There are seven ways to get around Europe: bus, plane, train, carshare, backpacker tours, Eurail pass, and hitchhiking.
1. Traveling Europe by Megabus
Megabus is a cheap way to get around the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales) as well as to Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam. Tickets can cost as little as 1 GBP if you book at least a month in advance on popular routes. However, even if you don’t scoop up these amazingly cheap deals, you can still travel for a more reasonable price than on the national bus system, as fares rarely top 20 GBP.
I recently took a 5 GBP bus from London to Bristol. (The train? 45 GBP!) That ticket was only bought the day before too! Additionally, Megabus also operates trains to some destinations around the UK, starting at 10 GBP. Megabus is definitely the cheapest way to get around the UK and now is also the cheapest way to get to Paris, Brussels, or Amsterdam.
2. Traveling Europe by Busabout
Busabout is a hop-on/hop-off bus service similar to the Oz or Kiwi Experience in Australia and New Zealand, respectively. A lot of backpackers use this method of travel to get around as well as meet other travelers. You can get on and off whenever you want along one of their set routes.
You can buy tickets that let you travel their whole network with a set number of stops, for example, a nine-day flex pass, which gives you nine stops from your starting city. The pass also comes with a guide and sometimes includes group activities. A two-week pass is $299 USD.
If you figure you can visit about six cities in two weeks, that’s $50 a trip. When you consider the soft benefits of a guide, included trips, and meeting people, Busabout becomes price comparable to trains and flights — though still more expensive than a regular public bus. Their unlimited passes for $1,499 for six months of travel is the best long-term transportation deal. The only downside to Busabout is that if you want to visit a city not on one of their routes, you have to make your own way there at an added cost.
3. Traveling Europe by FlixBus
Over the last few years, a new company has entered the market and totally changed the bus system in Europe! German-based FlixBus has routes in 20 European countries and thousands of cities, with prices starting as low 5 euros. Their buses include Wi-Fi, electrical outlets, up to three free bags, and comfy seats. It’s essentially Megabus, but less sucky. It’s the best and cheapest way to get around the whole of continental Europe. FlixBus quickly became my favorite non-train way to get across Europe more cheaply.
Another option is to take Eurolines. Every country in Europe has its own national bus service, but for international long-distance bus routes, they sort of combine into the umbrella company Eurolines. While it serves more destinations than FlixBus, I prefer the comfort and prices of FlxiBus if I have a choice between the two. Eurolines prices usually start at around 20 euros for a 5-6-hour journey.
4. Traveling Europe by Budget Airline
By far one of the cheapest ways to travel long-distance in Europe is by budget airline. These airlines are hugely prolific on the continent, and this competition has led to incredibly cheap fares, often as cheap as 1 euro. When I need to go somewhere and I don’t want to take a long bus or train journey, I fly budget airlines. My favorite budget airlines are:
- Vueling
- Ryanair
- EasyJet
- Aigle Azur
- Eurowings
- Flybe
- Norwegian Air
- Wizz Air
I use Skyscanner and Momondo to search for the best deals. They do all the legwork for ya!
It’s important to remember that these budget airlines make most of their money through fees, and the second you mess up, they whack you with a fee. They are very strict about baggage limits or forgetting to print out your boarding pass. Be sure to follow their rules to the letter. Sometimes these budget airlines cost more money because of all their fees, so if you’re traveling with a lot of bags, it may be cheaper to fly with one of the larger airlines (which have also lowered their fares in the face of tough competition).
5. Traveling Europe with a Eurail Pass
I love traveling by train: sitting in a big seat, relaxing with a book, and watching the stunning landscape go by. It’s more comfortable than a bus and much less stressful than air travel. And the European rail system is one of the best and most extensive in the world.
If you’re going to travel by train, it’s hard to beat them on price and convenience for short city-to-city travel. For longer journeys (overnight journeys, between countries, or rides that require a high-speed line, like Paris to Bordeaux or Berlin to Munich), trains tend to be very expensive.
If you plan to travel around Europe in a grand tour or if you are going to be traveling across vast distances and don’t want to fly, getting a rail pass is your best money-saving travel option. Your cost per trip will be a lot lower than if you were to buy these tickets separately.
6. Traveling Europe Using BlaBlaCar
The rise of the sharing economy has allowed people to hop a ride with locals going their way, and BlaBlaCar is the reigning king of this service. It’s hugely popular and widespread in Europe, and I’ve used this service many times. It lets you rideshare with people who have extra space in their car. You find a ride, they agree to take you, and off you go. You can find rides for as little as 5 euros.
This is the BEST paid way to get around Europe. You get to meet a local, have a friendly conversation, save tons of money over bus and train travel, and get off the highways and more into the countryside.
Alternatively, there are websites where you can ask for rides so long as you pitch in for gas. Gumtree is the most popular among backpackers.
7. The Cheapest Way To Travel Europe: Hitchhiking
The best way to travel Europe cheaply is to not pay for it and hitchhike. Hitching is quite common in Europe (and a lot safer than you think), and I’ve met a number of travelers who have done it and have been fine. I myself traveled this way in Bulgaria. But it’s important to use your head when hitchhiking. Always trust your instinct, and use common sense. If the situation feels unsafe, bail out as quickly as you can.