Travel Deals And Articles

Travel Europe – How to Travel Europe on a Cheap Budget

We all want to travel Europe on a cheap budget these days.

Budget and discount price airlines have sprung up in almost every European country in the last few years – all of them fighting furiously with each other to offer the best value cheap airfare deals. But do we really benefit from these discount European travel prices or do the drawbacks of trying to travel Europe cheaply outweigh the advantages? Do the budget low price airfares blind us to the extra hassle that the cheap price might be hiding? Lets look at some current cheap European travel deals and see what we find.

Almost every European country now has at least one no frills budget airline. Easy Jet and Ryan Air are becoming well known and popular in Great Britain and in Ireland. Germany has four or five low cost airlines and cheap airfare specialists. Meanwhile, in Sweden, SAS have just launched their own budget offshoot called Snowflake.

At first glance the fares that these airlines charge can seem ridiculously low; Ryan Air have given their flights away almost for free in the past – although you still have to pay the airport tax of around twenty UK pounds. But where's the catch? Is there a catch? Can you really travel Europe by air without spending a fortune?

Here's the deal if you want to travel Europe on a cheap budget:

Firstly, the low fares airlines in Europe nearly always use out of town provincial airports – often about forty or fifty miles from the respective city centres. This can add up to two hours of travel time to your journey at each end. You also have to pay for the bus or train connection to get from your airport to the city centre. Make sure you add this price in to the cost of your ticket when comparing prices between cheap airfare deals and the prices charged by the mainstream airlines. In most cases the main airlines fly you into the city centre airport and thus cut your travel time and the cost of any extra transport.

If you're unlucky enough to miss a flight then you could literally be stuck in a very rural airport overnight with all the food outlets closed down and no way to get back to the town or the city.

Secondly, you only get what you pay for. The European budget airlines may offer no in-flight service for food and drinks. Or, if they do, they will charge you for it at a premium rate. Coffee, sandwiches and beer may be very pricey indeed. To be fair, many of the flights are only of an hour or two's duration so snacks and drinks may not be such a big deal.

Thirdly – figure out the total travel time and compare that to the costs. For example: it takes five hours to go from the very centre of Glasgow in Scotland to the very centre of London by train and it costs around twenty five UK pounds each way.

Now – you might pick up a cheap flight from Glasgow to London, only to find that both of your airports are forty miles from the city centre. That immediately adds three hours to your travel time, not counting the waiting around at the airports, baggage handling and all the extra hassle that goes with it. You will also have to pay separately for the bus or train journey from airport to city centre and vice versa. Unless your airfare is extremely cheap you might well spend more money in the long run for a less comfortable journey. Check it all out carefully in advance if you can.

Fourthly, the quoted cheap airfare ticket prices are only for APEX travellers. You might have to pay a lot extra if you need to change your flight time. Cheap airfare prices are also usually only available if you buy well in advance – buying the day before or on the day will add a big premium to the price. The baggage allowance is also on the mean side – often no more than 15kg or 20kg per person. Any more than that and you will face a very hefty premium on your cheap price ticket.

In summary – you can travel Europe cheaply by choosing your discount airline package carefully. But do try to weigh up all the extra hidden costs as you compare flight ticket prices. You should also factor in the extra travel time that arriving at a provincial airport may bring.

Please remember: Don't get too hung up on it all!

Travel in Europe is fun – however you do it.

Gary Hill is a travel writer based near Edinburgh and Scotland. He travels widely in Europe and can give great advice and tips on European travel. You can read much more about how to travel Europe cheaply on Gary's website. You'll find more detail about the discount airfare packages available and about the routes that the various budget airlines fly. Travel in Europe can be great fun but it helps to get good quality advice before you go.

The website also has details of how to organise an Ireland Golf Vacation

A companion website also covers medical issues such as Whiplash Injury

Other Article Sites

findabook.com  moneycd.info  a-mortgage.info   about-lemon-laws.info  aboutstudentloans.info
all-about-publishing.info  auctions-articles.info  bestcollege-university.com  bestispconnection.com
biblefolder.com  blogger-website.com  books-used.info  brokers-guide.info  buywindows.info  cable-dsl.info
career-miner.com  carpel-tunnel.info  cashinaflash.info  cashloanreviews.info  casinobell.com  chat-house.info
clearmycredit.info  collegeloantips.info  crones.info  depression-articles.info   dirnic.net  dishguides.info
divers-below.com  expodog.info   financewizz.com  fire-insurance.info  getgood.info  handleit.net   it-idea.info
health-supplies.info  hosting-right.com  insidealert.com  insurance-facts.info  jobs-employment.info
justgood.info  lookgold.net   lowcost-travel.info  money-source.info  myhostzone.info  numisblog.com
peoplesearchfinder.info  pr-articles.info  realeas.com   refinancing-guides.info  spyware-remove.info
telelot.info  the-law.info   toppaid.info  travel-deals.info  travelcorrect.com  wedding-guide-site.com
your-blog.info  your-credit.info

