Budget-Savvy Transportation Tips for a Family Europe Trip in Summer (France, Switzerland, Germany)
1. Car rental: Originally planned to rent a car locally for a self-drive trip.
a) It's advisable to compare car rental prices for different models, manual vs automatic, electric vs hybrid, the number of bags that can be accommodated, convenience of pick-up and drop-off locations, etc. Because we compared the prices of returning the car at the same location versus a different one, returning at a different location would cost several hundred yuan more per day, sometimes almost double the price, probably due to high labor costs in Europe. We chose to pick up and return the car in the same city, then take a train to the next city and rent a new car there.
b) Another hidden saving is that you can get your international driver's license notarized for free; you just need to pay 18 yuan postage to have it sent to your home.
c) When picking up the rental car abroad, you must bring all necessary documents. We had made thorough preparations but still had to give up renting a car because of incomplete documents. 1) Original Chinese driver's license – I emphasize the original; photos or copies are not accepted; 2) Original notarized international driver's license (apply on the app at least two weeks before departure); 3) The driver's own credit card – note it must be a credit card, Visa is best, and a chip card is safest. In our case, I forgot to bring my original driver's license, and my friend brought a credit card but it was her husband's, so we were politely refused at pickup. Fortunately, when selecting cars on the app, I had chosen models that allowed free cancellation on the pickup day, so we didn't lose any money by cancelling.
a) Platforms like Ctrip offer airport/train station transfer services. When we landed at Paris airport and couldn't rent a car, I was worried that hailing a ride online would make finding the pickup point difficult, but the platform provided specific directions, for instance, sending me a message telling me which exit gate at Paris airport to wait at, and I could also see signage for ride-hailing pickup points outside the airport, very convenient.
b) Regarding taxi prices, I didn't compare across different platforms, but the differences probably aren't huge. Taxis are, of course, much more expensive than public transport. For reference: from Paris airport to my hotel was about 40 kilometers; we were five people and called a 6-seater business vehicle around 7:30 pm local time. From booking to arrival about 15 minutes, total cost 104 euros, averaging 21 euros per person. A one-day public transport pass in Paris is 16 euros per person per day, so for a one-time trip with heavy luggage, taking a taxi was still cost-effective.
3. Public transportation:
a) Europe's public buses, trams, and subways are incredibly developed; transfers are very convenient, essentially at the same station, and fast. In Paris, you can generally reach anywhere within an hour and a half. If you're not familiar with Europe and don't know how to transfer, don't worry as long as you can read English. The most inconvenient part in France was that locals don't speak English, but there is English information. In Switzerland, most signs are in French and German, but locals speak good English. Germans speak even better English than the other two countries, and many places have English signage.
b) Buying public transport tickets is very easy; basically every bus stop or metro station has automatic ticket machines. If travelling in a group, it's advisable to buy day passes or two-day/three-day passes together, as you'll likely make multiple transfers, and buying single tickets is both time-consuming and uneconomical. In Europe, ticket inspections are rare. In Paris, the day pass needs to be validated at the machine; in Switzerland, you just need to carry it for inspection. One reminder: for day passes in Germany, the first time you use them, you must stamp the date on the machine. If you're caught without a stamped ticket, you'll be fined heavily – it really hurts.
c) What if you're not sure about local bus transfer routes? Every country and city has route enquiry tools; input your starting point and destination, and the system will suggest different transfer options. After boarding, just watch the electronic display showing station names and get off in time to transfer. You can also check the display to confirm you're on the right bus. We once took the wrong bus in Paris, going in the opposite direction; we got off and took the bus on the opposite platform, and after a few back-and-forths, we got the hang of it. But a hidden perk in Switzerland is that if you stay at a hotel, they often provide a free bus day pass, so remember to ask the hotel front desk for it. If you have a Eurail pass or a Swiss Travel Pass, you won't need the bus pass because everything is free, haha. At the hotel in Bern, they require you to use a local app; import the free bus account provided by the hotel, and you get a free electronic pass that you need to show when inspected.
d) Do you have to go to the train station for train transfers and ticket purchases? Travelling between cities in Europe by train is very convenient. We bought all our train tickets on Ctrip. Comparing with local railway prices, buying a few days in advance on Ctrip often gives a discount, making it cheaper than buying on the spot. Moreover, Ctrip clearly lists train numbers, departure and arrival times, transfer stations, and numbers, and since it's in Chinese, it's easier to use than local English apps. But overall, for independent travel with many city changes, it's actually most cost-effective to buy a Eurail pass or Swiss Travel Pass on Ctrip. Because there are many hidden perks: you don't have to buy tickets over and over again. Of course, you need to check if seat reservations are required; in Europe, not reserving a seat can result in a shockingly high fine. We initially thought the pass was too expensive and didn't buy it, as it was four to five thousand yuan per person, but when we added up the individual tickets, it turned out much pricier. That's because a European travel pass can be bought for the whole family, and kids' fares are very low; then all Swiss museums are free, and local boats and mountain trains are free or discounted; buses are also free with the travel pass.
e) What if you miss your train after buying the ticket in advance? You can take any train on the same day, no need for a refund or exchange. We missed our scheduled train once in Switzerland; the ticket bought on Ctrip showed it was non-refundable, and we needed to reach our next hotel that day, so we took the next train to the same destination. We were nervous during the ticket check, wondering if we should buy a new ticket, but there was no problem. We then learned that our train ticket was valid for any train to that destination on the same day, not strictly at the printed time. Another time, during a transfer at the Swiss-German border, our next train in Switzerland was cancelled. The airport information desk told us we needed to switch from the Swiss train station to the German train station, taking a free tram outside the station to the German station. Then, based on the train schedule posted on the platform, we found a train to our destination and boarded. Again, no refund or exchange, and the inspector had no issues. Also, our tickets were second class, so when boarding, we had to check we were in a second-class carriage; there are signs on the train, and sitting in the wrong class incurs a fine. In Switzerland, we accidentally went into a first-class carriage and each adult was fined 38 Swiss francs.
In conclusion, although we didn't achieve our dream of a European road trip, Europe's well-developed public transport and train system didn't affect our trip progress at all. Travelling by train in Paris and Swiss/German cities is very convenient. The towns in southern France are scattered around the cities, and trains can't reach every attraction in small towns, so self-driving or chartering a car is suitable there. Germany is also suitable for self-driving and chartering a car.
