45 Awesome Infographics To Help Anyone Travel Simpler, Smarter, And Safer
It is always interesting to learn new things about the world — or anything, for that matter. The only thing is that not all of us are particularly avid readers or have time to really sit down and absorb the necessary information. It is at times like these that maps and infographics come in handy. Which is what we have for you today.
Yep, that’s right, we will be looking at some of the most fascinating and educational infographics related to traveling. Whether you’re planning on traveling in the next few months or in a year’s time, this list is for you. We will cover tips on how to keep safe during your trip, suggestions on when to go or what to see, and more. So, keep reading to find out more on how you can better streamline your traveling experience.
Ordering Coffee in 8 Languages Made Easy
Traveling is one of the most exciting things you can do. However, while it is truly an experience worth having, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its fair share of complications. Language barriers tend to be the most common roadblocks when you’re abroad.
Travel dictionaries and phrasebooks exist for that very reason. But sometimes you don’t really need them. All you might need is a quick and helpful little infographic. Like this one that teaches you how to order coffee in other languages.
Simple Steps to Avoid Getting Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are arguably the most repulsive, annoying, and downright problematic insectoid pests ever! Not only do they make you feel grossed out, but they are troublesome to get rid of. Worst of all, they are not even your fault!
Hotels and other forms of rented accommodation can be home to them if the caretakers don’t take cleaning very seriously. Here is a helpful 8-step guide that will teach you where and what to look for when checking into any lodging.
A Travel Guide for Rome
Rome. One of the oldest and most culturally rich cities in Europe. A city that is not only known for its abundance of stunning ruins and ancient buildings, but also as the center of one of the most powerful empires in history.
While the modern city of Rome has changed over the centuries, it remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Make sure to use this helpful infographic if you are planning a trip to the “Eternal City.”
Which Side is the Steering Wheel On?
Most people are often, and rightly so, anxious about having to drive in foreign countries. Worries about what the temperament of the drivers will be like, as well as reading and understanding all road signs are all normal. But some travelers have more to worry about.
And that is, which side of the road you should drive on. Some people might not know this, but England isn’t the only country that drives on the left. Use this cool map to see how you’d fare behind the wheel.
How to Keep Your Suit Jacket Wrinkle Free
It is safe to say that one of the most stressful things about traveling, is the actual act of packing. There are so many things to consider, from what type of weather you should pack for, worrying if it rains a lot, and what outfits to bring.
Fortunately, there are plenty of travel guides and articles to read to clear up some of the confusion. Some have useful guides such as this one that shows you the right way to fold a suit jacket, keeping it wrinkle-free.
Your Safety Should Always Come First!
Some people can’t seem to stay in one place and want nothing more than to see and explore this diverse world. However, there should always be a level of caution when you leave home. While these countries and their people do not mean to trouble you, they too are not immune to thieves.
Because of this, many countries and travel agencies often provide detailed safety tip guides on what to do and not to do. Here is one safety guide that seeks to ensure that your trip is a pleasant one from start to finish.
A Guide For European Power Sockets
While traveling is fun, it can also be a bit annoying. This generally comes from the fact that things aren’t always the same as you are familiar with. A fine example is the various power socket types you would need if traveling Europe.
This nifty infographic easily shows that the majority of Europe has conformed to one type of socket. Places like the UK, France, Poland, Denmark, Switzerland, and Italy, however, have their own socket configurations. A bit annoying, but Denmark’s sure is adorable!
Different Outlets from Around the Globe
While we’re still on the topic of different socket/outlet types, let’s see what the rest of the world uses. From the Americas to China to India, as you can see, it seems like everybody wants a quirky design of their own.
This infographic only covers some of the most popular travel destinations. There are plenty of countries not included here. While the different shapes are interesting, it does make you wonder why there isn’t just one universal design. It would definitely make backpacking or traveling easier.
European Countries and Feeding Guests
Okay, first things first. If you are either traveling or staying with people in a foreign country, always remember to be courteous and appreciative. There is nothing worse or more insulting than opening your home to someone who does not appreciate it.
That said, not all guests are angels either. However, many of them do not mean to come across as that. What we’re talking about is this dubious infographic of Europe that shows which countries are more likely to feed guests.
How to Pack a Bag
As we have roughly touched on already, one of the biggest challenges when it comes to traveling is packing! Thankful, the internet is full of more seasoned globetrotters who have helpful and detailed guides for the inexperienced. Like this one:
As you can see, this guide shows you the ideal way to pack your backpack. The guide is also color-coded with helpful explanations explaining why they packed items the way they did. Knowing how to pack properly, you’ll have a little bit less to worry about.
