What’s the cheapest possible way to get to China from Europe? (Except hitchhiking)
Train? Flying to some place to take the train from there?
Walk?
Valentine said:
Walk?
Literally just finished this book - Admirable, but does not sound fun!
Valentine said:
Walk?
I think you spend more on food and housing during your travel than an airplane ticket costs, to be fair.
Chinese airline tickets are quite cheap from Europe to China, it’s probably the cheapest way if you consider all the other costs of trying to use a different way to travel.
Linden said:
Chinese airline tickets are quite cheap from Europe to China, it’s probably the cheapest way if you consider all the other costs of trying to use a different way to travel.
China Air is the worst airline experience I’ve ever had. I’m sure others are better, but I wouldn’t recommend them.
If the goal is to just keep the cost of the actual transit down, it would be to walk, but you will need to eat, etc., so the overall cost will be higher.
I looked into cargo ships years ago and at the time it wasn’t cheaper than a really good deal on a flight.
If your schedule is flexible, then your best is likely just to watch for cheap flights. Maybe bus/train to a cheap city to fly out of first.
Now you can look for ways to get a cheap flight. In the US, we can get a credit card that will give points that can be transferred into flights. Maybe find someone who works for an airline and see if they will give you a buddy pass. Maybe get a job at an airline.
430 euro return ticket for example from Brussels to Beijing with Hainan Airlines (Nov-Dec 2024).
Nico said:
430 euro return ticket for example from Brussels to Beijing with Hainan Airlines (Nov-Dec 2024).
€188 flights from Budapest to Shanghai in this November. Don’t need to return.
Realistically, some sort of cheap flight will always be the absolutely best and cheapest option. Even if your transportation to China will be completely free, you would still have to spend more than the plane ticket would cost to cover the food and accommodation. Flying will always be the cheapest option.
You can book passage on cargo ships. Otherwise, flying. You’d spend more money on any other method in accommodation.
Try skiplagged.com for cheaper multi-leg flights.
Ren said:
You can book passage on cargo ships. Otherwise, flying. You’d spend more money on any other method in accommodation.
Try skiplagged.com for cheaper multi-leg flights.
I think most cargo ships have stopped doing this since COVID, and the costs were quite heavy so it would not be the cheapest way for sure.
Where in China? It matters.
(1) Don’t fly to the major hubs. Fly to a smaller town in China and make a transit in the major airports (Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou), and you will see the mass difference in airfare. Chinese airlines would make connecting flights unbeatable in price for no reason.
(2) Fly Wizz to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and then take the bus to Urumqi. Once you get into China, take trains (non-high speed, regular ones that have four-digit train numbers). They are insanely cheap and not slow at all.
This will take some time; get hired as a stewardess; work until you get transcontinental flights; quit with your last flight landing in Europe. Otherwise, just get a flight such as the one Loepie mentioned. All other methods will take longer and cost you significantly more in board & food.
My friend bicycled there from France.
Walk.
What you save in money you’ll spend in time. You can get back the money, never the time.
Don’t be cheap. Buy a plane ticket, direct flight. You’ll thank me later.
Shiloh said:
What you save in money you’ll spend in time. You can get back the money, never the time.
Don’t be cheap. Buy a plane ticket, direct flight. You’ll thank me later.
You also spend time to earn the money, at work.
@Devin
You’re right. Just swim, or go hitchhiking, and ask to sleep on people’s couches. Save your money and just be a burden to others. That’s the way to do it.
Shiloh said:
@Devin
You’re right. Just swim, or go hitchhiking, and ask to sleep on people’s couches. Save your money and just be a burden to others. That’s the way to do it.
I didn’t say to beg on the way there. Direct flights are much more expensive than flights with one or two stops that can take you a day but save you 400€.
No need to be hostile. Don’t do unto others what you wouldn’t want done unto you, and all that.