What is the cheapest thing you have done to save on transportation?
Dec 13, 2008, 6:23 pm
#61
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,072
I am going to split this question into two answers,
Best Deal: Summer of '05 I bought the GLiDE Student travel pass from Indy Air for $250 and flew over 20 flights. I used their $10 off coupon to pay for the airport tax, in the end the airline had to pay more in tax from my coupons then the $250 i paid. No wonder they went out of biz.
most inconvenient to save a few $: Going to JFK I took the Subway to connect with a Bus to save the $5 on the Air Train.
Best Deal: Summer of '05 I bought the GLiDE Student travel pass from Indy Air for $250 and flew over 20 flights. I used their $10 off coupon to pay for the airport tax, in the end the airline had to pay more in tax from my coupons then the $250 i paid. No wonder they went out of biz.
most inconvenient to save a few $: Going to JFK I took the Subway to connect with a Bus to save the $5 on the Air Train.
Dec 16, 2008, 2:24 pm
#62
Formerly known as rwk32882
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN, FL350
Programs: IHTFP, AS 75k, AA EXP, AC 75k, ex-UA 1K, Ex-BD *G (RIP), SPG Gold
Posts: 504
I hitch-hiked from AKL to a hostel in the city center because I didn't want to pay for the city bus. This was of course after I flew BOS-SFO-SYD (in F on UA) and SYD-AKL (in C on NZ) thanks to the good old CNZ mistake fare. If I had known better, I would have used EK to fly the SYD-AKL segment that way I could have used their complimentary limo to get to the youth hostel! 
I also suffered a gruelling 44 hour bus ride just so that I didn't have to pay the outrageous airfare between Iguazu Falls and Rio de Janiero. The bus picked me up around 5AM in Puerto Iguazu instead of the scheduled time of midnight. It was during those five hours that I learned how mosquito-infested that part of the world really is. After the late pickup, we were detained at the border because of some kids that were also on the bus who didn't have proper documentation. Later in the trip we had one breakdown and two flat tires and I managed to get food poisoning from some truck-stop food. Good times! Oh, and we arrived into Rio at around 1AM which is a splendid time to be in a bad section of that town. I think I saved about $180 US in the end.
I also suffered a gruelling 44 hour bus ride just so that I didn't have to pay the outrageous airfare between Iguazu Falls and Rio de Janiero. The bus picked me up around 5AM in Puerto Iguazu instead of the scheduled time of midnight. It was during those five hours that I learned how mosquito-infested that part of the world really is. After the late pickup, we were detained at the border because of some kids that were also on the bus who didn't have proper documentation. Later in the trip we had one breakdown and two flat tires and I managed to get food poisoning from some truck-stop food. Good times! Oh, and we arrived into Rio at around 1AM which is a splendid time to be in a bad section of that town. I think I saved about $180 US in the end.
Dec 19, 2008, 7:33 am
#63
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: MAD, ORY, CDG mostly
Programs: AF/KL silver, Sixt Plat., BMI *G, Northwest Gold, Iberia nothing, Spanair Blue
Posts: 171
Low cost one-way FlyNiki flight VIE-CDG. Moving back from VIE to my home town, Paris.
The night before I checked a huge 30kg+ bag in the city centre CAT terminal where you may check-in before getting on the fast train to Schwechat airport. I avoided extra kg $ by stating that I had the Gold status (a lie) and it worked so well she gave me 1A.
Day of the flight I managed to take on-board, at the very last moment so they can't refuse without delaying the flight... 3 bags consisting of 2 carry-ons and 1 big wheeled suitcase (I guess they thought I was a hotshot as I had 1A?)
Waiting for my check luggage in CDG. I chatted with an Intel executive and convinced him to take a cab and dropp me off at my address!
Total luggage : 60kg+... Never done that again! Even to the US I mostly only take a roll-on!
Rode for free on the RER train from CDG to Paris.
Took a return Ryanair flights instead of driving MAD-SDR-MAD, lots cheaper and quicker!!! 10€ return, tax included. Would have cost me 8 more hour by car and 100€ more in gas!
The night before I checked a huge 30kg+ bag in the city centre CAT terminal where you may check-in before getting on the fast train to Schwechat airport. I avoided extra kg $ by stating that I had the Gold status (a lie) and it worked so well she gave me 1A.
Day of the flight I managed to take on-board, at the very last moment so they can't refuse without delaying the flight... 3 bags consisting of 2 carry-ons and 1 big wheeled suitcase (I guess they thought I was a hotshot as I had 1A?)
