You don't need to over–plan. But 60minutes of preparation before you travel removes most of the friction that slows people down on day one. Here's what's actually worth doing:

Research the essentials – not everything

1. Know how the transport system works.
2. Know which neighbourhoods you want to spend time in.
3. Check if anything you really want to see needs advance booking.
4. That's it. Leave the rest open – the best moments on any trip are the ones you didn't plan.

Good starting points: city tourism websites, recent travel blogs, @ibishotels on Instagram or the ibis website for your destination. The team often flags local tips that don't make it onto any list.

Download offline maps

Download an offline map before you travel. Mark your hotel and the nearest transport hub, and you've got a reliable backup whatever happens. No signal, no problem.

Pack light – leave the rest at ibis

A heavy bag is a bad travel companion. ibis hotels offer luggage storage before check–in and after check–out, so you can drop everything and get straight into the city the moment you arrive. No waiting. No weight.

Learn four phrases in the local language

1. "Hello"
2. "Thank you"
3. "Where is the station?"
4. "Excuse me"

4phrases and you're already ahead of most travellers – and it changes how people respond to you. But don't stop there. The more you pick up as you go, the more the city opens up. A translation app with an offline language pack fills the gaps while you're learning. Need a starting point? Search ibis on Instagram – the destination guides are worth saving when you’re planning.

Your base matters more than you think

Where you stay shapes how the whole trip moves. ibis hotels are strategically located in the centre of their cities: close to transport, close to the action, close enough to most things that you can walk to them. That means less time commuting and more time actually being somewhere.

The Heartists™ at the front desk know their city properly. Not from a guidebook – from being there every day and genuinely thinking about what makes it worth experiencing. Ask them where to eat, which route to take, what's worth seeing that nobody else knows about. Worth asking before you head out.

Public transport is almost always the fastest and cheapest way to move through a new city. The only barrier is not knowing how it works before you step on – and that's exactly what this guide is for.

Europe

- How to use public transport in Amsterdam?

Tap in and out with a contactless card or phone at the yellow scanners on station gates and vehicle doors. Works across trams, metro, buses, and ferries.

Daily cap: no matter how much you travel, you pay no more than 10€ in a day.

Prefer a physical ticket? Buy a GVB day or multi–day pass online and add it to your phone's digital wallet or pick one up at main station kiosks.

Planning a trip to Amsterdam? Find ibis hotels in Amsterdam.

- How to use public transport in Berlin?

The network covers U–Bahn (underground), S–Bahn (commuter train), buses, and trams. Single tickets at machines, kiosks, or via the BVG app.

Staying a few days? The WelcomeCard is worth it – unlimited travel plus discounts at major attractions. Available online or at BER Airport.

No turnstiles, but you must validate your ticket using the platform devices or onboard readers. Inspectors check. Don't skip this step. Find ibis hotels in Berlin.

- How to use public transport in Paris?

Navigo Pass: reusable card, available at most large stations, topped up at machines or via the Bonjour RATP app. The weekly pass covers unlimited travel for 7 days – good value from day three. Tap in at metro turnstiles or bus readers.

Navigo Easy: the go–to for occasional travellers. Buy the card for €2 at any metro or RER station, load the tickets you need, and tap in at each gate. Prefer to travel light? Load your tickets directly on your phone via the official Île–de–France Mobilités app. One pass per passenger, it can't be shared. Find ibis hotels in Paris.

Latin America

Every city runs its own system. The major ones all have solid networks – once you have the right card, they're easy. Here's what you need.

- How to use public transport in São Paulo?

Network: Metro, CPTM suburban trains, extensive buses.

Card: Bilhete Unico – rechargeable, works across all three. Top up at station machines, authorised retailers, or online.

Tap at turnstiles in metro and train stations, or on the reader when boarding buses.

São Paulo on the itinerary? Find ibis hotels in São Paulo.

- How to use public transport in Mexico City?

Network: Metro, Metrobus, RTP buses, trolleybuses, light rail.

