Airport Transportation Tips and Guide (Don’t Get Scam!)

The very thought of traveling can bring some people anxiety while it simultaneously brings others excitement. The former group may have experienced previous mishaps, diminishing their desire to travel. These are misfortunes such as getting lost after the airport or getting scammed on a taxi ride!

Curb your travel anxiety; everything can go well if you plan out your trip correctly, and even if it doesn’t, you can have contingency plans. Although first-time airport experiences can be overwhelming for the novice, both the beginner and frequent flyer can benefit from airport transportation tips and guides.

Best Resources to Find Information When Planning Your Trip

• Airport Website: The official website should be on a Google Search or the Wikipedia page of the airport. The official site should have the best information about the airport.

• Apps: Google Maps is a great resource to use while traveling, and even before you visit. You use the app to check the location of the airport and how to get there from your hotel or accommodation. It lists the kinds of transport and estimates long it might take with each transport mode. Citymapper and Apple Maps are good alternatives to Google Maps.

• Airport Guides: You can read airport guides about that particular airport you would be visiting. This way adds a bonus of knowing more details about the airport from a traveler’s viewpoint. Also, on websites such as TripAdvisor, you can find people’s comments in forums, so you find firsthand accounts and experiences from real people who have visited before.
General tips for Airport Transportation.

• Pre-book an airport transportation service: One main suggestion for those who quickly have travel anxiety is to book a mode of private transportation for themselves if possible. These are usually airport shuttle buses or train tickets purchased in advance with the airline ticket. Pre-booking a transport service is reassuring and helps these travelers gain control and feel organized. They know that upon arrival, a trustworthy shuttle or train would be arriving on time. Some hotels offer this service for free or for a fee, so make sure to find out if you can book this kind of transport service.

• Make a plan: Anxiety usually stems from feeling like you have no power or control in a given situation. Planning is one of the best ways to curb anxiety. Begin by familiarising yourself with your destination through online research about where you would be visiting and staying. The tools mentioned earlier can help you have a better understanding of the modes of transport used in the particular city or how far that central city is from the airport. You can also find out more about what to do in case your items get lost and other questions. Most airports have many of these types of issues under the FAQ section of their airport website. All this information will be essential in making a stepwise plan. However, apart from planning, there are several other reasons to be informed about airport transportation.

Reasons to be Informed About Airport Transportation

• Security concerns: Avoid getting scammed or even worse robbed or stranded. Few terrible taxi drivers might extort tourists with hiked up prices. In countries with high crime rates, kidnapping or robbers pretend to be friendly taxi drivers but have nefarious reasons.

• Navigation: This is an essential factor when going through a new city. Knowing the kinds of transport options makes it possible for you to plot how to get from one place to another, especially if you intend to use public transportation modes.

• Expense: In some cities, it might be costly to use taxi services everywhere. But it might be possible that several airport shuttles carry passengers to the city center for cheaper. Hotels may run their very own shuttle services as a courtesy service to transport their guests from the airport to their hotels and back.

• Finding Alternatives: Getting informed enables you to uncover alternatives you may not have considered, such as ride-hailing services like Uber or even using the metro.

Tips to Remember For Each Type of Airport Transportation Service

These are tips to recall whenever you are taking one of these modes of transportation. Transportation can eat up your time, so it is beneficial to be cautious. These are important since if you delay and miss checking in or boarding, the airlines are not obligated to help out since the delay was not their fault. It is your responsibility to be on time for any flight.

Taxi
Be sure to check the airport website to see taxi companies officially affiliated with the airport. You could also find out upon arrival. This information can ensure your safety and make sure that you don’t get scammed. Usually, airport taxis have meters to ensure standard prices for customers. It is also worth finding out if the taxis accept credit or debit card payments or have a cash-only policy.

Public transportation
Frankly, it might be daunting to try public transportation when you reach a foreign city. However, with all the information available just from phone apps such as Google Maps, it has never been more convenient to venture into the city center with public transport. You also find out from airport information desks upon arrival, and they usually have brochures or maps to help with navigating through the city. No matter what kind of public transport you take, make sure you are attentive and have taken note of where you need to stop or transfer.

Trains
If you are leaving the airport via train, make sure to get information about the rail lines at the airport information desks or from the airport’s official website. Some airports have handy maps that you could keep with you. However, an alternative would be using mobile phone apps.

Beware if you have connecting trains in your journey and leave enough time to switch trains. Also, plan for what to do if the train delays. If you miss a train connection, make sure to get your ticket endorsed by workers on the delayed train or at the interchange station when you arrive. The staff of the train or the train station can usually be of assistance.