We will begin with the continent of Europe, birthplace of the backpacking phenomenon. Europe is big and, unless you have a lot of time on your hands, you will probably not be able to see it all in one trip. The best plan is to identify a region, about 2 or 3 neighboring countries, that you are most interested in seeing. A good way to do this is to browse through a guidebook such as Lonely Planet or Rough Guide.
If you are a student or teacher, it might be a good idea to get some kind of identification card. Details about the International Student Identification Card (I.S.I.C.), recognised widely around the world, can be found on the Council Travel website. Whenever you buy bus, train, or plane tickets, it is always worth checking whether you can get a discount with your I.S.I.C. card.
Buses might not be as comfortable as trains or as quick as flying. However, they are usually the cheapest way to get around Europe. Also, you get to see lots while you travel. Council Travel offer a busabout pass that is extremely good value for money. The network serves more than 60 cities and the pass enables you to travel the network as much as you like. BudgetTravel.com also have an informative website about bus travel in Europe. The site contains links to many European bus companies. Also check out the website for Eurolines, one of Europe's major luxury coach operators.
It is always relaxing to travel by rail. Europe has an extensive network of rail lines. Often even small towns will have a train station. if you time your travel well, you can also save on accommodation costs by sleeping on the trains! Do be careful to lock all belongings though. A good starting point to find out more about trains in Europe is How to Travel Europe by Train a site designed for North Americans who may not have travelled much by train in the past. You can plan your budget and travels in advance by checking out the fare and schedule information on Rail Europe. If you want to buy your rail pass in advance, you can do this through Council Travel's Reservation site.
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