For contingent purposes, I always carry the following, in no particular order: Printed copies of my passport and visas (also electronically on my mobile and laptop) Printed and electronic copy of my travel itinerary

(I use TripIt on my mobile, and it's always there anyway).

Printed copy of my accommodation confirmation (if available)

Visa-supporting travelling documents (e.g. invitation letter) Additional means of identification -- be it driving license or national ID card -- in case something happens to your passport.

At the very least, your embassy would like to see these.

I also store encrypted electronic copies of the most important travelling documents on a cloud storage service, e.g. Dropbox.

For travel in many South American and African countries you will also need an international Certificate of Vaccination card proving that you have the required vaccinations (eg yellow fever).

While you might be able to get the shots at the border it is much easier (and possibly safer) to get them at home before you travel.

I would also recommend keeping a list of your credit and debit cards together with the phone numbers to call in case you lose them.

In some countries (eg Argentina) you will want to keep proof of purchase of local currency so that you will be allowed to exchange any remaining pesos back to dollars when you leave.

Some other documents that haven't been mentioned - some of these may fall into the 'paranoia' category, I'm not recommending all of these for every trip: Loose visas or similar documents not attached to your passport Airline boarding passes etc.

(not just international) Travel Insurance documentation (also, for intra-European travel, the EHIC )

Details of the local consulate/embassy for your home country Copies of past itineraries, boarding passes etc.

for the country/ies you are visting - in case of questions at the border about duration of past visits Company/corporate ID if on a business trip

In addition to the other suggestions... Contact details for your banks and insurer in case of theft or lost items or cards.

Contact details for your friends and family.

(Ie.. Got mugged and urgently need to contact your parents?

Hope they didn't take your phone!)

Not so much something to carry but make sure you actually know your email/facebook/etc passwords (and don't just rely on the 'remember me' function when logging in from your netbook or ipad).

[Edit 2014 Feb] Also, you really should be using 2-factor authentication on all important online services (Gmail, Dropbox, Facebook all support 2-factor auth using Google's fantastic Authenticator mobile app).

If you're doing this, make sure you carry some recovery codes in case your phone is stolen.

In addition to all that if you intend to get behind the wheel of a car, plane, boat and so on you will need to carry licenses to that effect such as a driver's possibly with International Driving Permit.

Question: I actually saw this on a list of top new traveller questions, and figured it'd be a good one to have on here.  Obviously with international travel, you'll need your passport, but are there any other important documents you should consider taking with you when travelling?

What documents should you carry with you when travelling internationally?

Printed and electronic copies of: passport, visas, travel itinerary, accommodation confirmation, credit cards and contact details for your banks and insurer in case of theft or lost items or cards, contact details of friends and family. Electronic copies can be stored encrypted on a cloud storage device such as Dropbox. Some countries require an international Certificate of Vaccination card, and in some cases you can exchange money back when leaving if you have a proof of purchase of local currency. If you will be driving, flying etc., take your relevant licences along with international driver's permit if necessary.

Many documents may be required while travelling, such as visa-supporting documents, driving licence and bank and credit card details. A vaccination certificate is also required for some countries. Moreover, it is considered a good idea to keep encrypted electronic copies of all these documents.

A number of documents are recommended when travelling, depending on where you are going. These include visa-supporting documents, driving licence, vaccination certificates and credit card and bank details.

It also recommended to keep an encrypted electronic copy of these documents.


It's not a real platform, but King's Cross station in London has a faux Platform 9¾ (9 and 3/4), in reference to the platform in the Harry Potter novels.

It has a luggage trolley half embedded in the wall, to allow people to take photographs with it.

In Amsterdam Centraal platforms are quite long, thus allowing two different trains to stop at each end of the platform.

On which end of the train stops is denoted by a letter, either "a" or "b" after the number of the track.

This causes huge confusion among travelers.

In more than one occasion I have seen people who wanted to go to Schiphol (the airport) on the train to Lelystad (the opposite direction).

Also what's quite unusual, there are 3 tracks between each pair of platforms, with the middle track (inaccessible to passengers) is also numbered.

London Kings Cross also has a Platform 0.

Not really unusual but different:

In France most stations number their platforms starting at 1.

But some stations have chosen to use letters instead, or mix both.

This includes the Lyon station, one of Paris' busiest train terminals.

The concourse is divided in two parts; one has the numbers while the other has the letters.

This is reflected in the passenger waiting process: in SNCF stations, the track number is shown 20 minutes before departure, in order to avoid passengers rushing to the platform sooner as the train is still being prepared, or another arriving train is releasing its passengers on the other side of the same platform.

Before the track number appears, the concourse in which to wait is mentioned, like "Hall 1" (numbers) or "Hall 2" (letters).

Another quirk in the same area is that, a few hundred meters apart, there is another, smaller terminal, the Bercy station.

It is mainly used for regional trains, sleepers trains to Italy, some chartered trains and motorail services.

It has a few tracks only (let's say about 6, I do not remember the exact count), which are lettered in alphabetic order starting where the Lyon station's lettering has stopped.

For instance, the last letter used at Lyon station is N.

At Bercy station, there is a track lettered R and no A.

In Dordrecht (the Netherlands), they've added tracks without renumbering the existing tracks.

In particular, they've added them "before" track 1, so they logically would have to be 0

and -1.

But to make it confusing, they're numbered 15, 16 and 20 (where 15 and 20 are east and west of the station building).

Question: I just came across platform zero at JR Kyoto station. Are there places with more exotic station numbers, such as negative numbers, fractions or complex numbers? I'm interested in places that have such numbers as a joke, and places that have it for a serious reason.

Places with unusual platform numbers

London King's Cross also has a Platform 0, as well as a faux Platform 9¾ in reference to the platform in the Harry Potter novels.

London King's Cross station has a platform 0. It also has the fictitious platform 9and 3/4 from the Harry Potter films.


Several years ago IATA (International Air Transport Association) recognized that baggage charges on tickets which multiple carriers were a mess.

For example, if you were flying a domestic flight on one airline followed by an international flight with a different airline then there was little consistency around how you would be charged for checked bags - especially if the airlines had different "free" baggage allowances.

In order to resolve this problem, IATA passed Resolution 302 which sets the rules for how baggage allowances and charges should be applied on multi-airline itineraries.

The rules in Resolution 302 are not simple, and they are not intended to be used directly by humans at check-in counters - but instead are intended to be built into the booking/check-in systems of airlines so that the correct price can be calculated by the system.

Google will find no end of references on Resolution 302 for you, but in short it states that the baggage rules of the "Most Significant Carrier" (MSC) apply.

To work out the "MSC" for a flight you need to understand how IATA "regions" work, but for a simple case like an domestic flight followed by an international flight (or vica versa) the baggage rules/fees of the carrier operating the international flight will apply. Do not confuse which airlines rules/fees apply with who will actually charge you those fees.

If you are flying a domestic flight on one airline followed by an international flight with another, then the international carriers rates will apply - but they will be charged by the first airline you fly - ie, the domestic carrier.

The implementation of this resolution by carriers is still patchy.

Although most (all?)

larger airlines have implemented the rules, many smaller/regional carriers have not.

There are also issues introduced when non-standard rules apply to a passenger, such as when you have status on an airline which results in free baggage (especially for a flight other than the first) where the systems are not necessarily capable of correctly calculating the fees.

All that can be said is that according to 14 CFR 399.87

which went into effect in 2012, baggage rules and fees of the originating carrier apply for the entire itinerary , and in the case of codeshares, it is the rules of the marketing carrier that apply (this is notable as the operating carrier prevails in most other areas).

American, United, and Delta have policies that state that if you are flying them and your itinerary includes an intercontinental segment (not necessarily international ), the baggage allowances and fees for the intercontinental segment apply to the entire itinerary.

For example, if flying UA ORD-DEN-LAX-NRT, the baggage rules for LAX-NRT would also apply for ORD-DEN and DEN-LAX.

But it is impossible to say what applies in your case without knowing a great deal more in detail: how is your journey constructed and ticketed, in what class of service are you flying on each segment and what is your frequent flyer elite status level, what are your origination/connection/destination points, and so on.

In the above example, you would be charged differently if you have a stopover (>24hr) in DEN as opposed to a layover, or if your ORD-DEN were a codeshare ticketed on US Airways, or operated by American Airlines but ticketed on United stock, or if you purchased ORD-DEN-LAX and LAX-NRT on separate tickets, and so on.

Yeah, the rules have just changed for this and it is indeed the originating carrier's rules that applies.

As always, check with the originating carrier before you pack all your stuff and head to the airport.

Note:

Baggage rules differ by airline and point of origin, connecting country and destination.

Mainly who organizes this stuff is the IATA and they have issued Resolution 302 (ABR) however

not all of the airlines are committing to this rules yet, around 70%.

So if it were me I'd check with the operating carrier and apply the most restrictive allowance to minimize the risk.

Also what can be done is to check-in online and see the allowance they would give on the website if you'd prepay for your baggage online.

There is a bit of grey area In my flight (

as the original poster) the baggage allownce of our originating flight which was domestic flight to new york, did not apply.

In fact they allowed us our international flight allowance even though our first flight was domestic and it was purchased separately.

The exact procedure was like this.

We were directed to seperate line where people had issues with their tickets.

This was a long line also, typically of people who had connecting flights.

We showed them our domestic flight as well as international flight tickets (printouts).

They told use we can check in 2 bags.

We did not even ask for it.

We were sure we have to pay the extra fee for all the four bags.

It was a good gesture from Carrier.

I think it might be dependent on the destination as well.

For european destination, this rule might not apply but then I am not sure about that.

The fact is this rule is not clearly defined.

Question: In the US, is there such a rule so that, if you are taking a domestic flight and then taking an international flight, the luggage allowance of the international flight will apply? Because it is quite possible you are taking a flight from a small airport to a big airport, and then catch your international flight.  Do all Airlines have the same regulations? Is there such a rule imposed by the government?

