Planning
A route through several countries: how to plan it without losing days at borders
Every border is a procedure, a currency and a different pricing zone. How to order the route, what to check per country and what to settle beforehand.
Claudia Ferrán 7 min Photo by Dan Freeman on Unsplash A route through several countries gets planned badly for one particular reason: it gets planned destination by destination, when what costs time and money is the hops between them.
Order the route by procedures, not by map
Before fixing the order of the cities, check three things per country: what entry permit it wants, what currency it uses and what zone it falls into on your mobile tariff. A country requiring a visa with an appointment can force you to change the whole order.
And watch out for multiple entries: if you leave a country and come back in, some permits don't allow that without more.
The hops
| How you cross | What to look at |
|---|---|
| Domestic flight | Baggage included, and whether the departure airport is a different one |
| International train | Compulsory reservation and checks on board |
| Border bus | Reduced timetables and cash payment |
| Hire car | Whether the company allows crossing and with what insurance |
That last row causes the most grief: many hire companies forbid leaving the country or charge a supplement, and the insurance can stop covering you at the crossing.
Connectivity, country by country
Each country is a different zone on your home tariff, and a destination plan covers only its own. On a route through several countries there are two sensible paths.
- A regional plan covering the full list of countries on your route — checking that list, not the word region.
- A plan per country, which usually gives better rural coverage and forces you to review usage at each hop.
Which suits which kind of route is in how many gigabytes for a month of travel.
Money on a route
Changing money at every border is the fastest way to lose money. The practical approach is to withdraw a little cash in each country, pay by card where you can, and not change back what's left unless it's a lot.
A route doesn't break over a badly chosen city, it breaks over a procedure nobody looked at in time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I plan a route through several countries?
By first checking each country's entry procedures, currency and tariff zone, and ordering the route by that rather than by the map.
Can I cross borders in a hire car?
It depends on the company: many forbid it or charge a supplement, and the insurance can stop covering you at the crossing. Ask before booking.
Regional data plan or one per country?
The regional one saves setting up at every hop; the per-country one usually covers rural areas better. On routes crossing borders every two or three days, regional wins.
How much buffer before the flight home?
A day. It's the cheapest thing you can take out against a delayed connection.
