Which is more profitable: a taxi or a personal car? How to save money on a trip and travel around Europe cheaper. Deciding which is more profitable: a one-time ticket or a travel pass

Most passengers know that purchasing “long” passes is more profitable than tickets for one or two trips. the site looked into the details and calculated how much one trip costs on popular tickets, who unlimited passes are intended for, and whether you can save money by using public transport once every three days.

In February, the already familiar ticket menu for travel to public transport the capital is five years old, and will celebrate its anniversary in April. Over the years, a huge number of services for purchasing tickets have appeared, the least popular tariffs have been abolished, and tickets have begun to be recorded on keychains, bracelets and rings.

The logic behind tariff formation remained unchanged: what more trips the passenger makes, the lower the cost of each of them. In 2013, a similar approach made it possible to solve one of the most serious problems of the Moscow metro - huge queues at the ticket offices. Thanks to the high popularity of so-called long passes, passengers who use public transport every day have practically stopped purchasing paper tickets for one and two trips and standing in queues.

"Troika"

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

In this case, 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.

“Unified” for 20, 40 and 60 trips

Purchasing travel tickets a large number of travel is still beneficial for Muscovites today. Thus, the cost of one trip on a paper “Unified” ticket for one or two trips is 55 rubles, and when purchasing a pass for 20 or 40 trips - already 37.4 rubles. The most economical among passes 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 move only on ground transport, then one trip may cost you 19.9 rubles (when purchasing a TAT ticket for 60 trips).

The validity period of “long” passes is not limited to a calendar month and is 90 days. This means that even if you don't use public transport on weekends, combine it with a personal car, or live within walking distance of work, your trips are unlikely to burn out. For example, in order to fully use the United 60 ticket before its expiration date, you need to make an average of five one-way trips every week or travel to and from work on public transport every three days.

Unlimited travel cards

Along with “long” tickets for a limited number of trips, unlimited travel passes also allow you to save on travel. At the same time, “United”, operating for one, three or seven days, is aimed at tourists and Muscovites who will actively, but not for long, use public transport. When purchasing a day pass, savings will begin from the sixth trip, and unlimited tickets for three and seven days will benefit the owner, who will travel by public transport at least four times daily during their entire validity period.

Unlimited tickets valid for 30, 90 and 365 days are much more popular among residents of the capital. An important advantage of such passes is the ability to save not only money, but also time - even in the absence of queues at the ticket office, many passengers prefer not to spend it on regularly purchasing “short” tickets. “Unified” for 30 days is beneficial for people who make three or more trips daily. As for passes 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.

Today, when frequent moves from one city to another or changing countries have become commonplace, the question becomes very relevant: “How to travel cheaper?” There are many ways you can save on transportation, housing and food. This approach will allow you to visit more places and enjoy all the beauty of our world.

Basic rules for saving on travel

If you want to find out, you need to follow a few of the most important rules of saving. This will allow you not to spend extra money on unnecessary services, thus getting the opportunity to buy something useful with it.

So, the first rule of saving is that you don’t have to wonder how to travel cheaper: on your own or through tourist agency. The answer to this is unequivocal - of course, on your own. You must understand that any mediation, regardless of the volume of services, means payment for them. Therefore, if you are planning to travel on a budget, you need to plan everything yourself. What needs to be done for this?

1. Determine your “minimum comfort zone”.
2. Have a debit bank card.
3. To book a ticket.
4. Book your accommodation.
5. If we are talking about traveling abroad, get a visa.
6. Carefully familiarize yourself with the place you are staying in order to plot the optimal routes that will allow you to see the maximum in the minimum time.
7. Find out all the information about the proposed discounts.

Compliance with these simple rules- optimal instructions on how to travel cheap This approach will allow you to visit many countries in just one year.

Minimum comfort zone

This term includes a list of the minimum amenities you personally need. This is the very first step you need to take in organizing an independent economical trip. This includes all aspects of travel: transportation, accommodation, food, attractions. For example, an excellent option for traveling cheaper would be to choose a route with transfers. The more transfers, the lower the price. However, changing transport always entails certain inconveniences, in addition to the fact that the journey takes longer. Therefore, a lot depends on your personal preferences.

Also with other aspects: what exactly do you want to have in your place of residence, where and how do you want to eat. The fewer requirements, the lower the cost of travel. When it comes to sightseeing, you can also save a lot of money by not using tour agencies.

