Studying abroad in Europe is the BEST time to travel around Europe and explore different countries on a budget. Since you already live over the pond, now all you have to do is book smaller flights, trains, and bus rides to tour all of Europe! This post is all about the best Europe travel tips for study abroad students.
EUROPE TRAVEL TIPS
1. Packing
PACK LIGHT: While taking trips traveling around Europe, you’ll likely be traveling for a quick weekend trip or traveling on a budget, and thus not having the luxury of leaving your things behind for very long. Pack light, and have no shame in rewearing outfits! Just be sure you can shower and bring a travel body spray to freshen up your clothes while on the go.
BE PREPARED: – Be aware of how easy it is for pick pocketers to steal your things. Be prepared and make sure none of your important valuables and passport are in a place easy to access! Best case scenario is to invest in travel clothing that makes it harder for thieves to pickpocket, and easier for you to access your things without stress.
KNOW YOUR AIRLINE AND TRAIN INFO: This helps save any stress or heartache of being denied access on a plane. Especially if you are flying a budget airline, just be sure to know what you are limited to bringing on the plane. Also be sure to know what you can or can’t bring on your trains, busses, etc. while traveling!
2. Europe Travel Restrictions
RESEARCH: Before booking a trip, be aware of where you are going and be sure to check any specific requirements or restrictions well ahead of time in order to avoid downtime or canceling activities. Check the official government site for your destination, or CDC for health information regarding your destination.
3. Traveling Europe on a Budget
DON’T OVERLOOK RYANAIR: If you don’t have a connection or are not on a time crunch, RyanAir is a great budget option to save money while traveling! Just be sure that you are aware of what you are able to bring on the plane, and be okay with not picking your seat unless you’re wanting to pay extra. I was fortunately able to make it to and from my destinations with RyanAir without much trouble!
AIRBNB: This may be a given, but stay in Airbnb’s as much as possible while traveling instead of hotels. There are super affordable Airbnb’s in Europe, some even more affordable than the US! You also have the option of staying in hostels, but for safety I so recommend staying in an Airbnb. This is especially true if you’re looking to solo travel!
DINE IN DINNER ONLY: To be sure you can still try the local foods but she money and stick to your budget, limit yourself to dining in for dinners only! There are plenty of options most places to grab a quick bite to eat. This will help you travel within your means and stick to a budget, all while getting the full experience.
4. International Travel Tips
KNOW WHERE YOU ARE: One of the BEST pro travel tips I can give. Look ahead at a map of the area you’re traveling to and make a mental note of what landmarks are nearby others, in case you get lost and need ease of direction. Staring at your phone for directions will only scream “tourist”, so if need be, put in some headphones and play Google maps directions walking to your destination!
PLAN AHEAD: Plan your itinerary based on location and duration of activities! I’ve found through my own travels that
BRING A BACK-UP BATTERY: I actually don’t understand how I lived before having a battery on hand all the time. This is a MUST while traveling. SO worth the small price of $25-$30 on Amazon. Get one that is reliable that will charge your phone from 0-100%.
WRITE DOWN IMPORTANT TRAVEL DETAILS: I can’t stress this enough because I myself have been stuck in a situation with a dead phone while solo traveling Paris. (I made it back safe and sound thankfully) but if your phone died or didn’t work, what would you do? Make sure you have important contacts and travel info/addresses in hand just in case!
5. How to Save Money
BOOK TICKETS VALID ALL DAY: If possible, when booking tickets for specific excursions, make sure to book tickets that are valid all day in case you need to adjust your itinerary! TRUST ME this will save your life. If you get lost, lose track of time, or don’t plan enough time between things, this will save you so much money!
BRING SNACKS: To minimize the amount of full meals you’ll eat out, bring snacks to eat throughout your travels! This will also eliminate random food purchases as you’ll for SURE get hungry after all your exploring!
AVOID TOURIST TRAPS: To make sure you’re saving money and getting the best experience for what you’re paying, avoid eating out near tourist attractions. These restaurants are typically way pricier to take advantage of tourism. Plan ahead and find places uncommonly visited by tourists to get the best value.
ARRIVE EARLY, LEAVE LATE: If at all possible, be sure to set your arrival time to be early in the mornings (ex: leave at 3am!) and get to your destination by early morning. This is especially great for weekend travels in Europe as there is often limited time available. Leave the latest you can on your last day. No point in adding a hotel stay for a day you aren’t touring around for!
GET YOUR GUIDE: One of the BEST ways to save money on attractions is booking via Get Your Guide! This is what I used to look for entry tickets to avoid paying for a guided tour with a bunch of people. A lot of times I would save money by researching what I needed to know about the place before, and then visit on my own at my own pace! This not only gives you flexibility in when you can go by booking a pass for all day, but also eliminates time wasted in the group.
RYANAIR: Just make sure you know what you’re doing. Be aware of what baggage you selected to bring, and what your seating situation looks like. Not a bad deal for student travelers!
6. Trains in Europe
Trains are the best way to get around within the cities you are visiting in Europe. Below are a list of the sites for trains varying by some of the most popular countries to visit in Europe.
ITALY: Tren Italia, Italo
SWITZERLAND: SBB
AUSTRIA: ÖBB
GERMANY: DB
FRANCE: SNCF
LONDON: THE NATIONAL RAIL
Another great way to search for trains is through apps that will look at all of your options and book for you! My personal favorite when studying abroad was Omio. This was the best way to figure out where I could go with the money I had. Several of my trips were even planned out this way just through looking at what was around and affordable. I’ve included a few other great ones below as well:
7. Europe Travel Hacks
- Don’t overlook smaller European cities, check out hidden gems in Europe. Often times, this is how you’ll get the best and most authentic feel of a country and see the most unique areas.
- Visit during an off season, if possible, avoid summer at all costs. Summers are the busiest travel times to Europe, and also one of the easiest times to get pick-pocketed.
- Check places nearby where you want to visit – you may not even realize that places you’ve wanted to see are actually located right next to each other! When planning trips, be sure to look closely to see what is nearby so you don’t miss a bucket list item.
I hope you have some fun plans to travel Europe soon, and hope that this guide helps cover some of the best cities to visit while studying abroad in Europe! These tips are geared towards study abroad students, or travelers on a budget with a shorter itinerary, but can certainly help anyone! I hope these Europe travel tips help you have a smoother and more enjoyable time overall.
Looking for specific itineraries on where to go? Check out some of our travel guides!