Useful Folding Tips for Backpackers
While we are still talking about how to pack smarter, let’s take a look at another guide. Now, this next one is also more orientated for backpackers, but it’s pretty cool to know about. After all, you never know what will come in handy.
This guide gives you a step-by-step breakdown of how to pack a shirt, underpants, and socks into one blob. What’s the trick? Knowing how to fold things. While this method does look odd, it will save you some valuable space.
Is Knocking a Crime?
Alright, you have very likely heard of some really bizarre laws from around the world. Many of the stranger laws were created in much older times and even made sense back then. Others are more modern, which makes them even odder.
This one came to our attention thanks to this interesting infographic map. The map was focused on European countries where it’s a criminal offense to knock on a door and run away. Only the UK regards it as a crime. Though, we still don’t recommend doing it at all.
Where is the Tap Water Safe?
Another vital thing to keep in mind is that just because something is one way in your country doesn’t mean it’s true in another. Sometimes it’s customs, other times it’s laws, and in some cases, it’s a matter of health and hygiene. Specifically, if tap water is safe to drink.
This infographic simplifies matters by color coding countries with safe tap water in blue and not-so-safe in red. That said, as with anything, you take this infographic with a pinch of salt. The reason is that the publisher and source are unknown.
Some More Packing Tips!
We covered some packing guides already, but you can never know enough! This next one is particularly suited for those who are planning their next big hike! Or, perhaps, this handy guide might just inspire you to give hiking a try.
The guide provides you with an inside look at the backpack as well as useful directions on how to start. It manages to explain every choice while also giving you an idea of what to bring for your own hike.
Must-Have Business Travel Apps
Due to the rapid advancement of technology, it is no surprise how integrated it has become with our daily lives. So, it is not surprising to discover that travel apps have started to emerge, serving as helping assistants for globetrotters.
This infographic features seven curated apps that the publishers thought were essential for traveling businesspeople. That said, a quick read-through of these apps shows that they really are useful for ordinary people as well. We certainly think they are convenient.
The Vital Parisian Travel Guide
Earlier, we shared a useful little travel guide for the city of Rome. But that’s not the only major tourist city — obviously. If you’re planning to visit the City of Lights, aka Paris, we have a handy guide for you!
This stunning city is famous for a great many things — too many things some would say. Luckily, guides like this exist to make the trip and experience slightly less overwhelming. They show you where to go, what to eat, and even what to say!
How to Travel Green
As time goes on, we’re becoming more and more aware of the importance of creating a sustainable and greener world. Something which traveling has always run counter to due to its wasteful nature. But don’t let that stop you from doing it.
The important thing is to do as much as you can, even if it is only in the little things. This infographic shows some of the ways you can do this, from using local public transport to avoiding single-use plastic.
The Calling Codes of Asia
Another thing that can make country-hopping a bit difficult is making phone calls — yes, phones are still necessary for travel today. Specifically, knowing what country code to use. This becomes increasingly important to know when you’re traveling through tightly packed countries. Here is an infographic for Asia.
It might look a little confusing at first, but once you’ve familiarised yourself with the map, you’ll see it’s simple. No matter whether you’re traveling from Russia to India or from Indonesia to Japan, this map will have you covered.
Popular Tourist Scams
Scams. Everyone hates them and wishes the whole world could just become a bit safer. This rings especially true for tourists, who scammers see as ideal targets. Fortunately, there’re people out there who want to educate you on what to look out for.
This infographic outlines and explains, in detail, some of the more popular tourist scams used from Europe to India. While this does not mention each and every scam out there, it does cover the most common ones. This is a vital piece of reading!
The Metric System for Americans
This next is particularly useful for all travels anywhere in the world, but even more so for people from or traveling to the United States. Of the 195 countries in the world, only 3 do not use the metric system, favoring the imperial system instead.
These 3 countries are Myanmar, Liberia, and the USA. As you can imagine, this can cause some confusion for citizens of those countries when traveling to other parts of the world. Luckily, someone was kind enough to draw up this lovely cheat sheet.
A Hiker’s Checklist
For those hikers out there or those who are thinking about trying hiking, we have some more infographics for you. Hiking has that amazing ability of either making people overconfident or anxious as they ponder over what they will need.
Regardless of which camp you fall into, this list should give you a better idea of what essentials you will need. Not only does it list all the important items, but it also gives you a detailed reason why they’re important.
The Quality of Railroads in Europe
European countries are known, for the most part, for their public transport networks that service their major cities. One of the most noteworthy is Europe’s many railroad lines that allow travelers to zip from one country to another. Let’s take a look!
This little map provides an overview of the quality of railroad networks within each European country. Large parts of central and northern Europe maintain a pretty good score but are no match for Switzerland. We wonder what their secret is.
