Travel budget: 10 tips to save money on your trip abroad

Written by Sophie Renassia

Published on February 19, 2025, modified on April 22, 2025

It's decided, this year you're finally going to take that beautiful train trip abroad you've been dreaming of? And what if we told you that lightening your carbon footprint didn't necessarily mean lightening your wallet? With a few simple tips and a little forethought, you can easily save money, both before you leave and on the spot. Here are our 10 commandments for optimizing your travel budget!

Planning and anticipation

1. Book your tickets as early as possible

You probably already know the golden rule for booking train tickets: the earlier the better. In other words, the earlier you book, the lower the fares! Whenever possible, we therefore advise you to buy your tickets as soon as sales open (generally 3 to 4 months before departure).

The exception that proves the rule: Eurostar Last Minute booking

If you're more of a last-minute traveler, you could also be in for a real treat! You could go to London, Amsterdam or Brussels on a whim for just €40 each way, by opting for the “Eurostar Snap” offer, which allows you to pay 50% less for your tickets. How does it work? 1) You choose your destination, 2) you book your dates (2 weeks in advance for London, 8 days in advance for Amsterdam or Brussels), 3) 48 hours before your departure, you receive your timetable (between 6.30 a.m. and 10 p.m.). The only trade-off? Being flexible with your schedule (and frankly, at this price, we're not shy about that!).

2. Choose off-season travel

To reduce the cost of transport and accommodation, remember to give priority to off-peak periods if you can (excluding weekends or school vacations). When booking, don't hesitate to simulate departure on several dates. You may be surprised by the price difference!

3. Budget your trip

It may seem obvious, but sometimes the simplest advice is the most useful: start by determining the maximum amount you can spend on your entire trip. Then, try to budget each item of expenditure (transport, accommodation, food, travel insurance, visa if necessary, activities...). For added peace of mind, we recommend you also include a “contingency” budget! Once you've taken out the fixed costs, you can break this overall budget down into a budget per week to give you an idea of what you can afford to spend once you're there.

It's a bit tedious, but essential for your peace of mind when you're there!

Transport and accommodation

4. Compare offers and keep an eye out for bargains

To find the best prices, you can use comparison platforms such as Trainline or TicTacTrip. If you're traveling on the SNCF Voyageurs network, you can also activate notifications via the SNCF app to be informed of promotions on your routes. And don't hesitate to subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date with the latest deals and promotions!

Whenever possible, use regional trains and low-cost trains. Your journey may be a little longer than on a high-speed train, with a few fewer options on board, but your wallet will thank you! For example, OUIGO trains offer a Paris-Brussels route for as little as €10, or low-cost routes in Spain (from €9 for a Madrid-Seville journey).

And don't forget that some destinations offer tourist cards with discounts on local transport and attractions. With the SNCF, for example, you can invest in an Avantage card (Jeune, Adulte or Senior) to get up to 30% off your tickets, with a price cap depending on the length of your journey. And don't hesitate to check whether a Pass (such as the Interrail Pass) would be advantageous for your trip (note that this is not always the case).

5. Save on accommodation

To optimize your travel budget, you can opt for alternative accommodation such as youth hostels or couchsurfing. Alternatively, you know our love of night trains: not only do they let you fall asleep in one city only to wake up in another, they also save you hotel nights!

Tolt on European Sleeper's new Brussels-Venice night train!

Means of payment

6. Limit your bank charges abroad

To avoid extra charges, we advise you to check with your bank, or to opt for services with no charges abroad.

This is the case with our partner Green-Got, with whom you'll pay 0% abroad!

The superb wooden Green-Got card (classy, eh?) and its app to manage your spending wherever you are

In addition to the advantages abroad, if you haven't heard of Green-Got yet, we can only recommend that you open an account there (after all, if you're reading this article, there's a good chance that train travel interests you for ecological reasons):

• Firstly, because your money will no longer be funding polluting projects (yes, even if you're careful about the carbon footprint of your travels or your food, our money often funds fossil fuels and climate-change projects without us even knowing it...),
• Then, because the Premium account gives you :
  • discounts and advantages, notably on SNCF Connect tickets (up to 2% of the amount of your SNCF Connect tickets instantly refunded to your Green-Got Premium account!) and GreenGo accommodation!
  • a wide range of insurances: phishing, online shopping, loss and theft of identity papers... but also transport delays (plane and train), repatriation and medical care abroad or luggage (delay, loss, theft or damage). So you can travel with complete peace of mind!

In short, Green-Got is the ideal option for low-carbon travellers when you think about it.

And the good news is that Green-Got is offering you 3 months free on your account (Basic or Premium) with the code HOURRAIL (insert as “referral code” when creating your account)!

7. Pay in cash

Of course, to keep your budget under control, you can also opt for cash payments in the local currency to keep track of your expenses.

Leisure activities

8. Invest in Tourist Passes

Find out about the passes available in the cities or countries you'll be visiting. Some of them offer reduced rates for sightseeing and transport, and can save you a lot of money.

9. Optimize your visits

As far as possible, we strongly advise you to book your activities and tickets in advance to avoid extra costs (and queues). If you already have an idea of your itinerary and dates, don't hesitate to book online!

For example, to visit Barcelona's superb Sagrada Familia, you need to book online.

10. Opt for free activities

On site, opt for free activities! You might be surprised by the number of free museums, local festivals and free walking tours. Don't hesitate to ask for advice on the spot: your hotel staff will easily be able to point you in the direction of the most economical options for sightseeing or eating out.

Similarly, when it comes to eating out, don't hesitate to opt for local, non-touristy restaurants. Not only will you pay less, but you'll be able to taste more authentic cuisine and make some wonderful discoveries.

To sum up

1. Book your tickets as early as possible → To go one step further, this article explains when to book your tickets, depending on the season and destination, in France and Europe.
2. Favors off-season travel
3. Budget your trip
4. Compare offers and look out for special deals → For more tips on how to pay less for your tickets, read this article.
5. Save on hotel nights by choosing night trains → For more info on night trains in Europe, we've written a full article on the subject.
6. Limit your bank charges (by choosing a service with 0% bank charges abroad, such as Green-Got).
7. On the spot, don't hesitate to pay in cash
8. Find out about Tourist Passes
9. Optimize your visits by booking in advance
10. Opt for free activities!

And that's it, you've got everything you need for a wonderful train trip abroad without blowing your budget (or your carbon footprint). Now it's your turn!
This article was written in collaboration with Green-Got. To find out more about their services, click here!