Tips and tricks you should know about while travelling to the US

One of the most wanted and sought after travel destinations of the world in the United States of America. Even among the citizens of America, the US still holds a popular place to travel, and New York, California, and Florida are among the top wanted travel destinations of the country. However, before you visit, know that certain situations and cases may get you in trouble if you are unprepared. Hence, given below are some tips and tricks that will help you with your travel in the US.

Apply for ESTA in a family or a group

While travelling to the US, it is essential that the other members that you visit with, get the same dates and confirmation so that you all can stay and together, and travel the country. However, cases arise where you would need the authorisation to do so. This is required when you are applying for a visa. For citizens of specific countries, no visa is required to travel to the US for 90 days or so, under the VWP or Visa Waiver Program. If you are under this category, you will need the authorisation of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization or ESTA. Hence, you can apply for group ESTA to get all of the members with the same confirmation dates. You can do the same for your family as well. There are many benefits of applying for ESTA as a group or family, so get yours today without a dealy.

Make sure to check whether your passport is valid or not

For the majority of travellers going to the US, their passports require validity for at least 6 months. There are exceptions, however, with citizens from specific countries requiring their passport validity only for their stay duration. To avoid any hassle, always check the rules that apply to the citizens of your country.

Get a TSA approved lock

While travelling, luggage should always be kept locked. In the US, especially when you are visiting the stateside, there are strict guidelines of baggage regarding security and safety enforced by the Transportation Security Administration or TSA. Each bag is checked and screened, and some bags are physically inspected, when the officials break the locks to check inside. They do provide a note inside the luggage, though, but you may end up losing the lock. Hence, buy a TSA approved lock which can be opened by the officials with a master key, and can be easily locked again. This way, your lock will be intact, and your luggage will be cleared by TSA quickly.

Airport transfer should be booked beforehand

The US is mainly a country that relies on public and private cars as its primary mode of transportation. While travelling to the US, you would want to go straight to your destination without any hindrance. With an airport transfer, the process is very smooth, where you land in the airport, get your required transportation and reach your destination. The roads are jam-packed, and public transportation facilities are well limited. Hence, if you are a visitor in the US, it can often be a headache for you to arrange for transport after you land at the airport. Hence, it is always wise to book an airport transfer to reach your destination after you land in the airport without much hassle.

Expect a higher expenditure than planned

When it comes to the prices, the listed charges are mostly given without taxes. As a result, the prices are without including the sales tax in most cases. If you calculate your expense by seeing the prices that are listed, get ready to pay more than you think. The tax rates are not constant either, with many major cities charging more taxes than usual. So, make sure to know about the tax rates in the cities that you are going to visit. As a safe bet, always include ten per cent extra expenses in every payment. This way, your costs may be much less than your assumption.

Quick Tips

• The emergency number in the US is 911.
• The imperial system for measurement is used here.
• There are six time zones in the country.
• Cashless is the preferred mode of payment.

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