Things to Know Before You Travel to Europe

 

Check your passport expiration; you may be denied entry into certain European countries if your passport is due to expire within three months of your ticketed date of return. Get it renewed if you’ll be cutting it close.
Make reservations well in advance, especially during peak season, for accommodations, popular restaurants, major sights, and local guides.
Call your debit- and credit-card companies to let them know the countries you’ll be visiting, to ask about fees, and more. Get your bank’s emergency phone number in the US (but not its 800 number) to call collect if you have a problem. If you don’t know your credit card’s PIN code, ask your bank to mail it to you.
Do your homework if you want to buy travel insurance. Check whether your existing insurance (health, homeowner’s, or renter’s) covers you and your possessions overseas.
If you’re bringing the kids, make sure you have the right paperwork, including a passport for each, a letter of consent if only one parent is traveling, and documentation for adopted children.
Make copies of important travel documents as a backup in case you lose the originals.
Students should get an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) for discounts throughout Europe. Hostelers who’ll be staying at least six nights in official HI hostels should get a membership card.
If you’re planning to buy a rail pass, you’ll need to get it before you leave the US. Rail pass or no, it can also be smart to reserve seats on certain trains before you leave.
If you need to bridge several long-distance destinations on your trip, look into cheap flights within Europe. For the best fares, book these as far in advance as possible.
If you’ll be renting a car, you’ll need a valid driver’s license. An International Driving Permit is technically required in Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, and Spain.
Get a proper guidebook. If traveling with one of mine,page for the latest news about your destination.
Take care of any medical needs. Visit your doctor to get a checkup, and see your dentist if you have any work that needs to be done. If you use prescription drugs, stock up before your trip. Pack along the prescription, plus one for contact lens or glasses if you wear them.
Attend to your household needs. Cancel your newspapers, hold your mail delivery, and prepay your bills.
Give a copy of your itinerary to family or friends.
Make a list of valuables that you’re bringing (such as electronics). Include serial numbers, makes, and models, and take photos of your items to serve as a record for the police and your insurance company should anything be stolen.
Because airline carry-on restrictions are always changing, visit the Transportation Security Administration’s website for a list of what you can bring on the plane, and for the latest security measures (including screening of electronic devices, which you may be asked to power up).

