Transportation costs don’t stop just because you’ve arrived at your destination. There are always additional expenses as you rent cars, hire taxis, or take the bus, and much of the time these expenses are costs which travelers overlook when planning your budget.

Though like with any other part of your vacation, you can save a little money in these areas too, if you know the right questions to ask and the right plans to make.

Stay in One Place

A tip so simple it’s brilliant. Plan your trip so that you don’t necessarily have to make further trips each day. Choose a central location for your hotel and arrange your itinerary around that point. It will save you a lot of money compared to hopping from place to place throughout your trip.

Is that attraction 50 miles away all that better than a similar spot that is right around the corner? You don’t want to take this to such an extreme that you miss out on all the things you want to do while traveling.

Just keep the idea in mind when making your plans, and keep your transportation to a minimum wherever possible during your holiday.

Use Public Transit

By this, we mean typically mean public buses or the subway in urban areas. It’s more convenient to hail a taxi but you will pay quite a bit more.

You should know the language of your destination well enough that you can understand the routes and how to ask about stops and schedules though. Walking is still a simpler option if you can manage it.

Use Your Feet

Walking is free, and many city destinations will be easy enough to navigate on foot. Have an up-to-date map on hand, get to know the language enough that you can understand street signs or possibly ask for directions if you have to.

Not only is it cheaper than the constant taxi rides, you get to see a side of your destination you would miss.

An extension of this tip is to make use of pedal-power to get around. Many cities offer bike rentals, with pick-up and drop-off locations, quicker than walking and still much less expensive than other forms of inner city transport.

Research Taxi Rates

Buses and trains are usually constant with their ticket prices, but taxi fares are a little less steady. Some countries don’t use meters, and you simply have to pay what the driver declares.

Find out beforehand how much a typical taxi ride should cost to and from some common points in the city, and use that as your guide. If someone offers you a ride for a lot more, don’t hesitate to either haggle him down or just find another taxi.

And the only way to take this approach is to establish a price before you leave. Tell your driver where you want to go, and get an estimate from him up front. That way you can make your decision before you’re committed.

Travel Overnight

You can often save on a train or bus ticket if you chose an over-night route, since they are a less popular option.

The bonus is that you might be able to save a day’s accommodation this way, along with the initial savings on the ticket.

Granted, it may not be the most comfortable sleep of your life (catching the overnight bus made it onto our list of the worst travel tips of 2016 for this reason), but it can work if don’t mind a little challenge (and the route is long enough).

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Transportation costs don’t stop just because you’ve arrived at your destination. There are always additional expenses as you rent cars, hire taxis, or take the bus, and much of the time these expenses are costs which travelers overlook.

Transportation costs don’t stop just because you’ve arrived at your destination. There are always additional expenses as you rent cars, hire taxis, or take the bus, and much of the time these expenses are costs which travelers overlook.

Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind Waking Up Wild; a website dedicated to opening your eyes to the wild & natural world.

Committed to bringing you the best in adventure travel from all around the globe, there is no mountain too high, and no fete too extreme! They haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on their list.

Follow their journey on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram.

Photo credits: New York City Cabs by Richard Burger. Pinterest image train ticket by Christopher Ruud.