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EUROPE TRAVEL INFORMATION

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Europe Travel Information

Climate

Although most of Europe lies in latitudes more northerly than New York, warm Atlantic currents moderate temperatures, even in Iceland.

The Alps can be used as a rough dividing line for the continent's climate. To the north, summers are mild, while winters can be cool and damp. To the south, from Portugal to Turkey, winters are mild and summers are hot (much like southern California), with rain most common in autumn and spring. As always, temperatures are cooler at higher altitudes. Take a raincoat or sweater, even in summer.

European countries measure temperature in Centigrade rather than Fahrenheit.

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Entry

The trans-Atlantic air routes to Europe are the world's busiest intercontinental routes by far. In 2000, Americans made 13.1 million trips to Europe, the eighth record year in a row. Traffic declined and flights were reduced in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington.

As of winter 2001, very low fares were available on many routes between the U.S. and Europe. Fares for spring and summer travel were expected to be at least as attractive as last year's with possible sales.

Introduction of increasingly efficient aircraft helped keep airfares down in recent years. These include the 300-seat, twin-engine Boeing 777, introduced in 1995, and the super jumbo Airbus 380, now under development. A 555-seat version of the A380 is expected to be flying from New York and Los Angeles to London by 2005.
The lowest economy fares often carry restrictions and may not be refundable. Travel agents can help you shop for the best flight and fare for your trip.

European airlines carry more than half of all Americans flying to Europe each year. Board a national carrier and those who know the country best'll welcome you. Also, European airlines have frequent intra-Europe connections.
Many European airlines have entered into code-sharing alliances with U.S. carriers to coordinate flights and services.

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Getting Around and Transport

By Air: Flight times are relatively short within Europe, thanks to the compact geography. For example, from Frankfurt it's less than three hours to Athens. From Lisbon, it's 2 1/2 hours to Zurich.

European airlines, based in major cities, offer more frequent point-to-point service to many more destinations within Europe than do non-European carriers.
If you plan to fly within Europe, you can usually save money by buying the additional legs of travel as part of your trans-Atlantic ticket.

A number of European airlines have entered into code-sharing alliances with each other and with U.S. carriers to coordinate interline connections and services.
Airfares within Europe are being pushed down by European Union policies encouraging competition. London's Heathrow handles more international flights than any other airport in the world. Frankfurt, Paris's Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam's Schipol and Rome's Leonardo da Vinci also rank high among the world's busiest airports.

By Road: Whether you're in the fast lane on the autobahn or in pursuit of whims down country lanes, Europe offers driving experiences of every description. Thanks to relatively short distances, motorists can find themselves cruising across three countries in a single day or from the seashore to the high sierra in an afternoon.

Driving in Europe is on the right-hand side, except in Britain, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus. (Some drivers switch their watches to the opposite wrist to remind them where the centerline should be.)

The network of limited-access highways is modern, well-marked and expanding, most notably in Eastern Europe and in Greece. The latter has rebuilt its main north-south motorway and is working on the new east-west Via Egnatia Motorway and Rio-Antirio Bridge across the Gulf of Corinth.

You can drive anywhere in Europe with your home-state driver's license.

Travelers from the U.S. who wish to drive in Austria, Greece, Poland, Spain or Turkey are technically required to have an International Driver's Permit in addition to their license.

Most visiting motorists rent cars. The major international rental firms are represented throughout Europe.

By Rail: People in Europe count on trains far more than do most Americans. So trains run on time and frequently. Each day in Germany alone 33,000 trains carry 4 million people. Fares are very reasonable, generally speaking, and high service levels are maintained.

By Water: Whether it's a ferry crossing, a sightseeing excursion along a lake or river, or a two-week cruise to famous ports of call, you will experience another side of Europe when you are waterborne.

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Visas

Visas are not required for American tourists on short-term visits (usually less than 90 days) by any member countries of the European Travel Commission covered on this site, except Turkey. U.S. citizens must obtain visas ($100 as of December 2002) before entering Turkey, either from a Turkish consulate abroad, or at airport and border entry points.

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Time

The member countries of the European Travel Commission are spread across three different time zones:

Greenwich Mean Time: Iceland, Ireland, Britain and Portugal are five hours ahead of New York (Eastern Standard Time).
Central European Time: Norway, Sweden and the bulk of the Continent, including Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia to the east, are six hours ahead.
Eastern European Time: Finland, the Baltics (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus and Turkey are seven hours ahead.

Most of Europe (Iceland is an exception) goes on Summer Time (daylight saving time) from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. In the U.S., DST runs from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October.

Use of the 24-hour clock is widespread, e.g., 1 p.m. is 13:00 and so on to midnight, 24:00.

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Currency

In early 2002, 12 of the 15 European Union countries converted to euro banknotes and coins. Over the next 17 months, the dollar dropped from a high of 1.13 euros to a low of 0.84 euros in May 2003.

That was just a eurocent below what the dollar was buying when the Single Currency was actually inaugurated in 1999 for banking, credit card and other electronic transactions.

The euro zone comprises Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain, whose old national currencies (marks, lire, guilder, etc.) are no longer legal tender.

Beyond the euro zone:

Three European Union nations have so far declined to adopt the euro: Britain (pound), Denmark (krone) and Sweden (krona). Sweden has scheduled a referendum on joining the euro zone for Sept. 14, 2003 and Denmark is discussing the issue. Opposition is still strong in Britain; Prime Minister Tony Blair would like to put it to a national vote when the outlook is more favorable.

All those nations outside the EU, including Switzerland, Norway and Iceland; and the Eastern European countries, continue to maintain their own currencies.

With the EU's approval of expansion eastward in 2004, the 10 new member nations could be eligible to join the euro zone soon thereafter (if they meet economic guidelines). These include Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia; Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; and Cyprus and Malta.

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Credit Cards

First, use credit cards whenever possible. (MasterCard, for instance, is among the most widely accepted cards in Europe.) Credit-card exchange rates are the most favorable.

When exchanging dollars and traveler's checks for local currency, banks generally offer better rates and/or lower transaction fees than do exchange bureaus. Hotels will also exchange currency, but usually at less favorable rates.

To get the best rates, plan your exchanges ahead. In cases of sudden need, it's often better to pay a little extra at an exchange bureau than to spend valuable time searching for a better rate at a bank.

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ATM's

ATMs accepting U.S. bank debit and credit cards are available in many cities in most countries, usually with English-language instructions. For MasterCard, look for machines with the Cirrus logo; they are widespread. Withdrawals from a checking or savings account, or cash advances against a credit card are dispensed in local currency.

You can save in two ways: the wholesale exchange rate (up to 5 percent better) applies; and you avoid transaction fees charged by exchange bureaus and banks. (Your home bank's ATM fee does apply, as will credit-card cash-advance fees. A local ATM usage fee may also apply.) A four-digit numeric PIN is standard for most European ATMs. Check with your issuing bank to make sure your PIN will work in Europe.

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Shopping

Whether it's making a once-in-a-lifetime purchase at a famous store or hunting for bargains at an open-air market, shopping in Europe is not only fun but often provides insights into a city's history and culture.

You'll be a savvier shopper abroad if you research the various specialties offered in the countries you will visit.

Stores in some Mediterranean countries close for two hours or more during midday or close in the afternoon some days of the week.