Whenever travelling somewhere new, public transport can be quite the difficult beast to tackle as different countries have different rules and etiquette for their most used options – digital nomads like these have been able to produce a great number of tips aimed at helping travelers feel more comfortable when using new public transport for the first time, and there are a great deal of resources online that show plenty of different scenarios. So, if you’re looking to travel like a local on public transit, what should you know?

(Image from safecommunitiesportugal.com)

Research ahead of time – It goes without saying but looking up a route ahead of time can make a trip not only easier but much more comfortable too. Not having to rush around to find the correct platform or to get on the correct bus is often something that would only come with practice, but most public transport networks will have maps and timetables that are readily available too – spend a little time preparing for a trip and whatever plans may be scheduled in ahead of time, and anything ad-hoc that comes up may be easier to navigate with the experience of already looking and mapping online ahead of time.

Use local apps too – Most public transport networks will have their own dedicated apps to help the locals use public transport quickly too – there are some that just issue the tickets to make contactless entry onto public transit, but there are others that also show complete timetables and show the best routes to take, big names like CityMapper are widely used in larger cities as they provide a wealth of information and save the headache of deciding the best routes and the best choice of public transit whether bus, train, tram, or similar. 

Watch videos for public etiquette – Something that’s often more nuanced is the way to behave on public transport, and whilst many  things are universal in approach there are some things that may be region specific – there’s plenty of video content online for those who have travelled and lived in a non-native country for some time and they typically offer some great advise on the dos and don’ts from their own experience, and can be a great blueprint to base travel expectations on and adjust accordingly too. 

Understanding local transport is a great way to fit in and feel more comfortable in any surrounding and is easy enough to do these days – with these tips it’ll be much easier to not shy away from public transport and keep options option for a cheap way to get around.

Edward Bertrand