There is nothing difficult about making your trip on a budget. A little planning and knowing a few savings secrets is all it takes. Flights, hotels, visas, transportation, meals, communications - all of these items can be reduced with a little effort. MAKE-TRIP shares a dozen with you useful tips, how to travel cheap. Hurry to find out!

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1. Travel on your own!

The first (and most important) law: do not be afraid. It's simple, it's fun, it's cheap. Some people do not even imagine that it is possible to travel abroad without the involvement of agencies and other organizations - they believe that this is the only way to guarantee their safety. And in the end, they either get a boring rest, mostly in a supine position, or spend unimaginable amounts on more or less non-standard rest. Traveling alone is not only possible, but necessary! Only an independent trip can be considered a real trip, everything else is tourist vacation. Everyone can organize a great trip for themselves, you just need to show a little independence. Look at our different countries and cities.

In our opinion, it is especially interesting to travel by car (personal or rented) - complete freedom of movement! If you are interested in this option, read our tips about. Traveling is amazing too!

2. Find the cheapest flights

The ability to find and book flights at the lowest price is the most needed skill for budget travel. The main rule to always remember is that the earlier a purchase is made, the more likely it is to find an attractively priced option. Ours will help you become a real master of finding the cheapest flights. It makes sense to keep track of the current ones on our website and see ours in a particular country or city.

Also, be sure to read about that - in this material we talked about the schemes of budgetary access to European countries through the Russian border. In addition, we advise you to find out about, which allow you to fly for amounts close to zero (buying tickets for 20/30/40 euros will not be a problem).

It is best to search for flights on the Skyscanner metasearch engine - it will find the best deals for you in any direction. This is a good assistant for independent travelers, as he searches for tickets among hundreds of airlines and does not take a single ruble commission from the buyer. The search engine makes it possible to view the cost of tickets to any country from all cities of Russia (or any other country) at once - a very convenient feature for budget travelers, it allows you to find an option at the best price.

(Photo by Rennett Stowe. Licensed cc by. www.flickr.com)

3. Make your own visas

Why resort to the help of an intermediary and pay him twice or three times as much for it? You do not turn to the help of agents if you want to buy something in a supermarket, and here you do not need to. After all, we are going to travel economically, and not to improve the welfare of strangers.

Find information on the Internet about the nearest consulate or visa application center of the desired country, collect all the required documents and go to them. Many people think that it is more reliable to do it through an agency, allegedly this way the probability of visa refusal is lower. This is a delusion, since the whole mission of these intermediaries is that they will take the documents to the consulate instead of you. Tips on how to prepare the right documents to improve your chances of getting a visa are easy to find on the Internet. Our site also has for a number of popular destinations.

4. Find and book your accommodation the right way

To make travel cheap, you need to find inexpensive accommodation. You can use the excellent metasearch engine Roomguru.ru and select the desired hotel according to your criteria and reasonable price. This resource compares prices among different booking agencies and finds the best deals. Large database of hotels, hostels, guest houses and so on. We recommend reading our tips on.

An alternative to hotels is a popular service for renting private accommodation Airbnb.ru. Try to find an apartment or house for your trip. It is much more comfortable and often cheaper (especially if you travel with a company or family). The service has a huge selection of unique accommodation (beautiful apartments, villas and even residential boats and castles!), accommodation in which will make your trip much more enjoyable and memorable.

And for those who generally want to live for free, the Couchsurfing resource is vital, where after registering and creating a personal profile, you can find people who are ready to host travelers. The network covers millions of users around the world.

(Photo by Phillip Pessar. Licensed cc by. www.flickr.com)

5. Travel light

Take only what you really need - do not burden yourself with excess luggage. As a result, there are a number of advantages: there is no need to wait long for baggage claim, there is no threat of losing it, you don’t have to pay for overweight (and with low-cost airlines in general, any baggage is always paid separately and can cost you up to hundreds of euros), and you can also move around the airport and to your destination will be much easier and more pleasant if you do not have to lug huge suitcases and bags with you. We even fly to Asia for semi-annual wintering with only one backpack per person.

