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| General Observations on Travel in Europe | ||
| Interested in sampling steam in Europe, but a little intimidated on travelling on your own? Don't be. Forget that you don't speak the language and dive in. | ||
| Getting There Rental Cars Getting around within Europe Lodging Store Hours Lodging Food Coming Home Download a document version of this page | ||
| It's normal to be anxious when you're in a new, unfamiliar place where you don't speak the language - you're way outside your comfort zone. To help take the edge off that anxiety, this page will be a catalogue of boring-as-dirt details most tour books leave out. Feel free to contribute your own observations, ask the simplest questions. As they come up we'll add to this page. | ||
| Getting There: If you're in the US, and don't have a week and $10,000 to spend travelling on the QE2, you'll be flying. I'm going to assume you know how to buy and airline ticket, but have never flown internationally before. | ||
| A couple of tips, though about your ticket. "Open-jaw" tickets, very expensive for US domestic travel, are much more reasonable when flying to and from Europe. In fact there is almost no additional cost when flying this way compared to a standard round-trip fare. Couple this with easy travel within Europe, and no dropoff fees for rental cars within a country, and it's downright inviting to fly into e.g. London, spend a few days enjoying the UK, take Eurostar and an overnight sleeper to Poznan, shoot the steam in Wolsztyn, take another train to Berlin, drive around the country shooting narrow-gauge and a Plandampf, and fly out of Frankfurt. Check your options with your travel agent. | ||
| Fares in general are very low over the cooler seasons. Fare sales usually start around Labor Day and continue through April. It can be far cheaper to fly to Europe than to fly across the US. | ||
| Flying within Europe is a different matter. Flights are much more expensive, and the low-cost airlines fly primarily to resort destinations on the Mediterranean. If you plan to make any long hops within Europe, driving or taking the train are less-expensive (and usually more convenient) options - see below. | ||
| Getting a Passport: Normal procedure is to fill out a form at the Post Office, and submit it with two photos and a CERTIFIED copy of your birth certificate. (You'll probably have to order it from the Bureau of Records where you were born - a photocopy won't do. Get several copies, as you won't get it back.) Depending on where you live the delay will vary, as passports are processed in several locations - someone at your Post Office will be able to tell you how long the turnaround time will be. If you're in a hurry, fill out all the forms, get your application notarized at the Post Office, but don't mail it - submit it via a passport expeditor. (Check the Yellow Pages under "Passport and Visa Services.") You'll pay extra, but you can get a passport in a week or even 48 hours if you need to. | ||
| Never Surrender Your Passport. Anyone who tells you it's "normal" or "required" that you leave your passport at your hotel desk or anwhere else is flat wrong. Your passport is property of the US government, and should only be surrendered in the US upon request from the State Department. (I wouldn't even leave it at a US consulate or Embassy overseas.) Keep a photocopy of your passport at your home, and carry one with you (in a plastic bag) when you travel. Keep your passport with you at all times, and leave the copy in your hotel room. That way, if you lose your passport, you can easily prove your citizenship at a US consulate or Embassy and get a replacment. Otherwise, you will have a much harder time getting it replaced. | ||
| Visas and Vaccinations: Within Europe, only countries formerly a part of the Soviet Union (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova) require a visa for US citizens. For the others, a visit of less than 30 days (90-180 days in some countries) does not require a visa. Check the US State Department for details. I can't think of a single vaccination required within Europe - I've never been asked for proof of any. | ||
| Packing: get out everything you plan to take, then put half of it back. I learned to be able to travel for a week with one medium-sized duffel bag for my clothes. Why? You may be using a lot of public transport: you'll certainly be walking more than is common in the US. And you'll have to negotiate steps EVERYWHERE - up or down to train or subway platforms, maybe in the hotel. Elevators, escalators and ramps aren't ubiquitous. Leave the folding luggage trolley at home, and buy a rolling suitcase. | ||
| Getting on the plane: these days, most departure checks are done at check-in by airline staff for passengers departing the US. Just have your passport ready when you arrive at the counter or gate. | ||
| Getting off the plane: after a sleepless night in that uncomfortable center coach seat, with a 400-lb guy on one side and a crying baby on the other, you'll get off in some unfamiliar place. Notice that practically every sign in the airport is repeated in several languages including English. | ||
| If you're changing planes and flying on to a third country, you won't need to pass through immigration and customs, and your checked baggage should be transferred automatically. Follow the signs for "In-Transit Passengers." | ||
