Europe is not always the cheapest place to travel around. Transportation costs can wreak havoc on any budget, especially if you are traveling long distances.

The increasing value of the Euro has made traveling across Europe even more expensive for overseas visitors. It’s especially ridiculous in England, where they use a pricing method similar to the airlines (book early). Just hopping on a train can be more expensive than hopping on a flight. It cost me more for a 2-hour train ride than it did to fly to Amsterdam from London.

But, despite the expensive Euro, high transportation costs, and the general expensiveness of Europe, I still found a few ways to travel around Europe cheaply:

Megabus
Megabus is a cheap way to get across the United Kingdom, as fares can cost as little as one pound. You’ll need to book at least a month in advance on popular routes to get the one-pound fare, though. And even if you don’t scoop up these amazingly cheap deals, you can still travel for a reasonable price on the National Rail system. Fares rarely top 15 pounds. Most Megatrains and buses leave from London, but you can also get intercity links from many of the country’s main destinations (as well as major destinations in Wales and Scotland). It’s simply the best deal around. Travel in the UK is ridiculously expensive, and even if you change your plans, you are only losing a pound. This should be your first option for UK travel.

Busabout
Busabout is a hop on/hop off service similar to the Oz or Kiwi Experience in Australia and New Zealand. You can get on and off whenever you like, and, once you buy the ticket, you don’t have to worry about transportation the whole way. There is also an onboard guide that can help you with accommodation. They’ll help plan events and tours for you, too. Busabout is not the cheapest option on the list, but for those looking for something different, it is a good way to get around hassle-free while still knowing you’ll be around other backpackers. What you are really paying for is a scaled-down guided tour, but, for the first-time traveler, this can be a good option if they don’t feel comfortable traveling on their own.

Low Cost Airlines
By far the cheapest option for traveling Europe, these airlines are so prolific that excess capacity and competition helps keep fares cheap. You can often find tickets where the fare is just the taxes. Companies like Transavia, EasyJet, and RyanAir offer flights throughout the continent for dirt cheap. It cost me 20 pounds to fly from London to Amsterdam, 25 Euros to fly from Paris to Germany, and 60 Euros to go from Stockholm to Amsterdam. Book early, and you’ll scoop up great deals. Remember though: read the fine print, as not all airlines offer refunds for canceled flights. Moreover, check what airport they fly into. Many fly into secondary airports to keep costs down, but sometimes those airports are so far from the city center that transportation from there can be very expensive.

Eurail Pass
Getting a rail pass is a good option if you are going to be traveling across vast distances. The European rail system is very good and very cheap over short distances. However, when you start boarding night trains across multiple countries, the rail system becomes a bit more expensive. Rail Passes are a great way to save quite a few Euros, and are a must for anyone looking to take the trains over long distances. I never used to think this was a good option, but when I finally did this, I managed to save a few hundred dollars.

Use these options and you are bound to save money while you travel around Europe. Europe is expensive, but there are still cheap ways to get around!

For more ways to save money in Europe, check out my book on “How to Travel the World,” which has detailed tips and tricks on how to travel the continent cheap and receive FREE accommodation, specials, and tours throughout Europe, plus (and this is really great!) GET 10% OFF A EURAIL TRAIN PASS!