Waiting for my check luggage in CDG. I chatted with an Intel executive and convinced him to take a cab and dropp me off at my address!
Total luggage : 60kg+... Never done that again! Even to the US I mostly only take a roll-on!
Rode for free on the RER train from CDG to Paris.
Took a return Ryanair flights instead of driving MAD-SDR-MAD, lots cheaper and quicker!!! 10€ return, tax included. Would have cost me 8 more hour by car and 100€ more in gas!
Dec 22, 2008, 5:58 am
#64
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1
I had to go to Toronto last September and the fare for my usual Air Canada flight from DCA was $505. Ridiculous considering what it had been 9/07, which I believe was less than half that.
So I booked (made res in July I think) a round trip flight to Buffalo on Southwest for $69 each way. I flew out late at night from BWI, then spent several hours in the Buffalo airport before getting the Megabus for $12 to cross the border. Reversed the process on the way home. I actually got in at the same time of day I would have with my usual early morning AC flight. Tiring but worth it and a bit of an adventure for someone far from student age.
I assume I could have made it even cheaper with more advance notice. Oh, I also spent $7.95 to use the airport WiFi the first round to pass the time until the 4 am Megabus.
So I booked (made res in July I think) a round trip flight to Buffalo on Southwest for $69 each way. I flew out late at night from BWI, then spent several hours in the Buffalo airport before getting the Megabus for $12 to cross the border. Reversed the process on the way home. I actually got in at the same time of day I would have with my usual early morning AC flight. Tiring but worth it and a bit of an adventure for someone far from student age.
I assume I could have made it even cheaper with more advance notice. Oh, I also spent $7.95 to use the airport WiFi the first round to pass the time until the 4 am Megabus.
Dec 22, 2008, 8:06 pm
#65
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Itinerant
Programs: DL FO, AA PLT, BD *G
Posts: 402
I'm thinking about doing just that... Bermuda to small airports in northern New York and Vermont is much cheaper than Bermuda to Montreal, where I'm going to next year. The connections work out a lot better too, so I won't lose too much time with the bus.
Dec 24, 2008, 8:30 am
#66
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: CAE
Programs: HH Gold; Marriott Gold; Hertz #1 5*
Posts: 425
PVR Taxi
I left the airport at PVR, crossed the pedestrian bridge with wife and 5 year old, each with suitcase, just to save 10 dollars on a local taxi vs. The federal taxi.
We took the bus in PVR all the time, saving all kinds of money not taking the taxis.
We took the bus in PVR all the time, saving all kinds of money not taking the taxis.
Last edited by fajimenez; Dec 24, 2008 at 8:36 am
Dec 29, 2008, 3:50 pm
#67
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 12
I sat.
Would have been okay but I wish they would not close the cafe. I was dying for a coffee or atleast something else to drink. Maybe Airport should have vending machines!
Dec 30, 2008, 3:17 pm
#69
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: SJC/SFO/OAK
Programs: NW-PE (ret.) DL-Diamond & 1M, Hertz #1, UA-1P
Posts: 837
Of course, the usual sleeping in airports and train stations.
Distinctly cheap (~$0.27?)--taking the subway from Ramases station to the University in Cairo to get to the Giza pyramids.
Distinctly cheap (~$0.27?)--taking the subway from Ramases station to the University in Cairo to get to the Giza pyramids.
Dec 31, 2008, 3:32 pm
#72
In Memoriam
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Southern California
Programs: Hertz 5 star, Priceline Hotel bidder. AA PLT, 1MM.
Posts: 2,910
I also got some really nice freebies from the presentations. Although there were alot of pressure to buy, I didn't bite. My hotel was decent, had a ceiling fan and cost about $12-13/night. (didn't want to pay extra for A/C--didn't need it )I took the bus to/from the airport. Saved alot of pesos.
Apr 10, 2011, 5:07 am
#74
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 63
Cheapest and worst
After losing my ATM card I went overland from Leh, Ladakh to Kathmandu using 3rd tier trains and local buses. (Had to go down through Manalia, Dehradun, Lucknow, and then crossed the border at Gorakpur).Took about 3 days and was horrendous.
Apr 10, 2011, 7:42 pm
#75
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 193
Last week, in order to get around the $5 (partly on principal, but also b/c it worked better for me) I took the Airtrain to Howard Beach, got off and purchased a Metrocard from the vending machine, grabbed a copy of the subway map, got back on the Airtrain to Terminal 4 and waited outside for the city bus. The Q10 and the B15 take you to the "A" and "3" subway stations, respectively, about 20 minutes away.