Here we have summarized once again a few general travel tips we came up with:

• AIRPORT TRANSFER

  Very often, there are cheaper alternatives to the overpriced, easy to find tourist-rip-off-transfer-service providers (often buses) at the airport. You can find useful information for many destinations at wikitravel. Mostly however, it is already sufficient to google the respective airport together with “airport transfer” to access helpful pages. Sometimes there is already a section with transfer options on the official website of the airport. This allows to save a lot.

• PUBLIC TRANSPORT

  Many people already feel overwhelmed by the idea of using public transport in a strange place with a foreign language. With little help, however, this is often easier than thought, at this point we’d like to mention again wikitravel. But also Google Maps (for travelers absolutely indispensable anyway!) knows in amazingly many cities about the public transport. In addition, there is a schedule app for almost every city. And in case of doubt just ask Google 🙂

• PAYMENT / FLIGHT & HOTEL BOOKING / CASH ON-SITE

  A credit card has many advantages: In addition to book uncomplicatedly flights and hotels, you can also withdraw cash simply, comfortably and free of charge at (almost) every ATM abroad. For people living in Germany, from my own experience, I can only recommend the free current account including free Visa card by comdirect. comdirect is a subsidiary of Commerzbank, so with the girocard withdrawing cash is free of charge in Germany at all ATMs of the Cash Group (ie Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, HypoVereinsbank, Postbank), as well as at all participating Shell petrol stations and at all ATMs in the EU countries. Outside of the EU, you can use your Visa card to withdraw money free of charge at all ATMs with the Visa emblem (that’s almost every ATM). Additionally, you get 100€ for the opening and use of the current account, and if you don’t like it, you can cancel it after one year and get 50€ extra. Soon we will post a credit card provider comparison and update it regularly, as the conditions change very frequently. So always stay tuned 😉

• (HAND) LUGGAGE

  The cheapest tariff of many low-cost airlines usually includes only hand luggage and no check-in luggage. Frequently, such a piece of check-in luggage costs as much as an additional flight ticket. It is almost always possible to save money by cleverly packing and taking advantage of hand luggage limits. “Flexible”, so soft bags and backpacks usually pass through even if they exceed the measurements slightly. With too big suitcases etc., however, you should be careful. Since these do not even with the best will in the world fit in the devices for checking the dimensions, a surcharge is required. To make the hand luggage smaller and/or lighter at the gate, it helps to put on large/heavy garments such as jackets, sweaters, hoodies etc. Some airlines allow an additional second, smaller hand luggage. Traveling with nothing else but hand luggage saves not only money, but also time and effort: you don’t have to wait for your luggage, but you can calmly pass the baggage carousel instead. In addition, it helps to pack only the essentials. Thus one does not lug unnecessary weight around. If you are traveling for longer, it is often cheaper to wash your clothes from time to time than to add a check-in luggage. By the way: The weight of hand luggage is almost never checked.

• OTHER TIPS

  The more flexible you are in terms of time and space, the better deals you will find. Instead of taking into account only the closest departure airport, also look for airports which are further away, but can be easily reached by train or bus. If you are completely free in time, it is best to travel in the low season and avoid the main season. Also, it may not always has to be Benidorm. If you are prepared to take some risks, take the chance and go to Turkey or Egypt, where prices are currently falling. Or travel anticyclically: in summer to the north and in winter to the south. So you do not only go without expensive prices, but also without tourist masses.