“But how can you afford that?”

This is the biggest question people ask about traveling. How do you afford food, accommodation, transportation, and, of course, souvenirs? You can focus on each of these qualities, but it’s about how you distribute that money that makes your trip worthwhile, and not an uncomfortable mess.

Paying attention to your costs will benefit any traveler, not just a student! As a kid, my family used many of these practices, and it’s stuff that I continue to use as a college student who prioritizes seeing the world and my home country.

It’s time to learn how to travel on a budget, and some of my personal favorite budget travel destinations!

The Route Through Central and Eastern Europe

The countries I visited during one of my study abroad trips: Hungary, Slovakia, and Czechia

Salzburg (base) → Vienna → Budapest → Bratislava → Brno

When it comes to budget travel, Central and Eastern European countries will be your best friends. See my earlier blog here.

Throughout these countries, food, transportation, and accommodation are typically cheaper than in Western Europe. This allows you to visit MORE countries and cities compared to the West.

While this may be true, it does not mean you can’t budget travel through Western Europe! Using these guides will help you find the cheapest options that work best for you!

City Experiences, Honest Ratings & Some Tips

Budapest, Hungary — 8/10

My Train Experience:

The train from Salzburg to Vienna had an overflow of people due to other trains being delayed or canceled due to the flooding and railroad repairs. People occupied every seat, and groups of people huddled and sat in the space between train cars. I traveled with a group of eight people on the trip, and only one of us thought about making a seat reservation. So, the rest of us sat on the moving train floors, knees touching, and bags lying all around us.
While some may find this to be a terrible experience, I always love and enjoy an overcrowded European train where I’m forced to stand or sit uncomfortably for several hours. For me, it’s part of the adventure.
This is somewhere where I save money: **I never buy a seat reservation!** I leave it all up to fate.
We hopped onto another train, thankfully with no delay or issues, and made our way over to Slovakia!

Bratislava, Slovakia — 9/10

A Fairytale City

Bratislava is a small and quiet fairytale dream! Of course, with it being the off-season of travel (another way to save a penny!), the city’s quietness drew me in throughout the gothic and baroque architectural streets.
The Bratislava Castle consumed most of my day here, lying in the grass surrounding the castle, soaking in the mildly beating sun, and enjoying pleasant conversations with my friends. We later managed to find another go-kart track a little outside of the city, then made our way back in to enjoy an art museum.

Finding Peace in Stillness

Sometimes, when you’re visiting multiple locations in one trip, one of the best ways to truly appreciate and “take it in” is by taking a seat somewhere and watching as life moves around you.
I’ll never forget the conversation I had with a friend I made from my study abroad experience. The 18-year-old I met had gone on dozens of solo trips across the world. He had some of the most experience traveling out of all of us. We sat on a church’s staircase in Brno (the next country), and he told another friend and me that his favorite thing to do when going somewhere new is finding a staircase in a busier location and just appreciating the view and watching locals live their lives.
I started implementing this into my own traveling– and it truly became something that I appreciate more than I ever would have known.
**To save some extra cash, appreciate the view and atmosphere instead of paying for an expensive activity!**

Brno, Czechia — 7/10

A Hidden Gem

Brno absolutely has a certain demographic of travelers. It may be a less visited city, but it’s for sure known as a party city. Unique bars line the streets at nighttime and offer a wide range of activities for younger travelers.
If you aren’t much of a partier– no fret! I’m not either! I did enjoy some of the nightlife, like a small Oktoberfest/biergarten in the Náměstí Svobody (main public square of Brno) near the fountain. I also enjoyed a children’s science museum… because why not!
There are so many beautiful things to see around Brno, great cafes, fun activities, and amazing markets and thrift stores. It’s quiet and a more unique location than, say, Prague. So, if you want a break away from a lot of people and a quiet place for cafes and museums during the day, and partying at night, this is the best place to go.

