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I have a question about making phone calls in Europe. I will in Europe a total of 20 days over 4 countries. I'm staying with various people and thus a way to contact them would be good. If Europe is anything like that states pay phones are a rare commodity now, but is it worth it to get a cell phone/sim card?
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Jun 28, 2012 10:35
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DracoArgentum posted:I have a question about making phone calls in Europe. I will in Europe a total of 20 days over 4 countries. I'm staying with various people and thus a way to contact them would be good. If Europe is anything like that states pay phones are a rare commodity now, but is it worth it to get a cell phone/sim card? Probably yes, unless you want to deal with the hassle of finding WiFi and using Skype and not being able to receive calls. Get a WorldSim, or just get any sim from a store and know that it'll be int'l roaming in 3 of the 4 countries you go to.
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Jun 28, 2012 12:36
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I've looked at Worldsim, it seems like a good deal but my credit card company charges a pretty good amount for converting currency and all the prices are in pounds. Are there other options of equal (or lesser) value I could get? I don't need anything that gets good data rates. I have a smartphone but its locked for my provider so I'll just be using it at wifi. My only unlocked phone is a little Nokia 1616 so I'm not going to be doing anything even remotely fascinating with it.
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Jun 28, 2012 13:52
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Which countries are you visiting? There are a few providers in Europe focused on cheap international calls (prepaid).
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Jun 28, 2012 14:41
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DracoArgentum posted:I have a question about making phone calls in Europe. I will in Europe a total of 20 days over 4 countries. I'm staying with various people and thus a way to contact them would be good. If Europe is anything like that states pay phones are a rare commodity now, but is it worth it to get a cell phone/sim card? I recently did two countries over two weeks. I bought a feature phone off Amazon (not a smart phone, but had a very basic browser that allowed me to check email, Facebook, look up addresses, and use Google Translate) and just bought a cheap SIM in each country. The total cost was about $80 for the phone, which I recouped most of by selling it on craigslist afterwords, and 20 Euro in each country for the SIM card plus a month of service. It was more than I wanted to spend but since that phone was my only internet access I think it was worth every penny. Edit: This is the phone I used. Not great, but it got the job done Thoguh fucked around with this message at 15:40 on Jun 28, 2012 |
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Jun 28, 2012 14:41
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Mikey Purp posted:I'll be headed to Paris in early September and was wondering if anyone knew of any good places to visit for European (especially French) craft beer? edit: Wikipedia mentions Pub St Germain in the Latin Quarter of Paris. geera fucked around with this message at 18:34 on Jun 28, 2012 |
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Jun 28, 2012 18:27
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geera posted:Not that I went looking for it, but there didn't seem to be much of a craft beer scene when I was in Paris last year. I drank a lot of Kronenbourg 1664 and Leffe Blond. Also Leffe is a Belgian beer. (1664 is a pretty mediocre lager, and historically not even French anyway.)
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Jun 28, 2012 18:35
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DracoArgentum posted:I have a smartphone but its locked for my provider so I'll just be using it at wifi. You should be able to call them up, tell them you're traveling internationally, and they'll unlock it. Or at least that has worked for me, and for two other people I travel with. At that point, just buy a pre-paid sim and use that for voice/data.
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Jun 28, 2012 20:03
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Jeoh posted:Which countries are you visiting? There are a few providers in Europe focused on cheap international calls (prepaid). France (6 days), Germany (9 days), Austria (3 days) and Belgium (2 days).
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Jun 28, 2012 22:31
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SeaTard posted:You should be able to call them up, tell them you're traveling internationally, and they'll unlock it. Or at least that has worked for me, and for two other people I travel with. I'm not entirely sure I can... I live in Japan and I don't think my Japanese is quite up to the task. Also the chances of them unlocking it are minimal if they don't have a section in their help manual just for it. I can't even get cashiers to break a bill for me unless I buy something. They like their rules here.
