Letting Strangers Arrange Transportation

In your quest to save money on ground transportation in cities, be certain you put safety ahead of savings.

At a top hotel such as London's Grosvenor House, a concierge or doorman will gladly arrange transportation for you. You can have confidence in their services.

But if a stranger approaches you in an airport or on the street and offers you great prices on transportation, it's best to keep walking.

In some parts of the world, a "free tour" leads to kidnapping. In others, it might require you to sit through a high-pressure sales presentation for a timeshare or some other travel product.

A common travel scam in some heavily visited areas is to sell mass transit passes at discounted prices. Only buy such tickets from a vending machine or transit clerk.

Taking an Unnecessary Taxi

Continuing the focus on safety-first with ground transportation, there are times when budget travelers should take a taxi. If it's late at night and you're in unfamiliar territory, the added costs are justified. In some places with inadequate mass transit, you might just have to cough up taxi fare.

But in most cities, using taxis as your primary method of transportation will put quite a strain on your travel budget.

Drivers will sometimes take the longest route possible in order to run up a better tab. You'll be expected to tip the driver. And if you don't have enough small bills, that tip could wind up much larger than you preferred.

It's best to classify taxis as last-resort transportation.

Renting a Car That's Not Needed

In many large cities, it's entirely possible that you won't need a car rental. Airport trains connect passengers with central city locations -- sometimes at bargain prices.

The costs of operating a car in large cities will add up quickly. Gasoline tends to be more expensive. Parking is often more expensive than anticipated. It's often quicker to take mass transit than to navigate unfamiliar streets and locate that expensive parking.

If your itinerary involves a mixture of urban and rural traveling, be sure to limit the car rental to days it will be necessary. If at all possible, don't rent the car at the airport.

Not Buying a Mass Transit Pass

In any large city, it pays to find a travel pass that will fit with the length of your stay and the area you'll cover. Many passes are sold by time (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.) and by geographic zones of use. More zones on the pass requires additional cost.

These passes usually are the cheapest way to get around a city, and yet many travelers don't take the time to educate themselves about the options and the points of purchase.

Sometimes the options can be confusing. But it's almost always worth the few minutes it takes to understand those opportunities for savings.

Allowing Transit System Maps to Intimidate

This map shows the train, bus, subway and light rail options in Munich. There's a lot to look at here, and it's written in German.

A certain percentage of people will simply walk away and find the nearest taxi stand.

It's not nearly as complicated as it looks. The various transportation lines are all color-coded on the map. Most of the routes don't apply to your trip and can be ignored. If German names are too hard to remember, just count the number of stops and exit the train at the appropriate destination.

This is one of those things that might be tough the first time, but becomes far easier with every experience.

Traveling at Peak Times

In Washington D.C., the best deals on mass transit come at off-peak hours. If you choose to enter the crowded Metro with all the other commuters, you'll pay full price.

In other parts of the world, this might not prove true, but you'll experience delays and spend a lot of time standing.

If you're on vacation, plan your transit for times when the crowds are thinner. Avoid rush hour and the delays that accompany it.

Hourly parking rates in big cities have skyrocketed in the past few decades. In many places, the prime space in which lots are located is taxed at extremely high rates. Other parking facilities have become more valuable as additional construction makes an area more densely populated. When supply falls and demand increases, you'll pay more to park.

In some places, researching your parking options just to save some pocket change might not be wise.

But there are cities where you should consider the best price. If you can save $20/day by walking a block or two and avoiding the hotel valet service, it's well worth the effort.

Few expenses provide more aggravation than a speeding ticket.

But police are usually motivated by the best intentions. They're trying to keep the streets safer. For every story about a speed trap and unreasonable officers, there are dozens of instances in which the driver was moving far too fast and deserved to pay a fine.

It is true that some departments will target rental cars or out-of-town drivers, knowing there is little chance they'll contest the ticket in court.

So it pays to be aware of the speed limits and stay away from the flashing lights.