What many people don’t realise is how cheap travelling can be with a bit of meticulous planning. For many of us, an international flight can in fact be less costly than your average night out in Bigg Market.
Skyscanner will become your best friend when it comes to finding the top deals, with return flights from Newcastle airport starting from just £26! With settings to help refine destination, cost and dates, you can even set notifications to track the price of a specific flight or journey. Milan, Brussels, Dublin, Barcelona, and Gdansk are amongst some of the many affordable destinations from Newcastle currently showcased by Skyscanner.
Another top tip is to consider flying to/from alternative UK airports. Manchester Airport, which is a direct train ride away from Newcastle Central, offers a copious array of budget-friendly destination options, including Berlin, Lisbon and Marrakech. Edinburgh and Teesside airports also make great alternatives if travelling from the North East.
If flying isn’t for you, there are many other ways in which tourists can get from A to B. The Eurostar, departing from London’s St Pancras International, offers a wide variety of locations including Paris, Amsterdam and Cologne, with prices starting from £39 each way. You can even get a direct train to St Pancras from Newcastle!
If considering further travel, you can explore more with an Interrail pass, which allows you travel around 33 different countries across Europe. Alternatively, although not everyone’s cup of tea, FlixBus is another great way of travelling from place to place, especially with their 20% off student discount.
But what about when you get there? With the price of accommodation, food and drink, and activities, finances can be frittered away rapidly…
Albeit not to everyone’s taste, hostels can make travelling an inexpensive, social and, even sometimes, a more authentic experience. With many hostels offering shared dorms, in addition to private rooms, there is something for everyone. Hostelworld additionally offers a 10% student discount on accommodation via Student Beans, although it is important to note that it’s sometimes more cost-efficient to book accommodation directly through a hotel/hostel’s website, but this can depend, so make sure to stay diligent!
Sometimes it takes a leap of faith, but the so-called ‘travel bug’ can certainly be dangerous; once you start you won’t be able to stop.
From a social perspective, hostels can provide an exciting opportunity to meet like-minded people, and maybe even a new potential travel-buddy! You may find that many hostels host social events or have facilities which accommodate those of you hoping to meet new people on your travels.
Perhaps you’ll decide to explore your destination and immerse yourself in local culture. Activities can also be low-cost, with free options including museums and local markets, in addition to great deals for other experiences found on GetYourGuide, TripAdvisor and Viator (all of which offer student discounts!).
Getting around can also be made affordable. Public transport can be daunting at the best of times, especially in a foreign country, however mastering these transport systems can feel incredibly rewarding. Many countries offer youth rates for buses, trams and trains; this is something worth looking into depending on where you are headed.
A final few top tips include:
A trip is what you make it, whatever the budget. Sometimes it takes a leap of faith, but the so-called ‘travel bug’ can certainly be dangerous; once you start you won’t be able to stop. With these top tips and a bit of practice, you’ll soon learn the best hacks to make the most of your travels whilst a student!