What a Difference a Card Makes

Traveling students are eligible for discounts around the world, ranging from air transportation to accommodations and sightseeing venues. With thousands of educational institutions issuing their own cards, it’s not always easy for foreign services to tell which cards are real and which are phony. That’s why, 30 years ago, the International Student Identity Card was introduced and is now recognized in more than 90 countries.

The 1998 edition will enable full-time students to enter the Victoria and Albert Museum in London for free, to ride VIA Rail Services in Canada at a 40% discount on economy seats, to get a 50% discount on all state museums in Turkey and Egypt, to get a 50% discount at a Best Western Comfort Hotel in Buenos Aires, or a 20% discount off standard rates at the 3,000 Choice hotels in Canada and the United States (based on availability).

The card is administered by the International Student Travel Confederation (ISTC), an international not-for-profit organization whose members collectively negotiate with airlines, governments and providers of goods and services that benefit student travelers. In 1998 about 3 million students will carry them.

Some discounts help students get started on an international adventure. Travelex, the world’s largest operator of Bureaux de Change (currency exchange centers in passenger terminals), provides commission-free foreign service to all cardholders. The company has locations at airports worldwide.

For those planning on staying in one location for several months or a year, the International Herald Tribune offers cardholders a 68% discount on the cover price for a subscription. The English-language newspaper is distributed in 181 countries. You can arrange the discount through the New York office, telephone (800) 882-2884.

Other discounts available in 1998: In Dublin, Ireland, students can get a 10% discount on Kinlay House accommodations, and they can use Internet services for free for 30 minutes at the Club USI Cyber Pub and the Furnace Dance Club.

The Vatican Museum in Rome offers a 40% discount, and in Athens the ISIC is honored for discounted admission to the Acropolis and a 20% to 70% reduction on theater, concert and opera performances. In the Czech Republic, discounts are available at most castles, chateaus, museums and galleries.

In Russia the Moscow Travelers guest house gives a 5% reduction and the Hermitage Museum gives a 40% discount.

In Turkey the State Railways offer a 30% discount and Turkish Airlines a 25% reduction. In Johannesburg, South Africa, students get 10% off accommodation rates at the International Travellers’ Hostel, the Hard Rock Cafe and excursions with Wildlife Safaris.

In New Zealand student travelers are eligible for a 10% discount on Magic Bus and Kiwi Experience backpacker bus services. Mount Cook Coachlines gives a 30% reduction and Air New Zealand and Ansett New Zealand offer a 50% discount. In Australia you can save 30% on Australian Coachlines and Greyhound Bus Line services.

In Bangkok, there are a variety of hotel discounts ranging from 30% to 55%, and there is a special rate at the Collins House YMCA of $41 to $46.

Discounts in North America now include airport shuttle services in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas and Washington, D.C. Alamo Rent a Car is offering a 20% discount off daily and weekly rates at 180 U.S. locations. That can help offset the $20 per day surcharge imposed on renters who are under 25. You must be 21 to rent from Alamo.

Theme parks across the country now offering a 10% discount include: Busch Gardens, Sea World, Adventure Island and Water Country USA. Ski resorts with discounts include: Stratton Mountain Resort and Smuggler’s Notch in Vermont and Steamboat Ski and Resort in Colorado. The ISTC also operates a 24-hour emergency assistance service that cardholders can call free from anywhere in the world and speak to an operator who will help them get in touch with legal, medical or travel advisors. In an emergency they also can assist with getting an urgent message to your family.

To be eligible to purchase an ISIC Card you must be a full-time student and under 26 years old. The 1998 card costs $20. They are sold by Los Angeles-based Council Travel; tel. (310) 208-3551.

Izon is a Toronto-based freelance writer. She can be reached at https://www.izon.com.