Read also our tips on and formation. By the way, we recommend shopping on Aliexpress (we order camping equipment, equipment, and numerous accessories there) - it turns out to be much more profitable than shopping in regular stores. Pay attention to reviews to choose the best product. Another good store for sports and travel goods is Decathlon (where we bought a tent, hiking clothes and other equipment for trips to Altai and the Caucasus).

6. Find out about airport transfers in advance

Taxi is always the most expensive way to travel, it is much more profitable to use public transport: bus, metro, train. Read about all the possible options before departure - this way you will save a lot of money.

However, sometimes it is more convenient and cheaper to use a private transfer - for example, when you are traveling big company and order a multi-seat car. For these cases, we can recommend a reliable service. Better yet, rent a car directly from the airport (you can find the best deal on Skyscanner Car Hire).

(Photo by martinak15. Licensed cc by. www.flickr.com)

7. Night move instead of hotel

Night travel by trains and buses will make travel cheaper. This is a good opportunity to save time and money on the hotel at the same time. It is better to take first class tickets - you will have to overpay a little, but then you will be comfortable and you will sleep well. It’s not so convenient to ride on buses, so it’s better not to overdo it and not plan daily night trips for yourself - your body will swear. However, in some places there are slipper buses, the peculiarity of which is recumbent soft shelves instead of standard chairs (we made night trips to these more than once). This is definitely a great option for a budget trip without losing comfort.

In Russia, it is also convenient to travel by train for short distances, picking up night crossings. For example, we traveled from St. Petersburg to Moscow, from Perm to Kazan - the journey took exactly one night, we slept well. There are many route options. You can find and book a train ticket at.

(Photo by Don McCullough. Licensed cc by. www.flickr.com)

8. Use discounts

Groupon gives you the opportunity to buy coupons with a significant discount on a variety of things and events: restaurants, shops, entertainment, attractions, outdoor activities, etc. If you are a student, a young teacher, or you are just under 30 years old, then it makes sense to get yourself a card ISIC, ITIC or IYTC. In Europe and North America, you can get good discounts on them in a variety of places - from cafes to museums.

9. Save on communication

Use Skype or Viber to communicate with Russia. Connect to local operators for local calls and 3G internet. By the way, Skype can also be used to call any landline and mobile phone numbers - these calls are paid, but inexpensive (for example, we used this opportunity to call from Vietnam to Russia and unblock a Sberbank card).

10. Use travel tickets

Find out about the ticket system for public transport. As a rule, there are many types of travel cards, depending on the mode of transport, validity period and travel zones. Think about what type of ticket is best for you. If you want to save money and decide to travel like a hare, keep in mind that in many countries (especially in Europe) fines for free riders are very high.

Also, many popular tourist cities have special museum cards, which provide discounts for visiting attractions and allow you to skip the lines.

11. Organize excursions yourself

It is always cheaper to get to the place you are interested in without the participation of agencies and guides, besides, you make your own visiting program - there is no need to adapt to a given schedule and rhythm.

(Photo by Moyan_Brenn. Licensed cc by. www.flickr.com)

12. Eat at local restaurants

Eat while traveling cheap and delicious at the same time! Tourist-oriented restaurants always jack up prices. And in the places preferred by the residents themselves, you will find a real national cuisine, lowest prices and most delicious food. If you see a lot of local visitors in some restaurant or cafe, it means that the food is excellent there - feel free to come in too!

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If you need public every day, or your work is connected with constant traveling (courier, representative, etc.), then a ticket will significantly save your travel expenses. The total cost of all tickets purchased in a month will be much higher than the price of a ticket. The main thing is not to lose it. In case of loss, as a rule, the ticket is not restored.