Card: Movilidad Integrada – works across most services. Buy and top up at metro stations and authorised sales points.

Fares are low and fixed per ride on the Metro, regardless of distance. Good value. Find ibis hotels in Mexico City.

- How to use public transport in Buenos Aires?

Network: Subte (subway), buses (colectivos), suburban trains.

Card: SUBE – works across nearly all public transport in Buenos Aires and much of Argentina. Buy and top up at kiosks, stations, and authorised retailers.

Tap on entry to the subway, on bus readers when boarding, and at train turnstiles. Find ibis hotels in Buenos Aires.

Asia Pacific

Asian transport networks are frequently world–class – efficient, well–signed in English, and built around getting people where they need to go quickly. Once you know the system, they're a pleasure to use.

- How to use public transport in Tokyo?

Card: Suica or PASMO – rechargeable smart cards available at airport stations and major train stations. Tap in and out at ticket gates; fares calculated automatically by distance.

Paper tickets available from vending machines if you prefer: select your destination, the machine does the rest.

Tokyo on your mind? Find ibis hotels in Tokyo.

- How to use public transport in Singapore?

Network: MRT (metro), buses, light rail – fully integrated and genuinely excellent. Tap in and out with a contactless card or phone; the system automatically finds the cheapest fare for your journey.

Stored–value cards: EZ–Link or NETS FlashPay, from MRT stations and convenience stores. Tap at entry and exit gates on trains, when boarding and alighting buses. Find ibis hotels in Singapore.

- How to use public transport in Sydney?

Card: Opal is the rechargeable smart card used across trains, buses, ferries, and light rail. Top up online, at station machines, or convenience stores.

Tap in and out at every leg of your journey. Daily and weekly caps mean the more you travel, the less you pay per trip. Find ibis hotels in Sydney.

- How to use public transport in Melbourne?

Card: myki works across trains, trams, and buses. Buy and top up at stations, convenience stores, and online.

The free tram zone covers the entire CBD; no card needed within that area. Outside it, tap in and out as normal. Make the most of Melbourne’s free tram zone.

Travelling to Melbourne? Find your ideal hotel in Melbourne and make the most of the city's free tram zone.

The best things in any city – the side street with the good food, the market that isn't in any guide, the neighbourhood that takes five minutes to fall in love with – you find those on foot. No app gets you there. Just start walking.

Step out from your ibis hotel when you arrive and take a stroll. You'll get a feel for the area, spot things worth coming back to, and build the kind of mental map that makes everything easier for the rest of the trip.

It's worth noting: in a 2025 Accor study of 9,000 travellers, 47% said eating local food is one of the things that makes a trip feel special. Most of those meals aren't in restaurants. They're on streets, in markets, and in the neighbourhoods you only find by walking into them.

A good example: the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul – one of the world's great on–foot experiences, and impossible to do justice to from a transport seat.

Looking for somewhere to eat while you're out exploring? Check out our local cheap eats guide for Sydney – or the Bangkok street food guide if you're heading to Southeast Asia.

Take a guided tour on day one

A walking tour in the first 24 hours is one of the smartest moves you can make in any city. Two hours and you've got orientation, history, local perspective, and a group of people navigating the same place at the same time. Food tour, history walk, neighbourhood crawl – most cities have free options through local tourism boards. Not sure where to start? Ask the Heartists™ at your ibis.

Use landmarks as anchor points

Pick two or three fixed reference points near your hotel – a bridge, a square, something distinctive – and use them when the map isn't helping. Most ibis hotels sit centrally by design, which means most major landmarks are reachable on foot and most landmarks point back somewhere familiar.

Rent a bike

In cities built for it – Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Osaka, plenty of others – a bike unlocks a different layer of the city entirely. Local bike rental shops and city hire schemes make it easy to get started. Most cycling apps can route you through parks and dedicated lanes only, taking the stress out of urban cycling wherever you are in the world. Helmet on. Go explore.

