If you’re not a seasoned jetsetter, planning a trip and getting out of town can be stressful. But before you play by all of the so-called rules, take the advice of these travel experts on how to truly have a vacation to remember.

Make a plan before you leave

While travel blogger Nate Hake used to make day-by-day itineraries before he left for vacation, he now recommends a more spontaneous approach to jet setting. This might be a tad more nerve-wracking, but Hake says having every-little-detail mapped out can stand in the way of more memorable experiences. “After enough time, you start to learn that the best experiences are unplanned. From making a group of Russian friends in the self-proclaimed nation of Abkhazia to spontaneously renting a campervan and driving around Tasmania, my favorite memories were rarely something I expected beforehand,” he shares.

Don’t talk to strangers

Sure, your mom might have told you to be wary of strangers—especially in a place with a language you don’t speak—but take those words of wisdom with a grain of salt. As Hilary Welter, digital nomad for NRHA, explains, locals can often be your greatest resource. Trust your gut and be mindful of who you decide to strike up a conversation with, but don’t be afraid. “Becoming friendly with a local is a sure way to see some awesome off-the-beaten-path places that you wouldn’t have found otherwise,” Welter explains. “There are plenty of kind locals who are happy to show off their home city to tourists.”

Carry your passport with you at all times

Especially if you’re new to crossing the Atlantic, your passport might feel like a prized, often scary, possession to have with you. While it is your most important document, Suzanne Wolko, travel blogger, advises against always carrying it while you’re traveling. “I take a photo of my passport and keep it in my email ‘drafts’ folder so I can access it if needed,” she explains. “When shopping and filling out tax reclaim forms, I’ve used the photo in stores without an issue.”

Avoid certain countries if you’re an American, solo—and so on

Though, sure, it is important to do a bit of research on your intended destination’s travel advisories (the U.S. State Department’s website is a smart place to begin), traveler and author Kelly Hayes-Raitt says not to discount a place based on hearsay. In other words, what makes the news is often the exception, not the rule. “Bombings, frequent muggings, and other violence are usually contained to a specific area, which doesn’t necessarily mean the whole city or country is inherently unsafe,” she continues. “Be smart, stay aware, use your instincts, and don’t let others’ fear dissuade you.”

Only Airbnb gives you the local experience

While Airbnb offers a unique experience for many, Brooke Siem, digital nomadic writer and chef, recommends thinking twice about always picking this route, as it could impact the local community. “Many residents are getting forced out of their homes by landlords who see a money-making opportunity in tourists who want to stay in the ‘heart’ of an area, be it Venice, Lake Tahoe, or Cuba,” she continues. “Consider a boutique bed & breakfast or homestay instead, which provide a local, homey experience and contribute to the local economy.”

You have to quit your job if you want to travel long-term

As the growing digital nomad community is proving, the definition of work is fluid. Getting a long-term trip approved might just take a bit of convincing. “Remote work is on the rise—and by explaining how you can be productive anywhere, not just in your cubicle, you might be able to make the shift,” explains Jess Tatham, digital nomad and location-independent web developer. If your manager declines your request, there are plenty of companies who operate with fully remote workers. Or, if you’re ready for the freelance route, take a line out of Tatham’s resumé and branch out on your own.

European cities are too expensive

Always wanted to see the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower, or stroll through the promenade of Rome? While these top spots usually get a bad rap for being out of everyone’s price range, Hayes-Raitt reminds that there is a budget-friendly solution for nearly every locale. Instead of thinking your dream trip is out of the question, get creative. Some of her favorite money-saving tips: “I buy museum cards that allow me to visit a variety of museums at a discount. I eat at food markets, and I walk or take public transportation rather than rent a car. And I use Groupon discount coupons for dining out and for entertainment.” All of these methods paired together can save you hundreds, possibly thousands, of dollars.

Don’t eat the street food

Many health pros might recommend travelers stay clear of the street food, but Siem says that’s a huge missed opportunity. Instead of fully cutting it out of your away-from-home diet, Siem says just to proceed with caution to keep your tummy tamed while enjoying local delicacies. “Look for crowded stands in popular locations, where turnover is high. Start with a small meal with low spice to see how you do. Stick to veggies that are peeled and meat that looks bright and fresh, and avoid any stands that smell strongly of old oil,” she explains.

You shouldn’t travel solo

Exploring new terrains all by yourself is becoming more and more popular, but that doesn’t prevent naysayers (like your parents) from warning against it. As long as you are smart and careful—as you should be at home and away—traveling solo isn’t as scary as it is often perceived. “You can travel solo by joining a tour group, going solo to a yoga or surf retreat, or going independent and traveling completely on your own,” Wolko explains.

