Considering the state of the Nigerian economy, travelling home during the long holiday either for festivals or vacation, has become a source of concern for some individuals, families, and organisations. Their worry is that during the season, the cost of transportation doubles, and it is expected to skyrocket further as Christmas approaches.
However, experts have said that travelling shouldn’t bother you, as they offer tips that can guide travellers, either when you travel with your vehicle or by public transport, without incurring extra cost or going through much stress.
try to arrange for a paying passenger, who is going in your direction, and if you are not driving, try to get a ride from a friend or religious worship member
Experts’ advice
Before you embark on that trip, consider these experts’ tips to cut the cost of travel and have some extra money, so that you can have enough to fall back on after the celebrations and also save time. If you are travelling by road, rail or air, you have to follow these to save more:
A financial coach, Mr. Tayo Alawode, advised that it is better to book ahead of the trip in order to benefit from the discount offered by travel companies.
“And in case you are driving, try to arrange for a paying passenger, who is going in your direction, and if you are not driving, try to get a ride from a friend or religious worship member. This will save you fortunes, in terms of expenses made on fuel and on the wear and tear of your vehicle. Avoid travelling during peak period or ‘rush hour’, like few days to the festivities,” he said.
Though, this may not be possible for career individuals or top chief executives of blue-chip firms, but for them, another expert, Mrs. Ayo Adeniji, says the best time to get the cheapest fare is on the festival day, because most of the travel firms will be in a rush to embark on trips and bring back people that had travelled earlier.
According to her, it has been observed that during end-of-the-year celebrations, peak travel dates change each year, depending on the day of the week the holidays fall, “but you can generally guess which dates will be the most expensive for travelling.
“It is important for you to try to consider which travel days would allow you to maximise your long weekends, without taking too many days off work, and that is probably when everyone will want to go.
If you’re not sure, you can make enquiries online to find out about flexible travel dates by your airlines; these will show you the date combinations and will give you the best deal.”
A travel agent, Mr. Tobi Onakoya, advised that checking alternate airports and bus stations is another strategy to prepare ahead of the trip. Your timely findings can make you score on almost every front: be it parking, car rentals, traffic to and from, and nearby hotels, which will save you both time and money.
RECALL
- Join friend/family on the journey
- Book ticket ahead of holiday
- Avoid unnecessary luggage
“Keep in mind that smaller airports witness fewer flights and, typically, fewer delays are recorded, so you can opt for such. For people travelling by air, endeavour to plot your connecting flights carefully. When booking flights, check online carefully for sufficient time during layovers, and build in some time for flight delays and weather woes, particularly, during the rainy months,” he said.
Peak travel times often bring increased travel delays, and your connection is more likely to be jeopardised. When travelling, be it by road or air, always endeavour to pack your luggage wisely to avoid extra fees. Don’t over-pack your checked luggage; overstuffed bags that must be opened for security check at the airport are much hard to repack and can also cost you some time.
When packing, keep in mind that most bus transport service providers will tell you to pay for extra luggage. Even airlines are not left out, as they now involve charging travellers’ fees for checking any bags on domestic flights and even some international ones. So, it is best to trim your luggage.
Endeavour to choose nonstop flights or rides, because the most brutal delays occur in connecting airports or stopover parks, where you have no home, friends or family to retreat to.
Finally, always endeavour to have a fully charged phone while travelling.
