Traveling to College This Fall? A Few Tips Before You Go

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Aug 17, 2010, 12:21 ET

CHICAGO, Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The time, money and effort spent to get students moved and settled into their college homes can be stressful for both students and parents – especially if the traveling is by air rather than U-Haul.

The GO Group, LLC, the nation's largest airport and ground transportation provider, has some pointers to make cross-country college travel easier.

"Going away to college takes planning to ease the stress and financial burden," says John McCarthy, president of The GO Group. "Our team has uncovered a few ideas to make the move smoother."

Suggestions include:

Lighten your load

Purchase linens, towels and other necessities in advance online and have them shipped to the student's campus address. Many retailers, like Target, have website pages devoted to college furnishings. And if family members are visiting during the fall semester, don't move the student's winter clothing until then. Removing the bulkier items from the initial move frees space in moving boxes, suitcases and cars.

Seek out cheaper airfare

According to independenttraveler.com, passengers will find the best airfare deals by booking early or late and by being flexible with travel dates. Since airline prices tend to be cheapest on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, try to plan the student's move-in day around cheaper tickets. The travel tip site further suggests using discount airlines (like JetBlue or Southwest) and monitoring travel sites for discounts.

Share rides between airport and campus

Once on the ground, public transportation can be unreliable and taxis are pricey, making it tricky to get from the airport to campus. Shared ride van services are available at most airports, so look for signs near the baggage claim area to point you in the right direction.

Ask for help!

Other than school-specific forums, a few sites, like http://www.collegeconfidential.com/, connect parents and students with questions to others who may be able to help.

The GO Group, LLC, launched in August 2007 as a convenient, one-stop source for door-to-door airport shuttle services, also serves some 60 airports in North America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe, transporting more than 13 million passengers per year. Travelers can book ground transportation to and from both departure and destination airports through GO's website, www.goairportshuttle.com.