Whether you’re heading to Spain, Germany or Amsterdam, there are new routes and specials to explore

Europe is in the midst of a great rail revival. An increased awareness of environmental issues, the many hassles of air travel and the mental effort required to drive long distances are all reasons for people to get back onto trains. European passenger numbers are on the rise again, if not quite at pre-pandemic levels.

In response, operators across the continent are investing in new services, tracks and special offers. And it’s only going to get better: Dozens of projects are in motion from the Baltic states to Portugal, with the European Union aiming to double high-speed rail traffic by 2030 and supporting “10 pilot projects to establish new rail services or improve existing ones” right now.

My family’s summer will involve a train journey from Paris to Barcelona, down the Rhône valley and along the Mediterranean coast, but you don’t have to travel at 200 miles an hour to get the best out of Europe’s rail network.

From slow trains to high-speed bargains, there are plenty of options if you’re traveling in Europe in the next few months.

New sleepers from Belgium and Sweden

The sleeper train revival is picking up speed. They seemed to be on the way out in 2016, when the government of France, their last stronghold, decided to cut funding for a number of services. Happily, many of those have since been restored, and other countries around Europe — most notably Austria, under the brand name Nightjet — are investing heavily in night trains.

This summer sees the debut of a service between Brussels and Berlin, two key political centers, run by a new company called European Sleeper. Customers can leave Brussels at 7:22 p.m. (or Amsterdam at 10:34 p.m.) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and arrive in Berlin at 6:48 a.m. Return trips depart on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. There are three types of tickets, starting at $85: a seat, a bed in a six-berth compartment or a bed in a three-bed compartment.

Other night trains have also recently been introduced, such as Stockholm to Hamburg, which started in the fall, or Paris to Vienna, which began in 2021.

I’ve traveled on night trains from Paris to the south of France on a number of occasions. The experience is not luxurious, but it’s generally cheaper than the cost of a flight and a room — and the beds, while slim, are surprisingly comfortable. Be warned, though: The romance of trundling across Europe in the dead of night can make it hard to sleep.

German rail pass for $50 a month

Last summer Germany’s national rail company, Deutsche Bahn, offered monthly passes for the country’s huge network for under $10, a response to cost-of-living problems caused by a sharp rise in costs for electricity, food, heating and mobility. The success of that project has led to the introduction of the Deutschland-Ticket, which will cost around $50 a month and allow unlimited travel on all trains, buses and city subway services, with the exception of the most direct and speedy intercity services.

The possibilities are enticing. Beer lovers, for example, could travel from Düsseldorf to Cologne to Bamberg and onward to Munich, hopping off for distinctive local brews along the way. Those in search of scenery, meanwhile, might prefer the West Rhine Railway, stretching down the Rhine from Cologne in the north to Mainz.

One thing to remember: The Deutschland-Ticket is only available as a rolling, app-based subscription. British train expert Mark Smith, better known online as the Man in Seat 61, recommends canceling by the 10th of the month to avoid being charged for more than a month.

The first 100-mph locomotive, in the U.K.

Given locomotives are a British invention, the rail network in the United Kingdom can be a disappointment. Yes, it’ll get you where you need to go, eventually, but services are often late, and there’s only one high-speed line, used by Eurostar and domestic services, from London into the Kentish countryside. The current national debate over ongoing construction of HS2 (High Speed 2) offers a reason: NIMBY-ish attitudes tend to triumph over the greater good.

No wonder Britons are wont to retreat into the past for comfort. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the world’s first fully authenticated 100-mph passenger locomotive, the Flying Scotsman; as a result, a number of special excursions are planned. For those who can afford it, the Centenary Weekender looks like the most appealing trip, from London to York and then Edinburgh, followed by a jaunt up Scotland’s beautiful East Coast.

The Flying Scotsman may be unique, but Europe is full of historical interest. There’s another anniversary, too: The Wuppertal Schwebebahn, a remarkable suspension railway that continues to operate, was completed in 1903. And then there’s the Beaux-Arts Canfranc Station, opened as the crossing point from Spain to France in 1928, which was revived as a hotel this year.

A $7 high-speed train in Spain

Budget services are increasingly common in Europe, but no one is moving so fast as Spain’s Avlo, which runs high-speed, low-cost trains between Madrid and Barcelona, with tickets starting around $7. The network is expanding: From the start of June, there’s a new route from the Spanish capital to Andalusia, taking in Cordoba, Seville and Malaga.

In France, there’s Ouigo, which provides high-speed and standard services from Paris to cities all around the country, including Bordeaux, Marseille and Strasbourg. The advantage of the standard service — which offers tickets starting around $11 — is that prices don’t change, so you can get a last-minute bargain. The U.K., too, has a low-cost service, from London to Edinburgh via Newcastle, although tickets are not always such good value.

