Re: rec.travel.europe FAQ

???

"Yves Bellefeuille" <yan@xxxxxxxx> a écrit dans le message de news:
travel/europe/faq_1129696518@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Archive-Name: travel/europe/faq
> Posting-Frequency: Monthly
> Last-Modified: 2003-12-07
> URL: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/travel/europe/faq
>
>
> Rec.travel.europe FAQ
> =====================
>
> This FAQ was written by Yves Bellefeuille <yan@xxxxxxxx>, with help from
> Martin Rich <M.G.Rich@xxxxxxxxxx>. Thanks also to "Darren", who prepared
> an earlier version of the rec.travel.europe FAQ. Please send any
> comments to me at <yan@xxxxxxxx>.
>
> None of the "URLs" or "links" mentioned in this FAQ should require Java
> or JavaScript. If they do, please let me know. You might also want to
> write to the address "webmaster" at the domain involved to ask them to
> provide web pages that don't require Java or JavaScript; for example, to
> complain about a web page at aol.com, write to <webmaster@xxxxxxx>.
>
>
> Table of Contents
> =================
>
> I. General Usenet Guidelines
>
> II. Other FAQs
>
> III. Frequently Asked Questions
>
> About the newsgroup itself
>
> 1. What countries does the newsgroup cover?
> 2. Where should I post about rooms or services wanted or offered?
> 3. What other newsgroups deal with travelling or with Europe?
> 4. What is "Google"?
> 5. How can I complain about "spam"?
>
> Travel planning and preparations
>
> 6. I'm going to Europe for the first time. Where should I go?
> 7. Should I go on my own or with a tour?
> 8. What guidebooks are available?
> 9. Do I need a visa to visit <some country>?
> 10. What's the European Union (EU)?
> 11. What's a "Schengen visa"?
> 12. What should I pack?
> 13. What should I see during my trip?
> 14. What should I bring my European friends as gifts?
>
> Money and financial matters
>
> 15. What currency should I use?
> 16. What's the "Interbank" exchange rate?
> 17. Will my bank machine card or credit card work in Europe?
> 18. Should I use traveller's cheques?
> 19. Should I change money before I go or when I get there?
> 20. How do I change money at a bank or _bureau de change_?
> 21. What does "VAT" mean?
> 22. Can I get a VAT refund?
> 23. Can I buy "duty-free"?
>
> Transportation
>
> 24. Where can I get the best airfare?
> 25. Is my driver's licence valid in Europe?
> 26. Can I drive as fast as I want in Germany?
> 27. How can I get from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport to Paris?
> 28. Where can I get information on trains?
> 29. Should I buy a rail pass?
> 30. Where should I buy train tickets?
>
> Miscellaneous
>
> 31. I speak language <X> and I'm going to country <Y>. How widely is
> my language spoken in this country?
> 32. What do NTSC, PAL and SECAM mean?
> 33. Can I drink the tap water in Europe?
> 34. Should I be worried about crime in Europe?
> 35. What's the time difference?
> 36. What's the weather like over there?
> 37. How can I phone to Europe?
>
> IV. Selected Links
>
> V. To Do: Possible Additions
>
>
> I. General Usenet Guidelines
> ============================
>
> For general information on Usenet, see the "news.newusers.questions
> Official Home Page" at
> http://web.presby.edu/~nnqadmin/nnq/
>
> For information on standard Usenet etiquette, see the "NNQ" home page
> mentioned above and Usenet group news.announce.newusers. If you're new
> to Usenet, *please* read at least the following guidelines:
>
> * Welcome to Usenet!
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/welcome/part1/
>
> * Rules for posting to Usenet
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/posting-rules/part1/
>
> * Hints on writing style for Usenet
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/writing-style/part1/
>
> * A Primer on How to Work With the Usenet Community
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/primer/part1/
>
> * Emily Postnews Answers Your Questions on Netiquette
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/emily-postnews/part1/
>
> * Advertising on Usenet: How To Do It, How Not To Do It
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/advertising/how-to/part1/
>
>
>
> II. Other FAQs
> ==============
>
> Readers of rec.travel.europe might also want to consult the following
> specialized FAQs:
>
> * Paris Transport FAQ, by Delphine Kensit
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/travel/europe/Paris-Transport/
>
> * Euro Currency Changeover FAQ, by Arwel Parry
> http://www.cartref.demon.co.uk/eurofaq.htm
>
> * Travel in the UK, by Martin Rich
> http://www.jackdaw.u-net.com/ukfaq/
>
> The following FAQs from Usenet group rec.travel.air may also be helpful:
>
> * Air Traveler's Handbook, by Mark Kantrowitz
> http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/mkant/Public/Travel/airfare.html
>
> * Airline information on-line on the Internet FAQ, by John R. Levine
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/travel/air/online-info/
>
> * Airline Ticket Consolidators and Bucket Shops FAQ, by Edward Hasbrouck
> http://hasbrouck.org/faq/
>
>
> III. Frequently Asked Questions
> ===============================
>
> About the newsgroup itself
> ==========================
>
> 1. What countries does the newsgroup cover?
>
> According to its charter, rec.travel.europe covers "all aspects of
> travel in Europe", including "Iceland, Russia, Turkey, Armenia, Georgia,
> Azerbaijan, Malta, and Cyprus". The charter is at:
>
> ftp://ftp.isc.org/usenet/news.announce.newgroups/rec/rec.travel-reorg
>
> Israel and the "Middle East" are outside the group's mandate; please use
> rec.travel.asia instead.
>
>
> 2. Where should I post about rooms or services wanted or offered?
>
> If you have a room for rent or are looking for one, or if you're
> offering services to tourists, please post in rec.travel.marketplace,
> not in rec.travel.europe. See below for a list of Usenet groups related
> to travel.
>
> In general, any post that proposes a payment or an exchange should be
> posted in rec.travel.marketplace rather than rec.travel.europe.
>
>
> 3. What other newsgroups deal with travelling or with Europe?
>
> misc.transport.rail.europe Railroads & railways in all of Europe
> rec.gambling.misc All other gambling topics including travel
> rec.outdoors.rv-travel Discussions related to recreational vehicles
> rec.photo.technique.nature Wildlife, landscapes, travel tips etc.
