2024 Travel tips – not just for singers!

Posted on by jessharper90

Travel, evidently, in 2024 is a hilarious experience. Bags are getting lost at record rates, none of the famous cities want tourists anymore (no shade, just an observation), and the cost of everything has skyrocketed.

With all that in mind, and wanting you all to enjoy your travel (work or leisure) as much as possible, I have compiled some tips and things to be mindful of that I have found super useful over the last few years.

  1. If you can travel off peak (season, day of the week, hours of the day), do it. The cost of your travel will be cheaper, and there will be fewer people for you to contend with.
    • Peak seasons in the EU:
      • Christmas/ NYE (think 20th December till 3rd Jan)
      • High summer (July/ August)

  2. There is pretty much always a cheap alternative for the well known train/ bus you’ve heard of (eg. If you want to get from Vienna to Salzburg on the train, you should look up Westbahn, as opposed to ÖBB). Usually said train/ bus will depart from a different station to the central one (so you will save money and spend time), but it’s almost always worth the price difference (depending on how essential timing is for you on any given day). Make sure you look up alternatives to travel if your budget is super tight. This is where the internet is a marvel.
    • Omio is a great app for this
    • Google maps is also a winner

  3. Especially relevant for the Aussies, Kiwis, and Americans – don’t feel you have to hop to a new city every 2-3 days. This is the most exhausting way to travel, and you won’t enjoy visiting a city if you feel time pressure. Spend a solid 4-7 days in a few places over a 2-3 week period. You’ll enjoy yourself a lot more and save a fortune on accommodation. You can take day trips from your base, which is always an easier exercise and more enjoyable.

  4. Money saving accommodation/ food hacks:
    • Get a hotel/ hostel for 1-2 nights, get an air bnb or a hotel room with a kitchenette for longer stays. Booking.com is a good place to find sick deals too
    • Definitely sample local cuisine, but eating at least one meal in your accommodation each day will save you lots of your hard earned money
    • An overnight sleeper train saves you a night of accomodation

  5. Learn ‘hello, goodbye, please, thankyou’ in the/ a local language. Everyone will be a lot nicer to you if they can see that you’re trying. Just because English is your mother tongue, doesn’t mean everyone else should be adjusting for your benefit. They might, of course, but you should put in some effort too!
  6. Don’t be a douchebag. Find out the local customs and traditions and be respectful of them. Just because you’ve turned up and spent some money doesn’t mean you’re entitled to anything special.

  7. Pack as lightly as you can. Whether you travel for one week or three months, you will not need more than 5 days of clothing with you, plus a layer for colder weather and ONE fancy outfit. This really negates the potential issues with loosing luggage etc
    • In winter you will be packing more, but wear your jacket on the plane and utilise the plethora of thermal underwear that exists in the modern world (so warm yourself from the inside layers of clothes to the outside, don’t wear multiple jackets)
    • A travel washing line is the best travel-related investment you could ever make
    • My main point with this piece of advice is that you will be lugging your stuff around with you, and that gets BORING VERY QUICKLY, especially on cobble stones. Pack light and thank me later

  8. YOU MUST HAVE COMPREHENSIVE (so health and possessions) TRAVEL INSURANCE. I don’t care where you get it from, but if you can’t afford to be insured, you can’t afford to travel, ok?
    • Always check and know the terms and conditions of said insurance. You may not get your laptop back without a police report, for example

  9. Keep tabs on your belongings ALL THE TIME, especially in a busy place. Pickpockets are very good at what they do.
    • This also applies to tracking devices in your suitcases. In my personal experience the Apple Air Tag has been the best for our needs

  10. Leave more time for everything than you think. Peak travel times usually align with peak weather systems, which means all modes of transport can get cancelled due to blizzards, heatwaves, global IT meltdowns, etc. It’s rare that all your travel plans will actually go like clockwork (unless you’re in Switzerland or a Scandi country), so consider it a win when it does. No, Germany is not on time anymore either. Sorry to break that to you.
    • Not that they would own up to this, but all travel companies (trains, busses, ships, planes) also cancel services for the simple reason that not enough tickets were sold for that trip, so you may be on an alternative trip. It’s not good enough, and none of us should stand for it, but I want you to be informed!
    • Always check cancellation policies too – you may be eligible for cancellation up to 10 mins before departure (for some busses, but unlikely for other modes of transport)

  11. Within the EU you have fantastic passenger rights when flying. If you are delayed by more than 2 hours to your final destination you are entitled to €200-€600 per passenger (depending on the distance etc). It might take a bit of time after you have travelled, but trace that compensation and don’t back down until you get it.

Musician specific tips, for those of you going for lessons and language classes:

  1. Check well before, and then shortly before, that the teachers you want to see will actually be there. Many hide during summer or will be teaching at festivals/ summer schools

  2. Summer schools are great (except for the ones that suck and fleece singers in particular – do LOTS OF RESEARCH before accepting a place and sending all your hard earned money.) I always recommend AIMS in Graz and Accademia del Bel Canto Rodolfo Celletti

  3. Wear a Humidiflyer when you fly. It is the greatest invention ever

  4. If you’re travelling with your instrument, not only does it need to be insured up the wazoo, make sure you research your airlines in particular and see which ones have musical instrument policies/ positive reviews from other musicians. Shove an AirTag in the case and thank me later

  5. If you’re taking couture with you for a gig, pack it in your carry on as far as possible. Insurance up the wazoo also applies here

  6. Pack light also applies to your audition makeup. You only need two lipsticks (soprani…)*

  7. Enjoy yourself! Travel is wonderful!

*Mostly directed at myself

P.S. Thanks for being here! If you like the blogs, find them useful, and want to see more of them, feel free to buy me a coffee or something else (but no pressure!) xxx