New subway lines in Turkey and England

Few cities have seen such huge investment and rapid improvement in subway provision as Istanbul. Earlier this year, a line connecting Istanbul Airport to the city opened, while other new lines and extensions are entering service all the time. It’s a remarkable turnaround for a city that had virtually no underground transport until 1989.

It’s not the only hub to be investing in underground trains, though. The experience of visiting Copenhagen has been transformed by the 2019 opening of the City Circle Line. Since last summer, visitors arriving at London Heathrow can reach the city center, and much besides, far quicker courtesy of 2022’s Elizabeth Line.

Paris, meanwhile, is in the foothills of a significant expansion program, Grand Paris Express, which will provide new connections in the city’s long-neglected suburbs. You can expect to see those services start to come online next year, when Paris hosts the Olympics and when Metro Line 14 will be extended to Orly, Paris’s second-largest airport.

London travel tips: Wondering how to get around the capital of England? Read on to know about some of the best modes of transportation in London.

Visiting London can be one of the most fantastic ideas for a tourist. The capital city of England has got ample things to offer and enough activities that will keep you busy throughout for however long you chose to stay in the beautiful city.

5 ways to travel around London

Rental Cars

To experience the charm of other cities, rental cars can be convenient and worth the investment. You can book these cars through AutoEurope, Kayak, Sixt and more. There are various car options one can choose from, including the price ranges.

Other modes of transport in London

DLR (Dockland Light Railway)

It is an automated railway network that specifically covers the dockland areas which is the east and south-east region of London. The key difference between the train system and DLR is that the latter does not have drivers. It links the London City Airport to the rest of the tube networks. In terms of fare, they are pretty much the same as Overground and Underground train system.

Tram

This is one of the best modes of transport in London and specifically from Wimbledon, through to Beckenham. The tram services, also known as London tram link, have four major lines and 17 miles of track. This huge network is used by many but it is well used in the southern region of London.

River Boat

The capital city has a very big river flowing through it, so waterways is yet another widely used mode of transport in London. There are a total of four routes that start from all the way from Putney and they go as far as Woolwich located in the eastern region.

Bicycles

London has rolled out, or rather brought back a new mode of transportation — and that is the bicycle. There are various public cycle points in the city and these are gaining immense popularity for short trips. The advantage is that one can access bicycle points all across the city.

Easter is here. And it’s not just the Easter Bunny hopping around. Millions of holidaymakers will be taking to the skies, with Qantas and Jetstar gearing up for almost four million customers to travel across its domestic and international network on almost 36,000 flights throughout Easter and the proceeding four-week school holidays period. Not only that but more than 670,000 customers are expected to be travelling over the Easter long weekend alone, an 8 per cent increase on the 2023 Easter holidays. This all in mind, here are seven expert-approved tips to make your flying experience less stressful.

Arrive two hours before your flight

Conventional wisdom might be to arrive one hour before a domestic flight, but a Sydney Airport spokesperson has told Escape they are advising passengers to arrive two hours before their domestic flight if they are checking in luggage (if you only have hand luggage, you are advised to arrive one hour before your flight). As for international flights, the recommendation is to arrive three hours before your flight, unless your airline tells you otherwise.

Don’t travel on the Thursday

Sydney Airport is forecasting Thursday to be the busiest day through the period, with 130,000 passengers forecast. The total domestic number of passengers forecasted from Thursday 28 to Sunday March 31 alone is set to hit 266,000, while the international forecast of passengers for those same dates is 183,000.

Book your car space in advance

Want to guarantee a spot? Do this.

Don’t go to Bali

Or Auckland, Singapore, Tokyo, Gold Coast, Hobart or Cairns. According to Qantas, these are the most popular destinations Aussies are flying to over the break.

Prep your liquids

If you’re travelling internationally, don’t forget you can only take 100mls of liquid through security. So prepare in advance and stock up on miniature versions of all your toiletries.

Ditch your suitcase

As mentioned above, Sydney Airport is forecasting a total of 449,000 passengers transiting through it between Thursday 28 to Sunday March 31. And the more people travel, the more likely your bag is to go missing (or take an eternity to come out on the conveyor belt on the other side).

The solution? As Escape Social Media Editor Edwina Hart eloquently puts it: “Pack carry-on and flee as soon as you get off that flight.”

Bring a bumbag

Jana Frawley, Escape Content Director, says: “My number one rule is putting my passport in a safe but easily accessible location – nothing beats a crossbody bag, or, if you’re a man, a bum bag worn like a crossbody bag.”

“Don’t put it in the pocket of a backpack as you’ll have to swing it on and off your body at multiple points throughout your journey through the airport (annoying for everyone).”

Bring a water bottle

Who likes paying $3.50 for a bottle of water? Bring your own bottle and you’ll save yourself some cash.