Determining your own requirements for travel conditions will help you enjoy it, avoiding any disappointments and surprises.

Why do you need a bank card?

A bank card is a great helper in solving the problem of how to travel around the world cheaply. Online ordering with payment via card is always cheaper than a similar method through the office. This is a great way to save money, for example, on buying a ticket. Now there are many companies with a choice of the most optimal option for purchasing a ticket, taking into account your preferences and financial capabilities. For example, the principle of the “Pirates” site is to travel cheap , which implies significant savings when purchasing.

In addition, when traveling, it is much more convenient to carry money stored on a card with you than money in your pocket. Moreover, it is now difficult to find a place where you cannot pay by bank transfer, both in Russia and abroad. Just keep in mind that the bank card must be a debit card, since many hotels and airlines do not accept payments from credit cards.

Buying a ticket, booking a hotel and obtaining a visa

Booking a ticket and hotel will cost you much less if you deal with this issue in advance.

Paying for a hotel at 100% will greatly reduce the cost of living, but entails a significant risk in case of a change of plans. If you are sure that you will definitely fly at the appointed time to the chosen place, then try this method of saving.

In order to avoid any problems with the timing of the trip, it is necessary to resolve the issue with the visa. This is the longest-term process, taking on average about a month. By entrusting it to a tour operator, you will greatly facilitate your preparation for the trip, but its cost will increase. Therefore, if you are determined to save money, visit the embassy, ​​fill out a form and other Required documents, answer the employee’s questions and wait for the result. As a rule, the outcome of the decision does not depend on whether you deal with this issue yourself or through a travel agency.

Ways to save on flights

There are several ways to reduce your flight costs.

1. Low-cost is a term widely used in the West, but so far little known to our compatriots. It consists of using the services of small budget airlines. Savings are achieved due to the absence of additional services, such as meals. Tickets are usually purchased online. The downside to this choice is the fixed schedule, which means you'll have to work around the airline's schedule.
2. Metasearch engines are another way to significantly reduce the cost of air tickets. The bottom line is that such companies do not have their own database, so they search for tickets on other sites. Within 30 seconds, all available offers are selected for you, from which you choose the most optimal one for you personally. The undoubted advantage of this search is that airlines often do not indicate the price for fees and taxes, but here you will be shown the final price taking into account all the features.

Today there are several companies that provide such services. One of them is “Pirates - Travel Cheap”, where you can find many tickets at the most attractive prices.

Such simple things will help you purchase tickets at more than affordable prices.

How to save on housing?

It's no secret that most of the expenses during any trip come from paying for housing. But if you're looking for ways to travel cheaply , Here you can also find several saving options.

One of them is couchsurfing, which means hospitality network. This method has not yet become very popular, but it has undoubted advantages. The essence of this travel option is to register on certain resources, after which you can stay in the house of another member of this group. The undoubted advantage of this option, in addition to savings, is the commonality of interests. Registration on the same resource means the same interests, which means you will have enough common topics with your new friend during your stay with him. The host party, as a rule, also provides a tour of the city, which eliminates the problem of finding the optimal route.

However, couchsurfing is not an absolutely ideal option for finding accommodation. The need to agree on the date of arrival in advance, as well as the risk of ending up on an uncomfortable sofa or folding bed at night are quite noticeable disadvantages. But the main disadvantage of this method of travel is the risk associated with it. After all, you will spend the night in the company of strangers whom you only know from the Internet. However, couchsurfing is gaining popularity among those who want to travel cheaply.

How to save on food?

When making a plan for how to travel cheaply on your own, you need to think in detail about where and how you will eat. In addition to tickets and accommodation, a lot of money is spent on food.

So, if you don't want to overpay for food, you need:

In addition, in many countries it is not worth avoiding street food. As a rule, it is very tasty and at the same time very inexpensive.

How to save money on excursions?

There is only one way to save on excursions - to refuse them. After all, its cost is calculated per person, which means if you are traveling with two or three, it will be quite an expensive pleasure. However, refusal excursion tours does not mean spending whole days on the beach and in the hotel. You can easily explore a new place on your own without spending almost anything.

For example, you can rent a moped. With it you can decide for yourself where and for how long to travel. This is a great way to find a lot most interesting places, where you wouldn’t get on a regular excursion.

