Being a student comes with its fair share of perks, including the ability to travel cheaply. When vacation time rolls around, with some careful planning, it's possible to treat yourself to a budget-friendly trip by taking advantage of the many student discounts available.
Together in the car
When you're not traveling overseas, driving is always an economical choice if you're traveling with others. More and more carpooling sites offer a host of options for traveling abroad. These include BlaBlaCar, or even better, a site dedicated primarily to students: covoiturage-étudiants.com. There's a good chance you'll find fellow travelers heading to the same destination as you.
Traveling by car offers more flexibility if you want to visit more remote areas where public transportation is less available. It's easier to get directly to the place you want to visit. Even without using a carpooling site, it's easy to arrange with friends to rent a car and split the cost.
Train tickets for students
The train remains one of the most popular means of transportation for vacations and resonates with travelers' eco-consciousness. Several great deals are planned to allow students to see the country... and Europe. The SNCF is always a safe bet for finding good deals. You can take advantage of them more if you book well in advance. So, it's time to start thinking about your vacation now!
Several regional councils also offer youth passes that allow you to get advantageous rates. Consulting your regional council's website will help you determine the best available vacation plan. Of course, the PASSES offered by SNCF for travel throughout Europe are always popular. Details of the best deals can be found on the Interrailnet website. SNCF has long diversified its offerings with plans combining train, bicycle, and carpooling.
Paradoxically, the internet has allowed a return to good old-fashioned bartering. Some sites specialize in exchanging or reselling train tickets. It's possible to find real bargains there. A site like www.trocdestrains.com is completely free and open to exchanging and purchasing tickets at very low prices.
Take off with student fares
Competition in the airline market offers significant advantages for students, as most airlines offer discounted student tickets. Air France, for example, offers a loyalty card for young people that allows them to accumulate points and earn free travel.
Free hosting
In recent years, we've seen the emergence of Couchsurfing, which involves taking advantage of the generosity of good Samaritans who offer their sofas free of charge to travelers looking for a place to stay. The Couchsurfing website provides all the details on the subject.
The classic accommodation solution for young students remains the youth hostel network. Rates are always very low and breakfast is often included. Not to mention the opportunity to meet enriching people.