My 7 Tips: How I Made This Trip Affordable

Transportation & Accommodation (Biggest Expenses)

After Fall break during my study abroad, everyone gathered and shared their experiences from where they went, what they did, and how they enjoyed their time. One guy’s story stood out to me. He told us that he traveled to Albania, and he absolutely loved it. But there was one detail of his story that really made my eyes widen.

He slept on a park bench when he arrived.

This is definitely something that I will never try out; however, if you’re interested in REALLY saving some money, and you find a safe, cozy park bench, then hey, have a great slumber!

But if you’re like me and need some type of roof and safety net, then here are some options to not drop a wad of cash on an expensive hotel:

Accommodation:

#1: Hostels

What is a Hostel?

Country-hopping keeps a traveler busy. You are out exploring, sightseeing, and finding new activities. Likely, you are not camped away in a room expecting to have a relaxing luxury getaway.
So why spend money on an expensive hotel when you could instead book a hostel?
One thing that would turn away female solo-travelers is the idea of staying in a room with random people you have never met. Thankfully, though, hostels have female dorms, male dorms, and co-ed dorms. I have done both co-ed and all-female dorms– and the only negative thing I have experienced is noise and people lacking social awareness.
Many hostels also offer private rooms. These can be on the pricier side, but they are still genuinely cheaper than a hotel room. I have stayed in a few of these, and they are an amazing option for when you need to wind down, decompress, and truly be alone for a night or so.

You can book directly through the hostel’s website, or you can check out Hostelworld. This is both a website and an app. I use the app whenever I’m booking a new trip. What I love about the app is that you can create a profile, and when you book with a hostel, you are automatically added to two group chats: both the hostel and the city you are going to. If you’re interested in meeting other travelers, meeting new friends at the hostel, or needing a group of people to go do a certain activity, this makes it so easy to do all of that!

This isn’t an ad by any means– I’m truly just that passionate about hostels and Hostelworld.

Grab some earplugs, a lock for a safe, and book that hostel!

#2. Airbnbs

It is so important to do as much research as possible. Sometimes you would think a hostel would be the cheapest option, until you realize that a highly rated Airbnb is either the same price, or cheaper (and it would actually be private compared to a hostel, which some may prefer!)

I know when I traveled to Athens and Liechtenstein, this was the case– the Airbnbs ended up being a better and cheaper option.

These are great options, because sometimes, so many different features may be included: Food, drinks, utensils, games, books, blankets, towels, etc.

Transportation

#3 Trains

Trains in Europe

Trains throughout Europe are truly the best. You can get to virtually anywhere via trains, and sometimes, for great prices!
For this specific trip, I used the ÖBB app. You are able to purchase Discount cards (Vorteilscard Jugend up to age 26). Some of these cards are worth it if you will be traveling for a while. Other countries have similar apps and discount cards, such as TrenItalia.
Even though I am truly the biggest train lover (ask anyone who knows me), I will be honest and say that trains are not always the best option. Trains are scenic and a great experience, but sometimes, it’s much cheaper to take a budget flight, or one of my personal favorites, a FlixBus.

#4 FlixBus

FlixBus is an elite budget travel trick.

I cannot stress this enough– if you want to get somewhere, and you’re okay with sitting on a bus for a loooong time, this is the way to do it.

I took FlixBus from Salzburg to Venice, round-trip, for 30 Euros. I have seen others who will travel via FlixBus, and it will cost them 15 Euros. It just depends on when you are booking and where you are willing to go.

Some of the best experiences can come from booking the cheapest option from wherever you are currently based.

The bus I was on was comfortable, and basically empty. There were maybe five other people on the bus with me. This was a quiet, peaceful, and fun ride for me.

#5 Public Transit

Public transit is your number one best friend when you go somewhere new. Do not take Uber or Taxis– unless you have to. And sometimes, depending on the location, it may be a cheap option. Everything depends on research before leaving.