Baggage allowance of separate domestic flights with a connecting international flight?

Baggage rules differ by airline and route, but according to IATA's Resolution 302, the baggage rules of the "Most Significant Carrier" (MSC) apply on multi-airline itineraries.

Baggage rules on multi-leg flights are supposed to be regulated by IATA Resolution 302. However, in reality it would appear rules differ according to the airline, point of origin and destination. Moreover, it is also not clear whether main carrier or originating carrier baggage allowance applies.

IATA hs passed a Resolution on which bagage allowances and fees apply, called Resolution 302. According to the Resolution, the main carrier baggage allowance applies.

It appears the rules have changed and the originating carrier baggage allowance applies. Baggage rules differ by airline, point of origin and destination


I always have one or two plastic bottles with me.

I empty them before I go through security and then re-fill them from a tap in the restroom in the waiting area.

I've done this many times, and security never asked about the empty bottles, and even if they do you can explain what they are for.

Yes, do this all the time.

Probably not necessary, but I take the lid off and put it in another pocket to ensure it's seen as an empty bottle.

UK airports generally have a bar airside

and I've never had a problem asking them to refill the bottle.

In the United States, the website of the TSA specifically states: You may take empty drink containers through the checkpoint and fill them afterward.

Unfortunately, I didn't see a way to link directly to the page containing that text, but if you go to the link above and then type "empty water bottle" into the "Can I bring my..." search box, it will display the above text.

Most (all?)

U.S. airports have water fountains airside where you can fill up your water bottle after going through security.

Hong Kong and Incheon both had them, as well.

Some airports even have water fountains specifically designed for filling up water bottles (where you don't have to tilt the bottle over to get water in it.)

I've seen these both in Nashville and in Phoenix.

The only weird thing I've ever encountered with this was one time on a flight from Hong Kong to the U.S.

There were actually security personnel inside the jetway in Hong Kong that were going through everyone's bags and confiscating non-empty water bottles, including the ones that people had purchased inside the concourse.

For more information on this see the questions: Why were water bottles confiscated in a boarding gate jetway in Hong Kong?

When are U.S.-bound flights required to confiscate liquids at the gate?

I have been using cheap(ish) drinking bottles as well as re-used 'one time' water bottles for going through security in Europe.

Mostly I have the bottle on the outside of my luggage or place it in the bin next to my laptop or shoes.

Several times I have been asked whether the bottle is empty, on the answer: "as empty as I can get it by drinking" it was allowed to go through.

But no single airport security site I have seen so far guarantees the passage of empty water bottles and I would not take my expensive water bottle in hand luggage.

Most of the time it will not be a problem at all

but when you run into the one officer or one airport that does not allow it through, losing a cheap bottle will hurt less than losing an expensive or loved bottle.

By the way, I find it no hardship to drink half a liter of water within a few minutes and have done so, like when I met a security check where I did not expect one.

Waiting outside the line, although at that point in time there was very little line to wait next to.

The security officer on my side of the system offered to empty the bottle into their bin and return it to me, I declined as I was in need of a drink by then.

It depends on where you are in the world.

In Britain there are rarely places to fill bottles up, yet they are allowed through.

In a way, I think its a moneymaking scam, if you have liquids in the bottles at UK security the bottle goes, in Sweden the liquid goes.

In Britain they probably sell the bottles

Though security might let you get away with this, regulations clearly state (UK, but the same applies elsewhere)

that vessels that are able to contain more than 100ml, even when they contain less (or nothing at all) are not allowed through security.

Case in point: have you ever tried to take a half empty tube of toothpaste through security?

Question: I know you can't bring bottled water and such with you on the plane. However, is it safe to bring an empty bottle with you to fill up later? Or do you risk losing your possibly expensive/fancy/awesome water bottle when going through security?

Can you bring an empty water bottle with you on the plane?

This depends on where you are in the world and you may not want to risk bringing an expensive drinking bottle, but the TSA and UK airport security both allow you to do this. US airports are more likely than UK ones to have water fountains airside for refilling bottles.

It appears that in many places, including Britain and the US, empty water bottles can be taken through security checks. There are sometimes even water fountains for refilling them airside. However, this is not a rule so taking an expensive water bottle is not recommended.

It is generally OK to take empty water bottles through airport security but this may depend where you are in the world. Britain and the US let empty bottles through mostly.

In some airports there are special water fountains for refilling the bottle airside.

Apparently, allowing empty bottles through is not a rule, so do not take an expensive bottle.


I'm in Istanbul right now, and when I got here

I asked a friend who has been here before.

According to her, no, it's not required, but is always welcome.

I have not got any noticeable negative reactions over the past week from not tipping, and very gracious thanks when I have done so, but I'm still new to the country and may have trouble 'reading' people if they are being polite when I haven't tipped.

Usually it's been when I haven't liked the service or felt it was already very overpriced for what was offered - not unusual in extremely touristy restaurants, for example, which you may want to avoid.

Corrections welcome from native Turks, of course :)

I just got a bill a minute ago for 18 lira for a coffee and two beers, and paid with a 20 lira note and no change.

2 lira = 1 dollar

US/CA/AU - honestly, at that amount, it barely matters.

"keep the change" will work in many situations, or simply leaving the change on the table.

There is no percentage expectation whatsoever.

In Turkish culture, tipping is more of a nice gesture than social obligation.

As mentioned in other answers, it will always create a nice reaction from the serving staff or owner (if it's a small place), and they may even do a small gesture (offer candy, etc.)

I went to reasonably cheap restaurants and I tipped a bit, depending on how I liked the food quantity/quality.

I always got nice reactions.

Also, food is reasonably cheap anyway, so a tip will not make much difference.

It really depends.

If it's a high or mid-range restaurant, you are not obligated to but it is considered 'nice' to leave a tip since you can afford an expensive meal.

At most cheap eateries where food costs a few lira, you aren't expected to tip.

I mostly just left the coin liras as tips whenever I felt uncertain about how 'posh' a restaurant was.

In most of the restaurants or cafes, there is no expectation of a tip from the table.

In addition, in touristic areas the prices are very high.

The local people and the tourists are seeing different menus, where of course, the touristic prices are way too expensive.

So, especially in those places you should not feel obligated to tip, but if you like the taste or the atmosphere or even the service, you are welcomed :)

Question: I will be in Istanbul for a week.   Do I have to tip in restaurants or not?

Should I tip in restaurants in Turkey?

Tipping is considered a nice gesture rather than an obligation, and cheap eateries in particular will not expect you to tip. Tipping will often create a nice reaction, but you are unlikely to receive a negative reaction if you leave without tipping.

Turkey is not a country with a tipping culture. In fact, tipping is seen as a nice gesture but not an obligation. Some customers feel the need to leave a tip in a more expensive restaurant. However, there is no percentage, leaving the change from the bill is fine.

People fell more obliged to tip in more expensive restaurants than in cheaper places.

There is no tipping expectations in Turkish culture. It is seen as a nice gesture. Leaving the change is fine.


The City of Boston's Hackney Carriage Rules [PDF], section 5.II.y: Passenger’s

Right to Direct

Route: Hackney Carriage Drivers shall take such route to the destination as the passenger shall so direct.

So you are absolutely allowed to declare your own route, and the driver must follow it.

The Rules explain what recourse you have if they refuse.

NYC has a similar rule, and I imagine other cities do, as well.

I always do it if I think the route is not optimal.

You are paying the bill after all!

Cabbies almost always choose the route they think is going to be the quickest, not the shortest.

That's because a busy cabbie will lose money whenever they are stuck in traffic - the extra on the meter for stopped time doesn't make up for the fact that they could be getting another fare.

So if you try to direct them to a shorter but slower route they will complain (it's also unlikely that you will save money).

Some cabbies will try to take you a long route if they think they aren't going to get another fare, to get more money from you.

In either case the route should be up to you - although that doesn't mean they will be happy about it.

If you really think the cabbie is ripping you off you shouldn't worry about 'etiquette'.

The exception is if you've agreed a fixed price in advance.

Then you should leave the route to the driver.

They will want to do it as fast as possible anyway.

If you don't want to get into a long discussion about which route is quicker at this time of day, you can always invent an innocuous reason.

"Could you go via the park?

I'd like to see whether the trees are in leaf yet/ past the museum?

I'd like to see what the queue is like for the exhibition.

" You're not challenging the driver's ability, and if you're paying, he can't really object.

I usually open the conversation with a knowledgable-sounding comment on the traffic: "What would b the best route at this time - over the bridge, or through the tunnel".

I just make sure first that there is a bridge or tunnel in that city.

Last week in Milan, Italy, I had the experience of substantially longer routes taken by the taxi driver, and I would just pull out Google Maps on my mobile phone and say -

can you help me follow along.

This technique helped in both instances.

In many cities, fixed fares to the airport are available from hotels and business districts and are usually reasonable and both parties are happy.

Yes you can.

The customer is king.

But it's not sure that the customer will save money by doing that.

Also note that the shorter route is not necessarily the fastest.

It depends on traffic conditions.

I don't see why not.

I used to live across the Mississippi River from the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Once I took a cab to the Metrodome.

The driver turned to go down town, a long way to get to the Metrodome.

I asked the driver if there was a good reason for going downtown when the tenth avenue bridge would have taken us right to the Metrodome.

The driver turned off the meter and took us to the Metrodome.

This is probably the first time in my life I've heard 'taxi' and 'etiquette' mentioned together in a sentence!

However, I don't think its a form of etiquette, think of it as professional courtesy.

You both know the city and if you're certain about your route, it should at least be open for debate.

At least, that's my opinion.

I once instructed a taxi to drive miles on surface streets from JFK to Brooklyn instead of any parkways.

I checked that I was entitled to do so.