> rec.scuba.locations Scuba travel, location questions
> rec.skiing.resorts.europe Skiing in Europe
> rec.travel.africa Travel on the African continent
> rec.travel.air Airline travel around the world
> rec.travel.asia Travel in Asia
> rec.travel.australia+nz Travel Information for Australia and NZ
> rec.travel.bed+breakfast A forum for bed and breakfast guests
> rec.travel.budget.backpack Backpack travel discussion group
> rec.travel.caribbean Travel to the islands of the Caribbean
> rec.travel.cruises Travel by cruise ship
> rec.travel.latin-america Travel in Central and South America
> rec.travel.marketplace Tickets and accomodations wanted/for sale
> rec.travel.misc Everything and anything about travel
> rec.travel.resorts.all-inclusive All-inclusive resorts
> rec.travel.usa-canada Travel in the United States and Canada
> soc.culture.europe All aspects of all-European society
> talk.politics.european-union The EU and political integration in Europe
>
> The group misc.transport.rail.europe tends to focus on technical aspects
> of railways and railway technology. Non-technical questions about
> travelling by train in Europe should be posted in rec.travel.europe
> rather than misc.transport.rail.europe.
>
> In addition, many groups in soc.culture.* deal with specific countries
> or cultures (soc.culture.albanian, soc.culture.austria,
> soc.culture.baltics, and so on). Please check the language policies of
> these groups before posting in them.
>
> All these groups are in the so-called "Big Eight" hierarchies and should
> therefore be carried by all Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
>
>
> 4. What is "Google"?
>
> Google, http://groups.google.com/, lets you search almost all Usenet
> posts since 1980. It can be an invaluable reference. Google is the
> successor to a similar service called "Deja News", and later called
> "Deja".
>
> To search posts that have appeared in rec.travel.europe, choose
> "Advanced Groups Search". Fill in one of the four options under "Find
> message" and enter "rec.travel.europe" under "Newsgroup"; you can also
> choose other options, such as "Message Dates", if you wish. Press
> "Google Search" to complete your request.
>
> To search all groups in the rec.travel.* hierarchy, enter "rec.travel.*"
> as the Newsgroup. To search all groups with "europe" in their name
> (including misc.transport.rail.europe, rec.arts.comics.european,
> rec.sport.basketball.europe, and so on), enter "*europe*" as the
> Newsgroup -- note the asterisks both before and after the word "europe".
>
>
> 5. How can I complain about "spam"?
>
> Send a copy of the message to the address "postmaster" at the poster's
> Internet Service Provider (ISP). For example, to complain about spam
> from a user at aol.com, write to <postmaster@xxxxxxx>. Be sure to
> include all the "headers". With most programs, you can simply type "h"
> to see the headers; with Outlook Express, try Ctrl-F3.
>
> For more information, see:
>
> Fight Spam on the Internet - http://spam.abuse.net/spam/
> The Net Abuse FAQ - http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html
> Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email (CAUCE) -
> http://www.cauce.org/
>
>
> Travel planning and preparations
> ================================
>
> 6. I'm going to Europe for the first time. Where should I go?
>
> A common mistake is to try to see too much on a short trip. "Major"
> cities such as Paris, Rome and London are easily worth an entire week,
> even on a first trip. Even "minor" cities are worth an overnight stay.
> You'll typically see more if you choose to explore one or two cities
> thoroughly rather than if you try to see the whole of Europe
> superficially.
>
> As a rough rule of thumb, don't try to visit more than one country for
> every week of your trip.
>
>
> 7. Should I go on my own or with a tour?
>
> Most of Europe is very easy for an independent traveller to visit. The
> newsgroup is full of experienced travellers who will be happy to offer
> guidance if you need it. For most experienced travellers, part of the
> enjoyment is planning and deciding where to go, finding places to stay
> and eat, being able to change their plans whenever they want to do so,
> and often travelling without knowing for certain what to expect next.
>
> A tour will relieve you of the responsibility of arranging your own
> accommodation, of deciding how much time to spend in one place, and up
> to a point will insulate you from language difficulties. But it will
> also insulate you from the pleasure of mixing with local people, and
> will make it difficult for you to make a spontaneous change of plans
> when you've just been really attracted by something you've seen.
>
> A tour might also be worth considering if you have a particular
> cultural, historical or sporting interest and want to base your trip
> around that.
>
>
> 8. What guidebooks are available?
>
> (Thanks to Jeri Dansky <danskyj@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> for helping with this
> section.)
>
> There isn't a single best guidebook: different books address different
> needs. Some are designed for budget travellers while some focus on the
> more affluent. Some provide lots of practical information, while others
> focus on the attractions. Some try to combine different types of
> information; some are more focused.
>
> Books within the same series may vary in quality, as they are often
> written by different people. However, here are some comments on the main
> guidebook series.
>
> Access
> Good guides for major cities. Helpful for self-guided walking tours.
> Organized by street and block, so you know what restaurants and
> stores are near the tourist sights. Good details on major sights and
> museums. Accommodations and restaurants are not intended for budget
> travellers.
>
> Baedeker's
> Good for sights, including finding little known points of interest. No
> information on hotels or restaurants.
>
> Blue Guides
> http://www.acblack.com/
> Good for those who want detailed information on museums and on
> historical and archaeological sights. Sometimes considered dry reading.
>
> Bradt
> http://www.bradt-travelguides.com/
> Not often mentioned; has been recommended for Estonia, Latvia, and
> Lithuania.
>
> Cadogan
> http://www.cadoganguides.com/
> Very good for historical and cultural perspectives. Well written and
> opinionated.
>
> Greats Eats/Great Sleeps
> (formerly called Cheap Eats/Cheap Sleeps)
> http://www.greateatsandsleeps.com/
> Not always cheap (by some people's standards), but good values, which
> explains the name change. Detailed and accurate.
>
> Dorling Kindersley (DK) Eyewitness
> Beautiful books. Good for figuring out what sights to see and also
> useful as a souvenir, but has rather little actual information.
