Estimate ground transportation expenses

Train

Go online to the railway site of the country you will be traveling from and see the cost of tickets for your planned travel between destinations. Often there are tickets or passes at reduced prices for tourists, students, groups, and/or “youth” under age 25. Some countries have helpful customer services for their railway system that can be contacted by email. If so, be specific about the likely size of your group and age range (ie. “under age 25”), your planned travel dates and times, origination, and destination, and ask about the cost of second class train fare as well as if a group pass or “under-25 youth rate” is available at lower cost. With a large group on popular routes it is a good idea to book in advance. You will likely want to save money by buying second class tickets, however on some crowded routes first class may be worth additional expense if your budget allows.

Bus

With a group of 15 or more it may cost effective to book a charter bus than to buy individual train tickets, and you also have the convenience of a pickup and drop off at the airport or hotel. Your travel agent may be helpful here but more likely you will need to search online to find a company that services the region where you will be traveling. Tell them about your travel needs and ask them to make an offer. Contact several bus companies and hope to hear back from one or two. Check your spam box in case their reply winds up there.

Metro/tram

If you are staying in a medium to larger city you will likely need to investigate the cost of the subway, metro, tram, or city bus system. Ideally purchasing a pass for each student to use during your stay in a city is best if there will be regular trips on public transportation. Figure on about $10 per student per day for a simple metro or tram pass.

Airport/hotel travel

Don’t forget transfers from the airport to your hotel, both inbound and outbound. This will vary greatly depending on the distance from the airport and your transportation mode.