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Jun 28, 2012 22:32
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Mikey Purp posted:Yes, I am going to Belgium on this trip, however that doesn't really answer my original question. I am specifically interested in trying French craft beer. Surely there's at least one craft beer bar in all of Paris. After living in Paris for 10 months I've discovered that you should never assume anything about Paris because you will be wrong. But check out this link: http://beeradvocate.com/beerfly/city/50
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Jun 29, 2012 22:13
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Is there any chance I would be able to catch a train from Krakow to Rome? And make it from start to finish without an overnight on a train?
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Jun 29, 2012 22:25
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Do you realize how large the distance between those cities is? No way there's a direct line. Try going via Munich.
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Jun 29, 2012 22:29
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Even if you found a route I'm pretty sure it would be at least 20 hours (I know Paris to Rome is 16, but there's no TGV), meaning that yeah, you'd be on an overnight.
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Jun 29, 2012 23:36
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Okay thanks you confirmed my suspicions. I suppose my question now is whether or not there is anything within non-overnight distance via train that is worth visiting. Warsaw comes to mind but I was wondering if there might be anything else.
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Jun 30, 2012 00:37
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You could also try something like Ryanair, but they do have a laundry list of caveats.
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Jun 30, 2012 01:35
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Insane Totoro posted:Okay thanks you confirmed my suspicions. I suppose my question now is whether or not there is anything within non-overnight distance via train that is worth visiting. Warsaw comes to mind but I was wondering if there might be anything else. There are literally dozens of interesting cities between Rome and Krakow. Some major cites, which would probably all be stops on the route, would be Florence, Bologna, Verona or Padua/Venice, and (route dependent), Munich, Regensburg, Vienna, Graz, Brno, Prague.
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Jun 30, 2012 08:00
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I've been checking out European sim cards and it looks like LeFrenchMobile isn't horrible, anyone have any experience for or against them?
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Jun 30, 2012 08:34
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Insane Totoro posted:Okay thanks you confirmed my suspicions. I suppose my question now is whether or not there is anything within non-overnight distance via train that is worth visiting. Warsaw comes to mind but I was wondering if there might be anything else. Berlin, Prague, Budapest and Vienna should all be feasible. Bratislava is also a possibility, but it's pretty boring.
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Jun 30, 2012 16:34
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The Erland posted:Berlin, Prague, Budapest and Vienna should all be feasible. Bratislava is also a possibility, but it's pretty boring. Seconding this. I'm in Krakow atm and went to all those places in the past few weeks. Budapest can be reached by Orangeways bus in 7 hours for like 10-15 euros, you can do an overnight train to Prague (my ticket was about 400 zloty but I also upgraded to a 2-bed cabin, you could do it a lot cheaper but with significant sacrifices in comfort). Warsaw is only a few hours away and should be getting cheap again now that Euro2012 just finished up. It's good for a few days. I found a lot of the touristy stuff (old town, castle, etc. the Palace of Culture and Science was closed when I was there  ) to be just okay. I would highly suggest taking this tour: http://www.adventurewarsaw.com/tours,off-the-beaten-path-trip.html , it was easily the best tour I had my entire trip. The Warsaw uprising museum was supposed to be good too, though I didn't make it there myself.Personally I found Vienna to be boring as hell as a tourist, but I think it would be a nice place to live. Kind of expensive, too. E: So here's a question. In my ignorance, I thought it would be a great idea to have my flight leave from Zurich. Looking at the prices for a room for the night is making me gag. My flight departs at 7AM, would be it crazy (or even allowed) to just get to the airport pretty late and hang out there all night, saving me the cost of a room? Laminator fucked around with this message at 23:00 on Jul 1, 2012 |
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Jul 1, 2012 22:21
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You can sleep at Zurich airport overnight...there are no sleep rooms though and I think pretty much all the shops close, so you will have to make do with the floor or the public seats.
