A Vaporetto pulling into station. Photo: Tom Meyers

By Monica Cesarato in Venice—

Transportation around Venice can be very expensive—and I’m not even talking about using water taxis, which have a pricing system (yikes!) of their own. I am talking about “public transportation,” which in Venice mostly means taking the “vaporetti” (water bus) up and down the Grand Canal.

A single trip on a vaporetto costs €6.50, whether you take the boat for one stop or for a whole Grand Canal tour. Fortunately, however, there is a system designed for tourists that will help you save some serious money.

Tourist Travel Cards

In the last few years ACTV (Venice’s bus and boat system) realized that they had to come up with a tourist transportation card, so they created seven different types of “tourist travel cards,” each valid for a different period of time.

Travel cards are available for 12 hours (€16), 24 hours (€18), 36 hours (€23), 48 hours (€28), 72 hours (€33), three-day youth card (for people between 18-29 years old - €18), and seven-day cards (€50). (Prices are accurate as of March 2010. Visit the ACTV website for current prices.)

With these travel cards you can hop on and off any vaporetto (including those to the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello) and on all buses travelling within the city of Venice (including to Mestre and Marco Polo Airport). These cards eliminate the need to queue every time to buy a ticket and to carry change with you.

The tickets are not exactly cheap, but considering you have unlimited use of the transport system, they are well worth it. Just think how much it would cost you if you wanted to visit Murano-Burano and Torcello and you had to pay for each single trip.

Where to buy Tourist transportation tickets

You can buy these transport passes at any vaporetto stop (there are usually ticket offices at the stops, otherwise you can buy on board and the almost always speaks English), in Piazzale Roma (in the ACTV ticket office), or in any tobacco shop that displays the “ACTV” sign.

Tip: Combine transportation and museums in one pass

In 2009, the Comune di Venezia introduced a combined card for transport and museums that can save you up to 25% on a variety of museum passes. The savings varies depending on the period (low season, high season, special events, etc.).

Unfortunately, the card can only be purchased online and must be purchased more than two days before your arrival date in Venice. So the earlier you book it, the greater the saving. For more information and to buy a card, visit http://www.veniceconnected.com.

About the author: Monica Cesarato runs her own B&B on the Riviera del Brenta, just outside Venice. She also blogs about life in Venice and the Italian lifestyle http://www.monicacesarato.com.

Popularity: 3% [?]

A bus in Florence. Photo by waxorian.

By Laura Mongillo in Florence—

Florence is a small and very walkable city, but that doesn’t mean you’ll never need a break from treading the cobblestone streets. Thus, visitors to Florence will benefit from understanding the city’s bus network.

Here’s a warning: it’s not easy, but it can be done. It’s always tempting to take the hop-on hop-off tourist buses, but if you don’t feel like shelling out €20, you should learn to travel like the locals.

The basics

The bus lines in Florence are pretty complicated, and they often change due to roadwork. The easiest thing to do is to pick up a bus map or ask the driver where the bus goes. However, it’s always best to plan out a bus trip beforehand so as not to get lost, as most buses continue outside of the city center. Route information can be found on the Florence bus Web site.

To catch a ride with the bus, you must first flag it down, as the driver only stops upon request. To get off at your stop, press the buttons on the railings or against the wall.

Tickets: Where (and why) to buy

Tickets cost €1.20 and are valid for 90 minutes. If you’re planning on taking the bus often, it’s more convenient to buy a Carta Agile for €10. The Carta Agile is an electronic ticket good for 12 journeys. You can buy one at any “tabaccheria” (tobacco store), which is marked by a large “T” over the door.  In a pinch, you can also buy a ticket from the bus driver at the higher price of €2.

In Florence, bus tickets work on the honor system: there is a machine inside where you either time-stamp your ticket or swipe your Carta Agile over the sensor to validate it.

It is all too easy to ride without a ticket, but I would greatly advise against this. Tickets are being controlled more often and the ticket controllers don’t fall for the dumb/cute foreigner bit. You will leave with a minimum €50 fine, paid on site.

Popular routes

If you’re touring central Florence and can’t stand to walk one more bit, there are small electric buses that service the city center on weekdays. The buses A, B, C, and D stop in main tourist areas such as Piazza San Marco, Santa Croce, Piazza Repubblica, and the Ponte Vecchio.