It was much shorter.

The flight had landed about 5:30 a.m., we were going to a Bat Mitzvah at 10:00 a.m., and then back to the airport for the final leg of our flight in the evening.

Even missing every light we we three hours early for the ceremony, and the cabbie was not very happy.

Question: I'm going back home to Virginia for the Thanksgiving holiday and I'll be taking a taxi to Boston Logan. I've noticed that in the past, the cabbie tends to take a longer route.  Is it bad etiquette to dictate which route I'd like him/her to take?

Can you tell a cabbie which route to take?

You are allowed to declare your own route, and the driver must follow it. Fixed fares are also available from hotels and business districts to the airport, which are usually reasonable to both parties.

Most people think it is OK to tell a taxi driver which route to take, however, in some cities, there are routes with fixed prices, like hotel to airport, where it would be unnecessary to dictate the route.

Most people think it is OK to tell a taxi driver which route to take.

In some cities there are routes with fixed prices, like hotel to airport, where it would be unnecessary to dictate the route.


As a French native, I discovered this practice in North America.

I never asked for a doggy bag in France, nor have I seen someone do it.

So it is likely restaurants don't even have boxes.

You can obviously take out food from fast-food restaurants but for regular restaurants I don't think it is correct behaviour.

I usually finish my dishes, I only order what I can eat.

I believe that is what most people do.

Sharing your dish with your friends/family is also common practice.

You can still ask to have a small portion if you eat really little, I did not see this that much

but I guess the waiter will do what he can.

You can still try to ask, if you are not in a very classy restaurant or a restaurant you go to every day, the worst you risk is an awkward atmosphere when the waiter says no. EDIT : There is a recent article from the New York Times on the topic , Lyon (a city in France) and the Rhône-Alpes region introduced the doggie bag (called "gourmet bag") in order to reduce food waste.

The article describes how the French have a hard time using it.

I think it develops an interesting argument that in France, eating out is not seen as "feeding", but more as enjoying a meal, for the fine food and for the place: "Dining out is thus a rare experience, to be enjoyed in situ, not bundled up in plastic foam containers and reheated in the microwave.".

So if you go to Lyon (and you should go ;)), you should be able to ask for a "gourmet bag" without the waiter being too surprised.

I live in Paris in France, and I never saw anyone doing that, so I'll advise you to avoid it, because you'll probably create quite an awkward atmosphere, even in a "not very classy" restaurant.

Don't even try it, it may send an already obnoxious Parisien waiter over the edge.

He'll likely pretend to not understand what you're saying.

European portion sizes tend to be manageable for most normal people unless you go to an American themed 'restaurant' that engages in the likes of rib eating competitions.

The concept of ”doggy bag“ doesn't exist in most of Europe.

It's a North American thing.

Why would a restaurant provide boxes for people to take food home?

Restaurants serve food for eating on the premises.

Furthermore portions in France are typically a lot smaller than in the US, for a number of reasons: people are smaller on average; you aren't supposed to have food left over; quality over quantity; you're supposed to have room left for desert.

France doesn't even have a word for “doggy bag”.

Québec as emporte-restes , but if you use this term in France you'll probably get a blank look.

Since a few years ago, the government has tried to promote “ gourmet bag ”, with little success.

The practice is neither popular with French restaurant owners (yet another constraint, and will people now expect to get bigger portions so that they have leftovers?)

nor with French restaurant goers (if I go to a restaurant, it isn't to get leftovers).

This is slowly changing, however.

Even though the concept isn't very popular, it's at least becoming known.

Furthermore it's getting more traction because it's environment-friendly at negligible cost.

It should become a lot more widespread over the next few years because starting on July 1st, 2021, restaurants will have to provide doggy bags by law .

Until then, you can ask the waiter, explain if necessary, and they may or may not accommodate you.

travel.stackexchange.com/users/277/Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'

It can happens, but most of the time, the waiter (or more probably the owner) will propose it to you.

Tell them it was very good (they will ask), but it is a shame that you are stuff and can't finish.

If it's possible, they should get the meaning, and propose it to you.

It happens multiple times with my parents.

My parents even got some bones for the dog (the real doggy bag^^).

It happens mostly in independent, family-owned restaurant.

Additionally, i don't think I remember it happens in Paris, or in big cities, it was more frequently in country restaurant.

It never happened in Branded restaurant.

My advice : feel it before asking.

If you have a good feeling with the Waiter, the owner, if they are not overbooked, if you talked with them (in french, in their native language, or in your own language if they seems fluent in it).

if you make them laugh, if you learn about them and if they learn about you/your country.

Basically, if you befriend them, you can go (and yes, it is "allowed" to "befriend" the waiter/owner of a restaurant in France,

that's the French spirit).

PS : for obvious reason it is FORBIDDEN in all-you-can-

it buffet

(and yet, I'm sure you can get it in reasonable amount if done properly).

I just tried asking for a box in a pizza and tapas restaurant in La Plagne, France.

It was no problem at all, worked just like in the US.

They brought me a pizza box for the leftover pizza.

Maybe this is different than other places in France because La Plagne gets a lot of tourists -- but it's never unreasonable to ask to take food with you that you paid for.

You can ask, they will figure it out.

Honestly I don't think it's so uncommon to ask for a doggy bag also in Europe, in my case in Italy.

I saw it a lot of times, and no problem at all for the restaurant to give you a box for the food you paid for and that will be garbage anyway.

Usually the portions are smaller than in the US, so less likely you will ask for a doggy bag, but if that's the case I don't see any problem in asking for it.

Question: Doggy bags for saving leftovers in restaurants are extremely common in the USA, especially as portions sizes are usually too large to consume in one meal.  But I have read in various forums that it isn't socially acceptable to ask for a box for leftovers in France, and that some restaurants don't even have take-home boxes available. Is this true? If so, are there alternatives to having uneaten food thrown away and wasted? What do the locals do if they can't finish their meal?

Saving leftovers from restaurants in Paris

Lyon has introduced the 'Gourmet bag' in an attempt to reduce food waste, but it has not caught on much and is less likely to be used in other parts of the country. European restaurant portions are usually smaller and it is less common to be left with a lot of leftovers. A more acceptable approach might be to order a smaller portion or share with friends or family.

At present the concept of doggy bag is not well known in France. French meals normally comprise small portions so leftovers are not the norm. However, the idea of gourmet bag has been floated in Lyon and, as of July 2021, French restaurant will be required to provide this service.

The concept of doggy bad is alien to French culture and also not well known in Europe in general. Most French portions are smaller than US meals and shared with other diners so there is usually nothing left. There is no word for doggy bag in French.

The idea of gourmet bag has been started in Lyon and, as of July 2021, restaurants will be obliged to provide this service.


Although I haven't brought champagne in checked luggage, I have brought wine on multiple occasions.

(Typically bringing it home from places with nice wine.)

I roll a nice soft Tshirt around it tightly, and if I have two bottles (which might clink against each other)

then after each is rolled in a shirt

I wrap the two of them together in another shirt or dress pants.

Then the whole thing goes in the very middle of the suitcase with clothes and soft things all around.

Never had a problem.

I usually go cheap and just wrap each bottle in half a dozen plastic shopping bags, one bag at a time.

That way there's lots of air trapped in them, not unlike bubble wrap.

Then I tuck those puffy, plastic bundles in the middle of my t-shirts or something.

Some crazy variant: put your bottle into the bag, after that place it into the box, and add the polyurethane foam:

It'll save your bottle, and after the flight you can easily remove it with knife.

We have packed a few bottles in tough cardboard tubes over the years, padding inside so they can't rattle

and then we wrap the whole thing in a couple of garbage bags just in case the worst happens.

They've always arrived intact.

In a hardcase of some kind with foam inside.

They are rather expensive but then again you can use them forever and for many different things.

I use it for computer and photo equipment.

I put the case inside of my normal luggage, not as a separate item.

But if your airline has nicer rules than most you might just add a few bucks and get away with shipping the hard case separately and freeing up some space in your other luggage :).

It is also worth checking at the airport transportation/goods department, they often have services of one kind or another for taking care of fragile goods.

What exact services are available varies greatly between airports and regions.

Anything from just a sticker to something like the mentioned hard case.

This is usually not without a fee/service charge of some kind.

I did this a few years ago from the UK to New Zealand.

It's actually not as hard as it sounds.

You can go the pro-way and use professional transportation foam, but if you have any bubble wrap lying around, that can be a handy alternative.

Myself, I wrapped all my shirts around the bottle.

It becomes surprisingly snug and very unlikely to move, and has a lot of padding as a result.

I quickly became confident in its security.

And it also x-rays really easily like that.

San Francisco to Newark, two bottles of wine, wrapped in multiple shirts and packed in the middle of the luggage.

I didn't worry too much about bagging them, because if the bottles break they are likely to cut the bags.

Also, with 6 hours in flight the liquid is going to get out anyway if something goes wrong.

The best way is to use an inflatable protective packaging, like this: ( source of image : a UK packaging company with whom I have no affiliation - googling for 'bottle postage inflatable' produces many alternatives).

As an additional useful tip, just in case your bottle (somehow) or you get a leak, wrap the whole lot in a tough old plastic bag (to stop shards going straight through) then in Saran wrap (US) /

Cling film (UK).

That way if the worst happens, you hopefully won't have a suitcase full of clothes soaked in wine.

That saved me once with a bottle of red wine from which the cork inexplicably escaped (pressure differences I'm guessing).

Question: I tend to bring something quite fragile with me as cabin luggage. On my next journey I want to bring a special bottle of champagne (because of sentimental reasons). Unfortunately you can't bring a bottle with you as cabin luggage.  I already know that it is okay to bring a bottle of  champagne  as check-in luggage (even confirmed by  the airline (Dutch) .) I am wondering how you can transport a bottle of champagne in your luggage in such a way it doesn't break easily.