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Jul 2, 2012 13:29
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Laminator posted:E: So here's a question. In my ignorance, I thought it would be a great idea to have my flight leave from Zurich. Looking at the prices for a room for the night is making me gag. My flight departs at 7AM, would be it crazy (or even allowed) to just get to the airport pretty late and hang out there all night, saving me the cost of a room? http://www.sleepinginairports.net/europe/zurich.htm is probably worth reading, but short answer is "yes." Depending on what time of year it is, you could also go to Zurich and sleep in a park or something, it's like a 15 minute train ride from the airport.
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Jul 2, 2012 15:28
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Saladman posted:http://www.sleepinginairports.net/europe/zurich.htm Haha I actually found that website this morning, I'm definitely going to give it a go. gently caress paying for Zurich accomodation prices. Anyway, I booked a B&B since it was the only thing available in Bergamo, the town my Ryanair flight landed in. I call the guy who runs the B&B at his request, and he tells me to wait at the train station and that a car will pick me up. Car comes, I get in, and we drive past the B&B. "That is room you payed for," says the old Italian lady driving, "tonight you stay in my house instead." Traveling is awesome.
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Jul 2, 2012 21:08
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Saladman posted:http://www.sleepinginairports.net/europe/zurich.htm The Zurich Police will take a very dim view of you if you try to sleep in a public place.
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Jul 3, 2012 13:15
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I'm going on a trip to Europe from Israel for an undetermined amount of time so I haven't bought a return ticket. How much trouble is this likely to cause me at boarder patrol? Is there a chance I'll get denied entry?
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Jul 4, 2012 10:14
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Miftan posted:I'm going on a trip to Europe from Israel for an undetermined amount of time so I haven't bought a return ticket. How much trouble is this likely to cause me at boarder patrol? Is there a chance I'll get denied entry? No, most likely not, just say you have a plan to leave within 3 months if asked. The airport routine is generally just asking your final destination and purpose of travel, not anything else unless you look strange/really suspicious. Israeli security/border stuff was a nightmare, I've never been asked so many intrusive questions in my life. "Do you know any arabs?, do you speak arabic?, why did you come here?, why are you going to jordan?, do you have any issues with the state of israel?" The whole thing was pretty intense, and I'm a nice white guy from Canada. By comparison you'll most likely think there is no security at all in european airports.
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Jul 4, 2012 13:37
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Landsknecht posted:No, most likely not, just say you have a plan to leave within 3 months if asked. The airport routine is generally just asking your final destination and purpose of travel, not anything else unless you look strange/really suspicious. Yeah our security system is a bit.. Overzealous? Either way, I'm kind of worried that they won't let me in because I'm from Israel and have no proof that i'll be leaving within 3 months. I guess I'm just worried for nothing.
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Jul 4, 2012 16:16
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How likely is it that a friend and I will be able to walk into a major European city in mid August and have no trouble finding a decent hostel to stay at? We're trying to figure out if we really need to commit to our accommodations far in advance - ideally we can not and thus have more flexibility in our travel.
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Jul 5, 2012 19:24
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Jenkl posted:How likely is it that a friend and I will be able to walk into a major European city in mid August and have no trouble finding a decent hostel to stay at? We're trying to figure out if we really need to commit to our accommodations far in advance - ideally we can not and thus have more flexibility in our travel. Depends on the city, and what your standards are. It will be pretty easy to find a clean/safe place to stay in Scandinavia, Germany or Switzerland, but it will be a lot harder in Portugal, Italy or Spain. Unless you're going for over a month just book ahead of time and save the headache.
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Jul 5, 2012 19:48
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Jenkl posted:How likely is it that a friend and I will be able to walk into a major European city in mid August and have no trouble finding a decent hostel to stay at? We're trying to figure out if we really need to commit to our accommodations far in advance - ideally we can not and thus have more flexibility in our travel. Even calling the day before already makes a big difference compared to showing up at 6PM with "so, got any rooms left?". Other option is to bring a tent. Many places have camp sites outside the cities. There is often some free space left in some remote corner.