If the weather is nice, try taking Bus 17 from San Marco or the train station out to the Cascine, the Central Park of Florence. You’ll find long green lawns, tree-lined promenades, and plenty of kids playing soccer. It’s a great way to get some fresh air and lovely views of the river.

A few main attractions in Florence aren’t easily reachable on foot. Among these are the Piazzale Michelangelo, a large square offering lovely, panoramic views of the city, and the gorgeous church of San Miniato just up the hill. To get there you can take either the 12 or 13 bus from the Santa Maria Novella train station. The trip takes about 30 minutes, but the views are well worth it.

And don’t forget the hilltop town of Fiesole which you can reach by taking Bus 7 to its final stop. (See our earlier post about day trips to Fiesole.)

Popularity: 3% [?]

A bus in Rome. Photo by Samantha Collins.

By Samantha Collins in Rome—

One of the things about Rome that never fails to impress me is the value for money offered by the public transport system. While locals complain about the limited metro system (only two lines at present) and the endless strikes, you cannot help but be impressed at the simplicity of the “one ticket fits all” approach.

The metrebus ticket and the one-day pass

The “metrebus” (metro-train-bus) €1 ticket permits you to ride on the bus, tram, or local train for any distance. (The ticket is also good for one trip on the metro underground line.) The journey is only limited by time: the ticket expires after 75 minutes.

Upgrading to a €4 ticket allows you to enjoy unlimited rides until midnight. Routes are clearly marked, so get a public transport map from one of the many newspaper kiosks, study the routes, get your elbows ready, and hop on board to see where you end up…

The Metro

There are two metro lines, Linea A (the well-kept “tourist” red line) and Linea B (the commuter line which is a little rough around the edges). The city is trying to open a third line, but progress is slow, as workers keep unearthing archaeological treasures.

Linea A highlights include the Spanish Steps (Spagna), the Trevi Fountain (Barberini), the Teatro del Opera (Repubblica) and the Vatican (Ottiviano). Linea B takes you to Circus Massimus (Circo Massimo) and the Colosseum (Colosseo).

For stops a little off the tourist map, exit at EUR Palasport and emerge near a park with a boating lake where you can spend a nice afternoon relaxing away from the city center chaos. View a metro map here.

The Bus

An endless stream of buses travels through the city center, with the main connection points being Termini Station, Largo Argentina, Piazza Venezia, and Piazza Cavour. The bus system also offers regular service to the main sights, such as the Vatican and the Colosseum.

The stops are clearly posted and signs give detailed information about each service. Regular buses stop around midnight, but a night service runs until around 5-6 AM.

Try exploring beyond the center. For example, the 118 from Piramide will take you out to Appia Antica, providing a Cheapo alternative to the expensive tourist bus service that runs there.

The Train

The “metrebus” ticket also includes the use of the local train services. Head to Piramide and catch the connecting Lido train to enjoy a day at the beach in Ostia (30 minutes away) or to explore the ancient ruins at Ostia Antica (25 minutes).

If you’re catching a flight at Ciampino, you can also travel from Termini to the airport on your €1 ticket, a journey of 15 minutes, and then just pay another €1 to take the airport shuttle bus. The express service to Fiumicino Airport is not covered by the “metrebus” ticket.

Buying a ticket

You can buy “metrebus” tickets from newspaper kiosks, ticket kiosks, and at machines found in the metro stations. You can sometimes buy them on the bus from a machine, though not always.

You must always stamp the ticket at one of the yellow machines to validate your ticket and begin the 75-minute time limit (on the bus, on the tram, or close to the platform for trains) unless you use the metro, in which case it is done automatically when you go through the barrier. Make sure you do this, because if the inspectors catch you with an unstamped ticket, you will be fined—even if you are a tourist and claim ignorance.

Tips for using the system—safely

Avoid using the metro between 7:30-9 AM and 5-6:30 PM, as it is very packed with commuters and you may find yourself far closer to the locals than you ever expected. If you travel around rush hour, keep an eye out, as crowded metro and bus stations are havens for pickpockets and beggars.

Carry €1 coins with you, especially if catching the metro at night, as the change machines do not work and the kiosks will be closed.

To find routes online, visit the official Rome transportation site.