The Age of Smart Luggage
Technological developments have already made many facets of our daily lives easier, but what if they could make traveling safer? We aren’t talking about actual flight safety or anything technical like that. What we are talking about is revolutionized luggage security.
That’s right, we are talking about ‘smart’ luggage. The basic premise is that, instead of using normal everyday luggage pieces, you would use ones with built-in GPS trackers. An interesting idea that should make finding your missing luggage less nerve-racking!
Budget Tips for Travelers
When people plan on visiting other countries, we, more often than not, think of seeing the big-name cities. However, while these cities are famous worldwide, they are also generally the most expensive. Luckily, there are lots of detailed budget guides out there.
This guide has a brief little rundown of what and what not to do for some of the major tourist cities. It comes with suggestions of what to see, as well as how to truly experience each city while keeping budget-friendly.
Which Countries Require Visas for US Citizens
If you have already traveled to another country, then you have likely heard or know about getting a travel visa. This is something that is easier for select countries, and harder for others. The reason behind the strict visa rules is a bit hard to explain.
Regardless, here is a little map for the Americans thinking of traveling and which countries they will need visas for. Most of the top tourist destinations either don’t require visas for USA citizens or will give one upon arriving there.
Useful Travel Safety Tips
We’ve already talked about the importance of doing your research and keeping safe while traveling. But when it comes to your own personal safety, you can never know enough. Here are some more important tips to keep in mind when traveling.
The tips range from spreading your cash about your person instead of keeping it all in one place, to how to blend in better. This guide has a lot of really important and useful advice, so make sure that you save it for later.
From Iceland to Where?
Iceland. A country that is equally known for its exquisitely beautiful natural features as well as for its harsh weather. You could argue that it is also known for people having no idea where it actually is. Which is just a shame.
Well, someone decided to have a little fun and created a really unique chart. This chart shows which country or place you could end up in if you traveled from Iceland in a straight line. Who knew there would be some many places!
How Far You Can Travel by Train in a Day from Each Major European City
We have already talked about Europe’s fondness for public transport and its numerous trains and metro lines. Of course, that makes us think of the infamously fast bullet trains of Japan. Have you ever wondered how fast Europe’s trains are?
Well, we don’t exactly know either, but here is a fun infographic that might give you a better idea of intra-European travel. This image shows how far you can travel by train from each major European city in less than a day.
The Top Routes for Cross Country Road Trips in the USA
While it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, road trips can be an incredibly fun and interesting way of going sightseeing. The only hurdle is finding the right route to take and one that will offer the experience that suits your interests.
Fortunately, many people across the internet live for doing some good-old road tripping. This means they’ll often share infographics such as this one that outline the best routes to take for American road trips. We hope this infographic helps if you need some ideas.
The Eurovelo Cycle Network
If you’re at all interested or very enthusiastic about cycling, then chances are good that you’ve heard of the Eurovelo. For those of you who’ve not heard of it, the Eurovelo is an enormous cycling network that stretches across Europe.
The Eurovelo is comprised of 17 cycling routes that cross the borders of various European countries, connecting them together. While the Eurovelo is still not yet finished, it currently covers over 45000 km and will reach 90000 km when complete.
How to Keep Clean When Traveling with Kids
Kids are very messy. There are no two ways about that. When it comes to making a mess, very few can match the effortless mastery that kids possess. So, just how do you keep your car clean, orderly, and crumb-free when traveling?
There are many great suggestions out there on the internet, but we have a neat little guide here for you. Now, we won’t lie to you. Some of the suggestions are far better than others, which are just a bit lacking and may be suitable for specific situations.
The Benefits Of Traveling
Besides going out there to explore new things, traveling is actually good for you in more ways than you’d imagine. By that, we mean that studies have shown that traveling benefits not only your mind but your body and relationships.
Looking at this infographic, we can see the various ways in which traveling benefits us. Just a few of the benefits include lowering stress levels, reducing the chances of heart disease, strengthening familial bonds, and just letting the mind relax. If only companies were more understanding.
Traveling with Pets
As we have discussed several times before, there can be a number of hurdles that can make the experience of traveling incredibly difficult. Whether you’re going for a weekend getaway, a company retreat, or a month-long backpacking trip, just what do you do about your pets?
It’s no secret that our beloved pets can make traveling slightly more complicated. This little infographic gives some interesting pet-related information and statistics taken from pet owners in the UK. We personally love that people have tried disguising their dogs as babies!
Off Season Travel
Another important thing to research before starting your journey is the weather. Because it is winter or summer in your region in the world, that doesn’t mean it is the same season everywhere. So, when you’re planning a trip, you need to pick the right time of the year.