How can you protect a fragile object like bottle of champagne in your baggage against breaking?

You can go the pro-way and use a hard case with professional transportation foam, but if you have any bubble wrap lying around, that can be a handy alternative.  You can also wrap bottles in half a dozen shopping bags or multiple shirts, and pack it in the middle of your luggage.

Foam, hard cases and bubble wrap are considered the professional method fro wrapping champagne for carrying in luggage. However, many people go with wrapping the bottle in items of clothing.

Plastic bags and clothing seems to be wrapping of choice for a bottle of champagne in the luggage.

More professional option for wrapping champagne include a hard case and foam or bubble wrap.


Bus 100 (Nice - Monaco - Menton) is a very good option and costs a mere 1.50 € ( 2015 ).

It runs every 15 minutes mostly, and the trip takes 30-45 minutes.

It takes an absolutely scenic route along the coast, passing through seaside towns such as Villefranche and Beaulieu .

(There's also express bus 100X which takes the motorway and costs 4 € (2012); obviously not as good for sightseeing.)

In Nice, the 100 now leaves from Le Port ; follow link for exact locations on map.

(The departure stop has changed a couple of times in recent years, having previously been Ségurane , next to Place Garibaldi, and Promenades des Arts .)

Arriving in Monaco, there are 6 stops to choose from (do get off at one of these as the bus continues towards Menton):

Cimetière, Place d'Armes , Stade Nautique, Office de Tourisme, Place des Moulins, Les Carabiniers.

Heading from Monaco towards Nice, the route is slightly different; then the Monaco stops are: Les Carabiniers, Place des Moulins, Casino (Allée Lumière), Sainte Dévote, Place d'Armes , Cimetière.

The buses don't run very late :

last one from Nice leaves at 20:00, and from Monaco at 20:22.

First departures in the morning are about 6:00.

You'll find details and full list of stops in bus 100 timetable .

Alternatively, take the train ("Nice Ville" to "Monaco Monte Carlo").

It is faster (22 mins) and arguably easier, but costs a little more at 3.90 € .

There are about 2 regional trains per hour (daytime), according to SNCF .

A good thing is that the trains run much later ; last one leaves from Nice 22:25 and from Monaco 23:12 (on weekdays).

The above applies to regional trains (TER) which would probably be your primary choice on this route, though you could also catch an intercity/TGV.

I have just returned from Nice/Monte.

Great trip and good advice given here.

As of Nov 31 2013 the bus costs €1.50 each way and starts just off Garibaldi Square, pay cash.

Also, the Nice day pass has changed.

It is a 24 hour pass that costs €5 and can be used on all trams and buses in Nice except buses 98 and 99.

What does this mean?

The only bus that the pass covers that goes to and from the airport is the number 23 (catch it outside the Rail Station), takes 30-40 minutes to Terminal 1.

From there use the free airport shuttle bus to get to T2.

You ask, what about the 98 and 99 buses?

Well they now cost €6 each way

- the benefit is it is an express bus.

We returned from the Cannes-Nice-Monaco Trip in May 2014, and the answers given above have helped us.

Although the starting point of Bus 100 has changed as rightly pointed out in answer by Ger : The 100 bus to Monaco now leaves from the Promenades des Arts stop outside the Musée d'Art Moderne/Contemporain near the corner of Av.

St. Sebastian and Traverse Garabaldi.

Here are some of the Bus timetables that I got as of May 2014.

And here are some timetables if someone willing to do the trip to Cannes.

In Nice, take Bus 200 from "Le Meridian" ,I guess near to McDonalds.

Bus 200 To Cannes And Return

And the Price List

I have just returned from Nice, Easter 2014.

The 100 bus to Monaco now leaves from the Promenades des Arts stop outside the Musée d'Art Moderne/Contemporain near the corner of Av.

St. Sebastian and Traverse Garabaldi.

On arriving in Monaco we got off at Places D'Armes and walked up the pedestrian hill to the Prince Palace, then around to the Cathedral and past the Musée Oceanographique.

To the east of the Oceanographic museum, there are steps down through the gardens leading to the port where you can get a Bateau bus across to the other side to get to Monte Carlo and the Casino.

There's a short walk into the tunnel turning right off the port and you'll find an elevator around the corner to get up to the roadside on the southern end of the Hotel de Paris.

I just returned from doing this day trip as well, great advice here!

So as of January 2014, nothing has changed.

The new bus stop to get the 100 is at the southeast corner of Garibaldi Square (or Place Garibaldi in French) on Rue Catherine Segurane.

The best stop to get off and back on the 100 in Monaco is Places D'Armes.

It's right next to the Place du Palais, and the Prince of Monaco Car Collection, Aka Top Car Collection.

They have a dozen F1 race cars on display, and a myriad of cars from classic Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, BMW, to very old rare cars dating back to 1911.

They even have some horse drawn buggies!

There are no return tickets,

one way only, 1.50 each way.

Great little day trip, highly recommend it!

A couple of days ago I compiled all the practical transportation options for a Nice to Monaco trip .

I though you guys might like to see all the possibilities, costs and advantages of each option.

As I grew up in Monaco, I have tested all the possibilities for you, from the bus to the bike trip... SUMMARY of the information available on the link .

Nice Downtown to Monaco – Bus line 100 (up-to-date-timetable)

Nice airport To Monaco - Bus line 110

(up-to-date-timetable)

Nice To Monaco by train (up-to-date-timetable)

Nice To Monaco by Taxi (with price estimation and rules)

Nice To Monaco by car with 4 options The Highway

: Take the Highway “A8”

The "Basse Corniche" (Low Coast-Road)

The "Moyenne Corniche" (Middle Coast-Road)

The "Grande Corniche" (Great Coast-Road) Nice to Monaco Ridding a bicycle

Question: What's the  simplest and cheapest way  to get from central Nice, France to Monaco by public transportation?

How to get from Nice to Monaco by public transport?

Bus 100  (Nice - Monaco - Menton) is a mere 1.50 €, or the express bus 100X takes the motorway and costs 4 €. Alternatively, take the  train  ("Nice Ville" to "Monaco Monte Carlo").

It is posible to travel from Nice to Monaco by bus or train.

There are two types of bus from Nice to Monaco: Bus 100 and the express bus.


Canadian Credit Cards Many fuel dispensers in the USA (for sure in Hawaii, apparently elsewhere in the USA as well) accept the numbers-only from the postal code of a Canadian billing address followed by two zeros.

So, if your Canadian billing address is right beside Schwartz's Deli in Montreal where the postal code is H2W 1L2, you would enter '21200'.

Where the '212' are the numbers from the postal code, and the '00' is padding to get to 5 digits.

Interestingly, if your billing address is in Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Alberta where the postal code is T0L 0Z0, you actually would enter '00000'.

Edit:

I just tested this on January 23rd, 2014.

It still works.

UK Credit Cards

I have a UK credit card and have had mixed results using my card at the pump.

Sometimes no ZIP code is asked for and it works fine.

Also, sometimes entering 00000 does work (I'm guessing because it's not subsequently using the ZIP code entered).

In about 80% of cases, though (and it does seem to vary as to where in the US you are), I've had to go into the gas station - although they generally seem well equipped to handle the exception process (by which I mean, at that point it doesn't seem to matter that it's foreign - I just ask for X$ of gas and they charge it -

the difference being refunded if it's unused).

German Credit Cards

I've had mixed results with German credit cards.

Since we also have 5 digits ZIP codes, the match should be fairly easy.

However, on some occasions it worked perfectly, while on others it didn't and I had to see the cashier.

All in all, there doesn't seem to be any kind of rule or system - at least not to me.

Swedish Credit Cards Swedish credit cards work fine.

You can type in your Swedish zipcode (also 5 digit)

but I honestly doubt the system checks for foreign cards.

I have UK and Italian credit cards.

Italy also has 5 digit postal codes and I've sometimes been able to use the postal code at the pump with an Italian card.

I've also called my credit card company and asked if I could put a temporary address on a credit card so that I could have a zip code associated.

In my case they said I would have to have that as my only address but could change it back later.

In the end I decided not to do that, but might be worth asking if your credit card company can do it.

Perhaps just put the address of the hotel you're staying at.

As other people have said, I've also had luck using just the digits of my UK postal code padded with zeroes.

I've never been able to use all zeroes.

The mechanism that the gas station uses, is the credit card Address Verification Service .

It's worth noting that there seem to be restrictions on this in various US states as noted in this cpn site :

There are some controversies and legal issues when requesting AVS information.

For example, in California and Massachusetts it may be illegal to ask for ZIP code information, as this is seen as a privacy violation.

This may explain why all zeroes are accepted in some places and not others.

AVS works differently with different card suppliers, so it may be possible that a Mastercard works with a foreign 5 digit postal code, or zero-padded postal code, whereas an Amex doesn't, or vice versa.

Australian credit cards Australian credit cards don't seem to cause much of a problem here - I was able to use 90210 (which is always my go-to American zip code, probably like many!)

on gas stations in both Florida and New York.

This was with an Australian Mastercard.

Swiss credit cards Not tried yet at the pump.

At a Long Island Railroad ticket machine in New York City, the code was asked.

I accidentally tapped the "Continue" button on the touchscreen witout typing any code, and it worked.

FYI

The zip codes in Switzerland have 4 digits.

Question: In the USA, many  pay-at-the-pump  fuel dispensers that accept credit cards require a  5-digit numeric zip code  that corresponds to the billing address of the credit card.  In Canada, for instance, we have  6-digit alphanumeric postal codes , so it's not obvious what you're supposed to type in since the gas dispensers have only numeric keypads.  Entering '00000' or '90210' seems to always result in failed authorization.  Is there a zip code that works for credit cards with foreign billing addresses?

Is there a ZIP code I can enter when paying-at-the-pump in the USA with a foreign credit card?

