Where to go?

The first thing you need to decide is where you want to go on your European adventure. Are you an art buff who longs to see the Mona Lisa in person at the Louvre? Perhaps history is your thing and a trip to Rome is in order. Or, maybe you’d like to try out the German you learned in high school. Use your interests as a guide to help you plan your ideal trip. (please note, the listings below do not constitute an endorsement of products or services by Syracuse University, they are provided as a courtesy.)

Fancy a group tour? Here are some tour operators to get you started.

• Ireland: www.paddywagontours.com
• Scotland, Ireland, and Britain: www.haggisadventures.com
• Wales: www.shaggysheep.com
• STA: Student Travel Agency (Worldwide)www.statravel.co.uk. Find your nearest STA branch

How to get there?

Travel within the UK

• National Rail – Offers a rail card for 16 – 25 year olds for £24 which gives you a 1/3 off rail tickets. There are lots of added bonuses with this card, such as 10% off travel experiences booked through STA Travel and a free YHA membership!
• National Express – For £10 you buy a young person’s coach card and receive 30% off coach travel.
• Do a little internet research. There are many other train and coach services available such as Mega Bus or Virgin Trains.
• Use your ISIC card to get some great discounts on travel, hostels and attractions.

Budget Airline Travel

• Be diligent! Check airlines websites on a regular basis as unadvertised sales just pop up and booking early will save you heaps!
• No frills = no seat assignments, limited legroom, baggage weight restrictions and expensive food and beverages. Bring your own food and drink.
• What are the penalties for a change or cancellation or overweight luggage? READ THE FINE PRINT, NO MATTER WHAT AIRLINE YOU USE!

Budget Airlines

www.skyscanner.net
Skyscanner is a flight search engine. It does a comprehensive search for all airlines flying to your destination, and allows you to quickly compare prices and times of flights from all of the low budget airlines for the particular days you are wishing to travel. We suggest using skyscanner for booking most flights, especially for last minute travel, and it will give you the most up-to-date prices, which usually tend to change in a matter of minutes.

www.ryanair.com
RyanAir is based in Ireland. Most of their flights are out of Stansted or Luton Airports. Many of its destinations are to smaller airports around Europe that are a short train ride away from major cities. There are also flights from Gatwick Airport to Ireland. A ‘no frills’ airline.

www.easyjet.com
Most flights depart from Gatwick and Luton. There are also several which leave from Stansted. A ‘no frills’ airline.

www.flybmi.com

British Midlands is an airline with ‘frills’. Check out the ‘special offers’ page on their website for the best deals.

www.ba.com

British Airways has slashed prices to most European destinations in order to compete with budget airlines. It’s worth a look. With departures out of Heathrow and Gatwick, BA is also convenient.

Transport to London airports

Beware!!! The 6 a.m. flight from Stansted is cheap and tempting, but think about the rest of your journey. You need to check-in 2 hours early and it takes an hour to get to Stansted Airport out of Liverpool St. Station.

Before you go...

• How will I get to Stansted Airport?
• Will the tube be running at that hour?
• What is the schedule for the Stansted Express in the wee hours?

Consider the late night scenario: Another cheap and tempting flight that leaves oh, let’s say, Madrid in the evening and gets you back to Stansted Airport at 11:00 p.m.

Same story:

• What is the schedule for the Stansted Express at that hour?
• Will you be back in time to catch the tube?

Need some help with a wee hours (or anytime) route around London? Call the London Transport Info Hotline: 020 7222 1234. Think through your entire journey. Consider how you’ll get around at your destination as well!

Options to GATWICK Airport

You can take the Gatwick Express Train

Departs From: Victoria Station Running from: 03:30 – 00:30 Frequency: every 15 minutes Journey length: 30-40 minutes Express class single ticket:£17.90 Express class return ticket: £30.80 website: Notes: From 03:30-05:00 and from 00:00-00:30 trains run every half hour. Discounts: 50% on tickets for groups of 4. See website for details.

