EUROPE BASICS - Moscow and St Petersburg - page 100

GETTING BY ON A BUDGET
Buy a rail pass Whether you're planning to take in all of Europe or just a few countries, a rail pass
will save you a bundle.
Find a roommate Accommodation in hotels, pensions and private rooms is cheaper if you share, so
buddy up.
Student/youth discounts If you're a student or under 26, make sure you bring your student or youth
card; always ask about discounts.
Head for the countryside Don't spend more time than you need to in the city - prices will always be
highest.
Shuntouristtraps Eat and drink with the locals and try regional food as it'll usually be cheaper - and
frequently tastier.
Self-cater Markets are full of fresh, seasonal picnic fare which makes self-catering a treat.
Drinkathome Have a few drinks before you go out - you can usually pick up booze from local shops
at a fraction of the bar price.
Be flexible Transport is often cheaper in off-peak hours.
Sleeponthetrain Make your longest journeys overnight - you'll forego accommodation costs for the
night.
Bargain,bargain,bargain Don't be afraid to haggle (especially in places like Morocco where it's ex-
pected), but know when to stop.
Costs
It'shardtogeneralizeaboutwhatyou'relikelytospendtravellingaroundEurope,butit'sby
and large not cheap . Some countries - Norway, Switzerland, the UK - are among the most
expensive in the world, while in others (Turkey, for example) you can live quite well on a
fairly modest budget. Remember, however, that all of Europe is modern and well touristed
which means higher prices than in the developing world. In general, countries in the north
and west of Europe are more expensive than those in the south and east, though keep an eye
on exchange rates.
Accommodation will be your largest single expense, and can really determine where you
decide to travel. Food and drink costs also vary wildly, although again in most parts of
Europe you can assume that a cheap restaurant meal will cost €10-18 a head, with prices
nearer the top end of the scale in Scandinavia, at the bottom end in eastern Europe, and be-
low that in Turkey and Morocco. Transport costs are something you can pin down more
exactly if you have a rail pass. Nowhere, though, are transport costs a major burden, except
perhaps in Britain where public transport is less heavily subsidized than elsewhere.
ThebottomlineforanaveragedailybudgettouringtheContinent-camping,self-catering,
hitching, etc - might be around €30 a day per person. Adding on a rail pass, staying in hos-