Swedish, Italian and Australian cards seem to work, either with a fake code or because their codes are also 5 digit. Canadian postal codes are often accepted if you enter the numbers only, followed by two zeros. UK and German cards have mixed results.

Some credit cards work fine in US gas stations, probably because they are from countries that also have 5-digit post codes. Other cards do not work so well, however. These are usually from countries that do not have 5-digit post codes

There are problems using Canadian, UK and German credit cards at gas stations in the US.

Swedish, Italian and Australian credit cards work fine in gas stations in the US, probably because their post codes are also 5 digits.


Although the other answers are OK, I will use the opportunity to advertise one peculiarity in the area where I live: midnight sun skiing. .

Yes, you read that right.

The ski resort of Riksgränsen, Sweden advertises with midnight daylight skiing, possible every year in May, and midnight sun skiing.

Midnight Sun skiing is usually heli-skiing offered a few days around midsummer, and not guaranteed to be possible.

The ski resort is small compared to resorts in the Alps, but the possibility to ski 24 hours per day

(*) should be quite unique.

photo source

(*) I don't think the lifts are open 24 hours per day.

In Switzerland, there are 2 ski resorts where it is possible to go skiing in summer.

This is because of the glaciers there.

The ski resorts are: Saas-Fee :

Saas-Fee is not open year-round, but the summer season is between: 14.07.2012- 28.10.2012.

For 2013 you can assume that more or less the same dates are available.

Zermatt :

Zermatt is open year-round.

You can go skiing there every day.

Obviously, during the summer, not all lifts are open.

But nevertheless, there are halfpipes, jumps, etc.

during the summer on the glacier.

I know of a few options you can have in the Northern Hemisphere that may appeal: Timeberline Lodge in Oregon, USA - open twelve months a year.

Whistler-Blackcomb, British Columbia, Canada .

I was there 3 days ago :)

Has a glacier you can ski on in summer!

Italy has quite a bit of summer skiing at Cervinia Zermatt, Italy .

The link is some photos showing you what's available.

More unusual options Indoor skiing -

there are several of these, the most famous being Ski Dubai.

But they also exist in India, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Japan, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, and Russia (and places in the southern hemisphere too) Heli-skiing .

It's harder and a bit more 'extreme', but you can get to the snow that isn't normally available to you from a marked trail or lift.

Grass Skiing .

Cough.

Yes it's actually a thing, and no

...there's no snow.

But it's growing in popularity in both North America and Europe.

Summer skiing is definitely a thing.

For Europe, I found an article that says many places used to offer it, but now it's pretty much just Les Deux Alpes, near Grenoble.

But then this article disagrees and lists a bunch of others (and has pictures.)

And according to this Globe and Mail article , if you head to Whistler you can be taken by bus up to a glacier where you can ski even in the summer.

They sell combo ski-ing and mountain-biking day passes :-)

I even found a Top Ten list that claims there is only one location in the US.

It cheats by using Southern Hemisphere locations to offer you local-winter skiing during your home-summer, which I suspect you didn't want.

So your list of possible locations dwindles to a handful.

In the Tyrolean Zillertal Valley, you can ski all year round at the Hintertux Glacier .

They claim to be the only resort in Austria where you can ski 365 days a year.

In the French Alps, you can ski during Summer at the Glacier of Tignes .

Norway also has summer skiing spots.

On the tourism website for Norway , some of them are listed, claiming they're the largest : the Stryn Summer Ski Centre, at elevation 1600m the Galdhøpiggen Summer Ski Centre, at elevation 2600m, claiming some powder snow.

the Folgefonna Summer Ski Centre, which is a glacier.

Arapahoe Basin, in Colorado has a very long season.

Not a full 12 months, but most years they're open into June, sometimes early July.

It's not glacial, but I believe it is the highest ski area in North America.

The peak is just over 13,000 feet, on the Continental Divide.

I am surprised about the northern hemisphere bias, especially since @karlson explicilty states not beong bound to the northern hemisphere.

I would say go to Chile.

Some years ago, while traveling through Chile I went skiing just an hour drive from Santiago.

It was a resort with modern facilities.

I didn't even have to stay there, since day trips from Santiago were feasible.

In the bus to the resort, I spoke to someone who told me that there were several other resorts spread over the country.

Question: I am wondering what Ski Resorts are available (open) for skiing during the Northern Hemisphere's summer?  Level of comfort and amenities don't really make a difference for the purposes of this question.

Ski Resorts during the Northern Hemisphere's Summer

Midnight sun skiing around midsummer is possible at ski resorts such as  Riksgränsen, Sweden, although this is usually heli-skiing and not guaranteed to be possible. Norway also has summer skiing spots, and the Swiss resorts orf Saas-Fee and Zermatt are open in summer. The Hintertux Glacier in the Tyrolean Zillertal Valley is open all year round, and you can ski at the Glacier of Tignes in France or Les Deux Alpes, near Grenoble. Timeberline Lodge in Oregon, USA  is open twelve months a year, and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado has a very long season.

Summer skiing appears to be popular in North America and Europe. In North America Colorado and Oregon have resorts open in summer. In Europe a number of well known skiing destinations have summer skiing, including Saas-Fee and Zermatt. Moreover, Scandanavia has some summer ski resorts.

Scandanavia offers summer skiing in Sweden and Norway.

Switzerland has two summer resorts: Saas-Fee and Zermatt. The latter being open all year.

Italy and the Tyrol have summer skiing resorts.

Some French resorts are open in the summer.

North America also offers summer skiing.


Air France-KLM has a Flying Blue Youth {fr} program that gives some extra miles if you fly a lot.

For French residents flying from/to France, they give 4000 miles after 6 one-way flights, which can be nice.

They claim the program is open to kids from 2 to 24 years old.

Unfortunately, I am afraid it's offered to French (continental and overseas) and Maghreb residents only.

I'm not aware of any Frequent Flyer programs specifically for children, however children are able to join any airlines frequent flyer programs in the same way that adults are.

For children less than 2 years old, if not paying for a seat, then they will not be able to earn points.

However once they reach 2 years old and are required to buy a seat (or if less than 2 and buying a seat anyway) then they will earn points/miles/status/etc just like any other FF member.

Air Canada has one provision for children that I find interesting: their miles don't expire.

Adult accounts must be kept active or the miles are lost.

Poke around in the rules of the program you're considering to see if there are special rules for children.

Children old enough to travel alone who accumulate enough status miles to earn elite status may not be able to use all the privileges it grants.

For example since the lounges serve alcohol, an underage person can't come in without an adult.

See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-canada-aeroplan/1261727-lounge-access-minor-status.html for a real-life example involving a 16 year old concert pianist who travels the world to play and can't use the lounge.

As a recent convert to the absolute class service on Emirates, my further investigations have produced Skysurfers , their FF program for kids ages 2 - 16 for earning and redeeming miles.

Many, many regular frequent flyer programs are available for children as well.

Much like you mention with a bank, it makes sense for them to get your kids in early as well on their loyalty programs.

Indeed, as a piece on InsideFlyer points out, it's not unusual these days for children to get a frequent flyer card before they get their social security card.

Some examples:

Qantas has a Junior Frequent Flyer program .

Czech Airlines has their Jetsters Club for kids Emirates has a SkySurfers program Lufthansa has Jetfriends Fly Kingfisher recently launched a program for children as well and many more.

Should you enrol you kids in any programs?

This is discussed in a piece entitled

Would you enroll your child in a frequent flyer program? in The Independent.

In British Airways you can set up an Executive Club account for everyone, including small kids.

E.g. I set it up for my 1 year old son and 3 year old daughter.

My daughter has her own seat now, and she collects the same number of miles as an adult.

Now the missing ingredient is a Household Account , where you join all your family accounts together (all members must be living under one address) and you can use the combined number of miles (they call it Avios) to buy reward tickets, etc.

I can't really imagine this being organized in a better way.

Question: I am with my current bank, because I have been with them since very early age. My bank is very smart in knowing that if you have been with a bank for years, you are not likely to change.   I am wondering if this also works with airlines. Are there FF programs for kids?

Is there a frequent flyer program catering to children?

Many airlines have frequent flyer programs specifically for children from age 2 when they are required to pay for a seat, or they may be able to open a regular account. Airlines offering children's FF programmes include Flying Blue Youth on Air France-KLM, Skysurfers on Emirates, the Junior Frequent Flyer programme on Quantas, the Jetsters Club on Czech Airlines, and Jetfriends on Lufthansa. As a special provision, children's air miles on Air Canada do not expire.

Children can join the frequent flyer programs of most airlines, just like adults. However, some airlines, like Emirates and Air France, have special frequent flyer programs for children/

Many airlines have frequent flyer programs for children, including Air France, Emirates and Qantas.

Although not specifically for children, most airlines allow children to join their frequent flyer programs.


All national railway sites whose underlying database is HAFAS (de) can give you timetable information on all european trains.

This includes Germany , Switzerland and Belgium .

This excludes France .

Unfortunately, pricing and booking is not available on these sites beyond domestic routes and some international ones.

The best site that gather information about train travel in Europe is Seat 61 .

There are some offers that start appearing on the web: A website called Loco2.com offers that (it's based in UK so be careful with currency of payment - see the co-founder answer to this question).

http://mytripset.voyages-sncf.com offers flights and trains (apparently it's possible to book some outside France [it's a French travel agency] but I cannot guarantee it).

In any way, as Mouviciel suggested, you can query trains in Europe from the German / Swiss / Austrian providers but not book tickets out of these countries.

You can have a lot of information on the trains (like all stops) and I use it sometimes for any train in Europe.

It includes some local transit system.

More generally, there is an answer that will probably help you.

This forum post just popped up in my alerts because it mentions Loco2.

I'm co-founder of loco2.com

so don't want to get lambasted for self-promotion, but actually @Vince isn't quite right.

