Rick Steves' Best Tip For Making Your Way Around European Cities Like A Local

If you've done some sightseeing, you're probably familiar with the experience of realizing that two of the stops you were hoping to visit were a lot farther apart than you expected — or maybe just that your feet hurt a lot more after a day at the Louvre than you predicted. Luckily, guidebook writer, tour guide, and world traveler Rick Steves offers some handy advice on his website that just might help you plan your trip and save your legs, especially in Europe: Don't be afraid to take the bus.

Just like how taking the subway can help you blend in with the locals in NYC, taking the public transportation in Europe is a great way to get around, save money, and experience the city as the local residents do. Even though many European cities have robust and efficient subway systems Steves suggests being prepared to take the bus anyway. In some cases, buses can be cheaper, come more quickly, and take you closer to the next stop on your itinerary than a train.

While it can be fun to dive right in and make mistakes in a new city, if you want to take the bus in Europe, you should probably do a little research in advance. Find out what kind of ticket or pass you need to ride. For instance, in Berlin, you can get a valid ticket that entitles you to use any form of public transportation, but you'll need to make sure that you're buying one for the right fare zone. If you buy a bus ticket in Rome, you need to avoid the common ticket mistake many tourists make when taking the train and make sure that you validate your ticket before hopping on board. While you're at it, take a look at the bus schedule, too. While road traffic within the city may make routes unpredictable sometimes, it will give you a good idea of when to show up at the bus stop and how long you can expect to be waiting.

When you get on the bus, double-check that it's going to your destination. To do this, Rick Steves suggests simply smiling at the bus driver and saying the name of the station that you're planning to go to. The best thing about this is that you don't need to speak the local language to do it (though adding a "please?" in the primary language of the city is a nice touch). The bus may stop on its own when you reach your destination, but just to be safe, consider pulling the cord or pressing the button when you think you're up next.

Many travelers may avoid buses because they're concerned about getting lost. As Rick Steves points out, bus routes can be a lot more confusing than trains and trams because they're not limited to one track. While in big cities, buses may come all the time, you still typically have to keep a bus schedule in mind to make sure you're waiting at the stop at the right time. Fortunately, Steves has a lot of travel tips that can make getting around easier. The simplest one, as he shares in an article, is just asking a fellow passenger or someone else waiting on the platform if you're not sure where a bus is going. While you might be trying to blend in, it's better to quickly ask someone who lives there for help rather than forge ahead and end up going in the wrong direction.

There are a lot of apps for making your travel plans, and Steves recommends embracing technology to find your way around the bus system in a new city. Check in advance which mapping apps are recommended in your destination that provide step-by-step instructions for catching the bus and making transfers. If you do happen to get off at the wrong stop, you can use the app to get back on track, too.