12 Things to Know Before You Travel to Europe 12 Things to Know Before You Travel to Europe If you or a friend are planning to travel to Europe this summer, I’m pretty sure you’ll appreciate any advice to help make your travels go smoother and safer. Europe is one of the busiest places for tourists over the summer months, so hopefully you’ll find these tips helpful! Let me know if you agree, disagree or would add anything to the list below. And please feel free to share this with any friends, family or colleagues who plan to travel to Europe this summer! Here are 12 things to know before you travel to Europe: Passports-610x4571. Make Sure You Have A Valid Passport If you’re planning to travel out of the country this summer, now is the time to find your passport and make sure it’s valid. Remember that many countries require that your passport be valid for at least six months (some just three months) after your arrival date before they’ll grant entry to their country. It doesn’t matter if you’re only going for a day; if you don’t have at least six months validity, you could, and probably will, be denied entry. Here’s how to renew or apply for a passport. For more, here are 10 passport tips that will save you time, money and headaches. Nat packing2. Pack Light + What Not to Pack One of my top three travel tips is to pack light. Trust me: It will make your travel experience so much easier. When my then-girlfriend, now-wife, showed up for our first trip together, which was just a weekend trip, she looked like a 1920s transatlantic passenger with the size of her trunk! I had to put on the brakes and show her the light. I used to pack the same way but I learned the benefits of traveling light, like not having to pay for checked luggage, not having to show up early to the airport, not having to stand in long lines to check your bag or stand around for what seems like an eternity for your bags to come out at baggage claim (if they ever do). You also don’t have to worry about the airline losing your bag, and you’ll be able to switch to an earlier or non-delayed flight more easily and you can take public transportation to get around, which is usually faster and cheaper – especially in Europe. Now, Natalie packs lighter than I do (here’s her packing guide) and when I suggest she should check a bag for one of our round-the-world trips, she looks at me like I’m crazy. All I take is a Briggs & Riley rolling bag, which has my valuables and work supplies (laptop, tablet, chargers, etc), along with a medium-sized Roots tote bag with clothes for a week. I’ll find a place to wash my clothes when my trips are longer than seven days, which they usually are. Good to know: 10 Things You Don’t Need to Pack My-Bag-Made-It3. Pack an Extra Bag If you think you might do a fair bit of shopping on your travels, then pack a thin, lightweight duffel bag in your carry-on or checked suitcase. That way, if you have too much stuff, you can check an extra bag on the way back. TIP 2: If you purchase expensive items, then put your dirty clothes in the checked bag and carry the more valuable items on the plane. Sleeping on plane4. Combat Jet Lag + How to Sleep on a Plane The best way to combat jet lag is to get on the local schedule as soon as possible. I usually start doing this the day before I fly by going to bed early, and the moment I get on the plane, I set my watch to local time. I then try to sleep and eat at the times they would be doing so at my destination. If you take an overnight flight and don’t get much rest, don’t go to sleep when you arrive. Instead, fight it. Try and stay awake until at least 10pm so you can get on local time as soon as possible. FYI: Here are 10 tips for getting some sleep on a plane. Call5. Call Your Credit Card Company Tell your bank and credit card company before you leave on your trip that you are going out of the country. Let them know the places you are going and the dates you’ll be away because after all of the credit card hacking, they will put a block on your card(s) immediately and this can put a real damper on your trip. So make a quick call in advance to avoid this hassle. Note: Using the company’s website doesn’t always work; my wife set a travel notification online with her CIBC account (a Canadian bank) and they still blocked her card. When she called the representative, she was told it’s much better to call than to register online. Passau Germany Uniworld May 2015-0196. Always Pay in Local Currency One of the biggest scams I find major stores committing overseas is after they swipe my credit card and it registers as U.S., they try and make it sound like they are helping me save money when they say, “Oh, would you like to pay in U.S. dollars or euros/pounds (or whatever their local currency is). Paying in U.S. dollars would seem to be the more convenient option, but in reality, it’s not. In fact, it’s a total rip-off, since the stores that do this charge a higher exchange fee than your bank back home does. So, remember to always pay in the local currency of the country you’re in! ATM7. Avoid ATM Fees Before leaving the country, it’s always smart to check with your bank to see what ATM fees to expect. “When you use a foreign ATM, you could be charged a variety of fees, including non-bank ATM usage fees, ATM operator access fees, and international transaction fees for conversion to U.S. dollars.” That quote is directly from Bank of America, which goes on to tell its customers, “one way to limit such fees is to use your Bank of America ATM or debit card at one of our international partner ATMs. This enables you to avoid the Non-Bank of America ATM $5 usage fee for each withdrawal, transfer or balance, as well as the ATM operator access fee.” Here’s a list of Bank of America’s partners. To find your bank, just search their name and international ATM partners.

Read more at: http://www.johnnyjet.com/2015/06/12-things-to-know-before-you-travel-to-europe/