Loco2 has print at home tickets for lots of trains (Eurostar, TGV, ICE trains etc) which means it doesn't matter where you are.

We're integrated with the French and German (SNCF & Deutsche Bahn) rail booking systems and usually have print at home or collect at station tickets for domestic tickets in those countries, as well as international trains that cross their borders.

We have some tickets from other operators via indirect connections, and it is these that are only able to be delivered to the UK.

@mouviciel is right though that sites using Hafas have the most comprehensive timetable information, but see Jamie's comment about the difference between Hafas (the journey-planning engine) and Merits (the timetable data)

(Loco2 does not currently use Hafas/Merits).

One service that hasn't been mentioned yet is Waymate .

They are somewhat like Hipmunk but for train travel.

Waymate has the potential to become awesome once they add flight search.

Good combined flight and train search is something that would be very useful in Europe.

Personally, I use bahn.hafas.de for finding train connections.

In fact, when I once asked someone in Russia to help me find a train connection, I was quite surprised that he used the same service and not that of Russian Railways.

Hafas has a really good database, nowadays even with real-time updates to the schedule, and when searching I can specify that I have a BahnCard , which gives me price reductions.

Generally, trains in Europe are either local or long-distance.

The local ones sell tickets on the same day at the station and are fairly cheap.

The long-distance ones offer much more comfort, for a higher price, and only between cities.

I feel like 3-4 hours on a normal train

is my limit and anything more than that

and you'll want something better.

Some trains (ie.

Amsterdam -> Brussels) run every day at the same time

and you don't get a seat number -

so you can get your ticket ahead of time and just show up and go on the day you want.

However, the Thalys and ICE are the nicest and best trains but also priciest.

The comfort is similar or better than that of an airplane.

Book early enough

and you might get a nice discount.

They often run specials available on their website ( http://www.thalys.com/ and http://www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/trains/overview/ice.shtml )

For checking schedules you can rely on the site of the German railways , already mentioned in this thread.

That should be sufficient for most of your needs.

Unfortunately, when it comes to booking, the situation is not as good.

There is no single website for booking trains in Europe, like you can find for e.g. flights.

The best strategy is to use the sites of the national companies of the country of departure or the country of arrival.

You can google for these sites or you can use the excellent seat61.com to find the addresses.

Sites à la loco2.com provide a more user-friendly interface than some railway companies.

But, you cannot use them to book anything you want to.

They are limited in their possibilities, just as the national sites.

Example.

Let's suppose I want to travel from Brussels to Gdansk somewhere in March.

Loco2 doesn't show anything.

However, the German Bahn gives me a list of connections.

None of these can be booked directly.

For the booking I have to split my trip into 2 parts.

First I will have to buy a ticket from Brussels to Cologne, via bahn.de or thalys.com .

Next I will have to book a ticket from Cologne to Gdansk, via bahn.de .

This may look a bit cumbersome, but it is funny.

Your trip starts at home :-)

If you find this horrible, note that until not so long ago, it wasn't even possible to buy international tickets online.

Things are changing into the good direction.

And seat61.com really helps a lot to find the good way through the jungle!

www.bahn.de will show you prices, and sell you tickets for trips from Germany to most neighbouring destinations.

Another good site is www.b-europe.com.

This is the international booking site of the Belgian railways, an there is www.ns-hispeed.nl which is basically the same booking engine, but for the Dutch railways.www.sbb.ch is good for trips from Switzerland.

loco2.com, mentioned above however has failed to provide me with solutions for all of the origin - destination pairs I entered.

Maybe because they're linked to the French system, which doesn't like to give solutions involving many transfers.

Question: Is there a website to search for European train tickets? I mean something like kayak.com, expedia.com, airfare.com, etc for trains? I know there are specific countries' website like bahn.de, sbb.ch, voyages-sncf.com, etc. But is there a website to search and see the prices easily without having to go through many steps?

Is there a website for searching/booking European trains?

All national railway sites whose underlying database is  HAFAS (de) can give you timetable information on all European trains, with prices adjusted for BahnCard holders. Seat61.com gathers information about train travel to help you through the jungle, or Loco2.com is a UK-based site that allows you to print tickets at home. Another good site is www.b-europe.com, or  www.bahn.de will show you prices, and sell you tickets for trips from Germany to most neighbouring destinations.

Rail travel in Europe is a little complicated as there is no European rail website. The best information is probably on seat61.com. For buying tickets, the national rail websites are the best option and, to a lesser extent, Loco2 can be used.

All national railways using the HAFAS database cangive information about trains.

seat61.com offers excellent information about train travel.

Loco2.com offers schedule information and some tickets.

There is no site that gives all European train information, you have to go to the national site. German rail gives information about some other countries.


There is a relatively simple and cheap option for those who don't want the rigours of a freighter and don't have the skills to crew a yacht.

That is to take a repositioning cruise on a normal cruise liner.

These get sold off very cheap, since it's basically fifteen days on a cruise ship without stopping at the interesting islands and tourist spots that happen on a normal cruise.

A fifteen day cruise (one way) can set you back less than the price of a (return) transatlantic air fare - and you get meals and entertainment with that.

However they tend to be at only certain times of the year, and the American end will be in the Caribbean, not New York (mostly).

Here is the trans-atlantic repositioning schedule for Royal Carribbean .

Here is a more general article .

Now you know they exist you should be able to find them for any cruise line you want.

Any cruise line that operates in both the Carribbean and Mediterranean will do a few of them a year.

The two main options that I am aware of are: The Queen Mary 2 , the only regular transatlantic passenger line, Freighter travel , which is not cheap either.

I would not be surprised if you could join a crew aboard a luxury yacht in Monaco going to the Caribean for the winter.

For example, Cruisers forum has a Crew wanted section.

In that case, you get paid for the experience.

Mouvicels answer is correct.

I'd like to add a bit more on freighter travel.

Although I have no personal experience with it, I think it's an interesting option that I would certainly like to try out some day.

The information below is fully based on what I have read on the internet.

In freighter travel, you get to travel on-board a freighter.

Those freighters take only a handful of passengers, typically a dozen or so.

You need to entertain yourself.

The freighter has a particular route and you can join either the whole way, or from port to port.

You may need to pay a not inconsiderable amount of money to use such an unusual port of entry in the United States.

Your luck is that transatlantic freighter travel is one of the most popular routes.

You might pay around US$1500.

This cannot be directly compared against an airfare, because for this price includes all meals and lodging.

For some routes, the prices are in US$/day plus a base fee.

It will probably take between 8 and 12 days.

Some sources for freighter travel: Wikivoyage on freighter travel .

It countains a lot of practical information and further links.

An overview of trans-atlantic routes .

You have the choice between the North Atlantic (e.g. UK - New York), the Mediterranean (southern Europe - USA), or to travel to the Caribbean.

My website loco2.com has an informative post on cargo-ship (freighter) travel .

The post recommends various websites for how to book, including Strand Travel in the UK, which has an extensive range of voyages listed on its website , including Southampton (UK) to New York for around £1,000.

Although it perfectly answers your question, I am sure this won't make your cut...

But if you truly are a backpacker, then you can actually traverse the seas on human power.

This idea comes from the recent news of Jason Lewis, who circumnavigated the world only on human power !

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21377623

Now that's just baw's of steel, so I explicitly forbid you to undertake it and thus have no liability whatsoever!

A Cunard ship is comparable in price to any of these and cheaper if you take an inside stateroom.

And the food is better although the view will be the same.

I've done it

and it's fabulous.

Would do it again in a heartbeat.

Question: Suppose that:   I have both valid US & Schengen visas  I am a savvy backpacker with a preference for economical travel  I have no fixed schedule to meet. A longer travel time is even better.  Any European port (of Schengen country) is okay.

How can I cross the Atlantic by ship from Europe to New York? (I am not talking about luxury passenger cruise-ships.)

You can take a Cunard cruise on the Queen Mary 2, the only regular transatlantic passenger line, or join a freighter on part or all of its route. Finally, you may be able to join a crew of a luxury yacht going to the Caribbean for the winter. None of these are cheap, but Cunard will be cheaper if you take an inside stateroom.

For those wanting to cross the Atlantic by ship, freighter travel is recommended. The advantage is you can join the ship at any point on its route. Alternatives include a Cunard ship or joining the crew of a luxury yacht, heading to the Caribean for the winter.

There are two ways to cross the Atlantic by ship: the Queen Mary and freighter travel. You can join a freighter at any point of its trip.

Cross the Atlantic as crew onboard a luxury yacht travelling to the Caribean for the winter.

Cunard ships are an excellent way to cross the Atlantic.


Within England, the answer is The Cycle Streets site which will generate much more accurate and helpful cycling routes than Google, and could certainly be used to get you from London to the coast.

It also generates astonishingly traffic-free routes through London itself.

Outside

England, I can only suggest using the Open Cycle Map , which covers most of Europe.

I don't know with what accuracy, but would tend to trust it at least in France, Germany, and Benelux, where there are strong cycling traditions.

It shows the main national cycle routes in red, and local ones in blue.

The Dutch network is very clearly signposted.

You can use it with ViewRanger on a smartphone, though you'll need a data connection most of the time (it is possible to cache particular areas in advance) Viewranger and RidewithGPS do bicycle route planning but neither, in my experience, are as good as the cyclestreets site.

Sorry.

I don't have the reputation points to post links to either of those two programs.

Google is your friend.

There is also an established "route verte" from London to Paris, but I know nothing aobut it except the name and that it exists.

This would be a good start.

According to the site, they have 14 major routes you may follow.

There are different online bicycle route planners: Netherlands (Dutch) European union (Mainly dutch, but with some clumsy translations to English and German Amsterdam

Most of these routeplanners will just guide you through any route disregarding the beauty/ugliness of the route.

An alternative would be the so called "knooppuntenroutes".