Popularity: 3% [?]

A train at Telefonplan Metro Station. Photo by harry_nl.

By Marcus Cederstrom in Stockholm—

Each day in Stockholm, 700,000 trips are made using public transportation. Considering only about 800,000 people live within Stockholm city limits, that number is pretty impressive. With the efficient and user-friendly SL, Stockholm’s public transportation company, it makes sense that so many Stockholmers take to the metro, buses, and more.

The lowdown

Stockholm is a very walk-able city, but if you’re less interested in wandering around than getting around efficiently (or if you just want to get out of the cold on your way to your next destination), public transportation is really the way to go. Subways, buses, trains, and even boats and street cars are covered by the SL umbrella, and every single one of them is clean and on time.

SL offers a smorgasbord (pun absolutely intended) of ticket options. Luckily, the SL website gives a great rundown of everything that is available. Some of the options are perfect for a short trip to Stockholm.

Standard and prepaid tickets

SL offers standard one-trip tickets. These are not worth your money if you plan on using public transportation more than once or twice, but they are worth explaining. Stockholm is broken up into three different zones according to SL. Zone A will cost you two tickets, Zone B will cost you three, and Zone C will cost you four.

Really, if you’re just staying in the city all you need to worry about is Zone A and the two ticket price. These tickets are only valid for an hour after you use them. If you plan on using public transportation more than four times during your stay in Stockholm, consider a pre-paid strip of tickets or a day pass.

The prepaid strip of tickets is 16 single tickets for the price of 180 SEK. This gives you eight trips within the city and ends up being about half the price of the standard one-trip tickets. You’ll get a stamp which, unfortunately, is only good for an hour after stamping. But remember, you’ve got seven more trips before you need to think about paying for transportation again.

Day passes

There are also day passes. The 24-hour pass costs 100 SEK, the 72- hour pass is 200 SEK, and the seven-day card is 260 SEK. Day passes are valid at any time and can be used as many times as you wish. Depending on your length of stay, day passes are a great way to save money and still get everywhere you want to go.

The Stockholm Card

Finally, there is Stockholmskortet, The Stockholm Card. The Stockholm Card ranges from 375 SEK for 24 hours to 595 SEK for 72 hours. It allows you free entrance to over 70 museums in Stockholm and gives you free access to public transportation.

Buy your ticket before boarding the bus

Note that you cannot buy tickets on the bus. Bus drivers stopped carrying money a couple of years ago in hopes of speeding up service and keeping everyone safer. There are plenty of places where you can buy tickets though, including SL service centers, most subway and train stations, Pressbyrån (a Swedish convenience store), and, if you happen to have a Swedish cell phone provider, with your cell phone.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Entering the SNCF train station at Charles de Gaulle.

By Tom Meyers—

Arriving in Paris can be a wonderful experience. Certain aspects, however, can be quite frustrating—especially for travelers who arrive armed only with an American credit card.

Why? Because the RER (regional train) and Paris Metro ticket machines only accept “EC” credit cards that are security-chip enabled. American credit cards are not equipped with this technology and, for the most part, don’t work.

Getting into Paris from Charles de Gaulle Airport… with an American credit card

I think that the easiest (and most economical) way into Paris from Charles de Gaulle is the city’s regional train, the RER. The train departs several times an hour from train stations in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at CDG. The trip takes between 25-35 minutes to central Paris, depending on whether it’s running express or making local stops along the way.

RER tickets cost €8.20 per person, each way. Dozens of ticket machines are located in the airport terminals, making it (hypothetically) easy to grab a ticket and hop onto a train. However, the machines only accept EC credit cards. When we’ve tried to purchase a ticket with an American-issued card, the screen simply states “Card not valid.”

Machines also take euro notes and coins, but if you’ve just arrived in Europe, you may not be arriving with any euro currency. Of course, you could first swing by an airport ATM, although lines can be long and ATMs often dispense bills in high denominations, not exactly handy for an 8 euro ticket.

The solution?

One solution is to buy your ticket from the ticket counter. I have resorted to this in the past—which is never fun, as it usually involves waiting in a long line. However, the ticket agents do accept American credit cards. Many American tourists, faced with this solution, get in line.

I finally got my ticket.