Use transport cards. This is true for passengers who use the subway and electric trains. Transport cards can be charged at metro ticket offices and railway stations. Choose the rate convenient for you. Evaluate whether an unlimited tariff will be more profitable, or, for example, you will only travel to work, and approximately the same number of trips is collected every month. Some transport cards are charged for a year, thus the cost of one is significantly reduced, which also allows cash.

If you are paid for travel at work, do not forget to present all documents that prove your use of public transport for official purposes. Minibus taxi drivers are also required to issue you a ticket at your request.

Use passing transport. Having stopped the car, ask the driver if he can give you a lift to the place you need, that is, whether he is on the way with you. Drivers often deliver for free or for a nominal fee. If you still decide to use taxi services, then order a car by phone, through a company - it will be safer, more reliable and often even cheaper than taxi drivers who moonlight as a private driver can offer you.

When traveling long distances, buy economy class tickets. Usually the difference in quality of service between economy class and business class is not so noticeable, especially if you only care about getting to your destination, and not enjoying high-quality service. Buy plane tickets in advance at airline ticket offices. A ticket bought just before the trip usually costs much more. Significantly inflate the prices of intermediary companies that buy tickets from carriers.

If you are planning a trip by train, buy a ticket in a reserved seat car. This is especially true when traveling short distances (up to 15 hours to the destination). The cost of such a ticket is usually several times lower than the cost of travel in compartment and SV carriages. In addition, you can save some money by not buying bed linen and tea (use your own set of linen, mug and tea).

Use a bicycle if the place you want to get to is relatively close (within 5-10 km). Do not neglect walking if you need to travel 1-2 stops on public transport. In addition to saving material resources, you will get a boost of energy and improve your health.

Most passengers know that buying "long" passes is more profitable than tickets for one or two trips. the site went into detail and calculated how much one trip costs with popular tickets, who unlimited travel tickets are designed for, and whether it is possible to save money by using public transport once every three days.

In February, the already familiar ticket menu for travel in the capital's public transport turned five years old, and in April it will celebrate its anniversary. Over the years, a huge number of services for buying tickets have appeared, the least popular fares have been abolished, and tickets have been recorded on key fobs, bracelets and rings.

The logic of tariff formation remained unchanged: the more trips a passenger makes, the lower the cost of each of them. In 2013, this approach made it possible to solve one of the most serious problems Moscow metro - huge queues at the box office. Thanks to the high popularity of so-called long travel passes, passengers using public transport on a daily basis have practically stopped buying paper tickets for one and two trips and queuing.

"Troika"

Today, 90 percent of urban transport passengers pay for travel using a Troika transport card, which can be used to write down a travel card or simply top up. When using the Wallet fare, the cost of one trip is 36 rubles versus 55 rubles for a paper ticket.

At the same time, a trip with transfers will cost 56 rubles - if the passenger manages to pay for the fare in the second or even third vehicle within 90 minutes from the start of the trip, the 90 minutes tariff on the Troika card is automatically activated.

"Single" for 20, 40 and 60 trips

Buying travel cards for a large number of trips is beneficial for Muscovites even today. So, the cost of one trip on a paper ticket "Single" for one or two trips is 55 rubles, and when buying a ticket for 20 or 40 trips - already 37.4 rubles. The most economical among travel cards for a limited number of trips is United 60: it allows you to make each of them for 29.4 rubles. If you prefer to travel only by land transport, then one trip for you can cost 19.9 rubles at all (when buying a TAT ticket for 60 trips).

The validity period of "long" travel cards is not limited to a calendar month and is 90 days. This means that even if you do not use public transport on weekends, combine it with a private car, or live within walking distance from work, trips are unlikely to have time to burn out. For example, to fully use a One 60 ticket before the end of its validity, you need to make an average of five one-way trips weekly or travel to and from work every three days by public transport.