> Includes neighbourhood maps and museum floor plans. Not the book for
> hotel recommendations. Heavy to travel with.
>
> Fodor's
> http://www.fodors.com/
> General purpose, mainstream guidebook with information on sights,
> restaurants and hotels. Too upscale for some; certainly not for budget
> travellers. Some strong praise for the restaurant recommendations. The
> feature "If you have one day...", "If you have three days...", etc., is
> useful for travel planning. Not strong on historical background.
>
> Frommer's
> http://www.frommers.com/
> All-around guidebook with information on major sights, restaurants,
> hotels. Some have been quite pleased with the hotel and restaurant
> recommendations. Not strong on historical background.
>
> Gault Millau
> Covers hotels and restaurants in France. Less reliable than Michelin Red
> Guide -- some say it's much less reliable -- but nicely written, and can
> be useful as a check to confirm restaurant recommendations listed in
> Michelin.
>
> Guide du routard
> For the back-pack and budget traveller; has a fresh and somewhat
> opinionated writing style. Very useful for budget lodgings.
>
> Insight Guides
> http://www.insightguides.com/
> Good for getting the flavour of a place.
>
> Karen Brown
> http://www.karenbrown.com/
> For those willing to spend more money. Some say they've found memorable
> lodgings through these books; others say they've found the descriptions
> misleading.
>
> Knopf
> Similar to DK Eyewitness (and apparently the inspiration for that
> series) in that both are beautiful, very visually focused books. Knopf
> has somewhat better background information. For reasonably affluent
> travellers.
>
> Knopf Citymap Guides
> Lists restaurants, cafes, shopping and sights, with some hotel
> suggestions and other miscellaneous information useful for tourists.
>
> Let's Go
> http://www.letsgo.com/
> Student written guides for budget travellers. Considerable information
> on budget accommodation, restaurants, and public transport -- as well as
> things like laundromats. Good background information on history and
> culture, although not extensive.
>
> Lonely Planet
> http://www.lonelyplanet.com/
> Notable for amount of information crammed into one book. Strong on the
> practical stuff: accommodation, restaurants, public transport,
> laundromats, bookstores with English language books. Lots of maps, but
> some find them too sketchy. Lacking in historical information. The
> colourful writing that marked this series is a thing of the past. Covers
> a range of prices; used to be focused on the budget traveller, but have
> moved somewhat upscale over time.
>
> Michelin Green
> http://www.viamichelin.com/
> Detailed information on sites, with a star rating system (3 stars: worth
> a journey; 2 stars: worth a detour; 1 star: interesting) that many find
> useful in planning a trip.
>
> Michelin Red
> http://www.viamichelin.com/
> Hotel and restaurant recommendations. Some find them too upscale. Others
> point to the non-starred but "good food at moderate prices" listings as
> a way of balancing price and quality.
>
> Rick Steves
> http://www.ricksteves.com/
> People are very passionate about Rick Steves: they tend to really like
> him or really dislike him. These are not comprehensive guidebooks for
> the countries covered, but focus on Rick's perception of the highlights.
> Very opinionated. Seem largely intended to help inexperienced
> travellers, beyond their student years, who would like to try
> independent travel. Some object to the pace he recommends. Some have
> noted that hotels he recommends tend to be full -- with other people
> using his guidebooks.
>
> Rough Guides
> http://www.roughguides.com/
> These guides usually get good marks for general background and
> historical and cultural perspective. A number of people note that they
> use them to decide where to go, but don't use them for hotel or
> restaurant recommendations. There have been vehement complaints about
> inaccuracies. A number of people find the books to have a condescending
> attitude which was quite annoying.
>
> Time Out
> http://www.timeout.com/
> Well-regarded guides to specific cities, with useful information on
> restaurants, cafes, and other "hang-outs".
>
> Touring Club Italiano
> http://www.touringclub.it/
> The hardcover regional red guides ("Guide rosse") cover the visual arts
> and architecture nearly exhaustively, and provide historical
> introductions with separate sections on the history of arts and crafts.
> Notable features of local cuisine are sometimes covered in some detail,
> but no recommendations for hotels or restaurants are given. There are
> also cheaper red guides ("Guide rosse economiche") and still cheaper
> green guides ("Guide verdi"). As the price goes down, the amount of
> detail decreases. The "Guida rapide" does have hotel and restaurant
> recommendations, but has little information on attractions.
>
>
> 9. Do I need a visa to visit <some country>?
>
> Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality. The only
> reliable source of visa information is a consulate of the country you're
> planning to visit. You'll find a list of foreign consulate offices in
> the USA at:
>
> http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/fco/
>
> In other countries, your ministry of external affairs or foreign
> relations will be able to tell you the locations of consulate offices.
>
> There's a list of visa requirements for US citizens at:
>
> http://travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html
>
> Please note that this list is for US citizens only. It's still a good
> idea to check with the consulate of the country you're visiting: these
> lists are sometimes out of date.
>
>
> 10. What's the European Union (EU)?
>
> The European Union, formerly known as the European Common Market or the
> European Economic Community (EEC), started as a "free trade" or "common
> market" agreement. Although trade and economic policy are still its
> major focus, it now also deals with social policy, external affairs, and
> other matters.
>
> The countries in the European Union are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark,
> Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the
> Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The
> following countries are expected to join in 2004: Cyprus, Czech
> Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia,
> and Slovenia.
>
> For travellers, the main effect of the EU is that border controls at
> airports and elsewhere often have two queues, one for citizens of EU
> countries and one for citizens of other countries. Choose the queue
> that's appropriate for you.
>
> For more information on the EU, see http://europa.eu.int/.
>
>
> 11. What's a "Schengen visa"?
>
> Some countries in the EU have agreed to unify their entry and visa
> requirements. In general, this means that once you're admitted to one of
> these countries, you can go to any other, and a visa granted by one of
> these countries (known as a "Schengen visa") allows you to enter any
> other country.
>
> The countries participating in this agreement are: Austria, Belgium,
> Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the
> Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden; Iceland and Norway also
> participate even though they're not in the EU. The following EU
> countries do not participate: Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the
> countries expected to join the EU in 2004 (see previous section).