During my trip to Paris this month, I went through all the motions: I tried my MasterCard on two machines and was rejected by both. I then turned and gazed at the line snaking out from the ticket office. I was certain to spend the first 45 minutes of my time in Paris waiting to pay for a regional train ticket. Sad.

But then I noticed several peppy, smiling customer service personnel drifting about the floor, between the machines, asking bemused tourists if they needed help.

Just for kicks, I approached a young woman and explained my dilemma. “The machine won’t take my credit card.”

“You’re trying to use an American card, right?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“This might not work, but there’s one machine over here that sometimes takes American cards,” she said, and led me past several clusters of ticket machines to one particular, inconspicuous machine, which appeared to me to be just like the others.

And sure enough, it worked. For some reason, that one machine accepted my MasterCard and saved me from the RER ticket line of tears.

Good luck with those Metro tickets!

Metro tickets… Rejection, part deux

Over the past several years, Paris has closed down Metro ticket booths in many stations and replaced them with automated vending machines. (In many cases, the ticket booths have been replaced with information booths. But they won’t sell you tickets.)

The ticket machines are pretty easy to use, unless—you guessed it!—you’re trying to use an American credit card. In short: They’re not accepted.

The solution: Pay in cash (some machines only accept coins, while others accept bills) or go to one of the Metro stations that still actually has a ticket counter (these can be found in the most-popular stations in central Paris).

What do you think?

Have you had any issues with using an American (or any other) credit card in Paris or other French cities like Marseille or Lyon? Have you been able to use your card? Do you have another creative solution? Tell us about it!

Popularity: 13% [?]

The iconic London Tube sign, photo by wallyg

By Liz Holliday in London—

London, a sprawling city offering no shortage of things to see and do, can be a bit daunting when it comes to public transportation. But one huge advantage to getting from place to place in Her Majesty’s city is that many sights and attractions are in the most central neighborhoods.

Cheapos on-the-go can save quite a bit of cash on public transportation—and without walking everywhere, too. You just need to know how to get the best value out of the underground “Tube” system. Here’s a quick Tube primer:

London: The “Big… Onion”?

Transport for London, the main transportation authority, divides London into nine zones. “Zone One” is the city’s center, the “middle of the onion,” if you will. Think Trafalgar Square and Big Ben.  Zones two through nine work out in rings from there, and are the outer “layers of the onion.”

The price of a Tube ticket depends on how many zones you pass through on any given journey. (Tip: Remember, buses work differently. You can travel on them all over London, in all zones, for one price.)

Three ways to pay for the Tube

1. Single Tickets: You could always turn up at any London Tube station, buy a single ticket, and be on your way. But, as locals will tell you, this is the most expensive and least practical payment option, especially if you plan to make many trips on the Tube during your stay in London. (Read more about single ticket prices.)

2. Travelcard: A second option is to buy a printed “Travelcard” for 1, 3, or 7 days. The price of the card depends in which zones you expect to travel. Also, 1-day cards are more expensive if you travel before 9:30 AM.  Remember, most sights are within zones 1 and 2, so stick to those zones and you should be fine. (Read more about 1 and 3-day passes, and 7-day passes.)

* * However, travel agents (watch out!) will often try to sell tourists 7-day passes good for all nine zones, the cost of which is a hefty £68.  For only zones 1 and 2, the same 7-day pass will cost only £25.80.

Tip: If you do need to go further afield, you can buy an add-on ticket (or just go by bus, if you can spare the time - the Travelcard will be valid.)

3. Oyster card: Finally, I recommend that you buy an “Oyster card,” a pre-paid “smart card” that always charges the lowest fare. You pay a one-time refundable deposit for the card (£2 if you buy it from a special tourist outlet; £3 otherwise) and then load it up with money. You can put 1, 3, and 7-day “Travelcards” on your Oyster card, or use your Oyster for single trips (at reduced rates).

* * Pay-as-you-go fares using an Oyster card are half what they are if you pay cash. Also, there’s a price cap per day, so you’ll never pay more than the price of a one-day travel card. (For more info on the price cap and how it works, go here.)

The Oyster card also gives you some security, because if you register your card and it gets lost or stolen, you can claim back any money you had on it. You can’t do that with a Travelcard.

