Travelling during New Year - 8 tips that make New Year's Eve unforgettable

Spending New Year’s Eve in a vibrant metropolis or a different country sounds like a great start in the new year. At least in theory.  However, my experiences have shown that you shouldn’t get overly excited as the night can turn into a real disaster! With an eye on timing and some early planning you can still have a great time. Here are a few tips that help prevent your trip from turning into a nightmare. 

Going back to the hotel before 0:00 am? Do some planning, so that New Year's Eve doesn't turn into a disaster.

 

1.  Make sure you stick to a group!

Discuss your travel plans with all your friends or family members that may want to join you for the trip. Make clear that they can’t join in last minute since tickets are getting expensive and vacant hotel rooms are almost impossible to find! Once you have found your travel buddies, you can start planning together.
 

2.  Decide on what you want!

There are different ways to spend New Year’s Eve. Do you want to party in a trendy club or rather have a relaxed evening on the porch of a cabin in a national park? On that note, also make sure that you are on the same page with all your travel buddies. Otherwise, someone might be disappointed and ruin the mood of your group.  

3. Compose a list of 3 travel destinations!

Do not focus too much on one destination. You may not find an affordable flight or other unexpected things may happen. So be flexible in order to keep disappointments to a minimum! 

4. Buy your train or plane tickets 6 months in advance!

Always keep in mind that the time around New Year is a popular time to travel. But don’t drop the whole idea if you don’t find a cheap fare right away. Play with the dates and you may find a real bargain.

5. Find a hotel as soon as you have booked the flight!

Even hostels charge you double in these days and rates tend to go up on a daily basis. I happened to pay €45 for a shared room which is normally €10. 

6. Plan your transportation at your destination!

Transportation can be fairly tricky, especially on the New Year’s Eve. In Rio de Janeiro you need to buy a special metro ticket in advance as they cannot cope with the masses. Further, keep in mind that it’s almost impossible to get a cab that night. Even if you do, they may overcharge you tremendously. In some cases it could make sense to pick a more expensive accommodation in the area where you intend to celebrate. At least everything is within walking distance and it may turn out to be cheaper than taking an expensive taxi. You can still change the hotel the night after.

7. Plan your activities for the night!

You’re in Paris, New York or Sydney for New Year’s Eve? Great! But what are you going to do there? Do not expect to be celebrating in the streets all night. People have parties they go to. So do some research and try to get tickets for an event or roof top party and make a restaurant reservation. Otherwise you will be bored quite quickly. And who wants to be bored on New Year’s Eve?!
 

8. Pick the right outfit!

That may sound stupid, but you should give some thought to the clothes and shoes you are going to wear. In Rio for instance, everyone wears white and you don’t want to be the only person dressed in black, do you? Also if you know that you are probably going to walk a lot that night, you shouldn’t go for the most uncomfortable high heels. 

I hope you find some of the tips helpful. What are your experiences when it comes to travelling during New Year?