Top tips on making Europe affordable

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This was published 14 years ago

Top tips on making Europe affordable

Europe's budget carriers are expanding their routes. Illustration: John Shakespeare

Europe's budget carriers are expanding their routes. Illustration: John Shakespeare

Planning a trip to Europe, and counting the cost? From planes, trains and automobiles to hotels and apartments, Travel+Leisure magazine has come up with the best ways to make your trip easier and save you money.

Getting there

In response to the global economic downturn at the end of last year airlines began offering business travellers some of the best deals that have been seen for many years. Australian travel commentator Martin Kelly, from TravelTrends.biz, says: "2009 is set to be the best year to travel internationally. Airlines are looking to stimulate demand."

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One of the techniques being used to lure passengers back in to premium seats is companion fares. When you buy one ticket at the premium price you are given a second identical ticket for free.

Japan Airlines (au.jal.com) was offering a companion business class fare for flights from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to London and Paris for $6079 (plus taxes).

Meanwhile Etihad (www.etihadairways.com) also released economy companion fares to 13 European cities with prices starting at $1515 (including taxes).

Industry observers believe that discounted prices and offers which have traditionally been restricted early bird" packages, usually available from around October until March, may begin to appear throughout the year.

As airline prices and plans are changing in response to demand the best way to keep up to date with all the latest deals is to subscribe to online airline newsletters. Online travel agents travel.com.au and bestflights.com.au also have newsletters that highlight new deals as they are announced.

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LOW-COST CARRIERS

As more budget-conscious travellers opt for low-cost airlines, discount European carriers are expanding their networks. With 40 new routes planned for 2009, Ryanair (ryanair.com) is leading the way with flights between Edinburgh and Malta, and Oslo and Bolonga.

Rival EasyJet (easyjet.com) plans to launch 22 new routes this year, including from London Gatwick to Copenhagen and Berlin to Dubrovnik.

Lufthansa (lufthansa.com) has just launched its own low-cost carrier Lufthansa Italia, connecting Milan Malpensa to eight other European destinations, including Lisbon and Barcelona. We found a round trip ticket from Milan to Lisbon for $193.

But the best offers, at the time of writing, came from Ryanair, which was offering free seats throughout Europe. There were restrictions to the number of free seats available on each flight and it took time and patience to find return flights.

However, by being flexible with times, dates and even the destination it was possible to score free return tickets.

T+L TIP

When using flight comparison sites it can pay to find the cheapest on offer and check out the airline's own website where prices can be even lower. While the tickets with no-frills airlines can be cheap or even free, these carriers claw back money from services that other carriers offer as part of the ticket price. Here is a list of the charges you can expect to pay. Travelling light and booking online is always cheapest.

Easyjet: $13 per bag up to 22 kilo. $17 per additional kilo

Ryanair: $9 online $17 at the airport up to 15 kilos. $21 per additional kilo

Sports equipment

Easyjet: $36 per flight prepaid $50 at the check in

Ryanair: $61 per flight prepaid online or $83 at the airport

Lounge access

Easyjet: Varies on location but typically $22

Ryanair: Varies on location but typically $41

Priority boarding

Easyjet: $13

Ryanair: $4 online or $6 at the airport

Check in

Easyjet: Free

Ryanair: Free online or $10 at the airport

T+L TIP

When booking online beware that insurance and checked-in luggage is often automatically selected. To avoid paying unnecessary charges make sure you unclick and update the page before making any payment.

Getting around

CARS

Short-term car rentals

The biggest news in European car rentals is short-term hires. Last spring, Hertz introduced Hertz 369, a program which allows travellers in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, UK, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands to rent cars for three, six and nine-hour periods. This allows travellers the independence to have a day jaunt to the countryside, travel between neighbouring cities, or take one-way commutes to the airport.

However, like many European deals or special offers this is not currently available to book from Australia or New Zealand. You have to book once you are in Europe (hertz.co.uk).

Another option is the new Connect service from Hertz (connectbyhertz.com). This is a Mini Cooper car-share scheme with hourly rates for members. Again this is only available when you are in Europe and only in Paris and London.

The annual membership is $109 with hourly rates starting at $8.60 an hour with the first 50 kilometres free and 55 cents for every extra mile. Fuel, insurance and roadside assistance is all included making it a very attractive option.

Fuel efficiency

In Europe Avis, Europcar and Hertz have the Toyota Prius Hybrid as part of their fleets and these can be booked from here in advance.

