Budget Made Easy!

You arrive at the airport, bravo! Pass all the procedures – another shout-out!- and now are ready for the great new adventure! But first, you need to arrive at the destination – the school. How? On a budget?

For those of us who are not lucky enough to have pick-ups, here are a few options:

1.  Your School: do they provided group transportation? Many schools run orientation programs and pick up all new students if they arrive approximately on the same day. At least contact your administrator to see if it is an option.
2. Public transportation? Big cities (NYC, Chicago, San Francisco, etc.) usually have extensive public transportation system: you can probably take a train/bus from the airport to your school. However, you should check the schedule on the city’s website to make sure that they cover your arrival time. You can also use general trip planner website to verify your route, such as Google Transit or HopStop.
3.  Not a big city? No worries, try shuttle. These vehicles will pick up a few people at the same time, so the cost per person is usually lower than a taxi. The driver will also help you with the luggage. It is often a good idea to book them in advance, so that if you run a few minutes late, they will still wait. To reserve, Google “airport shuttle” + town name to get the phone number or website.
4. Share a ride! Your classmates might be arriving at the same time: it is cost-effective to share a cab with them. However, it may take a lot of coordination between you all. So, if you go this route, make sure your schedules cooperate.

Eventually, if all the above options don’t work, you can always take a cab. But budget-conscious customers should always check online for the rates and names of reliable taxi companies. Though not common, drivers can try to rip you off at the airport, especially at odd hours. If possible, reserve a cab for a specific time: you will avoid the frustration of waiting in a long line.

Have a safe ride to school!