Most cities are safer than unfamiliarity makes them feel. A few easy habits keep you confident and comfortable wherever you are.

Solo travellers

Sharing your location with someone at home is one of those small habits that costs nothing and matters a lot – a 2025 Accor study of 9,000 travellers found that 21% already do it as standard. Stick to well–lit, populated areas after dark. Keep valuables out of sight in crowded spots and on public transport. The ibis team can advise on safe routes, suggest trusted transport options, and help you get back if you need it.

Groups

Agree on a meeting point before you split up – a major landmark or the hotel lobby works well. Big groups can scatter fast in busy areas; a fixed plan takes the stress out of getting separated. Travelling with friends? Here's how ibis makes group trips easier.

Families

Keep key documents somewhere accessible, not buried. Avoid peak hours at popular attractions where you can – it's not just about crowds, it's about keeping the pace right for everyone. Build rest stops into the day. The trips that try to do everything usually end with nobody enjoying the second half.

If you get lost

Here's something worth knowing: 30% of travellers get lost on every trip. It's one of the most common travel experiences there is. Retrace to the last landmark you recognised, check your offline map, or ask staff at a nearby café or shop. If in doubt, head back to your ibis – the team will help you regroup and get going again.

The city is yours

Every destination has a version of itself most visitors never quite reach. The street you stumble on by accident. The local spot someone at the hotel mentioned. The morning the transport clicked and the whole day opened up.

Getting there isn't about the perfect itinerary. It's about showing up with confidence, a bit of curiosity, and the willingness to figure it out as you go.

ibis puts you in the centre of the city, gives you a team that actually knows it, and does the practical stuff – sleep, breakfast, the essentials – better than anyone else. So you can spend your energy on the good part.

Ready to go? Find your ibis hotel, explore current offers, or join ALL – Accor Live Limitless for more value on every stay.

Go get it.

1. What are the top tips for safe international travel?
   Research your destination before you go – local customs, any government advisories, and which areas to be aware of. Make digital and physical copies of key documents. Keep valuables discreet and use your hotel safe. Ask the ibis team on arrival for an honest local read – they'll give you one.
   
   
2. How do you balance planning and spontaneity on a trip?
   Plan the things that genuinely need it: accommodation, transport passes, and anything with a queue. Leave everything else open. One fixed commitment per half–day is a good rule – enough structure to move with purpose, enough space to follow something interesting when it shows up. A central ibis makes it easy to return, reset, and head out again in a new direction.
   
   
3. What's the easiest way to navigate public transport in an unfamiliar city?
   Find out what card or payment method the city uses before you travel and set it up in advance where possible. Most major cities globally run on contactless or a rechargeable smart card. Once you have that, the rest is just reading the signs. The guide above covers Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, São Paulo, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney, and Melbourne. For anywhere else, ask the ibis team when you arrive.
   
   
4. What's the best way to feel at home in a new city quickly?
   Leave the hotel within 30 minutes of arriving. Walk anywhere. Find one local café, one landmark, one street that catches your eye. That small act of orientation changes how the whole trip feels. Ask the ibis Heartists™ for somewhere worth starting – they'll know exactly where to send you. Need inspiration before you land? Check out @ibishotels on Instagram: real trips, real cities, plenty to get you started.
   
   
5. How do you make the most of a short city break?
   Two or three neighbourhoods, not the whole city. Group nearby sights together to cut transit time. Book the one or two things that actually need advance booking and leave everything else open. A centrally located ibis means you spend your days in the city, not commuting across it.
   
   
6. How do I avoid common transport mistakes when travelling internationally?
   The main ones: forgetting to validate a ticket even when there are no barriers (Berlin is the classic), using the wrong card, and not tapping out when the system requires it. Research the specific system before you travel – the guide above covers the most common cities. When in doubt, ask at the station or check the local transport app before you board.
    

*Based on the 2025 Accor study of 9,000 adults who have travelled for business or leisure. 

For more inspiration and travel tips, explore the ibis Magazine.