Student Travelling: What’s the best way to get around?
So you’ve moved to a new city. Chances are you’ve already found your way to the local pub and around campus – but soon you’ll need to start scoping it out so that you can take full advantage of the city you’re going to call home for the next three years (or more!)
Unfortunately, getting around can be a pretty costly experience for anyone. When you’re a student and pennies are precious, making savings on how you travel can really help to cut the cost. With that in mind, here are some of the best ways to get around your town whilst saving money.
Share cars when you can
Having a car on campus is a luxury, and most students will rarely need their vehicle except for trips home at the weekend. You can save a lot of money on travelling home for the weekend by finding students who have a car, and are heading the same way as you, and offering to chip in on the travel costs or offering your own car for journeys.
If you do bring your car to university, take a look at student discounts you can net on specialist student car insurance. Drive more frugally, which means keeping your tyres inflated, avoiding over-revving your car, being less harsh on the brakes and driving slower. It might be tempting to channel your inner Lewis Hamilton to show off to your new friends – but a car uses far less petrol when travelling at 60mph as opposed to 70mph.
Savings on cross-country travels
A 16-25 railcard is a practical must for anyone travelling via train thanks to pricey UK fares. The railcard can net you great discounts on any journey you make – but getting one can also be pricey for the uninitiated. To cut down on costs, use your NUS card for a discount.
An alternative to trains is the Mega Bus or National Express, which both travel across the entirety of the UK and allow shrewd bargain hunters to get fares as cheap as £1 when booked in advance.
Taxi and Uber sharing
Taxis from a night on the town are a practical must in lots of cities. However, sharing a taxi with a stranger is a recipe for disaster – so stick to sharing with your friends to cut down on costs. Organise a pick-up point and time, and a drop-off point and time, to meet up that everyone knows about so you can reconvene after a night out.
Uber is growing in popularity, and it offers Uber Pool services that let students share their car with other riders. There’s an added degree of safety here thanks to the sign-up process – but to stay on the safe side you’re still best off only using this in daytime hours.
Invest in a student bus pass
Bus travel is ideal when you’ve got to get in and out of campus in a city centre but it’s just out of walking distance. However, individual journeys can be pricey – so it’s often better to see what bus pass options are available. Stagecoach, one of the UK’s biggest bus providers, offers discounted travel for students with their uniRider tickets. By paying once, you can travel all term for as low as 72p. Plenty of other providers offer similar tickets.