Bargains around the world

The Australian state of Victoria is almost as big as the UK. It has by far the best public transport system in the nation. And until the end of April, you can travel around free of charge. The aim is to offset rising fuel prices and encourage a shift from cars to more sustainable forms of transport. Hop on a tram in Melbourne and hop off at Flinders Street station (below) to explore much of southern Victoria on the rail network. The courtesy even extends across the state border to Mount Gambier in South Australia and Albury in New South Wales. Tasmania has gone one better by offering free transport until 1 July on buses and ferries (no trams or trains on the island state, sadly).

Which set me thinking: where will your money stretch furthest this year and still reward you with travel joy? In Europe, the answer remains the same as it has been for decades: go east. Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and the Baltic states all offer excellent value, and have a vast amount of interest to the traveller. The Czech Republic, Slovenia and Montenegro are also affordable. Croatia is getting annoyingly expensive. For the very lowest cost travel in Europe, aim for the southern Balkans. You can live like an oligarch for a minimal amount in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania.

Within reach of budget flights from the UK, you can find excellent value in the North African trio of Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt. The last of these is penalised because air passenger duty has a "cliff-edge" profile: this week APD rose to £102 for flights to Egypt, compared with £15 to Morocco and Tunisia. Elsewhere in Africa, costs are highly variable; you might find that in a low-income country, the only feasible accommodation is hyper-expensive. The Indian sub-continent, from Nepal to Sri Lanka, is reliably affordable. India has the lowest costs if you are happy with budget accommodation. Further east, I reckon Thailand and Indonesia are the best-value South East Asian nations for travellers.

Completing the global picture: I exclude Australia (even with its temporarily free public transport), New Zealand and the rest of Oceania, as well as the US and Canada. Latin America provides much better deals for travellers. Bolivia, Ecuador and Guatemala each offer low prices on everything from board and lodging to crafts and transport, while enriching every visitor spiritually.

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THE DISPATCH

Australia gets cheaper

Good Friday? I hope it turns out to be for you and every other traveller, despite the widespread disruption in Britain's transport network that you are waking up to (some early disruption at London Heathrow Terminal 5 this morning has cleared). Yet looking back over the week at the stories I have written is discouraging. "UK flight cancellations begin as fuel costs soar and demand drops," yesterday's headline reads. Philip Saunders of Aurigny, one of the airlines cutting departures, told me: "Global events are impacting consumer confidence and changing travel behaviour."

Flights have been cancelled at scale in the US by United, but that is more of a commercial decision. Airlines that are not locked into low fuel prices through "hedging" are seeing costs rise steeply. Many flights have flipped from marginally profitable to loss-making due to the soaring price of aviation fuel. Grounding them saves cash and fuel, and pushes up the fares for the seats still flying. Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary isn't cancelling flights, but he warns that if the war continues into May, "maybe 10 to 25 per cent of our supplies might be at risk through May and June". Meanwhile Pakistan is telling pilots: "As a precautionary measure airlines are advised to carry maximum fuel from abroad and minimise uplift of jet fuel from Pakistan."

Assuming your British Airways flight goes ahead, you may find your plane is equipped with free, unlimited high-speed wifi thanks to the Starlink network of satellites. Unlike most other airlines, BA is allowing voice and video calls on board. Business travellers may relish the chance to conduct loud Zoom meetings at 40,000 feet above the ocean. Influencers can livestream their inflight lunch. When I conducted a poll on social media on the subject, half of respondents called for a ban while one in three selected: "Make them stand outside."

TRAVEL BEST BUYS

I've tried and tested the best packing cubes for 2026 to help keep your suitcase organised. These luggage organisers have been put through their paces on real-world trips, so you know they'll hold up.

Not every traveller needs a full set of packing cubes, but even one can make a big difference – whether it's compressing extra clothes or keeping dirty laundry separate.

If you're looking at other travel accessories, a few small additions can really improve your journey. A pair of travel socks, like these £20 ones from the London Sock Company, can help keep your circulation moving on long flights and ease foot fatigue. Meanwhile, a universal travel adaptor is a must-have for charging devices anywhere.

For suitcases and luggage, premium options like Carl Friedrik and Floyd are worth the investment. If you're after budget-friendly carry-ons, Amazon has plenty of great options, including this £20 Ryanair-friendly underseat bag.

INSIDER TIPS

Ticket rules tighten on trains

This week a long-held right for rail passengers to claim a refund on unused tickets was abolished. People who buy anytime or off-peak tickets will be able to get their money back only up to midnight the night before their journey. The aim is to eliminate an estimated £40m of fraudulent travel by passengers who make the journey, don't get their ticket clipped or scanned, and then claim back the rail fare.

Last night ScotRail announced a measure aimed at "passengers who choose to travel without first buying a ticket". The train operator will bring in a £10 minimum fare for anyone who buys a ticket on board even though there was a chance to buy at the station. "A period of education" will take place over the next three months, with the policy not enforced until July. ScotRail says that one in 25 passengers travels without a ticket. "It is anticipated that this change will also help to reduce anti-social behaviour on the railway, which is often caused by a small minority travelling without a ticket," the organisation says.

New airport link for Sao Paulo opens at last

The main airport serving South America's largest city opened 40 years ago. Finally this week, Sao Paulo Guarulhos – the busiest airport in Brazil – has a proper connection to the city's public transport system. The new monorail, which was originally due to open in 2014, runs from the arrivals level of the airport to Morumbi station, from where you can take a fast and low-cost Metro train to the city centre.

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France travel:

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Simon says

In late June my wife and I are thinking of flying to Turin, staying a few days, then taking a train to San Remo and spending some time there before a train from to Nice for the flight home. Good idea?

Turin is magnificent. It was the primary city of the House of Savoy, and the first capital of a united Italy. I believe it is the grandest city in the nation, with outstanding civic and ecclesiastical architecture as well as excellent museums. And all with a superb backdrop of the Alps.

Your plan to head south to the Mediterranean is solid. If you have not visited Genoa, it is an ideal complement to Turin – and just two hours away by frequent, cheap train. The metropolis fills a natural amphitheatre above the docks, which helped the Most Serene Republic of Genoa to become Europe's richest and most powerful city-state – reaching a crescendo of extravagance in the 16th century.

Heading west towards the French border, make the most of the Baia del Sole – the Bay of the Sun. The resort of Alassio has a two-mile beach, facing due east, which is especially scenic early in the morning. The Hanbury Botanic Gardens, a throwback to the Victorians who loved this corner of the Med, should be in full bloom in June. San Remo is also a handsome repository of 19th-century imperial tourism.

To add one more stop to your itinerary: please try to make time for Villefranche-sur-Mer. This pretty fishing port is one headland east of Nice, and on the coastal railway. Ancient dwellings cluster around a fishing harbour. Subject to the amount of luggage you have, it is an ideal last stop on your trip: from the station, trains to Nice-St Augustin (west of the city) take only 15 minutes, and leave you within easy walking distance of Nice airport.

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