Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Planning your trip
• Part 2 of 2: Organizing your trip
• Tips

A travel plan includes basic travel information such as addresses and hotel names, transportation schedules, flight numbers, and so on. Such a plan is a must for both a short trip and a long trip. By making a plan, you can carefully plan your route and optimize your time. It may seem like developing a plan is a lot of work, but it's easier than you think!

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Planning your trip

1. 1 Gather basic information about your trip. You will need data on flights, hotels, other reservations (car rental, reservations in restaurants), as well as a directions or timetable for transport from the airport to the city and back. Think carefully about what other information you might need.
   • If you will be getting from the airport to the hotel by public transport, check its schedule and fare.
2. 2 Make a list. It is helpful to list everything you would like to do on your trip. Therefore, compose the places and events that you would like to visit. Even if there are too many items in the list, include all of them: you can always choose what is priority for you at the moment. Find information about upcoming holidays and festivals, do not miss the opportunity to attend the cultural events taking place at your destination, it can be a lot of fun and you can also learn more about the culture of another country or people.
   • Allow time for sightseeing, but remember that some can take an entire day to visit (for example, the Museum of Modern Art in New York or the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg).
   • If you are not traveling alone, seek advice from others on the trip.
3. 3 Make an itinerary that includes all the places you plan to visit. Mark their locations on the map and find out how to get there quickly to save time. If you are planning to visit nearby cities or surroundings, do not forget to take into account the time spent traveling and staying in each of the places.
   • You will definitely need maps of the places you plan to visit. Also check public transport timetables and taxi phone numbers.
   • The cards must be new. The road that existed 10 years ago could disappear today.
4. 4 Determine your travel budget. To plan your expenses, decide how much you are willing to spend. Do you want to stay in five-star hotels and dine in luxury restaurants? Or do you prefer small family guesthouses and simple cafes popular with the locals? Your trip will be as expensive or cheap as you decide. It all depends on what you can afford.
   • For convenient organization of cost accounting, you can use a spreadsheet, for example Microsoft Excel.
   • Alternatively, you can use an app or website to create a budget, but the disadvantage is that if there is no internet connection, they also become unavailable.
5. 5 Be flexible. If you want to give yourself a couple of days off, go ahead! You can spend them profitably: mingle with the locals, go to the market, exhibition, cinema, or just take a stroll through scenic spots. In fact, a travel plan is a way to structure your trip, but you don't have to always follow it closely. If you don't get somewhere, this is not the end of the world!
   • Consider contingency plans. For example, if you've made a reservations at a restaurant, look for a few more places to eat if you happen to be late for the scheduled time. Or, if you're planning on spending the entire day outdoors, consider where to go if it gets rainy.
   • Do not forget that traveling should be enjoyable and cause only positive emotions.

Part 2 of 2: Organizing your trip

1. 1 Gather all the information you need. Always have at hand all the important information that may come in handy while traveling: booking numbers, hotel names, contact details, phone numbers. At this stage, you don't have to worry about organizing information, the main thing is to collect everything that may be useful to you.
2. 2 Save your travel information. Try to collect all the information in one file and print it. You can also save a copy electronically.
   • You can find a ready-made template for a travel route on the Internet. All the main points will be before your eyes, you just have to fill them in.
   • Another option is to download an application with which you can organize and store the information you need.
3. 3 Print out and have your travel plan with you. You can save the plan to your phone, but if the battery runs out, you will be left without access to the necessary document, so it is better to have a paper copy of the plan, which you can always take with you. For convenience, put all documents in one folder and divide them into categories (for example, information about hotels, list of excursions, tickets).
   • Use colored separators and label sections of the plan.
   • You can also take a folder with files and put documents for each part of the route in a separate file.
4. 4 Make a list of the contacts you need. Have with you a list of emergency phone numbers, your fellow travelers, loved ones, relatives and other numbers that are important to you. It is best to keep them not only in your phone, but also in paper form, for example, you can write them down in a notebook.
   • If you are traveling abroad, write down the contact details of the consulate or embassy of your country, where you can turn for help if necessary.
   • Friends and family addresses are also useful for sending postcards.
5. 5 Don't forget your responsibilities. Even if you are only leaving for the weekend, be sure to ask a friend or relative to look after your house, water your flowers, or feed your pets. This will help you relax and not worry about anything.
   • If you can't find anyone who comes to feed your pet, see if some of your friends would agree to give him a temporary shelter or if he can be accommodated in a pet hotel.
   • If there is no one to come to water your indoor flowers, ask a friend or neighbor to take them for a while.

Tips

• Find out about upcoming holidays and festivals in the area where you are going, as they can sometimes affect the opening hours of shops and public transport schedules. Also check the weather forecast.
• Use a variety of sources for the information you need, such as travel guides and forums, maps, websites, brochures. Good sources of information are Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Trip Advisor.
• Have information on how to get to the hotel and car rental service, and to the airport on your way back, on hand. Save airport timetables if you plan to use them.
• Book hotels, cars, popular restaurants, and tickets for popular events in advance.