12 Things to Know Before You Travel to Europe 12 Things to Know Before You Travel to Europe If you or a friend are planning to travel to Europe this summer, I’m pretty sure you’ll appreciate any advice to help make your travels go smoother and safer. Europe is one of the busiest places for tourists over the summer months, so hopefully you’ll find these tips helpful! Let me know if you agree, disagree or would add anything to the list below. And please feel free to share this with any friends, family or colleagues who plan to travel to Europe this summer! Here are 12 things to know before you travel to Europe: Passports-610x4571. Make Sure You Have A Valid Passport If you’re planning to travel out of the country this summer, now is the time to find your passport and make sure it’s valid. Remember that many countries require that your passport be valid for at least six months (some just three months) after your arrival date before they’ll grant entry to their country. It doesn’t matter if you’re only going for a day; if you don’t have at least six months validity, you could, and probably will, be denied entry. Here’s how to renew or apply for a passport. For more, here are 10 passport tips that will save you time, money and headaches. Nat packing2. Pack Light + What Not to Pack One of my top three travel tips is to pack light. Trust me: It will make your travel experience so much easier. When my then-girlfriend, now-wife, showed up for our first trip together, which was just a weekend trip, she looked like a 1920s transatlantic passenger with the size of her trunk! I had to put on the brakes and show her the light. I used to pack the same way but I learned the benefits of traveling light, like not having to pay for checked luggage, not having to show up early to the airport, not having to stand in long lines to check your bag or stand around for what seems like an eternity for your bags to come out at baggage claim (if they ever do). You also don’t have to worry about the airline losing your bag, and you’ll be able to switch to an earlier or non-delayed flight more easily and you can take public transportation to get around, which is usually faster and cheaper – especially in Europe. Now, Natalie packs lighter than I do (here’s her packing guide) and when I suggest she should check a bag for one of our round-the-world trips, she looks at me like I’m crazy. All I take is a Briggs & Riley rolling bag, which has my valuables and work supplies (laptop, tablet, chargers, etc), along with a medium-sized Roots tote bag with clothes for a week. I’ll find a place to wash my clothes when my trips are longer than seven days, which they usually are. Good to know: 10 Things You Don’t Need to Pack My-Bag-Made-It3. Pack an Extra Bag If you think you might do a fair bit of shopping on your travels, then pack a thin, lightweight duffel bag in your carry-on or checked suitcase. That way, if you have too much stuff, you can check an extra bag on the way back. TIP 2: If you purchase expensive items, then put your dirty clothes in the checked bag and carry the more valuable items on the plane. Sleeping on plane4. Combat Jet Lag + How to Sleep on a Plane The best way to combat jet lag is to get on the local schedule as soon as possible. I usually start doing this the day before I fly by going to bed early, and the moment I get on the plane, I set my watch to local time. I then try to sleep and eat at the times they would be doing so at my destination. If you take an overnight flight and don’t get much rest, don’t go to sleep when you arrive. Instead, fight it. Try and stay awake until at least 10pm so you can get on local time as soon as possible. FYI: Here are 10 tips for getting some sleep on a plane. Call5. Call Your Credit Card Company Tell your bank and credit card company before you leave on your trip that you are going out of the country. Let them know the places you are going and the dates you’ll be away because after all of the credit card hacking, they will put a block on your card(s) immediately and this can put a real damper on your trip. So make a quick call in advance to avoid this hassle. Note: Using the company’s website doesn’t always work; my wife set a travel notification online with her CIBC account (a Canadian bank) and they still blocked her card. When she called the representative, she was told it’s much better to call than to register online. Passau Germany Uniworld May 2015-0196. Always Pay in Local Currency One of the biggest scams I find major stores committing overseas is after they swipe my credit card and it registers as U.S., they try and make it sound like they are helping me save money when they say, “Oh, would you like to pay in U.S. dollars or euros/pounds (or whatever their local currency is). Paying in U.S. dollars would seem to be the more convenient option, but in reality, it’s not. In fact, it’s a total rip-off, since the stores that do this charge a higher exchange fee than your bank back home does. So, remember to always pay in the local currency of the country you’re in! ATM7. Avoid ATM Fees Before leaving the country, it’s always smart to check with your bank to see what ATM fees to expect. “When you use a foreign ATM, you could be charged a variety of fees, including non-bank ATM usage fees, ATM operator access fees, and international transaction fees for conversion to U.S. dollars.” That quote is directly from Bank of America, which goes on to tell its customers, “one way to limit such fees is to use your Bank of America ATM or debit card at one of our international partner ATMs. This enables you to avoid the Non-Bank of America ATM $5 usage fee for each withdrawal, transfer or balance, as well as the ATM operator access fee.” Here’s a list of Bank of America’s partners. To find your bank, just search their name and international ATM partners.

Read more at: http://www.johnnyjet.com/2015/06/12-things-to-know-before-you-travel-to-europe/

