How to Get Free Bus Travel

Everyone likes an occasional freebie. For someone who uses public transportation on a regular basis, finding ways to take the bus for free can have a real impact on the wallet. It takes some digging to find such opportunities, but there are several ways you can travel free by travel if you're in the right situation.

1 Check when your employer offers free bus tickets as a benefit. Colleges and universities sometimes provide free bus travel to new employees and other businesses have followed suit.

2 Call your local city hall and ask about free bus travel for commuters or shoppers to the downtown area. For example, Denver has a service called FREE MallRide that helps people save money and keeps the city from having to build more parking garages.

3 Contact the American Bus Association for press releases or consumer notices about special deals on bus passes. Web sites of the top bus companies, including Greyhound, Megabus and Trailways, also issue bulletins about promotions.

4 Ask a travel agent about the possibility of free bus travel at your destination if you're a student or a senior and planning a trip overseas.

5 Sign on with a temporary agency. Strange as it sounds, some smaller cities hire people to ride the bus on holidays to keep their numbers up.

How to Travel From Cairo to Alexandria, Egypt by Rail

One of the best ways to enjoy Egypt's rich history is to travel the country by rail. The train trip from Cairo to Alexandria will take you along one of the country's most picturesque routes. You can take the speedy "Turbotrain" and reach Alexandria in just over two hours. Follow these steps to start planning your trip.

Book Train Tickets

1 Book your tickets online through the Egyptian National Railways Web site (see Resources below).

2 Call Egyptian National Railways at 011 (+20) 575 3555 to book your trip.

3 Remember that, once you're in Egypt, you can buy tickets at the train station's ticket office. However, you may find long lines there.

4 Avoid the lines by booking your tickets in advance via email through an Egyptian travel agency.

Choose Arrival and Departure Times

1 Understand that the express trains dominate this route's schedule. An express train departs from Cairo every hour or so.

2 Keep in mind that Cairo's main train station, Ramses Station, is located in a part of Cairo known for congested traffic and crowds. If you're leaving from this station, it's a good idea to pick a departure time that allows you to avoid peak-hour traffic.

Choose a Train

1 Know that three types of trains are available for this route. The Turbotrain is the fastest and most luxurious. It offers air-conditioning, refreshments and the choice of first- and second-class seats.

2 Save money and book your ticket on the express train. It isn't as quick as the Turbotrain, but it's more affordable and offers fairly decent first- and second-class accommodations.

How to Find Cheap Travel for Seniors

Just because you are a senior doesn't mean you don’t want to travel and have some fun. Yet the reality is many that seniors have more time on their hands and less money than those adults who are working full-time. If you know where to look, there are plenty of ways to cut costs for senior travel.

1 Travel abroad in the off-season. Summer is the most expensive time to travel as children are out of school and the weather is warmer. Air fares to Europe are much lower between mid-October and March.

2 Join Senior groups. Groups such as the American Association of Retired Persons offer travel discounts to anyone over age 50.

3 Travel by rail. Amtrak offers a 15% discount for senior travel. In Europe, different countries offers different deals. Eurostar offers 25% off fares for seniors, but they need to be booked ahead of time.

4 Look for early-bird menus at restaurants. Many seniors like to turn in early, so an meal served between 5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. may suit your needs perfectly. Many restaurants offer the same meals for less money earlier in the evening.

5 Ask whenever and where ever you go if there is a senior discount. Many bargain prices are offered but not advertised. Make sure to ask for discounts at hotels, car rentals, retailers, restaurants, or when booking air, bus and train travel.

How to Travel for Free on a Sailboat

Thousands of sailboats travel the world's oceans every year. Some of them need help.

1 Acquire sailing experience if at all possible. Sailing small dinghies may not give you any advantage, but experience on larger boats, however limited, may set you apart from other candidates.

2 Prepare a resume. Sailing larger boats isn't all about sailing. Skills such as cooking, mechanical ability and medical training are often in great demand.

3 Search classified ads. Some national magazines and many local and regional publications list opportunities to travel by sailboat.

4 Travel to popular sailing centers. They are the best places to make contact with people who are setting out on a passage.

5 Search waterfront bulletin boards.

6 Speak with clerks at marine stores. They'll know who's planning to sail away in coming days.

7 Stake out sailing bars and restaurants. Sailors tend to congregate in certain eating and drinking establishments. These are great places to make contact.

8 Sell yourself. Once you identify a boat and owner who might want to take you along, you'll have to convince him or her your presence will make the trip substantially better. Your first trip will give you references and experience, which will make it easier to get yourself future berths.

How to Book Train Travel from Vancouver to Seattle

There's nothing like touring the great Pacific Northwest by rail, where the ubiquitous evergreen trees, cleansing rains, and snowcapped mountains are all visible from the comfort of your window. Here's how to ride in style from Vancouver to Seattle.