This is an extensive bicyclepath network in the Benelux and bordering regions of Germany.

Here the different cyclepaths are connected with numbers.

The numbers are visible at the different nodes as signs similar to the picture below.

(Source: Wiki commons )

Its working is simple.

You either buy the maps (NL/DE) showing the networks where the nodes are numbered.

You note all the nodes on the trip you want to take and you can actually cycle the route by just following the numbers.

Using the paper maps is by far the best option.

There is also an online maps to generate your sequence of nodes or numbers to follow, but the website is in dutch only and quite clumsy built.

So technologicallywise, I would not recommend their online resource.

The quality of the cycle paths and the way the signs are maintained on the other hand, is quite high and definitely worth considering if you want to travel in the Benelux and the region just over the border in Germany.

For accomodation you might want to check: Friends on the bycicle

You can use several resources.

Some of them were already pointed here.

Google Maps contains routes for specific countrys like the Netherlans http://maps.google.com/ Another way might be using some routes for the "Camino de Santiago".

Even if you're not going there the "camino" is spreaded all over europe, coming from several places.

You can cycle in most of the paths and there are even specific variants when it become hard for bikes.

The paths allways avoid major roads, and try to go as most as possible through scenic routes.

The camino is allways marked with arrows and you can find plenty information on the internet (this might be specially important if you are following the oposite way) About cycling in the 'Camino' Maps with 'camino' spread all around Europe Map with the 'camino' spreaded all around Europe

While google is a good for general planning, it is not made for cycling and while the cycling information is updated and improved it will never be specifically for long distance cycling.

There are several sites that do specialize in long distance cycling, either just routes of one organization or combining however many routes they can find that run within their working area.

Of the first kind, this map is a good one , routes all over Europe

and it is an interactive map, click on a route and you will get a page with more information.

I have not used EuroVelo myself, but I have cycled several parts of at least on of the routes.

I prefer the second type, where you will get many more route options.

The Dutch (now with more language choices on the pages) Fietsrouteplanner (cycle route planner) which will also give you the option of printed texts in several language, GPS routes and/or routes with signposts along the route.

cycle.travel/map has full coverage of Western Europe (and North America), based on OpenStreetMap data.

It aims to have the detailed bike-friendly knowledge of a custom planner like CycleStreets, but with the fast response and draggable UI of Google Maps, and is designed to be particularly suitable for touring.

It's based on the fast OSRM routing software, extensively customised.

In some countries, it additionally uses real traffic statistics to keep you off the roads with the heaviest motor traffic.

I'm naturally biased as I've been building it for the last couple of years and wouldn't remotely expect anyone to trust my views on it!

But if you'd like a third-party opinion, have a look at the Cycling UK forum (formerly the Cyclists' Touring Club) where it's been extensively discussed and you can see what people like (and don't like) about it.

Question: A friend and I are potentially interested in doing a bicycle tour across parts of western Europe, which parts specifically we're not sure of yet. We would be starting in London and from there we would likely go to France.  We aren't really sure of how to go about planning any routes however. Google maps seems to have little to no cycle routes or information on the continent, following the given car route may not be entirely suitable either.  Are there any good resources for planning bicycle friendly routes?

Are there any websites or resources for planning bicycle routes across western Europe?

The Cycle Streets site will generate much more accurate and helpful cycling routes in the UK than Google, and could be used to get you from London to the coast. There is also a 'route verte' from London to Paris. Dutch cycle routes are very clearly signposted and there are different online bicycle route planners such as Fietsrouteplanner  (cycle route planner), which will also give you the option of printed texts in several language, GPS routes and/or routes with signposts along the route. While Google Maps is constantly updated, it is not a spcialist cycling map and will not work as well. Cycle.travel/map has full coverage of Western Europe (and North America), based on OpenStreetMap data. For accomodation, you might want to check Friends on the Bicycle.

Specialist sites for long distance cycling are appearing. In general they are better than Google for route planning. Quality relating to cycling seems concentrated in the Netherlands and Benelux currently. However, there is a site for cycling in England and a "route verte" from London to Paris. For accommodation "Friends on the bicycle" is recommended.

The Cycle Streets site works for cycle tracks in England

The Dutch have different online planners for Netherlands and the EU. The quality of their paths is great and they are clearly signposted.

There is a cycle route from London to Paris.

Google is not great for cycle paths, a specialised site is better like cycle.travel/map.

Check Friends on the bicycle for accommodation.


Thalys is definitely the fastest way of getting from Brussels to Paris.

You can buy tickets directly at the Thalys website.

You can also buy them at the Belgian ( SNCB ) or French ( SNCF ) railway companies.

The prices are in principle identical.

The trip by bus takes around 5 hours, to be compared to the 1h20 of the train trip.

Apart from Eurolines you can use iDBUS .

The prices are more or less the same.

I have checked for a departure in 2 days.

Eurolines is 25 EUR and iDBUS varies between 15 and 33 EUR depending on the departure time.

Thalys starts at 79 EUR on that particular day.

In case you are unable to choose among the two bus companies, note that they are using different terminals in Brussels and Paris.

Choose whichever suits you best.

It is possible to travel by "classical" trains from Brussels to Paris.

But this is neither a real bargain nor is it really fast, as documented in another post .

It takes around 5h30, involves three train changes (Tournai, Lille and Amiens) and costs around 65 EUR (45 EUR if you are less than 26 years old).

The fastest route is the Thalys train that takes 1:22 hours and is a non stop train.

If you compare that to the car, you need more than 3 hours according to Google .

Consequently, buses can't be any faster than cars.

Another option would be flying, but a flight takes around 1 hours, without including the time for getting to the airport, security check, waiting for departure, etc.

Other options like walking, taking a boat, use a bicycle, etc.

are not really useful options.

So to answer the first part of your question: If you want to use the fastest connection, then take the train!

In 2010, I hitchhiked from Brussels to Paris, first from a gas station on the periphery of the city to a rest stop on the highway towards Paris, then in a fast Mercedes all the way to Paris, in fact much faster than legal.

That day I continued to Bordeaux .

Of course, hitchhiking is not reliably the fastest, but it can certainly be very fast and it is certainly the cheapest .

If you look for cheaper and not quicker, there is also Megabus which offer prices starting for 15€.

You can compare price for that line here: www.comparabus.com/en/bus-Bruxelles-Paris-3-10

Regarding your bus question.

Recently a new bus service emerged, called IDbus .

You can see that the cheapest way to go from Brussels to Paris is by bus : - you can combine Ouibus and Flixbus for 10€ and you will need 5 hours- or paying 12€99 for a direct travel with Flixbus in 3 hours

Question: There are several ways of getting from Brussels to Paris. The fastest is probably the train, but it gets more expensive when you buy the ticket on the last minute.  My question can be really split into two:  Is there an alternative way, maybe through a different ticket operator, of buying a cheap train ticket from Brussels to Paris in short notice?  The alternative is going by Bus. What alternatives are there? Are there other operators besides Eurolines? maybe cheaper and/or faster?  Are there other options?

What is the cheapest / fastest way to get from Brussels to Paris?

A Thalys train starts at 79 EUR on the day, and a non-stop train takes 1:22 hours. A bus will take around 5 hours, and costs 25 EUR with Eurolines or 15-33 EUR with iDBUS. Note that they use different terminals in Brussels and Paris. Megabus is cheaper but not quicker at prices starting from 15 EUR, and you can combine Ouibus and Flixbus for 10 EUR (5 hours) or take a direct Flixbus for 12.99 EUR (3 hours). Finally, hitchhiking is not as reliable, but it is the cheapest option and can be very fast.

It is generally accepted that the Thalys train is the fastest Brussels to Paris connection. Buses are available and cheaper but they take longer. Flying and non-Thalys trains also take longer. Finally, hitchhiking may be faster but it depends on who picks you up.

The Thalys train is considered the fastest option for travelling from Brussels to Paris. Prices start from 79 EUR.

Some bus companies provide a Brussels to Paris service. Prices are around 15 to 33 EUR but journey time is 5 hours.

Other option for travelling from Brussels to Paris include hitchhiking, flying and "classical train" rather than Thalys


You do not have much options, but you can always try one of the following: Simply move to an empty seat:

After boarding is done and doors are closed, move to any empty seat within the same class.

Flight attendants will not mind.

Ask other passengers to swap: Be smart and ask people who are not with family or friends so it will not be a problem for them to swap seats.

Older people hate window seats, younger people love window seats, ask the right people with a good smile for the seat and they will swap.

Talk to the cabin crew:

They are always willing to help (if they can).

Just tell them your reason and be honest, you can even say something like "the guy next to me smells bad!", or "I am planning to sleep

and I do not prefer sitting next to babies", of course say that in private not in public, and they will help you as long as they can.

Some more info on top of what @MeNoTalk said:

It mostly depends how full the airplane is and why you want to switch.

If the airplane is rather empty, there is no issue, you do not need a reason and you can switch as you like.

If it is full, it depends how personal the reason is and if another (higher or lower) class is still free or if it is acceptable to get someone else into the seat.

Examples: If your seat is broken, they will not put someone else there, same if it is next to a baby etc.

If you are a woman and can argue that you feel uncomfortable sitting next to a specific man, they will most likely re-seat you.

If it is about sitting next to your friend/spouse, you can simply go and find someone single to switch with you or your friend.

Make sure that the other person switches to the better seat (towards the front etc)

If the staff is very busy, you likely better help yourself and find someone who would switch with you.

General rules:

If you see the issue right away, ask immediately during the boarding procedure if the airplane is full.

If it is not, either sit down or stand at an emergency exit and wait for the doors to close.

Make sure you get your hand luggage into a bin already however.

Discretion and politeness is 99% for a good switch.

Talk to the staff in private (as mentioned) and indicate that you are fine to switch later, too.