IN major cities You can travel by public transport or rent a car. This way you can visit all the famous attractions on your own and spend as much time at each place as you want. This way you will not depend on the guide and other vacationers.

In any case, you can just leave the hotel and go wherever your eyes lead you. Don't wait for someone to entertain you, do it yourself!

How to travel cheaply in Europe?

In Europe, they have long stopped spending extra money on travel, trying to see more and spend less. One of the ways to travel around Europe cheaply - it's a trip with the locals. There are companies that are platforms for finding travel companions. This way you can find someone who is going to the same place as you. This way, you will only spend money on gas, and traveling by car will give you the opportunity to see more of the country than by plane or train. This method of travel is very popular in Europe.

Another way is to purchase an inter-European train ticket. This option is perfect for those who have a Schengen visa and a lot of time to travel. This train travels through 30 European countries and the journey takes about a month. However, this does not mean that you have to buy a ticket for the entire 30 days. You can pay for a trip to the number of countries you want to visit. This method is very good for those who want to see a lot in a short time. But if you like to stay in one place for a long time, then this method of travel will not suit you.

You can also travel around Europe by bicycle, which is practically inexpensive and at the same time good for your health. There are many cycling tours from which you can choose the most interesting one for you.

Budget travel in Russia

If you are interested in where to travel cheaply, take a trip to the cities of Russia. Despite the fact that we are accustomed to thinking that good vacation is possible only abroad, in our country there are many places where you can have a great time.

If you want to know how to travel around Russia cheaply, pay attention to travel by car, bicycle and walking tours. By choosing any of these options, you will be able to see amazing Beautiful places our country, without spending almost anything.

As for housing and food, you can spend the night in tents or stay in hotels or private sectors. In any case, it will cost less than a holiday in another country. In addition, you will see something new every day, and not the same faces of your neighbors on the beach or in the dining room.

Last minute tours

Of course, traveling on your own is always much cheaper than traveling through a travel agency. But the undoubted advantage of coming here are last-minute travel packages, when the price of the trip is even halved. The only inconvenience is that you will travel almost the next day. This means that all necessary documents must be ready at any time: passports, Russian and foreign, visa, insurance.

Pirates - travel cheap

If you are looking for ways to travel on a budget, this site is the place for you. Pirates - this is what a group of people call themselves who love to travel around the world, and at the same time know how to do it with significant savings. The Pirates team principle is to travel cheap, so you can be sure that you will find the best options here. Current discounts, promotions, last-minute tours - all this is posted on their website and is available to everyone. And if you have information about any way to save money, share it on the pirates’ website, many people will be very grateful to you.

So, if you want to go on a trip around the country or abroad, while saving quite a significant amount, this is what all the cheapest ways look like. You can travel quite comfortably, despite the lack of luxury hotels and expensive restaurants. This is all compensated by mass vivid impressions that will remain in the memory for a long time.

Where is it cheaper to go on a tour, and where is it cheaper to book a vacation on your own? On what dates can you get tickets cheaper than a round trip flight? And why are tours no longer mainstream?

It is very difficult to dissuade a person. If we once accepted a certain statement as truth, then try to attack this fact with a portion of healthy argumentation. For example, if one day we decided that independently selecting a trip with booking plane tickets and hotel rooms separately is much more cheaper than buying tour, then all is lost. More precisely, our finances, which could be used more efficiently, will be lost.

Since Russia has only one seashore where you can bask - the Black Sea, our time for swimming is limited to only three months. Only in July, August and September and partly in June does the Black Sea warm up to a comfortable temperature for a full-fledged beach holiday. And our southern resorts are not rubber and often “delight” with unpredictable weather. Therefore, “our person” always strives to warm up somewhere, preferably away from home. And definitely - for a reasonable price.

Package tours have been around and popular for many years, especially beach holiday. Regulated by a market economy, they have undergone many changes during their existence - in pricing policy, trends, and the degree of reliability of tour operators. And during this time they have acquired many myths. Here are a few of the most important ones that it's time to stop believing in if you want to have a good rest.

Myth 1 (the most important!)

Tours are always more expensive than independent travel

In fact, the benefit of purchasing one way or another - with a tour package or by booking it yourself - depends on the destination. If you want to go to Tunisia on an “all inclusive” basis, then naturally it is better for you to choose a full tour package. If you want to visit wineries in French Provence, it is better to organize such a trip yourself.

