Travel is always a balance for us: the low-level anxiety of navigating somewhere new, weighed against the joy of saving money (I do love to spend strategically) and building memories along the way. Public transport is where those two collide. On one hand, it can feel overwhelming — buying the wrong ticket, missing the right stop, or not reading the local language.

One of my favourite public transportation memories is from Amsterdam, when we took the train out to Weesp and passed through ‘Muiderpoort station’. We only saw the sign for a second, did a synchronous double take, and both misread it as “Murder Port.” We laughed at the dark misstep—only to later learn that’s actually pretty close to the Dutch pronunciation!

And when it comes to saving money, Wellington taught us a good lesson. When we first landed, we were short on time and grabbed a taxi from the airport—$55NZ for the two of us. On the way back, we found the airport bus instead: $23NZ total, just as easy, and only two minutes from our hotel. The bonus? We got to put those savings toward a couple of local beers (we were in town for Beervana, after all).

Get you local app

But there’s nothing worse than standing on a street corner in a new city, wondering if you’ve just missed your bus — or if it even stops there. That’s where the right transport app can save the day, turning chaos into confidence.

Every city has its quirks: trams that don’t announce stops, ferries that only run if the weather’s right, or ghost buses that seem to vanish from the schedule. Having the right app or site bookmarked on your phone means you don’t just get around — you get around like a local.

Here’s our cheat sheet for navigating public transport in cities we’ve actually used:

City	The card we used	Plan your trip	Credit Card?	Tip
London	Oyster Card	TfL Go	Yes	You can also use a contactless bank card directly—same fare as Oyster.
Tokyo	Suica	Navitime	Mostly no (some lines allow it)	Load a Suica card onto your phone for easy top-ups and no lost card worries.
Sydney	Opal Card	TripView	Yes	Daily and weekly fare caps make multiple trips cheaper—tap on with the same card/device.
Melbourne	Myki Card	PTV	No	Remember to tap on and off for trains and trams outside the free tram zone.
Auckland	AT HOP Card	AT Mobile	No	Buy your AT HOP card before boarding—buses don’t accept cash.
Seoul	T-money Card	Naver	No	Your T-money card works on buses, subways, and even in some convenience stores.
Chicago	Ventra Card	Transit App	Yes	It only costs $5 to take the L from O’hare Airport all the way into the Loop. Such great value!

Remember, when you’re in a new city, public transport isn’t just about getting from point A to point B. It’s a way to slow down, slip into the rhythm of daily life, and gather those little moments that become inside jokes, travel stories, and memories you’ll retell long after the trip is over.

Featured