When you’re finished with your Oyster, you simply return it to a Tube station, where an agent will refund your deposit and any money you haven’t spent. (Note: If you’re owed more than £5, it will be given to you in check form, in British pounds, which might be a pain to cash.)

Bottom line

Oyster cards are probably better than Travelcards for most tourists visiting London, as they’re convenient and charge the lowest single-trip fare. Plus, if you plan to travel quite a bit (and for more than one day), simply put a 3 or 7-day Travelcard on your Oyster card.

For more information on using the Oyster card, check out the Tube’s website. A list of Tube fares for zones 1 through 6 can be found here.

One final note

Check with your hotel and in tourist information centers for special offers available to Travelcard and Oyster card users. Benefits typically include reduced entry fees, special deals in restaurants, and more. These offers change frequently, so look for leaflets at Tube stations, or ask a station agent.

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Cheapos do love a nice ride. That’s why we first brought you news of Vienna’s awesome Citybike program two years ago. At the time, our correspondent Ellen Farkas said, “When it comes to bicycles, the Viennese fully support two-wheeled transport without any fuss. They take their bikes as far as they can, come rain or shine. The sight of a well-dressed exec—all in black—pedalling his way to work isn’t a novelty. It’s this love of bikes that Citybike Wien exploits.”

The right cycle

So, what’s new about the program? No, they haven’t exactly reinvented the wheel, but they’ve kept up those same low prices, especially for the one-time booking fee. If you reserve ahead of time, you’ll pay €1, and it gets returned to you when you pick up your bike.  A €2 borrowing fee still applies.

With more than 54 rental stations throughout the city (there were only 50 at our earlier press time), hitching a ride is easy. The first hour of pedalling is free, 2 hours will run you €1, 3 hours = €3, and anything after 4 hours is charged at a rate of €4 each.

Get movin’!

For more info, you can visit the Citybike Wien program (only in German), or check out the Vienna Tourism Board’s section on bike rental. Happy cycling.

***Above photo of Citybikes courtesy of sustainablerotterdam

Popularity: 11% [?]

Things can get pricy pretty quickly in Copenhagen, but you can still grab some wheels for free. The city’s free bike program, called “Bycyklen Kobenhavn,” was a pioneer in the urban bike program phenomenon. The city provides 1,300 free bicycles to anyone to zip around the city center.

The program is popular with visitors and residents alike, doubles as a rehabilitation program for locals, and is environmentally progressive. (The city even gave a city bike to Bill Clinton, when he visited in 1997.) In short, the program is just another example of why the Danes are so cool.

It’s a straight-forward system:

1) Find your way to one of the city’s 125 bike parking areas. They’re all located in the city center.

2) Leave a small deposit (a DKK 20 coin, worth about $3) and ride off with your bike.

3) Stay in the city center. The bikes are easy to identify, and you might get some looks if you’re outside the central zone. According to the official website, “If you ride on a city bike outside the zone, you might get fined by the police.” Also, remember not to ride on any of the city’s pedestrian-only streets (you can walk the bike, however).

4) When you’re finished, return the bike to one of the 125 bike parking areas, whereupon you’ll get back your deposit.

The free-bike zone.

For more information on the program, visit the city’s official website for the free bike program.

So simple.

Popularity: 20% [?]

photograph courtesy of hereiskaty

If you were in the dark about London’s transport system before—paying a ridiculous 4 quid (€5,90; $7.70) for a single journey on the Tube—you needn’t be anymore. Last week we highlighted London’s love affair with the Oyster card.

To simplify things for short-term visitors, there are also two Oyster cards specifically intended for tourists—a one-day card and a three-day card. The Oyster card for Visitors gives cardholders nearly 50% off all cash fares around London on tube, tram, bus, and Docklands Light Railway. Although you have to register your details to get an Oyster card—this part is too Big Brother for us; we suggest you register as “John Doe” if you don’t want Transport for London knowing your every move—it’s worth it for the savings.

With an Oyster card, you’ll pay £1 for bus fares and between £2 and £2.20 for Tube rides, a fraction of what you’d otherwise spend. The beauty of it is you can now snag an Oyster card for Visitors before you even get into London. A new partnership with Gatwick Express allows visitors to buy cards on the train from Gatwick on your way into town. For more information, poke around the Transport for London site.

Popularity: 10% [?]