It’s not just the current EES checks and upcoming ETIAS applications, or this year’s jet fuel costs and cancellations. Travelling has always been a pain; there are more rules for little things like power banks and wheeled suitcases than you might imagine.
So any advice that makes the experience easier is welcome.
Enter: the members of Reddit’s r/TravelHacks, who responded to a post by poster TapComprehensive2241 with tonnes of helpful advice.
“What’s the one travel hack you swear most people don’t know about?”, the entry reads.
Here are 11 of the most popular responses:
1) Use up the last of your local currency during check-out
“When checking out of your hotel, before they charge your credit card for the full price, use some or all of your local currency... towards paying the bill. Saves you bringing home foreign currency and avoids currency conversion charges.”
Credit:u/BantryBound
2) Put your hotel’s details in your wallet
“Grab a hotel business card to show locals/taxi if you need directions or a ride.”
Credit: u/popcorn2share
“Always do this... especially where English isn’t the primary language,” u/TapComprehensive2241 agreed.
3) Pack some zip-seal plastic bags in your suitcase
“Stash a few different-sized ziplocks in your suitcase. Dirty hotel remotes? Stick it in a ziplock. Soiled clothes and no way to wash? Keeps them separated and smells contained.
“Shells from the beach. [Rubbish] bag. Snack holder. [Bag] organiser. [Sick] bag. Ice pack. Coin holder. Leak prevention for liquids. Keep a change of clothes rolled up tight in your backpack. Keeps sand off an e-reader at the beach. Endless possibilities.”
Credit: u/Pure-Remote9614
4) Get more power from your adapter
“Pack a power strip with an appropriate adapter for wherever you’re going. Not every place has enough outlets to charge your devices. This is particularly handy if travelling with a group.”
Credit: u/EmeraldVine
5) Prepare for offline navigation
“Pre-download offline Google maps for the area you’re going to be in so you can still navigate, even if you don’t have [data or signal]”.
Credit: u/tatertotski
6) Avoid that annoying morning light
“When your hotel curtain won’t close all the way to keep the light out, you can use the clothes hanger with the clips on it to hold them shut. Works like a charm every time!”
Credit:u/KCMandy
7) Prepare your home for your exhausted, post-flight self
“Make sure your home is clean – trash out, fresh sheets and towels, laundry done – before you travel, so you come home with nothing to do but unload.”
Credit:u/TheRamblerJohnson
8) Forget traditional folding
“Rolling your clothes instead of folding them gets you so much more room in your bag.”
Credit:u/Vomit_freesince93
Note: we recently tried, and loved, “ranger rolling” to save space
9) Turn your neck pillow into secret storage
“Get a neck pillow with removable stuffing. If you need the extra space or weight, fill it with your clothes. You can hold a lot in a good-sized neck pillow.”
Credit: u/Unusual_Ada
10) Download the local language on translation apps
“This tip saved us in Slovakia this past fall. We... had no data on our phones. Our train... was rerouted while we were on board [and we were dropped off at a] tiny town where... no one spoke [English]. We had to figure out how to get back on track, and thank goodness I had downloaded the languages.”
Credit: u/rkDiggler_Esquire
11) Go to a hotel if you’re lost
“Hotel employees are so knowledgeable, and often have access to maps and [the internet] and can help you with directions, where to eat, etc.”
Credit: u/Morganpotato
Bengali (Bangladesh) · 
English (United States) ·