This infographic is meant to show you which were the ideal months to travel to certain parts of the world. And by ideal, we mean during the off-season when there are fewer tourists to bump into. Keep in mind, though, that it might be a bit cold.
Top Cyber Safety Tips When Traveling
We have another safety travel infographic to make sure you are not preyed upon during your travels. Earlier, we explored how to keep your belongings safe, and now we’re talking about cyber security travel tips. Technology is progressing, so why not advance with it, right?
A lot of the tips seen in the infographic essentially come down to learning some basic internet privacy habits. This includes the underemphasized importance of never sharing personal information over public Wi-Fi networks and ensuring you can track your devices.
The Top Beaches in the World to Travel to
Now, arguably one of the most popular tourist attractions is beaches because not everyone grows up living around one. If you’re looking to soak up the sun, the most important part is deciding which beach, and country, to visit. Fortunately, we have the ideal list for you.
While this infographic offers some incredible recommendations, it’s important to remember to always do your research. There would be nothing worse if you ended up picking a beach that wasn’t the right one for you. Like a beach where you can’t surf.
The Longest Uninterrupted Walking Path in the World
We’ve looked at a lot of cool bits of info to help you with your travels. But how about we check out some really interesting facts? What we are going to look at is the longest continuous walking path in the world.
This means a path you can walk from point A to B without needing a boat or plane. The longest route is measured at a staggering 22387 km! The route starts in Cape Town, South Africa, and ends in Magadan, Russia.
Longest Train Route in the World
Speaking of longest routes, this next one is sure to amaze all the train aficionados out there. What you are looking at is the longest possible direct route you can take using only trains. Fancy giving it a try yourself?
The route runs all the way from Vietnam, crossing through Asia and Europe and ending in Portugal. This is one impressive train journey that is no doubt worthy of Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory. He really loves trains, if you didn’t know.
You Can Ever Have Enough Travel Hacks
The heading pretty much sums it up; you really can never know enough when it comes to traveling. Now, as with a couple on this list and a lot of things on the internet, not all of the hacks are super useful.
Most of them are useful, which is all that matters if they’re able to provide you with something helpful. The tip about emailing yourself a scanned copy of your passport is just plain ingenious! The battery in the fridge suggestion is weird though.
Passport Power
As you should know, traveling to countries generally requires a bit of paperwork beforehand, such as applying for a visa. Of course, it varies from country to country. The citizens of some countries can cross more borders than others without acquiring a visa.
Meanwhile, citizens of other countries may need a visa for every country they travel to. This generally comes down to the power of the country’s passport and the agreement it has with other countries. This scatter plot shows us a bit about the most “powerful” passports.
Longest Non-stop Flights
We have another cool fact infographic for you. We have done the longest walking paths and longest direct train routes, now we have the longest possible non-stop flights you can take. It must be an absolute nightmare to sit for that long!
As you can see in this handy chart, the shortest of these flights is still over a staggering 16 hours! We guess it makes it simpler to fly the whole way direct, but seated for that long doesn’t seem worth it.
It’s Illegal to Hitchhike Where?
So, this one is certainly a bit “different,” for lack of a better word. We don’t know about you, but we’ve never heard of someone who ever hitchhiked that wasn’t a character on TV. Regardless, it is still a thing, otherwise, someone wouldn’t have created this.
This infographic shows in which states in the USA it is illegal to hitchhike. We also didn’t even know it could be illegal. As you can see, it is legal to hitchhike across most of the US. Some states are a bit more technical, though.
Guide for Off-Season National Park Sightseeing
We have talked about planning your trips or holidays around off-seasons so as to avoid large crowds of tourists. This notion of off-season travel does not only apply to visiting countries. It is equally important when planning on visiting national parks.
Think of this infographic as a guide for when to visit some of the most famous national parks in America. The list is quite extensive, meaning, no matter your interests, there’s sure to be more than one park for you.
Best Times to Buy Plane Tickets
Traveling can be rather expensive at times. Factors like differences in currency strengths, application fees for visas, and accommodation expenses can quickly add up. And we didn’t even mention the price of airfare, which is often one of the biggest expenses.
That said, airfare prices can vary quite dramatically depending on where you are planning to travel to and also when. Take this infographic, for example, that provided a data chart showing price variations depending on when you purchase your tickets.
Important Things to Know
By this point, we would not be surprised if many of you are eagerly anticipating your next vacation. Which makes it appropriate that we end things with one of the most important infographics. Another safety guide with some useful tips.
This guide not only offers you some practical tips but also how to better enjoy the experience. At the end of the day, it’s up to you how you plan to travel or what to do. Just always stay safe.