If you are nervous about using public transport in a foreign city, here are a few tips to make it less stressful.
1. Do your research
Plan where you want to go before leaving home. Then do a bit of research to find out how to get there. Your first public transport trip at your holiday destination will probably be from the airport. Make sure you know how to get to your hotel. If you arrive at night, you might want to consider taking a taxi or arrange beforehand with the hotel to send a car. If you must take the bus or train, be sure you know where to get on and get off. It would also be useful to know the fare so that you can prepare the exact change, and how to buy tickets.
Planning ahead can help you save money too. Find out in advance whether it may be more cost effective for you to buy a travel pass or a local transit card instead of single tickets for each journey. There may also be a discount if you travel during off-peak hours.
2. Save the maps to your phone
Don’t rely on data to navigate public transportation; instead download the transit map to your phone. This way, you would still be able to find your way even if you lose the data signal. If you are not great at reading maps, write down the directions and keep them with you.
In fact, it is a good idea to keep offline versions of all the maps that you will be needing on your trip, just in case you cannot connect to the internet. This is also useful when you need to ask for directions but don’t speak the local language – just show them the map and point to the destination name.
3. Pay attention
When you are taking public transportation, it is important to listen carefully to the announcements. The train that is arriving may have your destination name written on the front, but is it the fast or slow train? Will it stop at all stations (including yours), or only at certain stations? Likewise, when you are already on the train, pay attention so that you know to get off when your stop is announced. Try to spot the name of the station too, as your train arrives into each station. If you are on a bus, look for landmarks. Some buses may also announce the name of the next destination, or show it on a display.
4. Be mindful of the time
Check out the local transit schedules so you know what time the different bus and train lines stop running at night. Then give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination. While on the way, if you think you may have missed your stop or taken the wrong train, just get off to double-check. If you need to backtrack or take a new train, make sure you go to the correct platform. However, if you have to wait a long time for the next train, by the time you finally arrive at your destination, it may be too late to do all the things that you had planned. At this point, you should consider whether you want to continue the journey or cancel the trip and return to your hotel.
5. Don’t carry all your valuables with you
If you know you are going to be using public transport all day, leave your valuables e.g.laptops, expensive items, etc, in the hotel safe. Don’t wear expensive jewelry or carry your best designer handbag. Carry just enough cash with you for whatever you have planned for the day and maybe a little extra, but leave the rest in the safe. Make sure your backpack or purse is completely zipped up. Pickpockets are particularly active on crowded buses and trains, don’t give them a chance to make you their next victim.