Unlimited travel cards

Along with "long" tickets for a limited number of trips, unlimited travel cards also allow you to save on travel. At the same time, the "United", which operate for one, three or seven days, are aimed at tourists and Muscovites who will actively, but not for long, use public transport. With the purchase of a day pass, the savings will start from the sixth trip, while unlimited tickets for three and seven days will benefit the owner, who will use public transport at least four times daily during the entire period of their validity.

Much more popular among residents of the capital are unlimited tickets valid for 30, 90 and 365 days. An important advantage of such travel cards is the ability to save not only money, but also time - even in the absence of queues at the box office, many passengers prefer not to spend it on the regular purchase of "short" tickets. "Single" for 30 days is beneficial for people who make three or more trips daily. As for travel cards for 90 and 365 days, they will help Muscovites who use public transport twice a day (that is, the vast majority of passengers) save money.

For Moscow, one of the most painful topics is the transport problem. Huge distances make it necessary to spend a lot of time on the road. And although the boom in driving licenses does not subside, and traffic jams in Moscow have long become a sad joke, an increasing number of people are switching to public transport. The need to change several types of vehicles - metro, bus, tram, metro again - is physically exhausting and falls quite on the wallet. However, travel tickets in Moscow have a flexible system of tariffs, which allows everyone to choose the most suitable option. Let's take a look at which cases it is better to buy a travel card.

In a nutshell, the fare payment system in Moscow is divided into three main categories: you can pay for each trip by debiting cash from the card; buy a travel card for a certain number of trips and not think about what is more profitable for you to travel - by metro or by bus; or purchase an unlimited travel card for an unlimited number of trips, but for a certain period. It would seem that there is nothing easier than choosing the right tariff. However, due to the abundance of various circumstances that arise when living in a big city, the management of Mosgortrans added a number of options that it would be useful to consider when choosing a ticket.

ticket, Moscow

The price of such a ticket varies from 650 rubles for 20 trips to 1,570 rubles for 60. Tickets are valid for 90 days, that is, unused trips expire after three months. It is important that such travel cards can be used not only for the subway, but also for any other public transport. There are also travel tickets in Moscow for one and two trips. In this case, one trip will cost you 100 rubles, and two - 100 rubles. Such tickets are sold not only at the subway ticket offices, but also from surface transport drivers. True, practice shows that most often there are travel cards for two trips. This can be extremely disadvantageous if you only need to get to the metro. Remember that this ticket is valid for 5 days from the date of purchase. If you need to get to the metro by land transport or vice versa, then it is more profitable to buy a ticket for 90 minutes worth 60 rubles - during this time you can use it an unlimited number of times to pass.

Troika card

Some researchers public opinion believe that people trust plastic carriers more than paper tickets. If you are one of them, then you will like using the novelty of Mosgortrans - the Troika card. Flexible terms will help you adjust its tariff to your needs. When purchasing a card at the box office, you will pay a security deposit of 50 rubles, which will be returned to you if you want to refuse it. How to use it further is up to you. You can write on it the same travel card for 40 or 60 trips, you can simply put cash in a special terminal in the subway, and the money will be debited with each pass. In this case, one trip will cost 32 rubles by metro and 31 by land transport. If you use the card twice within 90 minutes, then only 19 rubles will be debited from it during the second pass. On the card, you can write an unlimited travel card for a day, month or even a year. It can also be used for travel. This is ideal for those who do not use public transport constantly.

Advantages of the Troika card

The card has a number of advantages: firstly, money does not expire within five years; secondly, there is no need to immediately deposit a large amount, you can report money as needed; finally, thirdly, there is no need to stand in long queues, since usually a lot of people do not accumulate at the terminals. You can replenish it via the Internet, which will also help save time. Since April 2016, it has become possible to link Troika to your bank card and set the minimum threshold after which automatic enrollment will occur Money on her account.

It must be remembered that, like any other plastic card, Troika can become demagnetized from proximity to mobile devices. Also, a faulty card can be repeatedly charged for the same trip.

