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ОглавлениеBEFORE YOU GO
Planning a good trip takes a lot more effort than you think it will. The worst thing you can do is get off the plane in Warsaw, for example, and not know what you want to do or what resources are available to you. Each chapter of this book includes a list of country-specific resources that will help you out in a pinch, but this chapter contains overarching information for all of Europe. We’ve condensed the knowledge we’ve acquired over 59 years of travel to ensure you have a safe, enjoyable experience in Europe. Planning your trip? Check. How to get around? Check. Safety and health resources? Check. There is also a phrasebook at the back of the book for your convenience.
PLANNING YOUR TRIP
DOCUMENTS AND FORMALITIES
There’s a lot of country-specific information when it comes to visas and work permits, but don’t forget the most important piece of documentation: your passport.
Passport
You cannot board a plane to another country without a passport. If you do not have a passport, you should apply for one several months in advance, as the process can take a long time. US citizens can apply for a passport online at www.travel.state.gov or at a local United States Post Office. Adult passports are valid for 10 years while children’s passports are valid for five. If you already have a passport, check the expiration date of your document before booking any flights or accommodations. Your passport must be valid for at least six months after you return from your trip in order to travel to Europe. Your passport should also have at least two blank pages, depending on your destination.
Visas
Those lucky enough to be EU citizens will not need a visa to travel throughout the continent. Being an EU citizen has other perks too, such as shorter security lines. Citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United States, and various other non-EU countries, however, do not need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days. This three-month period begins upon entry to any of the EU’s freedom-of-movement zones. Those staying longer than 90 days may apply for a longer-term visa; consult an embassy or consulate for more information.
Double check entry requirements at the nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date information, as political situations can make it easier or more difficult to move between countries. US citizens can also consult www.travel.state.gov. Keep in mind that admittance to a country as a traveler does not include the right to work, which is authorized only by a work permit. You should check online for the process of obtaining a work permit for the country in which you are planning to work.
THE EUROPEAN UNION: HOW IT WORKS
The European Union is a union of 28 countries within the continent of Europe based in Brussels, Belgium. This number still includes the United Kingdom. The countries covered in this book that are not part of the European Union are Iceland, Norway, Montenegro, and Monaco.
The European Union’s policy of freedom of movement means that most border controls have been abolished and visa policies harmonized. This treaty, formerly known as the Schengen Agreement, means you still have to carry a passport (or government-issued ID card for EU citizens) when crossing an internal border, but, once you’ve been admitted to one country, you’re free to travel to other participating states. Iceland and Norway are members of the Schengen Agreement, meaning that the rule extends to those countries as well.
It is important, however, to note that recent fears over immigration have led to calls for suspension of this freedom-of-movement and strengthening of borders. One of the most covered situations is Brexit, the vote by the citizens of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. Lawmakers from the United Kingdom and the European Union, as of August 2018, are still in conversation about the new border restrictions and rules between the United Kingdom and European Union, so it is important to inform yourself about the situation before planning travel to the UK.
TIME DIFFERENCES
Most of Europe is on Central European Time, which is 1hr ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and observes Daylight Savings Time in the summer. This means that, in summer, it is 6hr ahead of New York City, 9hr ahead of Los Angeles, 1hr. ahead of the British Isles, 8hr behind Sydney, and 10hr behind New Zealand. In winter, it is 10hr behind Sydney and 12hr behind New Zealand. However, the UK, Ireland, and Portugal are on GMT, also known as Western European Time, which means they are 1hr behind the Central European Time countries. In addition, Greece and some parts of Eastern Europe are on Eastern European Time, which means they are 1hr ahead of Central European Time countries.
MONEY MATTERS
BEFORE YOU GO
Call your bank. The first thing you should do is alert your bank that you will be abroad for a period of time. You should be prepared to give the bank representative the exact dates of your travel and where you will be if you plan to use your debit card in that country. Keep in mind that there may be a foreign transaction charge from your bank whenever you use your card. If your bank is a local US bank that does not have branches outside of a given city, you may want to consider changing your bank or opening a new account to one that is more widespread so that you can access customer service lines with larger networks in case of emergency.
Before you go, you should decide which credit cards to use before packing. It is advisable to pack credit cards that are widely accepted in Europe to avoid being caught in a pinch where you do not have any form of payment. Call your credit card company before going to alert them you will be abroad. As with banks, be prepared to give the representative the exact dates of your travel. Some credit card companies have online systems in which you can input the dates of your travel to skip the step of calling ahead.