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Jul 7, 2012 15:27
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I'm talking Paris and Amsterdam mainly. I imagine those are quite busy and we basically would need to book ahead. So it sounds like its worth booking ahead and maybe losing 50 bucks if we change our plans, as opposed to winging it and losing 6 hours to trying to find a place to stay? Also, for a Eurail pass, am I getting this right: I order online. They mail it to me. Now I have a cool train ticket? I ask because the site says "You need to activate your Eurail pass within 6 months of the issuing date" and I cant seem to find anymore info on that. Thanks for all the advice guys!
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Jul 7, 2012 16:33
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If you want to stay in a hostel in Amsterdam, look at the neighbouring cities. Haarlem, Leiden, Utrecht, all pretty close to Amsterdam (Leiden and Utrecht will have trains going there at night as well) and there's a lot less people staying there. (and Utrecht is a much nicer city anyway, definitely check it out)
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Jul 7, 2012 16:55
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Sitting at Hartsfield International waiting for my flight to Frankfurt for the next 90 days or three years or however long I end up staying. Wish me luck, Goons!
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Jul 7, 2012 20:15
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Jenkl posted:I'm talking Paris and Amsterdam mainly. I imagine those are quite busy and we basically would need to book ahead. I'm not sure about hostels, but if you want a good price on a hotel room you better book months, if not half a year in advance. I got a very highly rated Paris hotel for 50% off because I booked early and paid everything up front. Again, I'm not sure about hostels, but you cannot simply count on getting a decent hotel room in the summer in Paris. Unless you are a millionaire.
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Jul 7, 2012 21:33
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Same goes for Amsterdam
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Jul 7, 2012 21:42
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Jenkl posted:
I may be wrong because I didn't get one, but with the Eurail pass you have to mark down the days you're traveling with a pen on the pass, so that may be what it's referring to. You may want to check out sites like seat61.com and go on the countries' rail sites and see if a Eurail pass is actually cost effective for you. If you're just doing the Netherlands and France than it may be good, but if you're doing more countries over a longer period then getting individual tickets may be a better deal. Generally, though, I believe that Eurail passes are not nearly as good a deal as the EU Interrail passes.
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Jul 8, 2012 00:51
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What would be the best way to go Belgium > England? I'll be in Ghent in Belgium and I need to make it to London. Is RyanAir/Easyjet my best bet?
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Jul 8, 2012 10:56
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If you can book some time in advance the Eurostar train is probably your best bet. It saves you the trouble of travelling to and from airports, which is especially expensive in England.
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Jul 8, 2012 11:47
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Akion posted:Sitting at Hartsfield International waiting for my flight to Frankfurt for the next 90 days or three years or however long I end up staying. I'm going on vacation to Madrid for the next two weeks, but if you want to meet up for a beer from the 23rd of July onward, PM me (you're still going to be in Cologne, right?)
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Jul 8, 2012 14:31
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This quickest way from Belgium to England will probably be the Eurostar when considering the lengthy check-in and travel time between the airports and the city. Eurostar can be quite expensive though You can also look into coaches between Belgium and England, Eurolines operate from Ghent, though there is also Megabus from Brussels. This will take 6 hours+ but will probably be the cheapest way overall. Edit: With Eurostar you can buy a ticket "from any Belgium station" for an additional £6 to the Eurostar ticket, which will cover the trip from Ghent to Brussels if completed in the 24 hours preceding your Eurostar journey. Edit 2: If you want to fly, it may be worth checking out flights into London City Airport from Antwerp rather than heading into Heathrow from Brussels. City is much closer to central London, and is directly connected to it's metro system via the DLR. Unfortunately Ryanair/EasyJet don't really operate this sort of journey, their main customers are business people. nozz fucked around with this message at 00:24 on Jul 9, 2012 |
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Jul 8, 2012 23:52
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