Living in the United Kingdom, I’ve travelled all over Europe, but often when I’ve met people from the USA, Australia or Asia, they’ve made similar mistakes when travelling to Europe, therefore I wanted to put together a guide to help anyone visiting for the first time, to avoid the same pitfalls.
Pack the Right Plug Adapter
Ok, the easy bit you can look out for is ‘continental’ written on the plug adapters, or wherever you’re ordering them from, but that really is simplified, as there is no 1 European plug.
Most of mainland Europe uses Type C, E or F plugs. I know, you’re probably already feeling confused. It’s best to look up the exact country you’re visiting and if you’re visiting multiple then you can get an adaptive plug adapter that can work for multiple countries (technology hey).
If you come over to the UK, we have a different one to the rest of Europe, as we have 3 rectangular pins, with the earth wire protecting you from getting electrocuted (I might be biased, but we do it best, who wants a shock).
Switzerland uses Type J, again looking very similar to the 2 round pins you get for the rest of Europe, but it is different and they won’t fit each others. Denmark uses Type K, Malta, Ireland and Cyprus use Type G, you get the point, research this before you fly out.
The universal travel adapter with USB-C ports is a good place to start if you’re travelling across Europe.
Work Out Your Data
Being from the UK, I have managed to get free roaming within the EU with my phone contract. Unfortunately for many other readers, this isn’t the case, especially if you come from further afield.
This is where it is pivotal to arrange an eSIM, which will work across multiple European nations, so that you don’t end up with a hefty phone bill at the end.
Zensim have different options available, from 5GB upwards, all the way to unlimited data if you think you will need it. The contracts are based on 30 days and each deal covers 39 countries, ideal if you’re backpacking across. You can find a detailed overview here if you’re looking to pick up a data only eSIM.
Let The Bank Know
I made this mistake before I flew to the USA, they freaked out and blocked my card once I got there. It literally stopped working and I was completely reliant on friends and going into banks every few days to prove who I was and request a withdrawal.
This could have all been solved if I had alerted the bank before I went, so that there was a note on my account. They don’t want fraudulent activities performed on your account, especially as they may end up out of pocket, so it’s sometimes easier for them to block your account if they’re unaware you’ll be leaving the country or spending a decent amount of money.
Set Up Multiple Payment Methods
This leads perfectly on from my last point, I tend to get Revolut loaded up with a decent amount, largely as I can quickly change my money over to whichever currency I need at the time. Make sure to exchange your money over on the app, so you don’t get messed around with exchange rates on each purchase.
But also, if you have any issues with your bank card, you know you can fall back on another option. If possible, pack a couple of different bank cards and a digital option.
Check on Euros Versus Traditional Currency
I know this one catches quite a few people out, but people tend to assume every country in Europe uses the Euros now and while that would make life a lot easier, it’s simply not the case.
So there is a huge list of countries in Europe that do use the Euro, such as France, Spain, Portugal, Germany and Italy. It is quite possible you may stick purely to Euro-using countries.
But head across the sea to my rainy part of the world (United Kingdom) and you’ll be paying in pound sterling. Over in Switzerland, as with the adapters, they also have a different currency, the Swiss Franc, but Euros are accepted in some places.
In Czechia you will have to use Czech Koruna, while you’ll also need a different currency for Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Norway and Sweden, so plenty of places to catch you out.
If you leave it until you get to the airport then the exchange rate is awful and you’ll lose out on quite a bit of cash. Most places will of course accept card payments nowadays, but it’s best to be prepared, especially with tips (not that we have a tipping culture like the USA, but it’s still nice to give 10% if service isn’t added automatically).
Book Your Transport In Advance
A lot of people who plan on travelling across Europe hope to turn up on the day and get on a train. For many of those people, you’ll be absolutely fine, but I don’t want you to be disappointed, as some can get booked up or very busy and also you can save quite a bit of money if you book in advance, especially with a 30 day minimum.
For example, I used to always book my train over to Bath for Christmas in October, as by November the price would increase by almost 100%! Also, if you can be flexible, you may find there are cheaper times, off-peak, you’re not going to work therefore you may be able to adjust to these cheaper times.
Just remember that if you’re heading in the summer then it does tend to get booked up a bit quicker, especially during the school holidays.