CURRENCY BREAKDOWN
Nineteen countries in Europe use the euro, which is the currency of the European Union, meaning you will not have to worry about changing currencies when you hop from country to country. If you are traveling outside of the eurozone, however, you should be aware that you will need to convert once you leave. Countries outside the eurozone in the European Union are Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Hungary, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. For an up-to-date list, check a currency converter (such as www.xe.com).
GETTING MONEY FROM HOME
Things happen and, if they do, you might need money. The easiest and cheapest solution to get you out of a pinch is to have someone back home make a deposit to your bank account directly. If this isn’t possible, consider one of the following options:
Wiring Money
Arranging a bank money transfer means asking a bank back home to wire money to a bank wherever you are. This is the cheapest way to transfer cash, but it’s also a slow process, taking several days. Note that some banks may only release your funds in local currency, potentially sticking you with a poor exchange rate; you should inquire about this in advance.
Money transfer services like Western Union are faster and more convenient than bank transfers—but also much pricier. Western Union has many locations worldwide. To find one, visit www.westernunion.com or call the appropriate number:
• Australia: 1800 173 833
• Canada: 800 235 0000
• UK: 0808 234 9168
• US: 800 325 6000
• France: 08 00 90 01 91
Money transfer services are also available to American Express cardholders and at selected Thomas Cook offices.
US State Department (US Citizens Only)
In serious emergencies only, the US State Department will help your family or friends forward money within hours to the nearest consular office, which will then disburse it according to instructions for a $30 fee. If you wish to use this service, you must contact the Overseas Citizens Services division of the US State Department (+1 202 501 444 or, from the US, 888 407 4747)
WITHDRAWING MONEY WHILE ABROAD
ATMs are readily available throughout Europe, excluding some rural areas, so you should also check ahead of time if you will be able to withdraw money in a given country. To use a debit or credit card to withdraw money from a cash machine (ATM) in Europe, you must have a four-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN). If your PIN is longer than four digits, ask your bank whether you can just use the first four digits or whether you’ll need a new one. If your PIN includes a 0, you may need to make a new PIN, as some ATM machines in Europe do not have that key.
Travelers with alphabetical rather than numerical PINs may also be thrown off by the absence of letters on European cash machines. Here are the corresponding numbers to use:
• QZ = 1
• ABC = 2
• DEF = 3
• GHI = 4
• JKL = 5
• MNO = 6
• PRS = 7
• TUV = 8
• WXY = 9
It is also important to note that if you mistakenly punch the wrong code into the machine multiple (often three) times, it can swallow up your card for good. Credit cards do not usually come with PINs, so if you intend to use ATMs in Europe with a credit card to get cash advances, call your credit card company before leaving to request one.
DEBIT AND CREDIT CARD FRAUD
If you check your account and notice that money has been stolen or is missing, you should call your bank immediately to remedy the situation and file a claim for the missing money. Many credit card companies have similar help lines and some online applications will allow you to automatically freeze your account. For this reason, we recommend that you always have some form of hard cash on you at all times.
TIPPING
Unlike in the United States, Europe does not have some unwritten universal tipping code of conduct. No one in the world tips like Americans, so tipping might just be a giveaway that you are a tourist. Although you are not required to tip, you can still leave one; even just 10% will seem quite generous.
TAXES
Members of the EU have a value-added tax (VAT) of varying percentages. It is most often between 19-21%. Non-EU citizens have the opportunity to be refunded this tax if you are taking these goods home. When shopping, make sure to ask for a VAT refund form that you can present with the goods and receipts at customs upon departure. Note: you must have the goods with you in order to be refunded.
GETTING AROUND
BY PLANE
Commercial Airlines
For small-scale travel on the continent, Let’s Go suggests budget airlines for budget travelers, but more traditional carriers have begun to offer competitive deals. We recommend searching on www.cheapflights.com for the most affordable flights to Europe. You should look to book flights months in advance.
Budget Airlines
No-frills airlines make hopscotching around Europe by air remarkably affordable, as long as you avoid their rip-off fees. The following airlines will be useful for traveling across the pond and hopping from country to country:
• EasyJet: www.easyjet.com
• Eurowings: www.eurowings.com
• Iceland Air: www.icelandair.com
• Norwegian: www.norwegian.com
• Ryanair: www.ryanair.com
• Pegasus: www.flypgs.com
• Transavia: www.transavia.com
• Wizz Air: www.wizzair.com
BY TRAIN
European trains are generally comfortable, convenient, and reasonably swift. You should always make sure you are in the correct car, as sometimes trains split midway through route to dock at different destinations. Towns in parentheses on European train schedules require a train switch at the town listed immediately before the parentheses.
