Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
8
Get a Travel Discount Card
Travel discount cards will save you money on hostels, airfare, transportation, and tours. While some
are only for students or those younger than twenty-six, there are still quite a few available for anyone, no
matter what profession or age. These special discount cards should not be confused with destination tourism
cards such as the London Pass, iAmsterdam card, or VisitOslo card, which give you discounts for a specific
destination. I'll discuss these cards in far more detail in Part Two. The cards listed in this chapter are more
general and can be used around the world for a variety of reasons.
The most widely accepted and best discount cards are in this chapter. Sadly, these cards skew a lot toward
students, Australasia, and Europe and are not usable globally. As a general rule, the cheaper the country, the
less likely you'll be able to use one of the cards.
ISIC (International Student Identity Card): This student-only card provides discounts
on tours, hostels, and transportation. It can be purchased through their website (isic.org) or
through travel agencies like STA Travel. The card costs $22 USD. There is no upper age lim-
it on the card, so you can get one as long as you are a full-time student; it doesn't matter if
you are twenty-one or fifty-one. Part-time students aren't allowed to get this card.
There are a total of forty thousand discounts offered with this card, ranging from dis-
counts in museums, reduced booking fees for accommodation sites, free tours, reduced trans-
portation costs, and tour deals. Many airlines offer exclusive student/youth fares to ISIC
cardholders. This is truly a great card to have and will definitely help you save money, es-
pecially on accommodations and attractions. I have found this card particularly useful in
Europe, where museums give you a 50 percent discount with the card. ISIC also offers dis-
counts on magazine subscriptions, Skype credit, and online booking fees from sites like
Hostelworld.
If you're not a student, there is also a version of this card for teachers and people under
twenty-six (IYC). These cards have the same features and benefits as the ISIC card and are
available at STA Travel and isic.org. These cards also cost $22 USD. They are all issued by
the same company.
The ISIC card can be used worldwide and is available online. You can also find a local
issuer at isic.org/student-card/apply-for-a-card.html.
YHA (Youth Hostel Association): This hostel discount card is good for Hostelling Interna-
tional or Youth Hostels Association members. (Actually it's the same organization that uses
two different names depending on where you are in the world!) It provides a 10 percent dis-
count on prices at this worldwide chain of hostels.
This card can be purchased when you check into any YHA member hostel. Prices vary
depending on the country in which you purchase the card, and it is always priced in the local
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