Stepping off the plane and arriving in an unfamiliar destination with a different language and culture can be somewhat intimidating. With no kind of grounding in how the local transport systems operate in your temporary home, finding your way to your apartment, hotel or hostel from the airport can be a journey laden with potential missteps and mistakes.

How reliable is the public transport? Would a taxi be faster, but am I likely to be duped into taking a circuitous route that costs me far more than it should? Are the roads accommodating enough for me to consider hiring a car? These are all legitimate questions and ones you should already have an answer for before you set foot on foreign soil. With hopes of making your travel arrangements as painless as possible, I have put together this guide that covers your available options.

Public transport

The first port of call for any discerning traveller should be public transport. Virtually every airport on earth seamlessly integrates a network of public transport into its arrivals desk. A tourist information desk should be close to hand, and after a few minutes conferring with a knowledgeable staff member, you should be well on your way to your accommodation. One of the benefits of public transport, such as a bus, is that you know you are getting a fair price. You do need to be wary of the sheer volume of people getting on board, especially in peak times. The only thing worse than lugging around heavy suitcases is doing so while simultaneously dodging and apologising to aggravated commuters.  Try to avoid peak times if possible and you’ll be fine.

Taxi transfer

From the airport, local taxi ranks are extremely accessible.  There may even be one at the airport itself. In a matter of minutes you can have your luggage secured in the boot and be comfortably sat in a car, hurtling your way towards your hotel or apartment. The difficulty with boarding a taxi is the potential for your naivety to be abused. This can happen even before you take a seat. Taking advantage of your unfamiliarity, some taxi drivers will agree a massively inflated fee. Others may secretly raise their metre, or take an indirect, meandering route that intentionally raises the price. Before jumping in a taxi, it is best to get an idea of what a fair fee would be.  Again, the tourist information desk can be useful for asking this.

Private transfer

Pre-agreeing a transfer with a local transport provider, or even as part of a package deal or something similar, offers a great deal of reliability. You know exactly what you stand to pay, and the final leg of your journey is handed to you on a silver platter. Rather than having to seek out this transfer, it will find you - very accommodating. For airport transfers in Liverpool, Cyllenius Travel Services are an affordable and reliable choice.

Car hire

Hiring your own car may take a while whilst you wait in queues, go through and sign the paperwork, and then try to locate your car in the never ending carparks, plus you’ll have to do all the driving, but it does give you the most flexibility. If there is a scarcity of convenient transport options for what you have planned during your stay, car hire can be the only choice. Equipped with an understanding of local road rules and regulations, as well as a reliable mapping service, driving yourself to your accommodation is simple.  Just choose a car with satnav already installed or use an app on your phone and you’ll be on your way.

The most important thing about securing a transfer to your accommodation from the airport in an unfamiliar area is simply to do your research. With a bit of preparation, you can be sure of a simple and straightforward journey.  Plan and book in advance when possible and you’ll have nothing to worry about when you arrive at your destination.