"90 minutes" - travel ticket, Moscow: price and method of use

Let us dwell on this type of travel card, already mentioned above, in more detail. This relatively recent innovation of Mosgortrans has become very popular, especially among visitors. If you need to make two trips within an hour and a half or drive up to the metro by land transport, then it will come in handy. A ticket for two trips will cost you 100 rubles, while tickets in Moscow for 90 minutes cost 60 rubles. The benefit is there. In addition, you can buy 60 rides for 90 minutes for 2400 rubles and use them for 90 days. This option will be appreciated by those who do not make daily trips by public transport, but live far from the metro.

Where can I buy

Metro tickets in Moscow can be bought at metro ticket offices, ticket machines and automated ticket offices of Mosgortrans. At the same time, ticket machines sell tickets only for 1 or 2 trips. You can also top up your Troika card there. Tickets for 90 minutes can be purchased at the metro ticket offices, including automated ones, tickets for 1-2 trips are sold at non-automated ones. You can also buy passes for land transport from the driver of the vehicle.

Travel card TAT

There is a category of Muscovites - probably the smallest - who do not use the services of the subway at all, preferring surface transport. It also includes some pensioners. Then it makes sense to buy travel tickets in Moscow from the TAT series. They operate only on buses, trams and trolleybuses. The cost of 60 trips is 1,000 rubles, and an unlimited travel pass for a month will cost you 970 rubles.

concessionary travel

Full-time students and children up to seven years of age are entitled to reduced fares on public transport. It will cost students 240 rubles per calendar month, and children can ride for free. The previously existing pensioners, labor veterans and other socially unprotected categories of citizens have recently been canceled.

In fact, the task of buying a transport ticket in Moscow can lead an inexperienced Muscovite into a slight confusion. Quite an extensive fare system will make you rack your brains over the choice of the most profitable purchase. However, in this way it is easier to take into account the diverse needs of a resident of a large city. By weighing all your circumstances, you can save a lot and, at least, you will not pay for something that you do not use.

Let's try to figure out how much you can save on public transport in Moscow by buying different kinds travel tickets. The table below shows the calculations for several types of single tickets that are most suitable for tourists with short terms residence in the capital (up to a week), and Troika cards. They give the right to travel on all types of land transport (bus, trolleybus, tram), as well as on the metro, MCC and monorail.

If you are in Moscow from 2 to 7 days

To begin with, let's compare the cost of existing ticket options for tourists coming to Moscow for one week. For a seven-day stay, a “Single” ticket for 7 days was compared (the penultimate line of table No. 1) and expenses when using tickets for 1-2 trips (the first line of table No. 1). The first line contains two numbers in each cell: the first - with an average number of trips per day equal to five; the second figure is for more active tourists making an average of 10 trips per day.

For the former, the savings will be 1095 rubles (1925 minus 830), for the latter - 3020 rubles (3850 minus 830). It can be assumed that few travelers will consider this amount negligible.

In the table, the most economical options are highlighted in green, less economical ones in yellow, and the least profitable ones in red. Some options require explanation, so we will sequentially consider which travel cards are more profitable to use for each period of stay in the capital.

Seven-day the term has already been considered above, and it was concluded that in this case it is best to buy a “Single” ticket for 7 days for 830 rubles. The yellow color shows the option if you buy two three-day passes and one daily pass.

For six days and five days term it is also better to use the "Single" ticket for 7 days for 830 rubles. Two three-day tickets will cost the same amount.

On the four days stay in the capital, it is most profitable to buy three-day and one-day "Single" tickets. They will cost 633 rubles.

The bottom row of the table shows the cost of using the Troika card. In some cases, trips with its use can be cheaper, in particular, when traveling in the subway and on land transport is combined. But tourists usually use only the metro, where the fare on the card is 36 rubles. It is used in calculations. More details about the Troika card and how you can save money with it will be discussed below.

On the three or two days suitable "Single" for 3 days for 415 rubles.

If you are in Moscow for 1 day

If you are in Moscow for one day and know that there are more than six trips to come, do not hesitate to buy "United" for 1 day for 218 rubles. With it you can ride on all types of transport 24 hours from the moment of first use.