>
> There are no border controls between the Schengen countries, so you
> won't have to show your passport or visa when going from one country to
> another. However, some countries require that you carry your passport or
> identity card with you at all times and show it to a police officer on
> request; these requirements remain in force.
>
> A consequence of this is that if you're allowed to remain in a Schengen
> country as a tourist for 90 days (for example), you can go to any other
> Schengen country during that period, but you can't be in *any* Schengen
> country once the period expires. You are also usually required to wait
> for a certain period of time (often 90 days) before re-entering the
> Schengen area. Please consult the consulate of the countries you're
> planning to visit to know the requirements that apply to you.
>
> If you're planning to visit more than one Schengen country and require a
> visa, you should apply to the country where you're planning to spend the
> most time.
>
>
> 12. What should I pack?
>
> The standard advice is to bring half as much clothes as you think you'll
> need, and twice as much money. If you think that you couldn't
> comfortably carry your suitcase or backpack for a few hundred metres or
> yards, you've almost certainly packed too much.
>
> The "Travelite FAQ", http://www.travelite.org/, gives suggestions on
> "travelling light", although it sometimes seems rather extreme. For
> example, although men might want to "trim their underarm hairs to about
> a half-inch in length", as the FAQ used to suggest, it's doubtful that
> this will result in a significant difference in the weight of the
> anti-perspirant you'll have to bring with you!
>
> In addition to what you'd usually bring on any trip, here are some
> things you might want to bring when travelling to a foreign country:
>
> - plug converter if bringing electric appliance
> - passport, and photocopy kept separately
> - plane and train tickets, and photocopy kept separately
> - train and hotel reservations
> - health insurance policy
> - vaccination certificate
> - international driver's licence, as well as your national licence
> - foreign cash
> - credit card, debit card, bank machine card
> - travellers' cheques
> - numbers to call if credit card or travellers' cheques are stolen
> - telephone company calling card
>
> There's also a "Universal Packing List" at
> http://www.henricson.se/mats/upl/.
>
>
> 13. What should I see during my trip?
>
> If you want to ask for advice about attractions, please say something
> about your interests. Are you looking for architecture, fine food,
> discos, night life, museums, landscapes? The more we know about your
> preferences, the more we can help you.
>
>
> 14. What should I bring my European friends as gifts?
>
> You might want to use Google to see what suggestions have been made in
> the past. A local specialty or delicacy might be appropriate. Anything
> widely available in your country is almost certainly widely available in
> Europe.
>
> The Canadian maintainer of this FAQ often brings maple syrup and other
> maple products as gifts. They can be hard to find in Europe and are
> rather expensive. Other users have suggested a good local wine or a
> local photo book.
>
>
> Money and financial matters
> ===========================
>
> 15. What currency should I use?
>
> Except for Turkey, always use the currency of the country you're
> visiting. Even if US dollars or another currency is accepted, you'll get
> a terrible exchange rate.
>
> In Turkey, US dollars are very widely accepted, especially for large
> purchases. Also, you'll get a much better rate of exchange if you obtain
> Turkish liras (whether by changing money or from a cash machine) in
> Turkey itself rather than in another country.
>
> As of 1 January 2002, a new currency, the euro, is used in the following
> countries: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland,
> Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. For more
> information, see the Euro Currency Changeover FAQ by Arwel Parry,
> http://www.cartref.demon.co.uk/eurofaq.htm.
>
>
> 16. What's the "Interbank" exchange rate?
>
> The "Interbank" rate is the rate banks charge each other when trading
> large amounts. The rate you see listed in the newspapers is usually the
> Interbank rate.
>
> Unless you're changing very large amounts, the rate you'll get won't be
> as favourable as the Interbank rate, but you can still use it to
> determine whether the rate you're offered is reasonable. For
> "electronic" transactions involving a bank machine card or credit card,
> expect to pay about 1 % more than the Interbank rate. When changing
> traveller's cheques or cash, you'll usually have to pay 2 % to 3 % over
> the Interbank rate. Try to avoid paying any other fee or commission.
>
> Many newspapers list foreign exchange or "Forex" rates. You can also
> find them at http://www.oanda.com/ and
> http://www.economist.com/markets/currency/extable.cfm.
>
>
> 17. Will my bank machine card or credit card work in Europe?
>
> It is necessary to distinguish several different kinds of bank cards.
> Keep in mind that different countries have different banking cultures,
> and that different terms may be used in different countries. A card can
> fulfil more than one of the following functions:
>
> * Bank machine card (ATM card): With a bank machine card, you can go to
> a bank machine (ATM) and obtain cash. Examples: Plus, Cirrus, Interac,
> Maestro, Carte bleue, EC-Card.
>
> * Credit card: With a credit card, you can pay for purchases and you
> receive an invoice later. Examples: Visa, MasterCard/EuroCard, American
> Express, Discover.
>
> * Debit card: With a debit card, you can pay for purchases and the
> amount is immediately withdrawn from your account. Please note that
> these cards are used to pay for purchases, not to obtain cash from a
> machine. Examples: Maestro, Carte bleue, EC-Card, Electron, Delta,
> Switch, Solo. Debit cards are often *not* accepted in a foreign
> country.
>
> A card can fulfil more than one of these functions. The following
> networks are related and a card may accept more than one of them:
>
> - MasterCard/EuroCard, Cirrus, Maestro;
> - Visa, Plus, Electron.
>
> However, it's still important to note the differences between these
> functions. For more information, see
>
> http://international.visa.com/ps/products/credit/
> http://international.visa.com/ps/products/debit/
> http://www.mastercard.com/mcweb/findacard/index.jsp
>
> Any of these cards will generally get the best exchange rate. Many banks
> charge 1 % over the "Interbank" rate; ask your bank for details. Some
> banks also charge an additional flat fee each time you use your card;
> try to find a bank that doesn't charge such fees.
>
> In "Eastern European" countries, cards are usually accepted in major
> tourist destinations (Prague, Budapest, Warsaw, and so on), but may not
> be accepted in smaller cities or in countries with less tourism.