So you take the pressure off them.

Try to indicate your wish to switch as your problem/weakness instead of a demand towards the staff.

A few quick comments: I've had people who were seated beside me get up and go sit somewhere else.

It's not that weird, and nobody gets offended.

IMHO,

you should NOT get up and go sit beside someone else you don't know (without a really good reason).

That other person was about to enjoy a comfortable flight with some extra room, and you would be taking that away (basically saying your marginal increase in comfort is worth a significant decrease in their comfort - that's not right).

If your goal is to sit next to the pretty girl, then you shouldn't be doing that.

For the longest while, prior to the carry-on-luggage madness of today, I would make a point of being the very last person to board the airplane.

That way I could walk down the aisle and literally pick any seat I want, knowing that nobody else would show up to claim it. ...and by the way, it isn't the end of the world if you claim a seat and someone else shows up who actually has it assigned.

That's happened to me too, and I just admit I was hoping to snag a better seat and surrender it to them.

Nobody cares.

Just move!

I've never had a problem moving to an empty seat on a plane.

Normally this works best when the plane is half-empty anyway

and there's an entire empty row.

Just remember to wait until everyone else is boarded (so you don't annoy anybody) - very shortly after the doors are shut is a good time - and be quick, as there's often only a short period before the plane pushes back.

I've also switched seats after takeoff (and the sign is switched off), and again, I've never had a problem with that.

Don't just move!

Extremely bad advice.

Always involve the crew when moving to a different seat.

Some flights have weight distribution concerns and certain seats will be blocked off.

You have no way of knowing this as there will be no signs, simply those seats won't be assigned.

And it's not something that can be handled later, the weight distribution is most important at take off time.

The manifest on most domestic flights and definitely all international flights has information on who sits where.

This can be important after a catastrophe and theoretically the crew will update it if you swap.

Question: There is always this thrill of boarding a plane. "Where am I sitting" or more importantly who is sitting in close proximity to me. If it turns out to be a disappointment, reseating is often not an option.    What are valid reasons to be reseated after boarding a plane?

How can I get a different seat after boarding a flight?

It mostly depends how full the airplane is and why you want to switch. You can often ask to be reseated if you are a woman who feels uncomfortable being seated next to a particular man, or you could ask someone single to switch with you if you want to sit next to your friend/spouse. While it is rarely a problem to move, some flights have weight distribution concens and you should always  involve the crew when moving to a different seat.

It is considered correct to involve the crew when moving seats on a plane. If you have a good reason and the plane is not full, they will not object. However, moving on your own is open to debate: some people consider it OK and others say it may cause weight distribution problems.

Moving seats on a plane depends on if the plane is full or empty and what your reason to move is. If there are seats available and you have a good reason, there should be no problem.

You can just move if there are free seats.

You should not just move as the plane make have weight distribution issues. Always involve the crew.


Because there are some very cheap options on low cost airlines, I would suggest flying as a convenient alternative.

Ryanair and Aer Lingus have various flights each day.

If your preferred option does not work out, you could always try Eurolines Coaches, which depart to many European Countries including Ireland from Victoria Coach Station, London.

More info: http://www.eurolines.co.uk/destinations/ireland

Ferry bookings work in the same way as flight tickets these days, the actual fare depends on the date and time of the booking, and changes in time.

To check the fare that is of interest you need to go to the ferry company website, e.g. Stena Line , enter the dates, press continue booking, enter the number of passengers and the size of the car, and then you will have all possible ferry times with the combined fare---which you can book.

Unfortunately you will have to do similar steps to check the prices of all the other means of transport.

If I have to guess, I would say that the ferry only makes sense if you already own your vehicle.

Otherwise, it will make more sense to get to Dublin on the public transport, and rent your car there.

If you'd prefer to get a train, the cheapest option is generally a "Rail & Sail" ticket: http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry/rail-and-sail/

In fact, it's usually cheaper than paying for a car on the ferry (and that's excluding the cost of fuel to get from London to Holyhead).

As well as being cheaper, you also have the peace of mind that if there are any delays, you're still covered for the rest of your journey.

Rome2Rio gives you the alternatives.

Rome2rio gives airfares, but not for the ferry though.

You can get a detailed quote from Stena line

Question: London to Dublin: bus, train, plane, or car rental? I would like to travel from London to Dublin (with family). But the web-sites for the ferries seem to be vague about the cost for automobiles. (And they seem to be focused on the last-minute travelers).   The date is May, 2013. I would prefer the train/ferry, but what are the other options?

London to Dublin: bus, train, plane, or car rental?

Low cost airlines such as Ryanair and Aer Lingus have some very cheap options and are a convenient alternative, but you can also try Eurolines Coaches, which travels to many European countries, including Ireland, from Victoria Coach Station, London. Ferry bookings can be made on the website as with flights, and the fare depends on the date and time of the booking, as well as changes in time. The cheapest option for trains is generally a "Rail & Sail" ticket. You can find the alternatives on Rome2Rio, but it will not give you the ferry options.

There are a number of ways of travelling from London to Dublin. Flying is a cheap option and there are daily flights. Ferry is available but the booking process is a little complicated. Rail and Sail is another option. Moreover, Eurolines runs a bus service out of Victoria Coach Station. Alternatives can be found on Rome2Rio but it does not have the ferry fares.

Flying is a cheap way of travelling from London to Dublin. Ryanair and Aer Lingus have daily flights.

Eurolines coaches leave from London Victoria Coach Station.

Ferry booking is complicated as you have to enter all your details to get a quote. A better option may be Rail and Sail which means you can travel without your car.

Rome2Rio give all possibilities but not all the fares.


[Disclaimer: my predictions of the behaviour of insurance companies are based on my experience with North American ones.

I have no reason to believe European ones are different.]

The word pothole has two meanings.

The first is a small area of road a few inches lower than the rest, with sharp edges: This really shouldn't damage your car.

If it does, any insurance company could probably say it was your fault for not driving in accordance with the road conditions.

With proper driving, a steady diet of this kind of road might require a "front end alignment" more frequently than usual.

It is not worth your time to try to get someone else to compensate you for that.

If you break an axle or something else dramatic, it will probably be as a result of improper driving.

The second meaning of pothole is a huge round hole that can swallow entire cars: This picture might be fake, but it depicts something that does happen

Should you meet one of these

, I suspect your insurance company will go after whoever designed, built, and maintained the road, seeking compensation for your damages.

They'll pay you and save you the trouble of pursuing the relevant local government yourself.

That's one of the purposes of insurance.

As @KateGregory pointed out the behavior of insurers and local governments will significantly differ between North America and Europe but apparently there are ways and countries that you can actually claim money from local/provincial/other government agencies responsible for fixing the roads you're driving on.

Here is the documentation for UK Apparently UK has a whole site dedicated to the subject Also possible in Latvia South Africa (slightly off the general area) One thing to note.

There are Automobile Associations like: AAA in the US CAA in Canada AA in UK ADAC in Germany Who provide coverage (additional or otherwise) and other help for motorists traveling domestically or abroad with situations just like yours.

Since you mention Czech highways.

I'll add my two cents.

You are obliged to customize your way of driving to the wheather conditions and quality of the road.

So if you think that the highway can damage your car when you drive the allowed 130kph, you should slow down.

There is nobody to pay your car damage.

This is discussed in §18 of the law 261/2000 Sb.

Unofficial English excerpt from that law follows: The driver is oblidged to accustom the vehicle speed to ... construction and technical conditions of the road, its category and class, ...

Since you seem to know that the technical conditions of the roads in Czech Republic are bad, you are oblidged to slow down.

There is a forum post complaining that a driver was fined CZK 200 (cca EUR 8), after he damaged his car on a large pothole.

(Yes, and welcome to Czech Republic /shrug)

I am not sure if this applies to all EU countries since there is Common law in the UK and Civil law in the rest of the EU.

Since I am not a lawyer, I don't know the local differences.

In the benelux there is the principle that everybody bears their own risks.

This is the starting point in liability.

There should be compelling reasons to deviate from this principle.

So you need to prove the damage was actually caused by the condition of the road and not a condition that has been there for a while only to surface now.

I found one page on the web indicating what you need to do if it happens to you in Flanders (Belgium).

http://www.vlaanderen.be/nl/mobiliteit-en-openbare-werken/wegen/schade-aan-uw-wagen-door-slecht-wegdek-wegenwerken">Here is the google translated version I would recommend to follow these procedure, for example filing a police report.

I am only afraid that I have to agree with @Bernard, that you should take your loss.

Filing a complaint at least makes the civil servants responsible for the bad condition work a bit.

In Poland you can get a compensation up to 3 years after the damage.

Here is the procedure: You have to know who is responsible for this particular road (in case of main roads it is http://www.gddkia.gov.pl ) and contact with them.

You have to prove that your car was damaged due to pothole.

Very good evidence is e.g. police report (you can call the police just after the damage to make a report).

Wait 30 days for the decision.

Question: I'm driving often with my own car abroad (EU) and even on highways there are potholes. What can I do if my car gets damaged?  Is there an EU-regulation or is it different in every country? What should I do to prove what really happened? Are photos enough?

Car damage caused by potholes in the EU, what to do?

The behavior of insurers and local governments will significantly differ between North America and Europe, but in some countries you can claim money from government agencies responsible for maintenance on the road you're driving on. In Poland you can get compensation up to 3 years after the damage, but there is a forum post complaining that a driver was fined CZK 200 (cca EUR 8), after he damaged his car on a large pothole.

Apparently, you can get compensation in some countries, such as Poland, for damage caused to your car by bad roads. However, the opposite may be true in the Czech Republic, as a driver got fined after his car was damaged by a pot hole!

Apparently it is possible to get compensation from some countries for damage caused by roads. This would seem to be the case in Poland.

In the Czech Republic the driver got fined after he damaged his car on a pot hole.