Travel in Europe: A few helpful hints

As I sit in my home back in the States, I can hardly come to grips with the magnitude of my stay in Europe this summer. During the flight back home, I closed my eyes and thought about all the places I’ve been, which readers of this blog will remember, and the things I did through my APTN internship. The amount I learned this summer is unsurpassed. So for this last blog on my travels in Europe, allow me to share some of the things I learned. I hope they can be of some service to anyone planning their own trip to the Continent. This information is mainly geared toward long-term stays, particularly in Belgium, but can serve as useful pointers for other countries as well.

Things to have:

• Guidebooks. These are invaluable for not only planning your trip but also navigating (they often include maps) and living daily life. Many include pronunciation guides for basic local phrases. See below for more on language.
• Plug/voltage adapters. Outlet holes vary widely in size and shape, so buy plug adapters relevant to the part of the world you’ll visit. Most outlets around the world have a 220-volt output, so make sure you have adapters. Electronics typically come with their own voltage adapters. Check the voltage range on these to see if they’ll work. I played it safe and only plugged them in when I was using them.
• Currency for all the countries you will visit. Few establishments in Europe take credit cards, and if they do, it’s rarely anything besides Visa and MasterCard, so bring plenty of cash and expect to use it for most purchases. Make sure you have your currencies ready to go before you ever leave home! I also recommend the Travelex Cash Passport. Essentially a MasterCard debit card, these are available in several major currencies including the dollar, pound, euro, and yen. This allows you to carry several hundred dollars’ worth of the local currency without adding bulk to your wallet. You can use it like any credit or debit card, which means you can do things like reserve tickets with it, but I generally just used it as a cash reserve. You can go to any ATM that accepts MasterCard to make cash withdrawals.
• Neck pouch. Great for carrying currency, your passport, and other documents. Wear it inside your shirt or stash it deep inside your suitcase.

Youth Hostels: Clean and affordable, these are good if you are on a tight budget and only need a place to stay for a night or two. Youth hostels typically have bunks for several people in each room. Bathrooms are communal. At least in the hostels I stayed in, breakfast is provided, though there usually isn’t much available besides bread and one or two cereals. If you’re planning on staying in a hostel, make sure to check exactly what kind of amenities they have, because they vary. Some, but not all, hostels provide towels. Some, but not all, have televisions in the rooms. Also, be aware the beds are not particularly comfortable (though they beat sleeping on a foam pad in the mountains, as I have done).

Public Transit: Highly developed in many European cities. No matter how brief your stay is, get a public transit map as soon as you can, and buy at least a day pass. In some cities, the minimum is a three-day pass. Buy passes on a time rather than trip-related basis. This way, you can take as many trips as you need to, giving you greater flexibility. They can be purchased at just about any subway station, though you should check the transit map for details. When I was in Brussels, I obtained a MoBIB card and used their monthly pass service: a 30 euro 50 value, and worth every penny. Choose your modes based on your needs, but I found that Metros (subways) do the job most of the time. They’re easy to work with, and there’s typically a station close to any point of interest. Amsterdam is an exception: use the trams there.

Groceries: American-style supermarkets are catching on in Europe, albeit slowly. I recommend Delhaize and Carrefour in Belgium. I know Carrefour is a French company with a strong presence on the Continent. Also common, at least in Belgium, is Colruyt.

Open-air markets, like this one in Ieper, are common sights on weekends. Food, clothing, furniture, and jewelry are just a few items that can be had.

If you’re staying long-term and are on a tight budget, Colruyt is a good option. Just be aware you may have to buy things in large quantities, as they are a big-box retailer. Many European cities also have weekend markets selling local meats, breads, and produce. These are good resources for good, inexpensive food. These open-air markets are situated in town squares.

Language: Learn the local language! Even in international cities like Paris and Brussels, you will need to learn at least a few phrases. Even simple ones like “I would like a…” and basic numbers help considerably. At least in Western Europe, however, English speakers generally aren’t in short supply, especially in Flanders or the Netherlands.

Rail: I used the Thalys high-speed train to get to both Paris and Cologne. This is a cooperative venture between the national rail companies of Germany, France, and Belgium. Thalys serves these three countries plus the Netherlands, making several stops in those countries. Since all of these countries are part of the Schengen Zone of open borders on continental Europe, customs checks aren’t necessary.

A Thalys train in Cologne's Hauptbahnhof. They're always on time, and you board them like you would any other train.

These trains boast clean, comfortable interiors, free WiFi, and an onboard bar that serves sandwiches and drinks. The Thalys staff speak several languages, so communication is not a problem. For travel in these countries, I highly recommend it.

For trips between the Continent and the U.K., your best bet is the Eurostar. The U.K. is not part of the Schengen Zone, so that means customs checks for getting both into and out of Britain.  These checks are performed before you ever board the train.

Each country has its own state-owned rail company. Rail networks in Europe are highly developed and service is regular. Even the smallest towns have regular train service each day. For getting around, rail is definitely the best place to go. It’s also inexpensive: a round-trip ticket for short runs averages 15 euro.