You may drive to the supermarket, take the bus to work or a plane to go on holiday, but whatever means of transport you use, travel costs can make a big hole in your budget. myLIFE has a few tips on how to save money on transportation and suggests other low-cost travel alternatives.
Travelling by car is flexible and convenient and is still the most widely used form of transport. But it’s also one of the most expensive! And recent events have reminded us that these costs can literally explode without warning. Fuel and maintenance costs, insurance, road tax and even the price of parking – it all adds up to a hefty annual bill. And that’s before we get to the price of the vehicle. Yet there are ways to reduce costs.
→ Useful info: you can save on the purchase price of your vehicle by taking advantage of environmental bonuses and subsidies from the government, choosing an older model that is being discontinued, a car that is in stock, or a recent second-hand vehicle, etc.
Although buying an electric car is still expensive in comparison to an equivalent combustion engine model, the price gap is diminishing thanks to government subsidies. On the other hand, running an electric vehicle is attractive from a financial perspective, particularly for small and medium-sized models. Energy and maintenance costs are lower than for a combustion engine car. Find out more: Are electric cars worth the cash?
Alternatives: carpooling and car sharing
Another way to save on your car budget is by carpooling – if a few people share a journey in one vehicle, the transport costs (fuel, parking, tolls, etc.) can be split between travellers. In Luxembourg, a carpooling portal has been set up to help link up anyone interested: CoPilote. Car sharing is another option. This is more flexible than standard car rental and lets you use a car for occasional travel in exchange for a financial contribution (based on the number of hours of use and kilometres travelled). You have the advantages of a car without having to take on the fixed costs such as insurance and maintenance. In Luxembourg, Carloh, Flex and others offer this type of service. |
In Luxembourg, it’s hard to find a cheaper option than public transport – it has been free since 1 March 2020!
It’s hard to find a cheaper option than public transport in Luxembourg – it has been free since 1 March 2020! The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is the first country in the world to offer free travel for residents, cross-border workers and tourists on its full national network of buses, trams and trains (except in first class).
But as you don’t only travel in Luxembourg, here are a few tips on how to find cheaper fares on public transport outside of the country.
Alternatives: bicycle
A bicycle is another interesting solution, particularly for short journeys. Luxembourg has set up many bike lanes across the country and a number of towns offer self-service bicycles (for a subscription). |
A holiday or weekend away by plane can prove expensive. Here too, we have a couple of leads on how to reduce the bill.
If you don’t have any time constraints, be flexible about departure dates and times (…) in order to get better prices.
→ Useful info: some travel booking sites record your searches and change their prices each time you visit. When you check such sites, use the privacy mode of your browser or delete your browsing history and cookies.
Alternative: low cost
Low-cost airlines and rail companies are also a way to save money. Of course, the services offered are basic and you have to pay a surcharge to take more than one item of hand luggage, but the fares are competitive. NB: flights are often to secondary airports that are smaller and sometimes further away from the city centre. |
Lastly, it’s worth noting that most tips for reducing your travel costs by plane also apply to coach and rail journeys. Have a good trip!
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