MORE ARTICLES:

A Hunting And Fishing Trip To Canada ? Can You Bring And Import Your Firearms?
You may be a hunter traveling to Canada ? especially Northern Canada for the hunting vacation of your dreams. You may be a simple tourist on a holiday ?Up There? to the North to visit Canada. You may of heard of Canada?s gun laws and not now or be confused of the rules in regards to bringing in firearms into Canada as an American visiting Canada.

Top Asia/Pacific Travel Company Responds to Increased Demand For Custom-designed Itineraries
Complicated travel plans require travel company assistance. Sometimes going on a pre-planned travel company trip works with travelers' dates and dreams; sometimes they just want their own trip. Leading company serving Asia and Pacific sees growth in custom itineraries.

Simple Plans for Social Eating and Travel
It's one thing to stick with your diet regimen when you're at home, in control of the contents of your refrigerator and your portion sizes. But what about going out to dinner with friends? Worse, how do you stay on track when your dream vacation has you seated by the dessert cart at every meal?Eating right when you're out of your comfort zone can actually be easier than when you are at home, so long as you think smart and plan ahead.

Leading Online Travel Insurance Comparison Site Adds More Trip Cancellation Plans for Non US Residents
As the travel insurance market expands, more non US residents seek stable US based insurers for trip cancellation cover. Squaremouth meets that need with new products from iTravelInsured.

Golden Ring of Russia - Travel Guide
WHAT IS IT: The so called "Golden Ring of Russia" is a symbolical ring connecting historical towns and cities to the North-West of Moscow. They represent 1,000 years of rich Russian history written in stone and wood, from a 850-year old church in Rostov to a 19th-century log house in the Suzdal's open air museum.

Old Alabama Town In Alabama - A Great Vacation And Travel Destination
If you are interested in visiting an amazing village in the south then you must check out Old Alabama Town in Alabama. This village is made up of quite a few 19th and 20th century buildings that are authentic and have been restored to their original beauty. Located in Montgomery, Alabama, the town stretches over six blocks in the historic downtown area of this city. That's a pretty big area and it can take up to half a day to wander around and see the architecture and all the buildings.

Asias Great Culture And Vacation Travel Wonders
We know Asia its agreat country and with alot of great resources but lets take a look at its culture and the great places for travel that can be found in many places of Asia.

NamesBeyond Opens Premium .Travel Domain Names In LandRush; Restrictions Lifted on .Travel Names
Top place names and any name now open for general registration. Names like Austin.travel, Beijing.travel, Niagara.travel and NewDelhi.travel available starting December 21. Applications now taken at www.namesbeyond.com/travel/

Keep An Eye On The Currency Exchange Market And Save Money When You Travel
Monitoring the currency exchange rate is very important if you?re planning to go on a vacation and would like to stay within your set budget and save money. Let us understand what exactly currency exchange rate means. In general, depending on the US dollar, most of the other currencies are calculated in value and are either more or less than the value of the US dollar. For example, a Canadian dollar would be worth around 85 percent of the US dollar. Similarly, the British Pound is worth two US dollars. However, owing to the fluctuating market conditions, one day the British Pound could be worth two dollars while on the next, it could be worth more than two dollars.

ON Networks Presents New Digital Series City by City: An Insiders' Travel Guide with a Sophisticated Twist
ON Networks(R) (ON) proudly presents City by City, a new HD travel series designed specifically for the discerning traveler and sponsored by Swiss luxury watchmaker Carl F. Bucherer.

Free Space Shot.com Gives the People a Free Shot at a Trip to Space
Ongoing tournament-style game has six grand prizes to choose from.

FSA To Regulate All Sales Of Travel Insurance From 2009
On January 1, 2009, major changes will take effect to alter the way travel insurance is sold The changes will apply to companies selling it as part of a holiday package, such as travel agents, tour operators, coach companies and airlines

Vacations In Leeds: What To See When You Visit Leeds
When it comes to Leeds vacations there are plenty of events taking place and attractions that one can visit throughout the year. As you will soon discover there are plenty of things for one to do which will meet your particular requirements and which will also meet your budget as well.

Credit Card Travel Rewards Programs
If you have a credit card of any bank, then you can ask your agent about various types of credit card reward travel programs that are provided by the company You see, many credit card provider companies offer several credit card reward travel programs to their consumers