>
> Here are some specific comments about these three kinds of cards.
>
> * Bank machine cards: Plus, Cirrus and Maestro cards are widely accepted
> in Europe. Bank machines will offer you a choice of languages, including
> English.
>
> MasterCard/EuroCard/Cirrus/Maestro recommends that you use a 4-digit
> identification (PIN) code when travelling abroad; if your code is longer
> than this, you should change it to something shorter before leaving.
> Visa/Plus recommends that you use a 4-digit to 6-digit code. Also,
> European bank machines don't have letters on the numeric keypad; if you
> use the letters to remember your code, you'll have to learn the numbers
> instead.
>
> Some banks now add a surcharge to foreign transactions; check with your
> bank before leaving. In addition, the bank that owns the bank machine
> may also add a surcharge. Apparently, there must be a notice on the bank
> machine itself in Germany, but no notice is required in Hungary.
>
> If you get money using a bank machine card and are charged a fee by the
> machine's owner without a notice appearing on the machine itself, please
> write to me at <yan@xxxxxxxx> so that I may prepare a list of bank
> machines to avoid. However, please make sure that the fee really was
> charged by the owner of the machine, not by your own bank.
>
> * Credit cards: Both Visa and MasterCard/EuroCard are widely accepted in
> Europe for purchases. American Express is much less useful, and Discover
> is not usually accepted in Europe. You can also get a cash advance using
> your credit card; in this case, your own bank will charge you interest
> starting on the day you received the funds and may also add a surcharge
> for foreign transactions. The bank giving you the money shouldn't ask
> for any additional commission or fee; if it does, go elsewhere, and
> again please write to me at <yan@xxxxxxxx> so that I may prepare a list
> of banks to avoid.
>
> Some credit card companies become suspicious if the card suddenly starts
> being used in a different country or continent. Therefore, some users
> suggest letting your credit card company know that you'll be going
> abroad.
>
> * Debit cards: As stated previously, these cards often aren't accepted
> in foreign countries. For example, foreign debit cards aren't accepted
> in Germany and Denmark. However, a debit card might also be a bank
> machine card or credit card and can be used as such abroad.
>
> It's recommended that you bring both a bank machine card and a credit
> card (two different cards) and, if you wish, a debit card. Use the bank
> machine card to get money from bank machines and use the credit card or
> debit card to pay for purchases. If you're stuck, you can also use the
> credit card to get a cash advance, but you'll then have to pay interest.
> If you wish to be prudent, you can bring more than one card of each kind
> in case a card isn't accepted for some reason or you run into any
> problems. Of course, you should store the cards separately in case
> they're lost or stolen.
>
> (Usage varies considerably by country; I've tried hard to make this
> explanation as clear as possible both in Europe and elsewhere. If the
> text isn't clear to you or if you have any suggestions, please write to
> me.)
>
>
> 18. Should I use traveller's cheques?
>
> You'll usually get a worse exchange rate if you use traveller's cheques
> rather than any of the cards mentioned above. Still, some travellers
> like to have them as a backup in case they can't use their bank machine
> card or credit card. If you carry traveller's cheques, ask the issuing
> company for the addresses of its offices or of affiliated companies
> which will cash the cheques without charge.
>
> Some users of the newsgroup have expressed dissatisfaction with the way
> Thomas Cook handled reports of lost or stolen traveller's cheques and
> have recommended getting cheques from American Express or another
> company instead.
>
> You should get traveller's cheques in your own currency, to avoid having
> to pay for the exchange of any cheques left over.
>
>
> 19. Should I change money before I go or when I get there?
>
> It can be useful to obtain a small amount of the local currency (perhaps
> $ 20 to $ 50 per traveller) before you leave. Most airports now have
> cash machines, and it's doubtful whether any major airport doesn't have
> one, so you can withdraw more money once you arrive.
>
> The exception is Turkey, as mentioned above: you should try to change
> money in Turkey itself.
>
>
> 20. How do I change money at a bank or _bureau de change_?
>
> Foreign exchange establishments list a "buy" rate and a "sell" rate for
> various currencies. The rates are shown from the establishment's point
> of view: if you want to obtain the local currency, look at the "buy"
> rate for your own currency, since the establishment is "buying" your
> currency and giving you the local currency in exchange. The difference
> between the two rates reflects the establishment's profit.
>
> Before changing any money, make sure you know the exchange rate and any
> commission or charges.
>
>
> 21. What does "VAT" mean?
>
> "VAT" means "Value Added Tax"; it's a form of sales tax. The prices you
> see quoted usually already include the VAT.
>
>
> 22. Can I get a VAT refund?
>
> You can sometimes get a VAT refund for goods purchased in another
> country. Please note that a refund is only available for goods: it's not
> available for services such as transportation, hotel rooms, restaurant
> meals, and so on. It's also not available for goods used in the country
> itself, such as food or gasoline (petrol); you must bring the goods back
> home.
>
> The requirements to get a VAT refund vary by country. Usually, you must
> purchase the goods in a store participating in the tax refund program;
> these stores are often identified by signs saying "Tax Free Shopping" or
> the like. You must usually make a minimum purchase; sometimes the
> minimum is quite high. You must make the minimum purchase in the store
> itself; you can't combine purchases made in more than one store.
>
> If you meet these requirements, ask the store to give you the
> documentation you need to get a VAT refund. You may have to show your
> passport. You might be able to get the refund at the airport as you
> leave, or you may have to send the documentation by mail. Ask for
> details. If you have any doubts about the rules, contact the customs
> office when leaving the country, and before checking your luggage, if
> travelling by air.
>
> In the European Union (EU), VAT refunds are only available to travellers
> from outside the EU.
>
>
> 23. Can I buy "duty-free"?
>
> Buying "duty-free" is somewhat similar to getting a VAT refund. In a
> duty-free store, some or all of the taxes that would normally apply to
> the purchase are omitted. You can usually shop in duty-free stores only
> immediately before you leave a country (including your own country);
> when travelling by air, you're usually asked to show your boarding pass
> as proof that you're about to take a flight out of the country.