| When you do arrive at your destination country, the first step is immigration. Have your passport and filled-out entry card (flight attendants will hand them out during the flight) ready. Most checks in Europe for US citizens are very perfunctory - just a quick look and a wave-on - and many don't even stamp US passports any more. In my experience, only the UK continues to ask typical questions (purpose of the visit, length of stay, etc.) before stamping your passport. Next you'll pick up your bags and depart the secure airport area through Customs. Unless you brought your gun or your illegal drugs, you should have no problem, and most likely you won't be selected for inspection unless you're carrying large boxes or lots of luggage (which might mean you're carrying something you should declare). Depart via the "Green" customs aisle. Red is for those with items to declare (ie you're importing something valuable that will remain in the country), and the Blue is for travellers who started their trip within the European Economic Community. | ||
| Jet Lag: Listen to me on this one. I've got dozens of Transatlantic flights under my belt, and I managed a team of people that travelled to Europe regularly. I KNOW JET LAG - I suffered, listened to others, and learned to beat it. My personal best is three Transatlantic flights in four days - Atlanta to London and back in just over 24 hours, a day at home, and a flight to Vienna the following night, where I felt FINE upon arrival because I followed the advice I'm about to give you. Trust me. I amazed people with my ability to arrive in Europe and work a full day with no ill effects, go off for a nice dinner with friends, and pop up the next morning fresh. Trust me. | ||
| What people call jet lag is really two effects working at the same time. The first really is jet lag induced by the time change - it will affect your body, and there's not much you can do about it. All the miracle cures, drugs, five-day plans to prepare yourself won't help - your particular metabolism is the deciding factor. The other, much bigger effect is LACK OF SLEEP. It's that simple. Stay up all night and try to function the next day - it isn't easy, even if you stay in the same time zone. | ||
| Getting some sleep on the plane is the single most important thing you can do. If it's your first flight, the sheer excitement and anticipation will make this difficult. But try. Skip dinner, skip the movie, cover your eyes, lay still, whatever. Get some sleep - even an hour or two. | ||
| Your first time to feel jet lag will be AWFUL - headache, perhaps a funny stomach. (It gets better the more you fly.) Take a normal dose of pain reliever when you board the plane (don't take any sleep aids), drink lots of water on the plane, sleep if you can, and take another dose of pain reliever just before you arrive. Get some caffeine in your system if you take it. | ||
| Your first instinct upon arrival will be to check into the hotel and sleep - avoid it if you can. Check into your hotel, drop off your bags, and take a walk outside. (Being in daylight is the key to quick acclimation.) Eat a light lunch at the local lunchtime. Avoid too much alcohol. You are going to feel like a zombie - but don't give up and nap. Try to stay up until at least 9PM local time (until your normal bedtime if you can), and have a hot dinner. You should sleep through the night. It'll be a little tough waking up, but you'll be fine by your normal waking-up time back home (if you get up at 6am in California, that's 3PM in Continental Europe), and you'll have it licked. | ||
| What happens if you fail to take my advice? Let's say you take a nap upon arrival and then spend the rest of the day awake, or you go to bed early. Most likely you'll wake up 3-4 hours after you retire - your body will have rested a little, and during the shallow part of a sleep cycle it will wake up. Nothing known to man can help you then - you'll stay up until your normal bedtime, then drop like a stone. I pity you trying to wake up an hour or two later. | ||
| Maybe you'll get lucky and get a lot of sleep on the plane, or maybe you're one of those people who is relatively unaffected. Maybe not. The above advice is the best chance you've got to adjust quickly. | ||
| Rental Cars: Since I'm assuming you're a chasing photographer, you're going to need a car. | ||
| Forget all the blather about "international drivers license" requirements - I've never even SEEN one, much less gotten one. Just have a valid US licence and credit card, and pick a company whose car you've never crashed. Reserve in advance - rates are much lower. | ||
| Who should you rent from? It's a matter of personal preference. In the US I tend to rent from Hertz, but in Europe they tend to be more expensive than other companies. Alamo, which in my opinion has poor service in the US, is quite good in Europe. They merged with Europcar (another excellent European company) in 1998, although I don't believe they're going to consolidate brands, just fleets, back-office systems, and some locations (see below). Budget is also quite good. Sixt is another - I have not used them, but they have a good reputation, and I got a tip that free upgrades to BMWs and Mercedes can be arranged on weekends. | ||
| Cars are described by "Class," not the US designations of economy, mid-size, etc. Class "A" will be an underpowered crackerbox far smaller than anything seen in the US. Class "B" is equivalent in size to a 2-door US compact. Class "C" is equivalent to a 4-door US mid-size. Remaining classes relate more to power and luxury than size, and include specialty items like vans. (When I'm alone, I rent a class "B" - the Vauxhall or Opel Astra is my favorite. When travelling with others, I choose a class "C" - Vauxhall Cavalier or Opel Vectra, "5-door" (hatchback) or station wagon versions.) | ||