12 Things to Know Before You Travel to Europe 12 Things to Know Before You Travel to Europe If you or a friend are planning to travel to Europe this summer, I’m pretty sure you’ll appreciate any advice to help make your travels go smoother and safer. Europe is one of the busiest places for tourists over the summer months, so hopefully you’ll find these tips helpful! Let me know if you agree, disagree or would add anything to the list below. And please feel free to share this with any friends, family or colleagues who plan to travel to Europe this summer! Here are 12 things to know before you travel to Europe: Passports-610x4571. Make Sure You Have A Valid Passport If you’re planning to travel out of the country this summer, now is the time to find your passport and make sure it’s valid. Remember that many countries require that your passport be valid for at least six months (some just three months) after your arrival date before they’ll grant entry to their country. It doesn’t matter if you’re only going for a day; if you don’t have at least six months validity, you could, and probably will, be denied entry. Here’s how to renew or apply for a passport. For more, here are 10 passport tips that will save you time, money and headaches. Nat packing2. Pack Light + What Not to Pack One of my top three travel tips is to pack light. Trust me: It will make your travel experience so much easier. When my then-girlfriend, now-wife, showed up for our first trip together, which was just a weekend trip, she looked like a 1920s transatlantic passenger with the size of her trunk! I had to put on the brakes and show her the light. I used to pack the same way but I learned the benefits of traveling light, like not having to pay for checked luggage, not having to show up early to the airport, not having to stand in long lines to check your bag or stand around for what seems like an eternity for your bags to come out at baggage claim (if they ever do). You also don’t have to worry about the airline losing your bag, and you’ll be able to switch to an earlier or non-delayed flight more easily and you can take public transportation to get around, which is usually faster and cheaper – especially in Europe. Now, Natalie packs lighter than I do (here’s her packing guide) and when I suggest she should check a bag for one of our round-the-world trips, she looks at me like I’m crazy. All I take is a Briggs & Riley rolling bag, which has my valuables and work supplies (laptop, tablet, chargers, etc), along with a medium-sized Roots tote bag with clothes for a week. I’ll find a place to wash my clothes when my trips are longer than seven days, which they usually are. Good to know: 10 Things You Don’t Need to Pack My-Bag-Made-It3. Pack an Extra Bag If you think you might do a fair bit of shopping on your travels, then pack a thin, lightweight duffel bag in your carry-on or checked suitcase. That way, if you have too much stuff, you can check an extra bag on the way back. TIP 2: If you purchase expensive items, then put your dirty clothes in the checked bag and carry the more valuable items on the plane. Sleeping on plane4. Combat Jet Lag + How to Sleep on a Plane The best way to combat jet lag is to get on the local schedule as soon as possible. I usually start doing this the day before I fly by going to bed early, and the moment I get on the plane, I set my watch to local time. I then try to sleep and eat at the times they would be doing so at my destination. If you take an overnight flight and don’t get much rest, don’t go to sleep when you arrive. Instead, fight it. Try and stay awake until at least 10pm so you can get on local time as soon as possible. FYI: Here are 10 tips for getting some sleep on a plane. Call5. Call Your Credit Card Company Tell your bank and credit card company before you leave on your trip that you are going out of the country. Let them know the places you are going and the dates you’ll be away because after all of the credit card hacking, they will put a block on your card(s) immediately and this can put a real damper on your trip. So make a quick call in advance to avoid this hassle. Note: Using the company’s website doesn’t always work; my wife set a travel notification online with her CIBC account (a Canadian bank) and they still blocked her card. When she called the representative, she was told it’s much better to call than to register online. Passau Germany Uniworld May 2015-0196. Always Pay in Local Currency One of the biggest scams I find major stores committing overseas is after they swipe my credit card and it registers as U.S., they try and make it sound like they are helping me save money when they say, “Oh, would you like to pay in U.S. dollars or euros/pounds (or whatever their local currency is). Paying in U.S. dollars would seem to be the more convenient option, but in reality, it’s not. In fact, it’s a total rip-off, since the stores that do this charge a higher exchange fee than your bank back home does. So, remember to always pay in the local currency of the country you’re in! ATM7. Avoid ATM Fees Before leaving the country, it’s always smart to check with your bank to see what ATM fees to expect. “When you use a foreign ATM, you could be charged a variety of fees, including non-bank ATM usage fees, ATM operator access fees, and international transaction fees for conversion to U.S. dollars.” That quote is directly from Bank of America, which goes on to tell its customers, “one way to limit such fees is to use your Bank of America ATM or debit card at one of our international partner ATMs. This enables you to avoid the Non-Bank of America ATM $5 usage fee for each withdrawal, transfer or balance, as well as the ATM operator access fee.” Here’s a list of Bank of America’s partners. To find your bank, just search their name and international ATM partners.

Read more at: http://www.johnnyjet.com/2015/06/12-things-to-know-before-you-travel-to-europe/

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