>
> In the European Union (EU), you can only buy duty-free when you're about
> to leave the EU. However, unlike VAT refunds, travellers from the EU are
> also eligible to buy duty-free when leaving the EU.
>
> Duty-free only refers to the taxes levied by the country where you're
> buying. You may have to pay custom duties on the goods when entering
> another country even if they were duty-free where you bought them.
>
> Buying duty-free is worthwhile only for goods that are usually heavily
> taxed; tobacco and alcohol are common examples. If duty-free goods seem
> quite inexpensive to you, this means that the goods are heavily taxed in
> your own country. Don't assume that something is a bargain just because
> it's duty-free; compare the price to what you'd normally have to pay.
>
>
> Transportation
> ==============
>
> 24. Where can I get the best airfare?
>
> The group rec.travel.europe doesn't specialize in air travel; see
> rec.travel.air instead. In particular, see the Airline Ticket
> Consolidators and Bucket Shops FAQ, by Edward Hasbrouck, at
> http://hasbrouck.org/faq/, for information on why on-line sources are
> rarely useful to find discounted international fares.
>
> In October 2000, the US magazine _Consumer Reports Travel Letter_
> checked the prices offered by Cheaptickets, Expedia, Lowestfare and
> Travelocity for several intra-US routes. It concluded that "none of the
> four web sites consistently offered complete and fair listings of all
> viable flights", and that it was often possible to get a better fare
> from a travel agent.
>
> Some users have recommended the Association of Special Fare Agents,
> http://www.asfa.net/. This FAQ can't make any specific recommendations,
> but feel free to write if you're satisfied or dissatisfied with this
> service or any other.
>
> Within Europe, you will also find that some low-cost airlines, such as
> EasyJet, http://www.easyjet.com/, and Ryanair, http://www.ryanair.com/,
> don't use agents. If you want to travel on one of these airlines, book
> directly using their web site.
>
>
> 25. Is my driver's licence valid in Europe?
>
> If you don't have a driver's licence from a European Union (EU) country,
> it's strongly recommended that you get an International Driver's Licence
> (IDL), whether or not it's strictly required legally. In the USA,
> contact the AAA, even if you're not a member. The cost is $ 10 and
> you'll need a passport-size photo. In Canada, contact the CAA. You must
> carry both the IDL and the licence from your own country.
>
> Ignore posts from other firms claiming to offer IDLs. These are not
> legitimate and aren't legally valid. In particular, you can only obtain
> an IDL if you have a valid licence in your own country.
>
>
> 26. Can I drive as fast as I want in Germany?
>
> In Germany, on the "Autobahn", there's no fixed speed limit; however,
> it's recommended that you drive no faster than 130 km/h (about 80 miles
> per hour). If you're driving faster than this and have an accident, the
> onus is on you to prove that you weren't at fault. Note that there
> frequently are "local" speed limits even on the Autobahn.
>
>
> 27. How can I get from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport to Paris?
>
> Please see the Paris Transport FAQ by Delphine Kensit,
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/travel/europe/Paris-Transport/, mentioned
> above.
>
> There's a map of the Paris metro (including RER lines in the central
> area) at http://www.citefutee.com/orienter/plan_metro_gif.php, and of
> the RER (commuter train) network at
> http://www.citefutee.com/orienter/plan_rer_gif.php
>
>
> 28. Where can I get information on trains?
>
> The German Deutsche Bahn has an excellent WWW server in German and
> English with information on many trains, including trains in other
> European countries: http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/. See below for links
> to other rail companies.
>
> When using on-line resources, write the name of cities using the local
> language. For example, use "Roma" instead of Rome, "Wien" instead of
> Vienna, and "Praha" instead of Prague.
>
> Many users recommend the "Thomas Cook European Timetable". Your library
> may have a copy, or you can buy it from
> http://www.forsyth.com/products/thomas_cook.html (USD 33, including
> shipping).
>
>
> 29. Should I buy a rail pass?
>
> As a very rough rule of thumb, a rail pass may save you money if you
> plan on travelling relatively long distances in a fairly short period of
> time. Otherwise, you'll probably be better off buying "point to point"
> tickets.
>
> Non-Europeans may buy a "Eurail pass". This pass can be bought before
> leaving or in Europe itself, but a surcharge of 10 % must be paid if
> bought in Europe. Europeans may buy an "Interrail pass". Passes are also
> available for specific countries and regions: consult the WWW pages of
> the train companies of the countries you're planning to visit or see
> http://www.railpass.com/.
>
>
> 30. Where should I buy train tickets?
>
> Except for the Eurail pass and other passes, buy train tickets in Europe
> rather than before leaving, since this is cheaper. An exception is if
> you can get an discount because of an early purchase. If you must buy
> tickets in advance, try the appropriate train company or Deutsche Bahn:
> see the links below. In particular, be wary of the Rail Europe WWW site,
> because of its high fees.
>
> Ask about rebates, which are often available, especially for students
> and youth, for groups travelling together (sometimes rebates are
> available for groups as small as two persons), for travel in the evening
> or during the weekend, or for same-day return trips (round trips).
>
> Some companies don't sell tickets on-line to non-Europeans and ask you
> to contact Rail Europe. However, you can usually still purchase these
> tickets on-line from the Deutsche Bahn site at
> http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/.
>
>
> Miscellaneous
> =============
>
> 31. I speak language <X> and I'm going to country <Y>. How widely is
> my language spoken in this country?
>
> The following table shows how widely English, French, German and Russian
> are spoken in some of the major tourist destinations, using the
> following scale:
>
> 1: The language is widely spoken; you're unlikely to have problems.
> 2: The language is spoken to some extent; expect some problems.
> 3. The language is uncommon; expect many problems.
>
> English French German Russian
>
> Austria 2 3 1 3
> Czech Republic 2 3 2 2
> France 2 1 3 3
> Germany 2 3 1 2*
> Great Britain 1 2 3 3
> Greece 2 3 2 3
> Hungary 2 3 2 2
> Italy 2 2 3* 3
> Nordic Countries 2 3 2 3
> Poland 2 3 3 2
> Russia 2 3 3 1
> Spain 2 2 3* 3
>
> * Widely spoken in some areas, but not in the entire country.