You can either buy a railpass, which, for a high price, allows you unlimited, flexible travel within a particular region for a given period of time, or buy individual point-to-point tickets as you go. Almost all countries give students or youths (under 26, usually) direct discounts on regular domestic rail tickets and many also sell a student or youth card that provides 20-50% off all fares for up to a year. Tickets can be bought at stations, but most Western European countries offer big discounts to travelers booking online in advance.
Check out the following sites to get discounts on train tickets and book trips in advance:
BY BUS
Although train travel is much more comfortable, it may be cheaper to travel via bus from city to city. There are numerous operators across the continent, but Eurolines is the largest company running international coach services (www.eurolines.com). Inquire about 15- or 30-day passes when you book. For a higher price tag, Busabout offers numerous hop-on-hop-off bus circuits covering 29 of Europe’s best bus hubs (www.busabout.com).
With that in mind, it is highly advised that you avoid travel at night via bus at all costs. It is much safer to book an early morning trip than it is to leave in the dead of the night, as drivers can be exhausted and many roads are narrow and unsafe to navigate in the dark. Let’s Go has a policy with our Researcher-Writers in which we do not allow them to travel via bus at night.
PLACES TO STAY
For the budget traveler, accommodations options are limited, as expensive hotels are out of price range. That means hostels will be your best friend. All of the hostels in Let’s Go Europe 2019 have been visited by a Researcher-Writer and are therefore verified by this guide.
You should, at least for the first few nights of your stay, book a hostel before departing, that way you do not land without a place to stay. We recommend using HostelWorld (www.hostelworld.com), Homestay (www.homestay.com), or Booking.com (www.booking.com) to make reservations.
There are a few red flags to look out for before deciding to stay at a hostel, even if you have already made a reservation online. We advise looking at the area or neighborhood surrounding the hostel to see if it feels and looks safe. If it does not, we recommend finding another hostel in a more suitable area. Many a time there are hostels with little lighting in front of the establishment, which is a signal that it is not completely safe. Many hostels have 24hr security and lockout times, which can be reassuring. In addition, you should avoid hostels where you see pests, bedbugs, or signs of rampant uncleanliness. If you feel uncomfortable talking to staff members or if staff members make sexual advances, this is also a concern and you should find another place to spend the night.
SAFETY AND HEALTH
In any crisis, the most important thing to do is keep calm. In every chapter, we have included the address of the nearest US embassy or consulate so that you can seek help in an emergency; your country’s embassy is your best resource in precarious situations. The following government offices can also provide travel information and advisories.
• Australia: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (+61 2 6261 3305; www.smartraveller.gov.au)
• Canada: Global Affairs of Canada (+1 800 267 8376; www.international.gc.ca)
• New Zealand: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (+64 4 439 8000; www.safetravel.govt.nz)
• UK: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (+44 20 7008 1500; www.fco.gov.uk)
• US: Department of State (+1 888 407 4747 from the US, +1 202 501 4444 from abroad; www.travel.state.gov)
PRE-DEPARTURE HEALTH
Matching a prescription to a foreign drug equivalent is not always safe, easy, or even possible. Remember to take prescription drugs with you and carry up-to-date prescriptions or a statement from your doctor stating the medication’s trade names, manufacturers, chemical names, and dosages. Be sure to keep all your medication in your carry-on luggage.
Immunizations and Precautions
Travelers over two years of age should make sure that the following vaccinations are up to date:
• MMR (for measles, mumps, and rubella)
• DTaP or Td (for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis)
• IPV (for polio)
• Hib (for Hemophilus influenzae B)
• HepB (for Hepatitis B)
For recommendations on other immunizations and prophylaxis, check with a doctor and consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US (800 232 4636; www.cdc.gov/travel) or the equivalent in your home country.
KEEPING IN TOUCH
BY EMAIL AND INTERNET
Wireless hot spots (Wi-Fi) make internet access possible in public and remote places. Unfortunately, they can also pose security risks. Hot spots are public, open networks that use unencrypted, unsecured connections. They are susceptible to hacks and “packet sniffing”—the theft of passwords and other private information. To prevent problems, disable “ad hoc” mode, turn off file sharing and network discover, encrypt your email, turn on your firewall, beware of phony networks, and watch for over-the-shoulder creeps. Data roaming lets you use mobile data abroad, but it can be pricey. If you refuse to “later ’gram” and hyperventilate at the idea of losing access to Google, first consider that you are many hours ahead of the United States and can post when you return to your hostel and remember that Google Maps is available offline. If that doesn’t placate you, though, you should get an international travel plan with your carrier or consider getting a local phone.
