Whether it be in the country you are staying in or other locations you travel to, traveling when abroad can be a daunting task at first. In this blog, the Student Travel Consultants Courtney and Garhett will discuss the different ways to travel outside the U.S. For travel courses, the trip advisor will coordinate most of your travel, but this information can still help you better prepare for your time abroad.
In most countries abroad, public transportation is much more common than here. That being said, it can be challenging to understand how to get around in a foreign land. We are here to give you some tips we learned when traveling within a foreign country, emphasizing the locations where we spent our semesters abroad in , and .
Taxis
Taxis are arguably one of the most common forms of transportation within a foreign city. Almost everywhere you go, there will be taxi options. Taxi services can be found via Google, or you can ask your advisors or friends at the university you are studying (semester-long programs). Uber, Lyft, and other forms of taxi services are available depending on the country you are in.
Garhett: Taxis in Greece may try to rip you off by up charging your ride. Make sure you see them start the mileage counter when you get in the taxi. This is located in front of the car, usually above the radio. This is how they charge you for a ride, and it will say how much it costs. Because taxis can try and upcharge your ride, there are also forms of private taxi services. For Greece, they use "Beat," a taxi service like Uber. I would highly recommend this service when traveling in Greece.
Courtney: Similar to Greece, taxis in Ireland could be waved down as you stand on the road, and mileage would be recorded as you drive. Ireland also had an app called "Free Now," which is extremely similar to that of Lyft or Uber. It helps you see what taxis are available and when they can drop you off at their destination. This app also lets you pay through Apple and Google Pay. I found that taxis were slightly more expensive than the bus service, but were extremely convenient and user-friendly.
Buses
Garhett: When I was in Greece, we used the public bus service a LOT. There was a stop just outside campus that would take us downtown and to other locations. The buses there required tickets or passes to ride. These can be bought at the bus station or other locations throughout Greece. It takes a quick Google search to find the closest location to get tickets. Once you have your ticket, you will see a box on the front and middle of the bus. You put your ticket or pass in this, which will punch the ticket date. Then you are good to go until your next ride.
Courtney: During my time in Ireland, the bus services were my main mode of transportation. The "Transport for Ireland" (TFI) has a variety of public bus services. The bus stops were strategically placed around the city area and used in other parts of the country. At the beginning of the semester, I purchased a "Student Leap Card" connected to an app on my phone where I could add funds. Bus trips cost between 鈧�1.00 - 鈧�4.00 depending on your travel distance! You scan the card when you enter the bus! I found the bus services in Ireland extremely affordable, convenient, and safe!
Trains
Garhett: Many countries abroad have excellent subway and train systems that allow efficient and convenient travel around the city. In Greece, Thessaloniki does not have a subway system to utilize. Many countries I traveled to have a train or subway system, and they were usually pretty simple to navigate. In many countries, such as London, subway or train systems are the main transportation source. When traveling in London, the subway system is used often. It was all in English, and if we had questions, there were maps that showed the different stops and where you were. Helpful tip: take a picture of the route on your phone, so you know what stations to take.
Courtney: Ireland did have a couple of different train services to utilize. The Irish Rail had a 鈥淒art" service that would take you to other parts of the country. You could buy fairs ahead of time for about 鈧�20 and leave your selected train station at the time you chose! It took only two and a half hours to get across the country on this train! There was also a tram system just inside the city of Dublin called the Luas. A red line and a blue line traveled within the city limits, and fairs worked the same way as the bus passes! Similar to London, transportation in Paris was very dependent on a subway system. This is utilized often when exploring places all over the city. This was a little more difficult as the system maps and narrations were in French, but Google Maps was extremely helpful, and we never ran into any issues!
Traveling when abroad can seem stressful at first, but after you get acclimated it is fairly simple. It just takes some time and focus. We hope these tips will help you on your journey!