>
> These numbers are somewhat approximate, of course; comments are
> welcome.
>
>
> 32. What do NTSC, PAL and SECAM mean?
>
> These acronyms refer to the systems used by television broadcasts and
> videocassette players (VCR).
>
> The USA, Canada and Japan use the NTSC system. France, Greece and most
> "Eastern European" countries use SECAM. The rest of Europe uses PAL.
>
> A television set will only work with a specific system. For example, a
> television bought in a country that uses NTSC won't work in a country
> where the broadcasts use the PAL system. Keep this in mind if you're
> planning to bring a portable television set with you; TVs bought in
> North America or Japan won't work in Europe.
>
> Similarly, a videotape will only work in a videocassette player (VCR)
> that uses the same system; thus, if you're from the USA and want to buy
> a videotape in Europe to watch it later at home, make sure it's in NTSC
> formal. It's possible to have a videotape converted from one format to
> another, but it's rather expensive and the results are often poor.
>
> For more information, see http://www.faqs.org/faqs/de-film/formate/.
> This document is in German, but the list of formats used in various
> countries in section 1.3 should be easy enough to understand.
>
>
> 33. Can I drink the tap water in Europe?
>
> Tap water is safe to drink everywhere in Europe except Turkey. (However,
> concerns have been expressed in the group about tap water in Russia,
> especially St. Petersburg, and in the Canary Islands). In some cases,
> the water may be "harder" (contain more minerals) than you're used to or
> it may have an unusual taste, but it's still safe to drink.
>
> Don't be misled if you see people carrying mineral water bottles: it's
> quite common to fill these bottles with tap water, for convenience.
>
>
> 34. Should I be worried about crime in Europe?
>
> Violent crime is much less a problem in Europe than in the USA. You
> shouldn't be overly worried about being robbed or mugged. However,
> pickpockets seem to be more common in Europe than in some other
> countries. In general, no special precautions are necessary when
> travelling in Europe; just use normal prudence.
>
> European cities usually don't have "dangerous" neighbourhoods or areas
> in the way that some US cities do.
>
> Weapons are regulated much more strictly in Europe than in the USA,
> especially firearms. Don't carry any weapons, including mace, pepper
> spray, and so on, unless you've checked with the police or consulate of
> the country concerned to ensure that they are legal.
>
>
> 35. What's the time difference?
>
> Time is calculated relative to "Universal Time" (UT) or "Greenwich Mean
> Time" (GMT). If you're in North or South America, you're earlier than
> (behind) Universal Time. If you're in most of Europe, Africa, Asia, or
> Oceania, you're later than (ahead of) Universal Time.
>
> Here are the time zones for European countries, relative to Universal
> Time.
>
> Universal Time -3/-2/-1:
> Greenland
>
> UT:
> Canaries (Spain)
> Iceland
> Ireland
> Portugal
> United Kingdom
>
> UT +1:
> Albania
> Andorra
> Austria
> Belgium
> Bosnia-Herzegovina
> Croatia
> Czech Republic
> Denmark
> France
> Germany
> Hungary
> Italy
> Luxembourg
> Macedonia (FYROM)
> Malta
> Netherlands
> Norway
> Poland
> Slovakia
> Slovenia
> Spain (except Canaries)
> Sweden
> Switzerland
> Yugoslavia
>
> UT +2:
> Byelorussia
> Bulgaria
> Cyprus
> Estonia
> Finland
> Greece
> Latvia
> Lithuania
> Rumania
> Turkey
> Ukraine
>
> UT +3:
> Azerbaijan
> Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg (see below)
>
> UT +4:
> Armenia
> Georgia
>
> Russia has several time zones, varying from UT +2 to UT +12. Moscow and
> St. Petersburg are in the UT +3 zone.
>
> For information on time zones in other countries, see
> http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/tzones.html.
>
> Examples:
>
> New York City and Toronto are at Universal Time minus 5 hours. If it's
> noon (12:00) in New York and Toronto, it's 17:00 in London and 20:00 in
> Moscow.
>
> Los Angeles and Vancouver are at Universal Time minus 8 hours. If it's
> noon in Los Angeles and Vancouver, it's 20:00 in London and 23:00 in
> Moscow.
>
> Japan is at Universal Time plus 14 hours. If it's noon in Japan, it's
> 1:00 in Moscow, and 22:00 of the previous day in London.
>
> During "Summer Time" or "Daylight Saving Time", add one hour to the
> normal time. Please note that summer time is in effect at different
> times in different countries; however, all the countries of the
> European Union change on the same date.
>
>
> 36. What's the weather like over there?
>
> Weather forecasts for major European cities are available at:
>
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/worldweather/europe/index.shtml
> http://weather.yahoo.com/regional/EUROPEX.html
>
> For historical weather data such as average temperature and
> precipitation, see:
>
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/weather/historical/historical.htm
> http://www.weatherbase.com/
> http://www.worldclimate.com/
>
>
> 37. How can I phone to Europe?
>
> To phone abroad, you need to dial four components: (i) the code to "dial
> out" of the country you're in; (ii) the code to "dial into" the country
> you're phoning; (iii) the area code of the city you want to phone;
> (iv) the phone number you want to phone.
>
> (i) Code to "dial out": For the USA and Canada, the code to "dial out"
> is usually 011. For Australia, use 0011, and for Japan, use 001. If this
> doesn't work, see the phone book or ask the operator.
>
> (ii) Code to "dial into": A list of codes to "dial into" many European
> countries follows. If the country you want to phone isn't listed,
> see the phone book or ask the operator.
>
> (iii) Area code: It's often necessary to modify the area code when
> dialling from another country. Usually you have to omit the initial "0",
> if any. See the list below for more information.
>
> (iv) Phone number: Simply dial the subscriber's phone number.
>
> Example: You're in the USA and want to dial to Germany, in Berlin, the
> number (030) 12 34 56 78.
>
> The code to dial out of the USA is 011. The code to dial into Germany is
> 49. The area code for Berlin is 030, but you have to omit the initial
> "0". Therefore, you should dial: 011-49-30-12 34 56 78.