Public transit can be so easy to use and navigate if you are willing to put in the effort of trying. Look for local transit apps (like in Salzburg, we use SalzburgMobil to purchase bus tickets– which are needed in case you are asked to show proof of purchasing a ticket).

Public transit is also so fun! It allows you to feel like a local and see how people live their everyday lives instead of being shoved into a cramped car that flies down the road.

#6 Flights

Flights through Europe are one of the best ways to travel. There are so many budget airlines, and it’s one of the fastest options to get around.

Those €15-60 flights you see are real. If you wait for the right moment or want to visit the right location, you can easily find tickets this low.

There’s Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet, Pegasus, and so many more options.

As for booking, there are plenty of websites that show cheap flights, but my personal favorite has been Skyscanner because it’s so easy to use, it’s familiar, and you can book multiple stops. You can also use Google to find flights and use the feature to find the cheapest flights based on where you are.

I love finding the cheapest options, because that’s how I ended up in Bulgaria– a country I had NEVER planned on visiting before, but ended up becoming one of my favorites, all because I chose one of the cheapest flights!

Food: Where NOT to Cut Corners

You cannot skip food– especially when traveling. Meals are part of the experience, not a luxury. You can find cultural dishes at restaurants, in markets, and in the grocery store– it just depends on what you’re willing to spend.

#7 Planning Meals

Planning meals by researching restaurants before you go can save you so much money. Find menus online and decide if your budget can include those prices.

If it can’t, do some shopping!

#8 Grocery Shopping vs Eating Out

During most of my traveling, I lived off rice cakes, fresh fruit, and plenty of pretzels and nuts. I also spent some time in some cafes and restaurants. The most important part is finding that balance so you aren’t overspending, but also aren’t starving. So, while I would do some grocery shopping so I had plenty of options, I would still enjoy a nice breakfast at a cafe, ordering eggs, yogurt bowls, or waffles.

Shopping & Souvenirs

#9 Shopping

A Market in Budapest, Hungary — Just because you are traveling, it doesn’t mean you have to shop.

You don’t need every souvenir, new clothes, or anything, really. Shopping is a great luxury, but if you’re trying to save, it’s okay to cut this one out.
Personally, I’m not a huge shopper. So this has never been a major issue for me. However, when you go somewhere new, the urge to purchase things from that area triples.
During my trips, I was really able to hold back, though (fortunately). The only things I had purchased on this three-country trip were:
A super warm pink puffer winter coat.
Magnets
Everywhere I go, I always purchase a magnet. Those aren’t expensive, and they give me something I can hold on to and always remember.
Now, the coat… I did buy a coat. However, it was thrifted in Brno (we love a discount), and I quite literally needed it since I actually did not bring a coat to my Fall/Winter study abroad! (Embarrassing).

So, stuff like this is what shopping should be for while traveling: Finding cheap, small, and more meaningful objects.

Try magnets, postcards, mini statues of iconic buildings, etc, that are less than $10!

You Don’t Need to Be Rich to See the World

Budget travel doesn’t mean missing out. It means choosing differently.

It means sitting on a train floor because you didn’t reserve a seat– and laughing about it later. It means lying in the grass outside a castle instead of buying another ticketed attraction. It means grocery store dinners one night, so you can afford a cozy café breakfast the next morning.

Central Europe is an incredible place to start if you’re new to international travel. Hungary, Slovakia, and Czechia offer stunning architecture, rich history, affordable food, and easy transportation between cities. You get the beauty of Europe without draining your savings account in three days.

You don’t need to be rich to travel.
You need flexibility.
You need planning.
And most importantly, you need curiosity.

If you’re willing to take the cheaper bus, stay in the hostel, skip the unnecessary shopping, and say yes to the adventure… you’ll realize the world is much more accessible than it seems.

And honestly? Some of the best memories come from the moments that didn’t go perfectly.

So book the ticket.
Pack light.
Buy the magnet.
And go. ✈️

How I Traveled to 3 European Countries on a Student Budget (With 9 Real Tips)