Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
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money
GETTING MONEY FROM HOME
Stuff happens. When stuff happens, you might need some money. When you need some money, the easiest and cheapest solution is to have someone back home make a deposit to your bank account. Otherwise, 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 in Europe. This is the cheapest way to transfer cash, but it’s also the slowest and most agonizing, usually taking several days or more. Note that some banks may only release your funds in local currency, potentially sticking you with a poor exchange rate; 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: in Australia 1800 173 833, in Canada and the US 800-325-6000, or in the UK 0800 735 1815. To wire money using a credit card in Canada and the US, call 800-CALL-CASH; in the UK, 0800 833 833. 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 forward money within hours to the nearest consular office, which will then disburse it according to instructions for a US$30 fee. If you wish to use this service, you must contact the Overseas Citizens Services division of the US State Department. (+1-202-501-4444, from US 888-407-4747)
TIPPING AND TAXES
Europe hasn’t become totally homogenous yet; tipping etiquette still varies from country to country, as do tax laws. See Essentials in the relevant country chapter for details.
pins and atms
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 or whether you’ll need a new one. Credit cards don’t usually come with PINs, so if you intend to hit up ATMs in Europe with a credit card to get cash advances, call your credit card company before leaving to request one.
Travelers with alphabetic rather than numeric PINs may also be thrown off by the absence of letters on European cash machines. Here are the corresponding numbers to use: 1 = QZ; 2 = ABC; 3 = DEF; 4 = GHI; 5 = JKL; 6 = MNO; 7 = PRS; 8 = TUV; 9 = WXY. Note that if you mistakenly punch the wrong code into the machine multiple (often three) times, it can swallow (gulp!) your card for good.
safety and health
GENERAL ADVICE
In any type of crisis, the most important thing to do is stay calm. Your country’s embassy abroad is usually your best resource in an emergency; registering with that embassy upon arrival in the country is a good idea. The government offices listed in the Travel Advisories feature can provide information on the services they offer their citizens in case of emergencies abroad.
PRE-DEPARTURE HEALTH
Matching a prescription to a foreign equivalent is not always easy, safe, or possible, so if you take prescription drugs, carry up-to-date prescriptions or a statement from your doctor stating the medications’ trade names, manufacturers, chemical names, and dosages. Be sure to keep all medication with you in your carry-on luggage.
Immunizations and Precautions
Travelers over two years old should make sure that the following vaccines are up to date: MMR (for measles, mumps, and rubella); DTaP or Td (for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis); IPV (for polio); Hib (for Haemophilus influenzae B); and HepB (for Hepatitis B). For recommendations on immunizations and prophylaxis, check with a doctor and consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US or the equivalent in your home country. (+1-800-CDC-INFO/232-4636 www.cdc.gov/travel)
getting around
For information on how to get to Europe and save a bundle while doing so, check out the Essentials section of www.letsgo.com. (In case you can’t tell, we think our website’s the bomb.)
travel advisories
The following government offices provide travel information and advisories by telephone, by fax, or via the web:
• AUSTRALIA: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (+61 2 6261 1111 www.dfat.gov.au)
• CANADA: Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT). Call or visit the website for the free booklet Bon Voyage...But. (+1-800-267-8376 www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca)
• NEW ZEALAND: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (+64 4 439 8000 www.mfat.govt.nz)
• UK: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (+44 20 7008 1500 www.fco.gov.uk)
• US: Department of State (888-407-4747 from the US, +1-202-501-4444 elsewhere http://travel.state.gov)
BY PLANE
Commercial Airlines
For small-scale travel on the continent, Let’s Go suggests budget airlines (above) for budget travelers, but more traditional carriers have made efforts to keep up with the revolution. The Star Alliance Europe Airpass offers low economy-class fares for travel within Europe to 220 destinations in 45 countries. The pass is available to non-European passengers on Star Alliance carriers. (www.staralliance.com) EuropebyAir’s snazzy FlightPass also allows you to hop between hundreds of cities in Europe and North Africa. (+1-888-321-4737 www.europebyair.com Most flights US$99.)