Book Train Travel from Vancouver to Seattle

1 Call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak's web site in the "Resources" section below. On the web site, you can book your train reservations via Amtrak's Fare Finder. You can also navigate the site if you have a PDA, Blackberry or other handheld device. Tickets are less than $50 one way, or $100 round trip. Discounts are available for children, seniors, retirees, military personnel and students with appropriate identification and discount cards.

2 If you ordered your tickets online or by phone, pick them up at a ticket agent or at one of the Quik-Trak kiosks that can be found at many Amtrak locations (you'll need to enter your reservation number). If you've booked your trip far in advance, you can also request that your tickets be mailed to you.

Prepare for Your Train Travel From Vancouver To Seattle

1 Plan on arriving at the Vancouver station at least a half hour early, especially if you're checking luggage. You may check up to three pieces of luggage, weighing no more than 50 pounds each. You can also carry on two pieces of luggage that may not exceed 50 pounds or certain size restrictions.

2 Carry the appropriate identification. Because this is an international trip, you are required to carry two pieces of identification that verify your identity and citizenship. Examples would be a driver's license and a passport or birth certificate. You will be required to provide your license or passport numbers when you make your reservation.

Enjoy the Trip

1 Plan on your trip taking approximately four hours. There are no major stops between Vancouver and Seattle.

2 Enjoy hot meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the dining car. For coach passengers, the meals cost extra, but they're included with the first-class fare.

3 Rent a digEplayer, an electronic device loaded with music, movies, and music videos. On some trips, there are volunteer park rangers who point out interesting sites along the way.

4 Leave your cigarettes at home or in your luggage, as this trip is non-smoking.

How to Book Train Travel From Berlin to Amsterdam

Make the most of a trip to Europe by taking the train between countries. Germany and the Netherlands are well-connected by rail, and booking a seat on an InterCity train to Amsterdam from Berlin is easily managed.

Plan Your Train Travel From Berlin to Amsterdam

1 Plan your train travel to Amsterdam for the summer to make the most of the views along the way.

2 Amsterdam's Centraal Station is in the center of the old city. The modern city is divided by its surrounding 5 canals, each creating a concentric circle around the historic center of the city.

3 Expect to spend between 6 1/2 and 9 hours on the train between Berlin and Amsterdam.

4 Plan to depart from Berlin's central station for most trains to Amsterdam. You may also find that a departure from Berlin's Ostbahnhoff or Charlottenburg stations is more convenient. Inspect the schedule to confirm that you may board your train at these stations as service may be intermittent.

Book Your Train Travel From Berlin to Amsterdam

1 Download a timetable of trains from Berlin to Amsterdam from Deutsche Bahn's Web site before you book your ticket (see Resources). The schedule will indicate connecting stations along the route, the frequency of the departure and what amenities are available onboard the train when you travel.

2 Notice that there is only one direct InterCity train from Berlin to Amsterdam. It operates daily, except when noted in the schedule annotations, and it takes around 6 1/2 hours to arrive in Amsterdam.

3 Understand that reservations are not requisite on all trains from Berlin to Amsterdam. However, on longer trains like those servicing Amsterdam, it is highly recommended that you get one. There is a small additional fee associated with making reservations, but most travelers would agree that it is one well worth paying.

4 Note that on some connecting trains between Berlin and Amsterdam there are only second class seats available. If you wish to book first class accommodations for your entire journey, confirm that it is possible for your chosen route.

How to Book Train Travel From Paris to Venice

Go from visiting the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe in one day to seeing the great canals of Venice the next. With a train ticket from Paris to Venice, you can do just that in a matter of hours. French rail systems offer travelers many options for rail travel between these two great cities.

Find a Ticket on a Train From Paris to Venice

1 Use an online travel site to book the right tickets for the train route of your choice.

2 Choose a rail pass or an individual roundtrip ticket for your travel plans. If you plan to visit multiple cites or countries, a rail pass might be a better option for you to save money and time.

3 Figure out whether first and second class seats are both available as you book your tickets online. Most sites will give you this information upfront in the booking process.

4 Decide whether you have to take 1 or 2 trains to get to Venice. Often, you will have to change trains in Lyon to finish your trip both ways. Keep in mind that this means doing so in the wee hours of the morning if traveling on an overnight service.

5 Book seat or sleeper accommodations reservations to guarantee your place on a train from Paris to Milan. This will cost you $10 to $30 extra on average, depending on the type of reservation and class type.

Exercise Good Train Etiquette From Paris to Venice

1 Limit the number of carry-on bags you have to only those that can fit in the rack above you or under your seat.

2 Learn some French and Italian social phrases to help you get along with locals. These include how to greet people, how to ask for directions to common destinations and how to say "thank you."

3 Keep your train ticket and passport handy so as not to hold up any ticket-checking processes once on the train.