3 Ways To Save Money on Travel for the Summer Olympics 2024
Every four years, the Summer Olympics bring tourism, crowded streets and hype to its host city. And as with any popular event, prices on transportation, lodging and souvenirs are often inflated.
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If you’re traveling for the Olympics, as an estimated 2.1-3.1 million unique individuals are planning to do, those costs can add up quickly. So how do you ensure you stick to your budget while you’re there?
Cut Transportation Costs
The first solution to cutting transportation costs in a large city like Paris, host to this year’s Games, is taking public transportation like the metro. However, if you wish to take the Paris metro during the Olympics, you may run into problems.
“Be aware that Paris has closed several major metro stations in the lead-up to the Olympic Games, such as Concorde and Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau,” cautioned Academy Bank in an article.
Instead, two other options are recommended: Paris 2024 Pass and bicycle riding.
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The Paris 2024 pass, offered from July 20 to September 8, is a travel card that you can easily load into your smartphone. It provides discounts on the metro, buses and trams within Paris. Use this to avoid paying full price each time you use public transportation to get to the Games.
Paris is known as a bike-friendly city, with a variety of streets and paved roads that allow bikers to traverse easily. Consider using Vélib’ Métropole, Paris’s service for bike-sharing. It offers packages for 24-hour and three-day access to bicycles around the city that you can use at your convenience.
Preplan Currency Exchange
Planning will prevent you from being slapped with high convenience fees at airports or other busy currency exchange locations.
“In the United States, the best place to buy euros with dollars is usually at your bank or credit union because they are usually the cheapest,” said Paris Discovery Guide in a post.
By acquiring euros before you get on your flight, you can save money and hassle. It is always good to travel with cash on hand for convenience — especially if you end up in a situation where the business only takes cash. Additionally, you may find that there are some issues with your credit or debit card when traveling abroad, and having cash on hand will allow you to complete your transaction without having to call your bank.
If you do plan on using credit, ensure that your credit card has no foreign transaction fees. Those fees can add up quickly, especially if you are making frequent smaller purchases.
Pick Cheaper Viewing Options
Some of the marquee events such as gymnastics and swimming that attract large crowds will have pricier tickets. But if you’re okay skipping those, it may be a better bang for your buck to buy tickets for less publicized sports like golf and rugby, which have tickets starting at roughly 24 euros.
Throughout Paris, there will also be free viewing areas for events such as bicycle racing and the marathon. Be sure to do your research regarding the locations where you can view these sports.
Lastly, there are places in the city where sports fans can meet up and form communities that have been set up specifically for the event.
“Make sure to stay informed about official fan zones and public viewing areas,” Academy Bank said. “These locations let everyone join in the excitement for free, with large screens showing live Olympic events, live entertainment, food stalls, and themed activities.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 3 Ways To Save Money on Travel for the Summer Olympics 2024