>
> The usual method to write a number for someone who'll be phoning from
> another country is as follows: "+49 30 12 34 56 78". This means: dial
> the code to phone out of the country you're in, and then dial what's
> indicated.
>
> Note that, in this case, the initial "0" in the area code has been
> omitted, since you don't dial it if you're phoning internationally. If
> you're phoning from Germany itself, remember to put it back in, if
> appropriate.
>
> Country To "dial out" To "dial into" Area code
>
> Albania 00 355
> Andorra 0 33628 Does not exist
> Austria 00 43 Omit initial "0"
> Belgium 00 32 Omit initial "0"
> Bosnia-Herzegovina 00 387
> Bulgaria 00 359 Omit initial "0"
> Croatia 00 385 Omit initial "0"
> Czech Republic 00 420 Omit initial "0"
> Denmark 00 45
> Estonia 00 372 Dial entire code
> Finland 00 358 Omit initial "0"
> France 00 33 Omit initial "0"
> Germany 00 49 Omit initial "0"
> Greece 00 30 Dial entire code
> Hungary 00 36
> Iceland 00 354
> Ireland 00 353 Omit initial "0"
> Italy 00 39 Dial entire code
> Latvia 00 371
> Lithuania 810 370 Omit initial "0"
> Luxembourg 00 352 Does not exist
> Macedonia (FYROM) 99 389
> Malta 00 356 Does not exist
> Netherlands 00 31 Omit initial "0"
> Norway 00 47 Dial entire code
> Poland 0 <tone> 0 48 Omit initial "0", if any.
> Ignore the word "prefix",
> if indicated.
> Portugal 00 351
> Rumania 00 40 Omit initial "0"
> Russia 8 <tone> 10 7 Dial entire code
> Slovakia 00 421 Omit initial "0"
> Slovenia 00 386 Omit initial "0"
> Spain 00 34 Dial entire code
> Sweden 00 46 Omit initial "0"
> Switzerland 00 41 Omit initial "0"
> Turkey 00 90 Omit initial "0"
> Ukraine 810 38 (or 380?) Dial entire code
> United Kingdom 00 44 Omit initial "0"
> Yugoslavia 99 381 Omit initial "0"
>
>
> IV. Selected Links
> ==================
>
> * Airlines:
>
> Airline information on-line on the Internet FAQ, by John R. Levine -
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/travel/air/online-info/
>
> FAQs from Usenet group rec.travel.air -
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/by-newsgroup/rec/rec.travel.air.html
>
> Quick Aid - http://www.quickaid.com/
> (links to many airports in the USA and in other countries)
>
> * Trains:
>
> Deutsche Bahn (Germany) International Timetable -
> http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/
> The best general on-line timetable, for Germany and other countries.
> The schedule is available on CD-ROM for EUR 10,15:
> http://www.bahn.de/pv/fahrplan/info/pv1_fahrplanmedien.shtml
>
> Eurail and other passes - http://www.railpass.com/
> Interrail passes -
> http://www.bahn.de/pv/int_guest/true/pv2_offers_europeans.shtml
> (at the Deutsche Bahn site)
>
> Austria - http://www.oebb.at/
> Belgium - http://www.b-rail.be/
> Bulgaria - http://www.bg400.bg/bdz/
> Czech Republic - http://www.cdrail.cz/
> Denmark - http://www.dsb.dk/
> Estonia - http://www.evr.ee/
> Finland - http://www.vr.fi/
> France - http://www.sncf.com/
> Germany - http://www.bahn.de/
> timetable at http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/
> Hungary - http://www.mav.hu/
> Ireland - http://www.irishrail.ie/
> Latvia - http://www.ldz.lv/
> Luxembourg - http://www.cfl.lu/
> Netherlands - http://www.ns.nl/
> Norway - http://www.nsb.no/
> Poland - http://www.pkp.com.pl/
> Portugal - http://www.cp.pt/
> Rumania - http://www.cfr.ro/
> Russia - http://www.css-mps.ru/
> Spain - http://www.renfe.es/
> Catalonia - http://fgc.catalunya.net/
> Valencia - http://www.cop.gva.es/fgv/
> Sweden - http://www.sj.se/
> Switzerland - http://www.sbb.ch/
> Ukraine - http://sapphire.donetsk.ua/uz/uz.html
> United Kingdom - http://www.railtrack.co.uk/
> Northern Ireland Railways - http://www.nirailways.co.uk/
> Train Line - http://www.thetrainline.com/
> BritRail - http://www.britrail.com/
> (BritRail train passes only, not train information)
>
> For more links, see Marco van Uden's WWW page at
> http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it/misc/timetabl.html
>
> * Buses (coaches):
>
> Eurolines - http://www.eurolines.com/
> Less comfortable than trains, but also cheaper. Worth considering if
> you're on a very tight budget.
>
> * Other Useful Links:
>
> Government Travel Advice:
>
> Australia - http://www.dfat.gov.au/consular/advice/
> Canada - http://voyage.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/destinations/menu_e.htm
> France - http://www.dfae.diplomatie.fr/voyageurs/etrangers/
> avis/conseils/alphabet.asp
> UK - http://www.fco.gov.uk/travel
> USA - http://travel.state.gov/yourtripabroad.html
> ("Your Trip Abroad": general travel advice)
> http://www.state.gov/r/pa/bgn/
> ("Background Notes" on many countries)
> http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html
> ("Travel Warnings". These warnings are often considered somewhat
> paranoid by experienced travellers.)
>
> Hostelling International - International Youth Hostel Federation
> http://www.iyhf.org/
>
> Steve Kropla - http://kropla.com/
> Information on using modems, telephones, electric appliances, etc.,
> in many countries.
>
> Rec.travel Library - http://www.travel-library.com/
>
> USA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Travel Information -
> http://www.cdc.gov/travel/
>
>
> V. To Do: Possible Additions
> ============================
>
> * Best ways to phone from Europe: calling card from telephone company
> in one's own country, prepaid card from company in one's own country,
> telephone card from country being visited, call-back service, etc.
> Cheapest choice probably varies considerably by country.
>


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