This is the second instalment in our series on backpacking around Europe. In part one, we focused on planning the trip, but now we are going to move onto the more exciting stuff – the practicalities of getting from one place to another. Europe is huge and in order to see the most of it you will need to do a fair bit of travelling. Some of the best options for getting around will include those we have listed below.
Interrailing
One of the nicest ways to explore Europe is to go interrailing. The Inter Rail pass allows for travel on practically any railway in Europe; it can also be used on certain ferries. This pass is only available to European residents but non-Europeans can get a similar type of pass known as the Eurail pass – this can work out a bit more expensive to the Inter Rail pass. There are many different passes available and the main differences between them will be the number of countries that can be visited and the duration of the tickets validity. There are also different tickets for people who are under and over the age of 26. One thing people should know when choosing the inter rail pass is that this will not cover them for their home country – although they should be able to get a discounted ticket price for the trip that takes them to the border where they will begin using their inter rail pass.
Travelling around Europe by Bus
One of the cheapest ways to travel around Europe is by bus. There is an extensive bus service throughout Europe and every town and city is connected. It is possible to find cheap fares for the popular destinations, and it is possible to buy bus passes for different countries. Eurolines covers 500 destinations in Europe, and they have a good selection of passes from which to choose. It is possible to get a Eurolines pass covering 51 cities for 185 Euros (as of early 2013), and this pass is valid for 15 days.
Travelling around Europe by Aeroplane
There are many discount airlines in Europe, so this means that it can be possible to fly from one destination to another relatively cheaply. In fact, it can sometimes work out cheaper to fly than to go by train. Countless airports across the continent mean that flying can often be the best option for tourists who wish to travel long distances quickly.
Travelling around Europe by Car or Campervan
One of the nicest ways to explore Europe is by car or campervan. The great benefit of having a campervan is that it can mean that you save money on accommodation expenses. The roads in Europe are generally very good, and the motorway system in Western Europe in particular is probably the best in the world. Renting car or campervan is also relatively easy and it does not need to be expensive if people can share the vehicle (and costs) with others.