Plane MadNess

Europe travel, although sophisticated it sounds, yet can be an amazing opportunity for the backpacker. So, you eked out some time now, and you have your backpacks ready, but budget is short. Let the constraint not roadblock you. You go ahead with the greatest possible ways of traveling Europe cheap as there are really umpteen opportunities to do that. Find below some vital tips on scouring Europe at a shoestring budget.

Tips for Traveling Europe Cheap

• A few countries or the entire continent

Essentially, it depends up on the time you have at hand. If you have a few months at your disposal, the entire Europe can suit the backpacker’s life quest. If you have limited time, condense your travel to only a few places. Get on with the map of Europe, and plan a nice itinerary on the places you want to visit.

Suppose, your plan is to visit Paris, then wander about the countryside for two weeks. The French countryside, by some magical charm, retains the picture postcard old Europe largely. Many villages also have old castles, old pubs, old-era buildings, farmhouses, roads, etc. It is greatly a trip into time. The UK is also a good place, but many travelers choose other countries because Britain is the most reknown representative of Europe. Backpacking through Europe Guide is a great resource.  Backpacking essentially means traveling down the unusual road, and Great Britain do not fit the description largely.

Perhaps, you want a highly affordable trip to some of the best affordable cities in the continent. Try visiting Prague, Berling, and Budapest especially. These are wonderfully cost-effective, and you can afford good dining and accommodation at significantly reduced expenditure. Here is a good video to anticipate the Budapest experience.

• Bus routes, train routes, and hitchhiking

Bus and train fares are relatively cheaper than flight tickets.  You can find insanely cheap flights if you book far enough in advance. Besides, you may have to book the flights in urgency, and generally emergency bookings are pricey. The greatest benefit of traveling Europe cheap is the fact that all major cities across countries have good train and road connectivity. There are even variations in bus fares if you are ready to compromise slightly on comfort. Essentially, comfort sacrifice is going to be a major factor of your backpacking trip, so it is good to be ready for that. Nevertheless, you can always check travel comparison websites to find if budget airlines are available at the lowest fares.

About moving around from one city to another, hitchhiking can be a very good option. Just make sure that you choose to ride with a reliable driver. Deciding on this can be very difficult understandably, but you have to rely a lot on your intuition during any travel. Just look at the driver’s eyes, and his tone of voice when he stops the car for you. If the stare and the words seem fishy, say thank you and wait for the next good samaritan to come. Just because the car stopped does not mean you have to board it! In the cities, use public transport, and rent bikes.

• Accommodation and dining

Dedicated backpackers swear by the couchsurfing community. It is an amazing society of people, especially around Europe, who let travelers sleep for the night at their place. You may only get a couch, or a mattress, but every budget traveler treats these as luxuries. As for dining, check out cheap roadside eateries. Eat light also, but do not malnourish yourself! (Always remember to keep some essential medicines in you backpack). The Bread & Breakfast lodging options are also greatly good.

A long haul trip is often invariably heavily tiresome and difficult to say the least. Long flights can even extend to 30-40 hours, and flying in a claustrophobic cramped container for this much time is going to take toll on your nerves. You can catch some sleep, watch all your favorite movies, or read a book; even then, the trip can be extremely uncharismatic. Start avoiding the depression at the beginning itself by choosing the best types of planes for long haul travels. There are plenty of resources available, and you must know how to use them rightly. About planes, the Dreamliner and the A 380 Airbus are the best options.

Tips for economy class travelers

Business class fliers have it easy on the longest hauls. This article primarily provides tips to economy class travelers on choosing the best plane. You need to start with choosing the seating arrangements. This can be a bit complex because different airlines often have varied sitting arrangements. Sometimes, seating can vary dramatically in a single airline itself, so research before you choose the right plane for long haul flights.

• Check seat data

You need to check in a credible resource that provides airline seat data. Try to avoid budget airlines for long hauls. They compromise on everything, including the seat space. A cramped sitting area can be the most difficult predicament in the long haul scenario. Look out for seats with a minimum 33 inches pitch. Now, you need to reserve the right position to save trouble. This can be a contentious matter because you do not always get the seats you want. Nevertheless, if you book early, you have a fair chance of getting the preferred arrangement.

• Best seats for relaxing

In the economy cabin, the front row seats are usually the quietest. The back rows are noisier than the front ones, and you may even have to face an increased impact of bump during occasional flight turbulence. If sleeping out the flight is your priority, try to get a window seat. Seeing the wonderful clouds from high above softens even the hardest traveler to a sound sleep.

However, aisle seats are best if you need to walk out and relax a little bit. They are also ideal if you have to use the washroom frequently.  Research on the sitting preferences to try and get the place you want. However, you have to leave a lot to luck as your chosen seat arrangements may change when you actually board the flight. Still, it is definitely worth a good try!

• Using the washroom

About using the washroom, keep note of the best times when the loo does not overcrowd. People are going to use it a lot in long flights, and you may have to wait to relieve yourself. The best time for loo is perhaps after you just finish your airline meal, and the hostesses are still waiting to take your trays. Many people procrastrinate for the trays to go before heading on to the bathroom.

This is your golden opportunity. Just clear yourself of all the extra stuff inside your body, return to your seat, and have a good sleep. Check out good online resources where you can find lifehacks to survive long haul trips. You can also check out this video for long haul flight tips.:

Choose the best types of planes for long haul travel in considering the above factors carefully.

Welcome to our blog!  We’re so excited you’re taking time out of your day to learn more about air travel!  We’re experts in the airline industry.  We’ve been all over the world — Myanmar, Cambodia, Austria, Iceland, Belize, Guatemala, Vietnam, and more!  We’ve flown on the tried and true 747 behemoths, and on little Dash-8 puddle jumpers.  Anything that helps facilitate us traveling around the world.  One of our favorite things to do is to backpack across Europe.  We’ve been to Ireland, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, and more!  We love how close different cultures can be, and how easily it is to hop around from country to country.

Plane travel has come a long ways since it’s inception earlier last century.  Airlines are obviously able to take people further, faster, but there really has been a lack of innovation in the airline industry, specifically in the past 30 or 40 years.  We have listened to some flight experts explain why that’s happened — people are more interested in cost, and airlines have taken measures to make air travel more affordable (more seats, more efficient engines, etc.).  It takes just the same amount of time to fly from New York to London as it did 50 years ago, but with the cost of fuel rising, airlines are more worried about keeping costs down than getting you there faster.  Also, there has been a consolidation in the number of airplane manufacturing, with Boeing and Airbus the only main players in the space anymore.  With more competition comes more innovation, and we haven’t had that over the last few decades.

Even with the lack of advances, air travel has become much more common for the average traveler, taking them places they never imagined they’d be albe to go.  The world is smaller today more than ever, even if the flight times are the same as they always have been!  We look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy the blog!