I’ve got a city-dweller hack that you can use on your next vacation to save on transportation.
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It’s a well-known trick that people who face packed train rides and bus rides use to get a seat after a long day at work.
Here’s how it works. You know that Train Stop C will be jam-packed at a certain time, meaning you’ll need to wait for a chance to board. Even if you do manage to squeeze onboard on the first train that comes in, you’re going to be cramped and uncomfortable for the whole ride.
So, instead of boarding at Train Stop C, you scurry over to Train Stop B, backtracking the metro map to skip out on the super-packed stop.
You board the train at Train Stop B and land a seat. Bada-boom, bada-bing. You miss out on all the madness at Train Stop C, having successfully MacGyvered your way to a comfortable seat.
The same idea can be used during your travels—in more than one way, too.
Ready to use your brain to save more and wait less? Here’s how to use the one-stop trick to save on transportation when traveling.
One-stop trick: save on transportation with cheaper airport taxis
The most impactful way you can use the one-stop trick to save on transportation is to wait to call for a taxi until you’ve left the airport grounds.
Oftentimes, taxis and rideshares must pay a fee to pick up passengers from the airport, which you’ll often cover in your fare. In some cases, rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft will also upcharge based on demand.
If you’re tired of overspending on taxis when leaving the airport, use the one-stop hack.
All you need to do is take a public bus or a public train one stop from your airport, then get off and order a ride from there. Now that you’re away from the airport, you won’t face any airport fees. You might even have cut down on high-traffic spots, saving you time and a bit more money, if the meter is running.
Just know that this won’t always work. I live in Barcelona, Spain, where the airport is around 20 minutes outside of town. There’s no train that will drop you off, and the first stop on the public bus is inside the city, meaning you might as well see the ride through at that point.
That being said, it’s a great hack to keep in your back pocket for more urban airports, especially if you’re traveling during peak season.
One-stop trick: how to save on transportation with car rentals
You can use the exact same logic to save on car rentals. Usually, the closer to the city center (and especially any tourist zones) a car rental shop is, the more expensive it will be in terms of add-on fees.
If you want to save big on a car rental, consider reserving a vehicle at a location that’s further outside of town.
To be clear, don’t rent from the airport if you can help it—airport rentals usually incur the highest costs. On the flip side, also avoid renting a car in the city center and in tourist zones. Instead, look for the middle ground—ie, a car rental spot that’s ‘one stop’ from your lodging, and a place a local would pick one up for the weekend.
One-stop trick: how to avoid huge lines for subways/metros
Let’s head back to the original one-stop hack: avoiding jam-packed subway cars during peak rush hour. Depending on where you’re going and what you’re doing, you (hopefully) won’t face too many journeys by rail at rush hour.
That being said, if you’re heading to a major concert or sporting event, it’s likely to happen when the experience wraps up.
It’s one of the most brutal experiences a traveler can face. You’re feeling exhausted after a long day and a big event, and you need to get back to your lodging, but all the taxis and rideshares are booked. Even if they aren’t, they might be out of your price range.
So you head to the metro or bus station to head back with the hordes of attendees, then end up waiting an hour or longer just to pack onto a busy, hectic car or train. It’s mayhem, and you get off feeling fatigued and overwhelmed.
Use the one-stop hack to plan ahead. Figure out the metro or bus stop before where all those attendees are likely to get on, then backtrack to its predecessor. Though you might need to walk a bit, you might land a seat, letting you cruise home in (relative) comfort—and without having overpaid for transportation.