In addition, a number of European airlines offer discount coupon packets. Most are only available as tack-ons for transatlantic passengers, but some are standalone offers. Most must be purchased before departure, so research in advance. For example, oneworld, a coalition of 10 major international airlines, offers deals and cheap connections all over the world, including within Europe. (www.oneworld.com)
budget airlines
The recent emergence of no-frills airlines has made hopscotching around Europe by air increasingly affordable. Though these flights often feature inconvenient hours or serve less popular regional airports, with ticket prices often dipping into single digits, it’s never been faster or easier to jet across the continent. The following resources will be useful not only for crisscrossing countries but also for those ever-popular weekend trips to nearby international destinations.
• BMIBABY: Departures from multiple cities in the UK to Paris, Nice, and other cities in France. ( 0871 224 0224 for the UK, +44 870 126 6726 elsewhere www.bmibaby.com)
• EASYJET: London to cities in France. (+44 871 244 2366, 10p per min. www.easyjet.com UK£50-150.)
• RYANAIR: From Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, and Shannon to destinations in France. ( 0818 30 30 30 for Ireland, 0871 246 0000 for the UK www.ryanair.com)
• STERLING: The first Scandinavian-based budget airline connects Denmark, Norway, and Sweden to 47 European destinations. ( 70 10 84 84 for Denmark, 0870 787 8038 for the UK www.sterling.dk)
• TRANSAVIA: Short hops from Krakow to Paris. ( 020 7365 4997 for the UK www.transavia.com From €49 one-way.)
• WIZZ AIR: Has flights to major European cities. ( 0904 475 9500 for the UK, 65p per min. www.wizzair.com)
BY TRAIN
Trains in Europe are generally comfortable, convenient, and reasonably swift. Second-class compartments are great places to meet fellow travelers. Make sure you are on the correct car, as trains sometimes split at crossroads. Towns listed 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 allows you unlimited travel within a particular region for a given period of time, or rely on buying 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.
BY BUS
Though European trains and railpasses are extremely popular, in some cases buses prove a better option. Often cheaper than railpasses, international bus passes allow unlimited travel on a hop-
on, hop-off basis between major European cities. Busabout, for instance, offers three interconnecting bus circuits covering 29 of Europe’s best bus hubs. (+44 8450 267 514 www.busabout.com 1 circuit in high season starts at US$579, students US$549.) Eurolines, meanwhile, is the largest operator of Europe-wide coach services. We get misty-eyed just thinking about their unlimited 15- and 30-day passes to 41 major European cities. (www.eurolines.com High season 15-day pass €345, 30-day pass €455; under 26 €290/375. Mid-season €240/330; under 26 €205/270. Low season €205/310; under 26 €175/240.)
rail resources
• WWW.RAILEUROPE.COM: Info on rail travel and railpasses.
• POINT-TO-POINT FARES AND SCHEDULES: www.raileurope.com/us/rail/fares_schedules/index.htm allows you to calculate whether buying a railpass would save you money.
• WWW.RAILSAVER.COM: Uses your itinerary to calculate the best railpass for your trip.
• WWW.RAILFANEUROPE.NET: Links to rail servers throughout Europe.
keeping in touch
BY EMAIL AND INTERNET
Hello and welcome to the 21st century, where you can check your email in most major European cities, though sometimes you’ll have to pay a few bucks or buy a drink for internet access. Although in some places it’s possible to forge a remote link with your home server, in most cases this is a much slower (and thus more expensive) option than taking advantage of free web-based email accounts (e.g., www.gmail.com). Internet cafes and the occasional free internet terminal at a public library or university are listed in the Practicalities sections of cities that we cover.
Wireless hot spots make internet access possible in public and remote places. Unfortunately, they 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 discovery, encrypt your email, turn on your firewall, beware of phony networks, and watch for over-the-shoulder creeps.
BY TELEPHONE
Calling Home from Europe
Prepaid phone cards are a common and relatively inexpensive means of calling abroad. Each one comes with a Personal Identification Number (PIN) and a toll-free access number. You call the access number and then follow the directions for dialing your PIN. To purchase prepaid phone cards, check online for the best rates; www.callingcards.com is a good place to start. Online providers generally send your access number and PIN via email, with no actual “card” involved. You can also call home with prepaid phone cards purchased in Europe.
If you have internet access, your best—i.e., cheapest, most convenient, and most tech-savvy—bet is probably our good friend Skype. (www.skype.com) You can even videochat if you have one of those new-fangled webcams. Calls to other Skype users are free; calls to landlines and mobiles worldwide start at US$0.021 per minute, depending on where you’re calling.
