CHEAP
TRICKS IN EUROPE
by Leslie Gilbert Elman
Europeans like American visitors; we stay
longer and spend more than travelers from other parts
of the world. They miss us, a lot, when we don’t
come to visit. So, now that our dollars are tanking on
the world currency spectrum, European destinations are
touting their bargains to lure us across the Atlantic.
Visiting Europe doesn’t have to be extravagantly
expensive. There are many ways to live within, or even
below, your means and still have a fabulous time. We’re
not talking about backpacks and youth hostels (although
you can do that if you like), we’re talking about
ways to spend less and still feel sophisticated and civilized,
which is what traveling in Europe is all about anyway.
FROM THE GET-GO
Some wise person once said, “Save your pennies
and the dollars will take care of themselves.”
Make that your mantra and start working it from the
moment you arrive at the airport. Pass by the taxi queue
and the rental car counter (you won’t need a car
in the city) and take public transportation into town.
Not every city in Europe has a dedicated airport train,
bus, or Metro line, but in those that do, public transport
is often faster and always cheaper than traveling by
taxi (greener too, if you’re concerned about saving
the Earth along with saving your money).
In Copenhagen, for example, the train
from the airport to Central Station takes just 12 minutes
and costs about $6.50. There’s also Metro service
to other parts of the city for similar prices—a
taxi would cost three to four times as much and could
take three to four times as long to reach the city center.
In Stockholm, the Arlanda Express train takes 20 minutes
from the airport to the city center and costs about
$38 (versus about 40 minutes and $60 for a taxi), but
if you’re under age 26 or over 65 the fare is $19.
On weekends, two adults traveling together pay about
$41 total. In Barcelona, the Aerobus from the airport
to Plaça Catalunya runs every 15 minutes (more
during peak hours), takes 30 minutes, and costs about
$6.25 (cabs charge about $40 and tack on surcharges
for trips from the airport and for luggage). Other cities
with frequent public transport from the airport to the
city center include Amsterdam, Berlin, Budapest, Munich,
Oslo, Rome, Vienna, and Zürich.
Do you think it’s gauche to look
for tourist discounts? Well, you are a tourist. So,
get over yourself; then get yourself a “city card”
wherever you’ll be spending a couple of days and
nights. Just about every major city in Europe offers
them, and many minor cities do, too. You pay a flat
fee, usually for one, two, or three days, and you get
free or discounted admission to all the major sites
and attractions plus free use of public transportation
in and around the city for the length of the card. The
CPH Card in Copenhagen even includes regional rail transportation
that will take you to the fascinating smaller city of
Roskilde, to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebaek,
and to the Karen Blixen/Isak Dinesen museum in Rungsted.
Most city cards also come with a handy guidebook and
map to help you plan your days, and give you extra bonuses
like discounts at restaurants and shops. Some, like
the Paris Pass, also let you bypass the queues for entry
to top attractions (For a fairly comprehensive list
of European city cards, go to www.europeancitycards.com).
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If you don’t need a city card with
the works, look for specialized discount cards, such as
the Articket in Barcelona (www.articketbcn.org).
This little beauty costs about $32, is good for six months,
and gets you into seven top museums including the Museu
Picasso, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Fundació
Joan Miró. Visiting just those three would cost
you about $38 without the card. For those fond of antiquities,
the Arqueoticket gives you access to five museums of ancient
culture in Barcelona. It costs about $28 and is good for
a year from purchase. If you’ll be staying in Switzerland
for a while, or visiting more than once within a year,
look for the Swiss Museum Pass (www.museumspass.ch),
which costs about $138, gives you free admission to more
than 400 museums countrywide (including the Paul Klee
Center in Bern, the Mamco museum of contemporary art in
Geneva, and the Kunsthaus Zürich), and is good for
a year. Another alternative: The Swiss Rail Pass you purchase
for train travel through Switzerland also serves as a
Swiss Museum Pass—which is a nice money-saving bonus.
FREE TO BE YOU
Even better than discounted admission is free admission,
and you’ll find plenty of that throughout Europe.
Some museums, historic sites and attractions are open
free on select days, such as the first Sunday of the
month; others are free all the time. Take Glasgow, where
virtually all of the major museums are open free of
charge, including the gorgeous Kelvingrove Museum, which
will host a massive “Doctor Who” exhibition
next year (Trust us, you’ll like it, even if sci-fi
isn’t your thing). In London, the Tate Modern is
free to visitors, although you have to pay for certain
exhibitions. In Oslo, you’ll find a slew of free
museums, including the National Gallery, the Norwegian
Museum of Magic (which hosts magic shows on Sundays),
and the newly reopened Norwegian Museum of Architecture.
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