BY TELEPHONE
If you have internet access, your best (i.e. cheapest, most convenient, and most tech-savvy) means of calling home are probably Skype, FaceTime, or whatever calling app you prefer. Prepaid phone cards are common and a relatively inexpensive means of calling abroad. Each one comes with a Personal Identification Number (PIN) and a toll-free access number. Call the access number and follow the subsequent directions for dialing your PIN. To purchase prepaid phone cards, check online for the best rates (www.callingcard.com).
Another option is a calling card, linked to a major national telecommunications service in your home country. Calls are billed collect or to your account. Cards generally come with instructions for dialing both domestically and internationally. Placing a collect call through an international operator can be expensive but may be necessary in case of an emergency. You can frequently call collect without even possessing a company’s calling card just by calling its access number and following the instructions.
How to Make a Call
1. Dial the international dialing prefix,
• Australia: 0011
• Canada or the US: 011
• Ireland, New Zealand, and most of Europe: 00
2. Then the country code of the country you want to call,
• Australia: 61
• Austria: 43
• Belgium: 32
• Canada: 1
• Croatia: 385
• Czech Republic: 420
• Denmark: 45
• France: 33
• Germany: 49
• Greece: 30
• Hungary: 36
• Ireland: 353
• Italy: 39
• The Netherlands: 31
• Norway: 47
• New Zealand: 64
• Poland: 48
• Portugal: 351
• Spain: 34
• Sweden: 46
• Switzerland: 41
• UK: 44
• US: 1
3. Followed by the city/area code,
4. And finally the local number.
Cellular Phones
The international standard for cellular phones is the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM). To make and receive calls in Europe, you will need a GSM-compatible phone and a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card, a country-specific, thumbnail-sized chip that gives you a local phone number and plugs you into the local network. Most SIM cards will work in any country, but the charges for this can vary wildly, so check with your carrier and decide whether it might be cheaper to get a new SIM at your destination. Many European SIM cards are prepaid, and incoming calls are frequently free. You can buy additional cards or vouchers (usually available at convenience stores) to “top up” your phone. For more information on GSM phones, check out www.telestial.com. Companies like Cellular Abroad (www.cellularabroad.com) and OneSimCard (www.onesimcard.com) rent cell phones and SIM cards that work in a variety of destinations around the world.
BY SNAIL MAIL
Sending Mail Home
Airmail is the best way to send mail home from Europe. Write “airmail,” “par avion,” or the equivalent in the local language on the front. For simple letters or postcards, airmail tends to be surprisingly cheap, but the price will go up sharply for weighty packages. Surface mail is by far the cheapest, slowest, and most antiquated way to send mail. It takes one or two months to cross the Atlantic, which may be ideal for heavy items you won’t need for a while, like souvenirs you’ve acquired along the way and the dresser you bought from that antique store that deep down, you know you don’t need.
Receiving Mail in Europe
There are several ways to arrange pickup of letters sent to you while you are abroad, even if you do not have an address of your own. Mail can be sent via Post Restante (General Delivery). Address Poste Restante letters like so:
First and Last Name
Poste Restante
City, Country
The mail will go to a special desk in the city’s central post office, unless you specify a local post office by a street address or postal code. It’s best to use the largest post office, since mail may be sent there regardless. Bring your passport (or other photo ID) for pickup; there may be a small fee. If the clerk insists there is nothing for you, ask them to check under your first name as well. Let’s Go lists post offices in the Essentials section for each city we cover. It’s usually safer and quicker, though more expensive, to send mail express or registered. If you don’t want to deal with Poste Restante, consider asking your hostel or accommodation if you can have things mailed to you there. Of course, if you have your own mailing address or a reliable friend, that is the easiest method.
CLIMATE
Europe may be the smallest continent in the world, but it has a surprisingly diverse climate. Some of its countries border the seas while others are landlocked. Some have mountains and glaciers, others have valleys and sandy ruins. Here’s how it works: Southern Europe is known for warm weather surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. This area has mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Northern and Eastern areas are marked by temperate forests, where cold Arctic air contrasts with hot, warm summers and rain whenever the universe feels like mocking you. In between sits the exception: the mile-high Alps, where things are generally colder and wetter.
MEASUREMENTS
Like the rest of the rational world, Europe uses the metric system. The basic unit of length is the meter (m), which is divided into 100 centimeters (cm) or 10000 millimeters (mm). One thousand meters make up one kilometer (km). Fluids are measured in liters (L), each divided into 1000 (mL). A liter of pure water weighs one kilogram (kg), the unit of mass that is divided into 1000 grams (g). One metric ton is 1000kg. Gallons in the US and in Britain are not identical: one US gallon equals 0.83 Imperial gallons. Pub aficionados will note that an Imperial pint (20 oz.) is larger than its US counterpart (16 oz.)—we’ll drink to that!
