In the past, it was common to see foreign backpackers hopping on trains, subways, or renting bikes to explore tourist cities. With the opening of domestic travel, many Chinese independent travelers have also started exploring the world at low costs, gradually making "budget travel" a popular trend.
30,000 yuan to travel around Europe for a month, 3,000 yuan to explore Qinghai, Tibet, and Ningxia—budget travel enthusiasts have used all their ingenuity to design routes, book cheap flights, stay as couch surfers, not seeking luxury or comfort, but simply to see more unique sights.
Many independent travel experts don’t just enjoy their trips—they love sharing their firsthand experiences, including smart itinerary planning and detailed cost breakdowns. With the goal of learning from their wisdom, let’s take a look at what these budget travel pros have shared.
“Our experience and tips may only be suitable for fellow budget travelers. We’re spending our hard-earned money on travel, so we focus on how to have a great time without breaking the bank.” Traveler Xiao Min took her mom to Switzerland. Nowadays, a 10-day group tour package averages around 20,000 yuan, but the mother-daughter duo spent just 8,500 yuan (excluding airfare) on food, lodging, and activities in Switzerland over 15 days. The secret to saving money? Staying in family-run guesthouses and cooking their own meals.
On their first day in Geneva, the mother and daughter were kindly directed by a good Samaritan on the train to find their accommodation. Though they stayed in a family guesthouse, it was very clean and comfortable—an option they stuck with throughout the trip. The 15-day journey covered Switzerland, which isn’t very large, giving them ample time to explore. Vevey was one of Xiao Min’s favorite Swiss towns, home to a famous bronze statue of comedy legend Charlie Chaplin. Morning in Vevey is peaceful; around seven or eight, there aren’t many tourists, and the town is so quiet you hesitate to speak too loudly. By the lake, there are flocks of graceful swans. Not far from the lakeside, there are various hostels at different price points. Staying here overnight means waking up to the sparkling waters of Lake Geneva, misty mountains, and leisurely-swimming swans—a truly wonderful experience. Right after getting off the train, they were still a bit disoriented and couldn’t find their way. Even if locals didn’t understand English, just saying “Charlie Chaplin’s statue” was enough for everyone to know where you meant.
Speaking of money-saving tips, buying group tickets is another strategy. If you’re traveling with just a few people, you can always “share” tickets with others along the way. To take advantage of the Jungfrau region’s 6-person discount ticket, they had been contacting fellow travelers with similar itineraries even before departure. A 6-person pass cost 84 Swiss francs per person, all bound together with a printed route map. Unexpectedly, when they reached Lauterbrunnen and tried to connect with others, they found that one of them lived in the same valley. They arranged to meet four other companions and took the 6:30 a.m. train together, buying the tickets on the spot. There were staff checking tickets along the way, and those with the 6-person ticket package weren’t allowed to split up.
The trip wasn’t without hiccups. In the Baden region, the mother and daughter wanted to soak in hot springs but found the local public spas closed. An even bigger blow came later—their camera was left on the train from Zurich to Baden. They hurried back to the station’s ticket counter to report the loss and paid a 50-Swiss-franc handling fee, but eventually managed to retrieve the camera in Bern. It was an unexpected expense, but at least there was no permanent loss.
However, the stunning scenery and relaxed pace more than made up for the small frustrations. Each night back at the guesthouse, they cooked homemade Chinese meals, lounged by the water in picturesque towns, fed the swans, admired the changing mountain views while descending from the snow-capped peaks, and even chatted with alpacas at the farm—each moment became an unforgettable highlight of the trip.
Budget Traveler Tips
● Try to stay at least an extra day or two in each place, avoid moving too frequently, and don’t waste time packing up and searching for new accommodations. In our Switzerland itinerary, we stayed three days in Lausanne, four in Lauterbrunnen, three in Lucerne, one in Stein, two in St. Moritz, and one in Zermatt. Switzerland is a very small country, only about two and a half times the size of Beijing, and its convenient transportation makes it easy to get around. We once had a train with only a 3-minute transfer window, and we worried about missing it. But when we arrived, the connecting train was already waiting on the adjacent track.
● Switzerland is extremely expensive, but clever budgeting makes it manageable. The first three accommodations all had kitchens, so we cooked our own meals. We brought 2 kg of rice, five small packs of pickled vegetables, five small boxes of wood ear mushrooms, a small pack of cellophane noodles and seaweed (for soup), a box of soup base, and two small packs of instant noodles. Over 15 days, our total food expenses were less than 100 Swiss francs, mainly spent on meat, bread, butter, milk, juice, and vegetables. Meat in Switzerland is 1–2 times more expensive than in China, but the quality is outstanding. White mushrooms are 2.99 Swiss francs for a big box; a bag of apples is less than 4 Swiss francs. One tip for buying meat: look for discounted items just before closing time.
● For accommodation, choose clean, hygienic, and affordable double rooms—no need for luxury. Shared dorms can be disruptive and affect rest. However, in Stein and St. Moritz, we also booked shared rooms, thinking the tourist crowds would be light. We guessed right—both times we ended up with our own huge room for two, and the price was naturally cheaper than a double.