With six or fewer trips, the ticket must be selected depending on their number. Comparative calculations are given in table No. 2.

1. If you have one trip ahead, for example, moving to the metro from station to station, then it is enough to buy a ticket for 1 trip for 55 rubles.

With the Troika card, you can travel for 36 rubles, but for this you will first need to purchase a card by paying a deposit of 50 rubles at the metro ticket office. and the fare is 36 rubles, and after the trip, hand over the Troika to the metro ticket office and return the deposit of 50 rubles. Not everyone, because of 20 rubles of savings, will spend time on these procedures.

But if you periodically come to Moscow, then it is better to buy a Troika for yourself, since its validity period is 5 years. Putting money on it for several trips, you will save yourself from the queues at the metro ticket office on your next visits to the capital - the queues at the metro stations near the stations are especially long.

2. One move may require two modes of transport. Then it is definitely more profitable to purchase a Troika card by paying a deposit of 50 rubles at the metro ticket office. and fare.

Tariff "Wallet" allows for 56 rubles. travel by metro, MCC or monorail within 90 minutes and make an unlimited number of transfers by ground transport. And two trips by metro will cost 72 rubles. (36×2).

If you hand over the Troika to the metro ticket office and return the deposit of 50 rubles, the cost of two journeys will be from 56 to 72 rubles.

travel by metro / MCC / monorail - 36 rubles;

travel by bus/trolleybus/tram - 36 rubles;

One trip by metro/MCC/monorail and an unlimited number of transfers by ground transport (bus/trolleybus/tram) within one and a half hours - 56 rubles.

In all these cases, it is more profitable to purchase a Troika card. But in the case of six trips, it is sometimes better to buy a "Single" for 1 day for 218 rubles. This applies to tourists from afar, who may no longer come to Moscow and the Troika travel card will not be useful to them in the future. They usually use only the subway and will spend 216 rubles on trips, even if they return the deposit.

And for those who need the Troika card in the future, it is better to buy it.

4. Troika has another useful opportunity - now you can use the toilets that have appeared in the metro only if you pay with this card. No other payment options are currently available. Toilet services cost 60 rubles.

All types of tickets are sold at the subway ticket offices. There you can also top up your Troika balance and return the deposit if you no longer need it. The balance of money on the card at the box office is not returned.

Information about the balance is displayed on the turnstile display when you swipe your card to the reader while passing through the turnstile (pictured below on the left). There are also yellow terminals near the cash desks to check the balance. It is enough to attach the card to the reader, as the information you are interested in will appear on the screen (on the right side of the photo).

Checking the balance on the card

In ground transport (bus/trolleybus/tram), drivers have only "Single" tickets for one trip worth 55 rubles.

Read how transport will become more expensive in Moscow in 2019.

Tourists often ask the question: Is it possible to go through the Troika card with two or three people?

Most tourists use the "Wallet" tariff, which has no delay in consecutive payments and allows several people to pass the metro using one card.

But when traveling by ground public transport (in accordance with the law), each passenger must have his own travel card, and in his absence, he can be fined 1000 rubles. In land transport, the Troika card has a delay of 3 minutes.

Transfer to the hotel with KiwiTaxi from the railway station or from the airport

The transfer can be ordered in advance at the KiwiTaxi taxi reservation service. Compared to finding a regular taxi, in addition to the traditional comfort, safety and reliability, this option has a number of advantages:

the driver with a name plate will meet you in the arrivals area of ​​the airport or at your car at the station;

in case of a flight delay, the driver monitors the change in arrival time (no surcharges);

child seats can be ordered in advance;

it is possible to choose any class of car (out of 12) and a car for non-standard luggage;

the price of the transfer will be known before the trip and will not change.

To search for a hotel that is suitable for the price and location, below is a map of Moscow hotels. Move the map and choose the hotel that meets your wishes.