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.
Cellular Phones
The international standard for cell phones is 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-size chip that gives you a local phone number and plugs you into the local network. Many 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 From Europe
Airmail is the best way to send mail home from Europe. Aerogrammes, printed sheets that fold into envelopes and travel via airmail, are available at post offices. Write “airmail” or “par avion” (or the equivalent in the local language) on the front. Most post offices will charge exorbitant fees or simply refuse to send aerogrammes with enclosures. Surface mail is by far the cheapest and slowest way to send mail. It takes one to two months to cross the Atlantic and one to three to cross the Pacific—good for heavy items you won’t need for a while, like souvenirs that you’ve acquired along the way.
Sending Mail To Europe
In addition to the standard postage system whose rates are listed below, Federal Express handles express mail services from most countries to Europe. (+1-800-463-3339 www.fedex.com)
There are several ways to arrange pickup of letters sent to you while you are abroad. Mail can be sent via Poste Restante (General Delivery) to almost any city or town in Europe with a post office, but it is often not too reliable. Address Poste Restanteletters like so:
Napoleon BONAPARTE
Poste Restante
City, Country
international calls
To call Europe from home or to call home from Europe, dial:
• 1. THE INTERNATIONAL DIALING PREFIX. To call from Australia, dial 0011; Canada or the US, 011; Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and most of Europe, 00.
• 2. THE COUNTRY CODE OF THE COUNTRY YOU WANT TO CALL. To call Australia, dial 61; Canada or the US, 1; Ireland, 353; New Zealand, 64; the UK, 44.
• 3. THE CITY/AREA CODE. Let’s Go lists the city/area codes for cities and towns in Europe opposite the city or town name, next to a , as well as in every phone number. If the first digit is a zero (e.g., 020 for Amsterdam), omit the zero when calling from abroad (e.g., dial 20 from Canada to reach Amsterdam).
• 4. THE LOCAL NUMBER.
The mail will go to a special desk in the central post office, unless you specify a post office by street address or postal code. It’s best to use the largest post office, since mail may be sent there regardless. It is usually safer and quicker, though more expensive, to send mail express or registered. Bring your passport (or other photo ID) for pickup; there may be a small fee. If the clerks insist that there is nothing for you, ask them to check under your first name as well. Let’s Go lists post offices in the Practicalities section for each city.
American Express has travel offices throughout the world that offer a free Client Letter Service (mail held up to 30 days and forwarded upon request) for cardholders who contact them in advance. Some offices provide these services to non-cardholders (especially AmEx Travelers Cheque holders), but call ahead to make sure. For a complete list of AmEx locations, call +1-800-528-4800 or visit www.americanexpress.com/travel.
climate
Europe is for lovers, historians, architects, beach bums, and... weather nerds? In fact, this smallest continent has quite the diverse climate. Southern Europe is well known for the warm weather surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, creatively named the Mediterranean climate. These areas have warm, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Northern Europe is marked by temperate forests, where cold arctic air in winter contrasts with hot summers. In between sits the exception: the mile-high Alps, where things are generally colder and wetter.
To convert from degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius, subtract 32 and multiply by 5/9. To convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit, multiply by 9/5 and add 32.
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 1000 millimeters (mm). One thousand meters make up one kilometer (km). Fluids are measured in liters (L), each divided into 1
000 milliliters (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 those 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.).
MEASUREMENT CONVERSIONS
1 inch (in.) = 25.4mm 1 millimeter (mm) = 0.039 in.
1 foot (ft.) = 0.305m 1 meter (m) = 3.28 ft.
1 yard (yd.) = 0.914m 1 meter (m) = 1.094 yd.
1 mile (mi.) = 1.609km 1 kilometer (km) = 0.621 mi.
1 ounce (oz.) = 28.35g 1 gram (g) = 0.035 oz.
1 pound (lb.) = 0.454kg 1 kilogram (kg) = 2.205 lb.
1 fluid ounce (fl. oz.) = 29.57mL 1 milliliter (mL) = 0.034 fl. oz.
1 gallon (gal.) = 3.785L 1 liter (L) = 0.264 gal.
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