Travel on EasyBus from Victoria Station

Take a cab. This method would be good for those flights which leave very early or late before public transportation is running. If you hail a taxi from central London the total fare should be about £95. They can take up to 5 passengers, so cost per person would then be £19. To reduce the price, the best option is to arrange a fixed rate taxi. Dial-a-Cab is a reliable, safe resource.

LICENSED Car Service: The Keen Group

Options to LUTON Airport

There is no express train service for Luton but can be reached by regular rail services to Luton Airport Parkway Station. Travel on First Capital Connect to reach this location. For more information, contact National Rail on 08457 48 49 50 or check out National Rail. Once onsite, a free shuttle bus runs to the airport 1.8 km down the road.

EasyBus and Greenline Coaches both run directly to the airport itself

Another option is to take a blck cab. If hailed in central London, it should cost about £80. Otherwise, book ahead with Dial-a-Cab. Or again a LICENSED car service The Keen Group

Options to STANSTED Airport

Travel on Stansted Express from Liverpool Station. This is the quickest way to reach this airport.

Departs From: Liverpool Street Station Running from: 04:10 – 23:00 Frequency: every 15 minutes Journey length: 45 - 50 minutes Express class open single ticket: online £16, from the counter/ticket machine £17 Express class return ticket: £30.80 website: www.standstedexpress.com Notes: Monday-Saturday, the train runs ever half hour between 0410-0510. On Sunday, between 04:10-06:10

Use Terravision Buses. The A50 leaves from Victoria Station and takes roughly 75 minutes. The A51 leaves from Liverpool Station and transit is about 55 minutes. £8 for a single ticket or £14 for a return trip.

Take EasyBus from Victoria Station (100 minutes) or Baker Street Station (80 minutes). £2 or more for a single ticket, £13 for a return trip.

Travel on the National Express Coach leaving from Elizabeth St. near Victoria Station (100 minutes) via Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Baker Street, St. John’s Wood, Finchley Road and Golders Green Underground station. £10 for a single ticket, £17 for a return trip

You can also take a cab to the airport. If hailed from central London, it should cost about £120. Or book with Dial-a-Cab. Or again a LICENSED car service The Keen Group

Options to HEATHROW Airport

Want to save some cash? Take the tube to Heathrow Airport! Take the Piccadilly line westbound until you reach the airport terminals. As a guide, it takes about 50 minutes from Victoria Station. Before you go, make sure you know which terminal you fly out of as the train makes 3 stops at the airport. Use your Oyster Card or purchase a one-way zone 6 ticket. It costs £4, which is a steal of a deal!

Travel on the Heathrow Express.

Departs From: Paddington Station Running from: 15:10 – 23:25 Frequency: every 15 minutes Journey length: 15 minutes Express class single ticket: online £14.50, from a ticket machine £15.50, on board the train £18.50 Express class return ticket: online £28, from a ticket machine £29, on board the train £32 website: www.heathrowexpress.com Discounts: 50% discounts on weekend tickets for groups of 4. See website for details.

National Express offers bus service to central London.

You can also take a cab to the airport. If hailed from central London, it should cost about £60. Or book with Dial-a-Cab. Or again a LICENSED car service The Keen Group

Packing and Planning Advice

Rule number one, pack lightly!! Remember you will be carrying your all your bags! Many of London’s train stations, tube stations and buildings don’t have elevators, but they do have lots of stairs. Keep in mind that things can get very heavy, very fast! Use this packing list as a guide. Or pack what you think you’ll need, walk around the block, then repack because inevitably you’ll be tired and your bags will be too heavy! Can you manage with just your carry-on (hand luggage)? Remember to check your airlines baggage policies as things have become restrictive with carry-on luggage. Be prepared to pay for checked luggage and luggage (carry on or checked) which is over the airline weight restrictions.

