During my semester in Berlin, I got to travel around Europe on weekends and fall break. Here are some tips for your trip planning if you are going to spend a semester on a site in Europe!

? Transportation✈️ By Plane: EasyJet or Ryanair Make sure you check in online and print out boarding pass beforehand so you can avoid the long lines at the airport. Also, some budget airlines don’t have a check-in counter.? By Bus Flixbus The cheapest option for traveling around Europe. for example, a 5-hour direct overnight bus from Berlin to Prague is about 20 euros.? By Train Useful app: Trainline? by carHertz would be a great choice if you are traveling with a group with three to four people (and you are confident in driving). Alternatively, if you are comfortable with sharing rides with strangers, car pooling can be a great option for you. I have heard some good experiences from people but also bad ones so I would recommend you to be cautious and try it out with a friend. Car Pooling: http://www.karzoo.eu/en / https://www.blablacar.de? By Taxi Useful App: mytaxi This is a great taxi booking app in Europe!Uber works in most of the cities I have been to but sometimes they automatically arrange taxis for you, such as in Berlin.

?️AccommodationHostels are cheap and clean in most of the European countries. I have only had good experience with them so I highly recommend!! http://www.hostelworld.com or http://www.booking.com are great options to start with.Airbnb has been my No.1 choice for years. If your budget is low, considering the "private room” option on Airbnb that allows you to stay with a local family by only renting one room at their house/apartment. Be sure to join Airbnb through my referral to grain $35 on your travel credit for your first trip: www.airbnb.com/c/azhao69.

? FoodAn easy way to find great food options is to follow some food bloggers on Instagram. It's an easy way to find some trendy restaurants and hidden gems. If you are in Berlin, check out: http://berlinfoodstories.comI can’t believe I’m going to say this, but Foursquare actually helped me a lot in finding restaurants. The reviews are very authentic and reliable and the website/app has a very simple and clean look. https://foursquare.comIf you feel lazy sometimes that’s okay too. https://deliveroo.de/de/ and https://www.foodora.de got you covered. Foodora and Deliveroo are both active in many European countries.

✏️Trip Planning I found app Google Trips very useful in trip planning. It automatically gathers your flight information from your mail inbox and present them all together in timeline. Recommended day plans, Things to do, Food & drink are also attached. You can make your own day plan with marked locations and routes.

? PhoneMy O2 monthly phone plan based in Berlin got me covered in other European countries. I usually turn off the Cellular use for apps that aren’t essential when I travel (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat…), and I always leave Google Maps on. This article was written by Amanda Zhao. Please send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Photo Credit:Amanda Zhao