In brief. An early or night departure is made harder by the fact that public transport runs rarely at these hours, or not at all, while the price of a mistake is a missed flight. The most reliable solutions are an individual door-to-door trip, an overnight journey or leaving the day before. The main rule: allow a buffer of time, bearing in mind that there are fewer travel options at night, and do not rely on “something is bound to be running”.
An early flight is not just about “getting up earlier”. It is a situation in which the usual logic of “I’ll catch the bus” may not work, because at night there may simply be no bus.
Why the early hours are unreliable for transport
At night and early in the morning public transport runs less often, and some routes do not run at all. So a plan that works perfectly by day may prove unworkable for an early flight. This is the first thing worth checking.
How to choose a way of travelling
- an individual trip — the most reliable: a door-to-door journey at any hour;
- an overnight trip — if the distance is large and you cope well with travelling at night;
- leaving the day before — when the airport is far and there are few travel options at night.
When leaving the day before is justified
If the airport is in another city and night transport is unreliable, a sensible solution is to arrive the day before. That way you remove the main risk — dependence on rare night connections — before the day of departure.
What to do the evening before
- prepare your things and documents in advance;
- charge your phone and power bank;
- check the departure time and the flight status;
- arrange your trip ahead of time rather than “I’ll sort it out in the morning”.
How not to oversleep your flight
- set several alarms;
- allow a buffer of time in case of delays;
- factor in the time for all the procedures at the airport after you arrive;
- if you are anxious, consider leaving the day before so you can sleep easy.
What to keep in mind
- check whether the transport you need even runs at your departure time;
- for an early flight a buffer of time matters more than ever;
- a night trip needs its own preparation — there is a separate article about it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reliably get to an early flight?
Most reliably by an individual door-to-door trip, an overnight journey or leaving the day before.
Why should I not rely on public transport at night?
It runs rarely or not at all, so the risk of being left without a way there is high.
When should I travel the day before?
If the airport is far and night connections are unreliable — it removes the main risk.