise, you may have to pay the full charge if you are bargaining after your ride has already been successful.

Use Google Maps

Google Maps is one of the best tools that you can use to save transportation costs.

Whenever you travel in auto-rickshaw or cab, always use live navigation to avoid longer routes which eventually becomes the main reason for extra costs.

You can also explore the shops, hotels, and other tourist spots using Google Maps.

Beware of Transportation Scams

Even if you are doing everything right to save your transportation cost, you can still fail to save money if you get overcharged or stuck into costly scams.

Travelers are usually safe from transport scams in developed countries. However, in third-world countries, you might quickly become the victim of an unpleasing scam.

Trains are considered to be somehow safe from transport scams. But you’ll still have to be careful from fake ticket checkers, especially in countries like India.

Use Online Taxi Services

Online taxi services can provide you cheaper, faster, and perhaps the safest travel than others.

Online taxi service is relatively easy and can be used not only for local and intra-city travel but also for long-distance and inter-city transportation.

What’s more, using online ride services, you don’t need to bargain or wait for 10 minutes straight for them to come at your domain, which is something you otherwise would have been doing had you opted for the bus.

You can use Uber, Lyft, Careem, or Grab for an effective and affordable transportation experience.

Buy a Travel Package

Travel companies offer a variety of packages which usually include transportation facilities as well.

That can ease your worry about booking a taxi, waiting for the bus, and searching for the destinations.

All in all, buy a travel package that provides transportation service at affordable prices.

Try Hitchhiking

In most countries, travelers are treated very well that local people give them many services without any cost, hence why, you can ask the locals for a lift to a particular place.

You have to be good at communicating with new people to get free rides!

Don’t forget to tell them that you are new to the city and are a traveler.

The Bottom Line

We hope that you realize that spending too much on transportation is simply a waste of money.

And by making sure that you don’t spend a substantial chunk of your traveling budget on them, you can use that saved money on other important things to make your journey even more exciting while still being left with some money.

All in all, if you have gone through all the methods to save money on transportation, we believe that you won’t run out of your budget quickly and can enjoy your travel without spending much on transportation.

If you have got any other tip(s) or question(s) in mind, please let us know by commenting below or by contacting us here.

Cheers!