Think of the advantages

• Carry everything yourself.
• Don’t have to get to the airport as early to check baggage.
• Don’t have to worry about your checked luggage ending up in another city (or even another continent).
• Don’t have to worry about someone stealing your checked luggage.
• If you miss your connection, easily rebook yourself without worrying about where your luggage will end up.
• Easily volunteer to be bumped on a full flight.
• Zip immediately off the airplane to your destination, instead of waiting at the luggage carousel.
• Probably catch the bus or train to get someplace, instead of having to pay more to catch a cab (and paying extra for your luggage).
• Other things to keep in mind as you pack:
• What are the weather conditions at your destination? Pack accordingly!
• Pack in compartments. Plastic bags or packing cubes keep things organized and easy to find.
• Split up any valuables or cash you take into different compartments within your bags. This way, if someone steals something out of your bag, they may think they got everything when they’ve really only taken a portion of your important items.

Time Difference

Most flight/train itineraries will show local departure and arrival times for each city. Check up on the time difference.

Record keeping/copies

• Keep a listing, separate from your cards, of your credit card numbers and their customer services call centres. In the case of lost or stolen cards, you can call to get them cancelled fast.
• Have photocopies of your passport, kept separate from your passport.

Valuables

Leave extra credit cards and expensive jewellery at home, or anything that will create financial or emotional hardship if lost or stolen.

Money

A small amount of local currency may be handy for immediate use to hold you over until you can make it to a currency exchange or ATM. Should I use my ATM card while travelling? Yes!

With the ability to draw out small amounts of cash as needed, you can avoid the risk of travelling with large amounts of cash.

• Using your ATM card can also be a good way to get cash in foreign countries.
• The ATM will issue money in local currency.
• You should exchange at the bank’s wholesale exchange rate. You may still want to shop around to different banks since some will charge a high usage fee for their ATMs. Although, even high ATM fees may be less than others will charge for currency exchanges.
• Don’t wait until you’re out of money to go to an ATM, the machines can run out of money or break down.
• Be aware of your surroundings when using ATMs. Keep your safety and security in mind at all times.
• Before you leave the US, ask your bank what they charge for international ATM transactions. Change your ATM card PIN number to 4 digits. Four-digit pins are more the standard in Europe.

Important Reminders

• Make sure you check the airlines (or train or coach) company luggage restrictions.
• To clear airport security, you must have all liquids and gels in individual containers with a maximum capacity of 100 millilitres per bottle. You must pack these in one transparent, re-sealable plastic bag. A one litre Ziploc (20 cm x 20 cm) is the maximum size. Anything which is not packaged this way will be confiscated.
• Also, you are only allowed ONE BAG as a carry on. This does NOT mean one bag plus a personal item. One bag means one bag. If you have a purse, put it inside your carry on until you are on the plane.

Where to stay?

• Staying in a hostel is a great way to save money and meet fellow travelers. The The Youth Hostel Association (YHA) usually provides excellent accommodation and has locations throughout the UK. Membership with YHA gives you a discount on rooms. Otherwise, scan through www.europeanhostels.com for options (including private hostels) throughout Europe.
• Want to work in exchange for housing? Why not WWHOOF? Willing Workers on Organic Farms is a great way to get your hands dirty and live like a local. After paying a membership fee, you receive a book listing all of the hosts.
• Many countries offer unique housing experiences. For example, how does relaxing in the Italian countryside sound. If you are keen, check out www.en.agriturismo.itwww.en.agriturismo.it.

Accommodation tips

• Some hostels have lock out periods when customers are not allowed in the building. Generally, this is for cleaning purposes. In addition, some also have a set curfew for guests. Before booking, make sure you know what the rules are.
• Bedding must be rented in some hostels. In others, it is free of charge. Some have strict policies about not bringing your own bedding. Others encourage it. Double check before you go.
• Upon arrival at the hostel, it is not uncommon to be asked to see your passport and the credit card used to book the room. Make sure to bring them along.

What to do?

• Are you heading to a major tourist attraction? Why not book ahead and save yourself time and hassle. Most museums and historical sites allow you to reserve tickets online.
• Seek out free events. Browse the internet or the local paper for ideas.
• Europe is known for hosting wonderful and wacky festivals which are often inexpensive to attend. Again, a little research can save you a bundle and result in an unforgettable experience.
• If you are traveling to a special event, make sure to book a room in advance in order to avoid ending up without a bed or a place to stash your luggage during your visit.