| If you get a Vauxhall or an Opel (the above examples are actually the same GM-built car), three tips: (a) the emergency flasher is on the dash between the front center vents. (I finally found it after driving 30 miles with it on - I had a train to catch up to.) (b) Pull UP on the little collar around the shift lever to get into reverse. (It will save you from having to find pull-through parking spaces - not that I would know anything about that, and besides, I was jetlagged, I had just flown in that morning, it was snowing . . . ) (c) it's prbobably easier to read the owner's manual BEFORE you leave the lot than trying to fish it out on the motorway. | ||
| Most cars in Europe are manual-shift. Automatics are viewed as, er, wimpy. Nevertheless they are becoming more common, and most agencies now have at least a few automatics. And you won't find many cars with air-conditioning - specify it at the time of reservation. | ||
| Where to pick up the car? Depends. If this is your first overnight flight, wait a day before picking up the car - the jet lag will impair your judgement more than you realize. If you're spending some time playing tourist in a large city before beginning your steam chase, DON'T get your car upon arrival. Parking rates are horrendous, and a car is a definite liability. Most companies will have at least one agency downtown in larger cities, and often several. (In smaller cities, rental agencies (like Alamo in Chester, England) may be in office parks far from downtown, so check when you reserve.) In Germany, rental car agencies are located in most of the larger train stations (I can vouch for their presence in Hannover and Dresden, and there others). In the UK, you can get a car in the Leeds station. | ||
| The pickup and dropoff procedure is much like in the US - every airport counter, and most others, will have English-speaking employees. The sales pitch for the insurance is a bit more aggressive, however. Check with your car-insurance and credit card issuers in advance (consider taking a photocopy of any agreement that that your car-insurance or credit-card company issues relating to rental-car insurance), and then take the level of coverage with which you're comfortable. | ||
| most rental car agencies don't charge dropoff fee within a country. So renting a car in Berlin and dropping it off in Frankfurt is no more expensive than returning it to Berlin. On the other hand, crossing from the former Western Bloc to the Eastern Bloc is usually prohibited. If you want to drive from West to East, your car must have a green international insurance card, or your border crossing will be fouled up. You will also face a steep dropoff fee if you are allowed to drop it off at all. (Rates are higher for international cars - roughly comparable to the rates in Eastern countries.) (The exception seems to be Vienna - there are few restrictions on taking a car into the former East here because of its proximitity to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungar (all less than an hour's drive). | ||
| When planning itineraries, expect to average 50km/h (about 30mph) on normal surface roads. You'll make better time on motorways / autoroutes (Interstates) where they exist. Truck traffic is very heavy on "E-Routes," the roads designated as European trucking routes and marked with a green rectangle in maps. | ||
| Getting Around Within Europe: If you're planning to visit more than one country, there are three options for getting around: driving (which we've covered), flying, and taking the train. Which one you choose will depend on how far you're going and whether you can easily get a car at your arrival point. | ||
| Flying within Europe is very expensive. A domestic fare may well approach or exceed the cost of your round-trip ticket from the US. So unless it's the only real option (you're pressed for time to get from Bucharest to London, for example), consider taking the train. | ||
| That may sound like stupid advice to a steam enthusiast. But it may not be readily obvious to those of us used to Amtrak that you can take an overnight train between most larger cities, and get a good night's sleep in the process, for a little more than the price of a hotel room at your destination. | ||
| And you can cover a lot of ground, too. Consider this example: you can leave London at 1227 any day of the week and be in Poznan for breakfast the next morning before picking up your rental car at 0800. Leaving on a flight at the same time, you will arrive Poznan too late to catch any trains in daylight, and spend hundreds of dollars more for the privilege. | ||
| From continental destinations, the comparison is even more weighted in favor of the train. Have a nice day and an early dinner in Paris, then board the Berlin sleepers. You'll arrive in Braunschweig in time to pick up your car and drive to to Wernigerode before the first Harz Mountain train departs up the 3.3% grade to Drei Annen Hohne. | ||
| Sleepers come in two classes: "Couchettes," or second class, feature six berths to a compartment, with scant room for luggage. "Sleeping Car" refers to first-class compartments with three berths, an in-room sink, and generally more room. The price differential is such that I recommend First Class when it's available. | ||
| You can even get a bed sometimes on a non-sleeper train; book a First-Class seat on an all-coach train. (Continental European trains still feature a lot of corridor-and-compartment stock, rather than the open-aisle arrangement found in the US.) In February 1998 I travelled from Berlin to Eisenach for a Plandampf on a train that ran to Erfurt, sat in the station for over an hour, then departed as a different schedule. I was the only person in my First Class compartment, the armrests folded up, and I got a great night's uninterrupted sleep. | ||
| Deutsche Bahn's Travel Service Page is a great place to put in those dream itineraries and see what's possible. | ||