However, you should not limit the range of package tours only to Bulgaria, Greece and other top sellers in the summer. Often on a tour you can fly to Spain very profitably and stay with sandy beach Costa del Maresme and visit Barcelona every day, which is half an hour’s drive from the resort.

It happens that at the turn of the seasons or due to a sudden promotion you can buy a tour to Thailand - most often, to the most popular resorts - Pattaya, Bangkok and the island of Phuket - cheaper than a flight. For example, you can fly to Phuket Qatar airlines with a transfer in Doha. Here the advantage will be the quality of the airlines - comfortable seats, good food, TV, and the disadvantage is the flight up to 18 hours. At the beginning of June, the price of a flight with transfers costs 26,000 rubles, a direct Aeroflot flight costs 28,000 rubles (the journey takes 10 hours), and you can buy the entire tour with a direct charter flight, 10 nights’ accommodation, transfer, insurance and breakfast at the hotel for 25,000 per person (based on double occupancy). An example is the 3-star Tuana M Narina Hotel in Patong.It is not even necessary to live in the chosen hotel - you can move to any other place on the spot (you will only have to return to the hotel for the transfer).

Myth 2

Tours are boring for retirees too

Any tour can always be customized to suit you. For example, go to Ayia Napa, rent a car and drive around the island. No rights? Sign up for any excursions or meet the locals, and they will give you a tour of the territories that you cannot even imagine. And in the evening, have fun at discos, meet tourists from all over the world, and practice English.

Pensioners sit in the hotel and go down to the beach. You can arrange any adventures for yourself, and no guide limits you in this. In addition, the price of the tour in the vast majority of cases is a really decisive factor. Even if the entire hotel is filled with old people, this will not stop you from going out on adventures every day. And it doesn’t matter what your friends think if your flight was really cheap and safe.

Myth 3

No guarantees!

Many people believe that in the process of buying a tour and during the vacation itself, you go through many intermediaries, which means no one is responsible if something goes wrong. In fact, everything is different.

For example, a travel agency that works with several tour operators on the same terms, although it is an intermediary, takes responsibility for organizing your vacation. You are guaranteed to receive a visa, as there is an agreement with the consulates. If you have problems at the airport, immediately contact representatives of tour operators on the spot and solve them. If you are late for a flight, they help you find and buy the cheapest ticket for the next flight and contact the hotel, warning you about your delay. Moreover, if you are not satisfied with the hotel, you are required to be moved to another hotel of a similar category. Independent travel agencies even help you write a claim against the tour operator and demand a refund! To request assistance in organizing a service or compensation for losses, you can always contact your travel agent by direct phone or email.

However, there is always the possibility that the tour operator (not the travel agency) will go bankrupt, and then you will lose everything. To avoid such risks, contact only trusted tour operators that are registered in the public register of tour operators.

When purchasing a plane ticket and booking a hotel room, either the airline or the hotelier is responsible for each item directly. A hotel is unlikely to close, and airlines rarely go bankrupt. If a regular flight is cancelled, you must be transferred to another flight or compensated for the cost of the ticket. And hotels are afraid of negative reviews and do everything possible to ensure that you are satisfied with your vacation. In addition, they take great care of those clients who book rooms directly.

Why is it so cheap?

Tourists often miss out on profitable tours because they don’t believe they are really that cheap. They expect surcharges and other fees and do not even try to purchase this tour. Well, who will believe that after May holidays could you fly to Greece for 7 nights and half board for 18 thousand rubles for two for the entire tour? In fact, there is always a rational explanation for such cheapness.

Tour operators buy tickets for regular and charter flights to popular destinations in advance, planning the entire season. That is, they have every right to significantly reduce ticket prices if they were not sold out before departure. On regular flights, which are purchased independently, there are no last minute offers. If the plane is not full, any seat will be sold at a pre-fixed price. But there may be airline promotions that need to be closely monitored.

In addition, tour operators often organize promotions for certain destinations with discounts of up to 50-60% - when there is an urgent need to sell tours to this resort according to the tour operator’s internal plan. Typically, such a promotion lasts no more than 3 days - it is convenient to follow offers on the social networks of a travel agency you trust and not miss a profitable offer.

It is also always profitable to travel immediately after the holidays - when Russian tourists return from vacation, and the resorts are empty and the planes are not full. For example, towards the end of the January or May holidays. And also with a return date that coincides with the beginning of the holidays - for example, in the last week of April with a return on May 1.