Another alternative is to rent a fuel-efficient diesel, such as the Ford Focus Diesel and Opel Astra models. This can reduce the pain of high European fuel costs and offer substantial savings. But be warned, diesel is not automatically cheaper in all countries. Many Eastern Europe countries such as Slovakia, Estonia and Latvia have very expensive diesel but it is a good economic choice in France and Portugal where diesel is 33 cents a litre cheaper than unleaded.

T+L TIP

When booking a car online or by phone directly with rental companies, your credit card details will be held but the payment will not be made until the car is picked up. However, if you want to lock in the exchange rate then book through a travel agent who has access to contracted Australian or New Zealand dollar rates and pay up front.

CRUISE

In terms of the best all-inclusive cost, you would be hard pressed to beat a cruise trip in the current climate. "It's just a great value holiday," says Brett Dudley, owner of cruise travel agency Ecruising. "For anyone going from Australia, there's no comparison to a land-based holiday. It's just such an economical way to see Europe."

Once all costs are factored into a driving or land-based holiday, costs can reach $1000 a day, says Dudley, whereas a seven-night itinerary with Costa Cruises (costacruise.com) can cost from $100 a day, which covers accommodation, transportation, all meals and entertainment.

The fares for top-end cruise operators can reach up to $800 a day, but cover everything from luxury suites to fine dining, alcoholic beverages and gratuities.

Fares and itineraries are also set fairly far in advance with heavily discounted early-bird booking savings, such as 2010 world cruises with 60 per cent off. Competition between cruise-line operators is less fierce this year than in the previous few years, but there are still also many late deals available up to two or three weeks ahead of departure.

Cruise versus land-based trip

By sea Luxury operator Silversea Cruises (toll-free Australia 1300 306 872; 0800 701 427 New Zealand; silversea.com). has a 14-day Venice to Monte Carlo itinerary, with ports of call including Croatia, Sicily, Rome, Sorrento and Livorno, departing August 1. Prices start from $10,830 per person, based on double occupancy in a vista suite, which includes accommodation, dining, onboard entertainment, wines, champagne and spirits throughout the ship and gratuities.

By land A comparable itinerary would mean booking 11 different top-end hotels. Luxury properties in the regions covered by the cruise can be sought at about $1020 a night for an equivalent standard of room in Venice's Hotel Gritti Palace. When all the equivalent costs of food, air travel between cities and ground transportation are added on, however, cruising can work out as a better value option.

HIGH-SPEED RAIL

Advances in Europe's rail infrastructure have shaved hours off inter-country travel. Touring this way also saves precious holiday time in avoiding lengthy check-in requirements at airports, while most stations are conveniently located in the centre of cities. "The city-centre to city-centre trip is value because you're not having to pay to get out to the airports and obviously a lot of people are time-poor so this helps as well," says Greg McCallum, national sales manager for Rail Plus (1300 555 003; +64 9 377 5415; railplus.com.au). The Eurostar route between London and Paris takes just two hours and 15 minutes, with return fares from $130. Elsewhere, a new route between Madrid and Barcelona has cut three hours off the trip, which is now about two hours and 45 minutes. Rail operator Thalys, which runs between Paris, Cologne, Brussels and Amsterdam, is also launching faster routes; its Paris-Amsterdam trip is now three hours and 15 minutes. New fast routes are also scheduled to open between Figueres, Spain and Perpignan, France this year, while Italy is continuing to expand its high-speed network with a Rome-Milan service of three-and-a-half hours that runs 18 times a day. Be aware that some rail lines only allow bookings 60-90 days in advance.

LUXURY ROUTES

Central Europe has a new top-end rail service with the launch of the Budapest-based Danube Express(+44 1462 441400; danube-express.com), which takes in destinations including Prague, Vienna, Berlin and Istanbul. The 10-day Bosphorus Journey itinerary travels from London to Istanbul and covers seven nights' hotel accommodation and two nights on the train, sightseeing tours and most meals, from about $5730 per person The Royal Scotsman (royalscotsman.com) runs a four-day tour out of Edinburgh with stops at Inverness and Perth, and includes the opportunity for fishing, clay-pigeon shooting and guided walks, with all meals and drinks included for $7230.

- Alison Cameron, Sarah Thomas and Yolanda Cross

For tips on affordable places to stay and eat in Europe, check out the full story at www.travelandleisure.com.au.

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