| Lodging: First, a word about words. "Hotel" has a specific meaning in Europe: a place that offers lodging AND a restarant open for all three meals. Establishments that don't offer each meal have to call themselves something else. "Bed-and-Breakfast" is pretty obvious. "Pension" and "Hotel Garni" may not be, but both refer to hotels that provide breakfast, and maybe one other meal, but not all three. | ||
| Forget evaluating a hotel based on the number of stars a hotel has. The star system in some countries has very little to do with room quality. For example, among the the requirements for a four-star rating is a hair-dryer available in the room, and a minimum room size in square meters - clean sheets and a comfortable mattress are conspicuously absent. | ||
| Making reservations for leisure travel is not as common in Europe as it is in the US. It's almost normal for a family to plan a two-week holiday on an island in the Mediterranean by agressively searching for a cheap flight, then leaving the hotel choice until they arrive and start looking around. It's both the cause, and the effect, of a hotel industry where individual properties of varying quality, not franchises, was (and still is) the norm. | ||
| So you may not know your options until you arrive - I have slowly learned not to let it bother me. If you want, buy a bed-and-breakfast directory at your local bookstore or do some searching on the Internet. In the individual travel resource pages I'll offer some contacts for places that I know or believe to be acceptable. But if you wait until you arrive, then just pop into the first place you see displaying a "zimmer frei" (room free) sign, you'll be normal. | ||
| Until recently, low-price and mid-range hotel franchises, common in the US, were very rare in Europe. They're becoming more common, though. In the UK I like the Thistle chain, and Guestaccom is a good source for bed-and-breakfast accomodation. In Europe, the Accor hotels offer a range of prices and service levels. In Germany the Ringhotel franchise is good. One pleasant note about European franchises: they are more about quality of service than about cookie-cutter architecture and identical rooms, so you'll find some welcome variability between establishments within the same franchise. | ||
| European rooms will be smaller than you're used to here, and don't take a shower curtain for granted, especially in France. (Showers typically have a wand instead of a fixed head.) In larger cities you can play it safe by finding a US franchise like Holiday Inn or Comfort Inn. | ||
| Store Times: the laws in many European countries have traditionally restricted times stores could be open. Some of these (like the pub laws in the UK) evolved centuries ago to keep workers productive; some were passed during the Socialist movement between WWI and WWII to give workers more leisure time. More and more these laws are being relaxed or circumvented, but here's what I know: | ||
| Those most likely to affect you are the weekend closing times in countries influenced by Germany over the years (Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Poland, the Benelux countries, etc.) Stores must close at 2pm on Saturday, and most are closed on Sunday. Even the tourist shops usually follow this rule, so buying your souvenirs on the weekend may not be a good plan. There are exceptions, but don't count on them. (See the notes on the Wolsztyn page about car pickup times in Poznan.) Petrol stations seem to be exempt, and many of them have large convenience stores on site that are exempt as well. Restaurants are exempt as well. Facilities inside a hotel (restaurant, bar, etc.) are exempt for guests. And larger cities may have laws that supersede these restrictions (Vienna is a good example). | ||
| Other countries have relaxed their laws, as have some areas of the Benelux countries. | ||
| Money: Forget buying traveller's checks, and forget taking a ton of cash. Get an ATM card if you don't have one. Cirrus is widely available, including every airline terminal I've flown into for the past several years. You can use your credit card for a cash advance in a lot of places, but you'll pay interest from the time of withdrawal in addition to the withdrawal fee. Withdrawal fees are comparable to exchange fees or cashing fees for traveller's checks. | ||
| Food: In areas frequented by tourist or business travellers, many restaurants will offer menus in multiple languages. I they don't have an English menu, one can usually puzzle out the German menu ("Schwein" for pork, etc.). Breakfast restaurants are relatively rare - Europeans tend to eat breakfast at home or at their hotel. This can be a problem on weekends if you plan to leave the hotel at 5am, and the breakfast room doesn't open until 700 or 730. (Motorway / Autoroute / Autobahn service areas are an exception, but the food is uniformly awful.) | ||
| Coming Home: Upon arrival in the US, you'll deplane and pass through Immigration, where your passport is checked and your landing card will be stamped. You must then collect your luggage to pass through customs, who will keep your landing card. Unless you have purchased a lot of souvenirs, you should not have to declare anything. The first $400 worth of merchandise you bring in is duty-free; 10% of the value of the next $1000 must be paid. It gets complicated after that. | ||
| If your flight is a non-stop to your destination, go home, congratulate yourself on a successful trip, and sleep. If you must catch a connecting flight, you'll re-check your luggage immediately after passing through customs (the tags won't change, so don't tear them off). | ||
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