As for the aforementioned Greece, the offer was so cheap (up to 70% discount!), since the flight was planned 5-7 days after the purchase. During this time you would not have time to obtain a visa. But if you already have Schengen, you can always travel to European resorts on very last minute tours - buying a tour a few days before the departure date.

There is also a system called “ Early booking" Using it you can save up to 40% on the purchase of a tour to a specific hotel (usually a very popular one). The main principle is the purchase of the tour or its partial payment with arrival during the peak period (summer or New Year), but always in advance - several months in advance. It is important for hoteliers to know how many tourists will check in, and it is convenient to receive money as early as possible.

When traveling on your own, it is always beneficial to buy a plane ticket six months in advance, or more precisely at least 29 weeks before the departure date. In addition, promotions are often held in European countries, especially if you are flying for only 2-3 nights. And there is no point in buying a tour.

So what are the pros and cons?

And a few more points to compare and make the right decision for this summer:

Vacation by tour

Fast, easy: no need to look for anything yourself

Constant Russian-language support for your travel agent

Visa support

Possibility to fly on last minute offers

The tour includes everything you need: flight (charter or regular), hotel accommodation, meals, transfer, insurance, support of a Russian-speaking guide

Individual support of a travel agent at the stage of selecting a tour - extensive experience, knowledge of hotels and tourist reviews, to advise or dissuade

The tour operator may go bankrupt and you will not get your money back

It is not profitable to buy a tour to unpopular destinations

Often used charter flights with poor food and uncomfortable chairs

The travel agency must provide you with freevisa support. This service is necessary for obtaining a visa yourself. As a rule, documents for a tour - voucher, insurance and air tickets - are sent to the tourist a few days before departure. When applying for a visa, the travel agency will advise you on what documents will be required to obtain a visa, and will also send you a full package of documents confirming that you have booked the tour.

Self-guided tours:

Absolute freedom in organizing your holiday - happiness for introverts!

If you are planning your vacation in advance, then it is much cheaper to buy plane tickets 29 weeks before departure (according to the Skyscanner service).

Independence from other group members (in transfers or on excursions)

Many airline and hotel websites are in English

No transfer and insurance

Good command required English language, sometimes not only English (for example, in China a very small part of the population speaks English)

In total, it is always cheaper to buy a tour for popular destinations, especially a last-minute offer. And this cheapness often covers all the possible disadvantages of a holiday package. And for some, even the search itself becomes the beginning of a vacation adventure - many are even ready to overpay, but organize their vacation completely on their own! Remember all the pros and cons that we have told you about in this article and make the right decision! 😉

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

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

· travel by metro/MCC/monorail - 36 rubles;

· travel by bus/trolleybus/tram - 36 rubles;

· one trip on the metro/MCC/monorail and an unlimited number of transfers on ground transport (bus/trolleybus/tram) within an hour and a half - 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 “Unified” for 1 day for 218 rubles. This applies to tourists from afar, who may no longer come to Moscow and will not need the Troika pass in the future. They usually only use the metro and will spend 216 rubles on travel, even if they return the deposit.

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

4. Troika has another useful opportunity - the toilets that have appeared in the metro can now only be used if you pay with this card. Other payment options are not yet available. Toilet services cost 60 rubles.

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

Information about the balance is displayed on the turnstile display when you place your card on the reader when passing through the turnstile (pictured below on the left). There are also yellow terminals near the cash desks to check your balance. Simply touch the card to the reader and the information you are interested in will appear on the screen (on the right side of the photo).

Checking the card balance

In ground transport (bus/trolleybus/tram), drivers only have “Single” tickets for sale for one trip costing 55 rubles.

Read how transport prices will rise in Moscow in 2019.

Tourists often ask the question: Is it possible to use the Troika map with two or three people?

Most tourists use the “Wallet” tariff, which has no delay for successive payments and allows several people to enter the metro using one card.

But when traveling on ground public transport (in accordance with the law), each passenger must have his own travel card, and if he does not have one, he may be fined 1,000 rubles. In ground transport, the Troika card has a delay of 3 minutes.

Transfer to the hotel with KiwiTaxi

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

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

in case of flight delay, the driver monitors the change in arrival time (without additional charges);

You can order child seats in advance;

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

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

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