Favorite Links

Sky Scanner
Cheap flights in Europe

Weather
Plan the best time to go to Europe

Deutsche Bahn
Train schedules in Europe

Oanda
Currency converter

Travel Insurance
Options and information

Passports
Information on obtaining passports

Cell Phones vs. Phone Cards
Stay in touch overseas

Elizabeth Holmes
Recommended travel agent

VAT
Value-Added Tax refund information

Free 2008 Tours Catalog
We'll toss in a free "Tour Experience" DVD

Contact the Tour Department

Phone: 425/608-4217
Email: tour@ricksteves.com
Mailing Address:
Rick Steves ETBD
Attn: Tours
P.O.Box 2009
Edmonds, WA 98020
Street Address:
130 4th Avenue North
Edmonds, WA 98020
Hours: Mon-Sat: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed Sunday

Money

How much money should I bring?

Our tours include all group sightseeing admissions, all breakfasts, half of your dinners, plus all hotel, guide and driver tips. See our website for a detailed list of what each tour includes. You will need to bring enough money to pay for your extra meals, beverages at meal times, snacks, souvenirs, plus public transportation costs and entrance fees during your free time. We suggest you plan for between $50-$75 per person per day.

Tipping in Europe

Your driver is well tipped by ETBD. Likewise, your guide and all local guides are fully paid by ETBD. Please do not tip beyond this. It is not necessary to tip the restaurant staff when group meals are provided, nor is it necessary to tip the hotel staff during the tour. Your guide will explain local tipping customs further once you're in Europe.

Accessing Money in Europe

Although many people spend very little during the course of the tour and still have a great time, you need to have reliable access to adequate funds for your daily needs. These may include extra and non-included meals, beverages, snacks, souvenirs, and transportation costs and/or admissions for sightseeing done during free time.

On our tours, plan to spend between $75-100 per person per day for purchases, beverages and sightseeing on your own. It's important to have an alternate source of cash if one method doesn't work. Bring at least two of the following: ATM card; Credit card.

We strongly recommend that you bring at least one ATM/debit card for cash machines. Using one is like writing a personal check: the money is withdrawn from your checking account. While they have VISA or MasterCard symbols on the front, ATM cards are not credit cards. Your card allows you to get cash in local currency from European ATMs at a rate close to the excellent interbank/wholesale exchange rate. To use your card overseas, it must have a Cirrus or Plus symbol on the back. You also need to know your four-digit PIN code as many European machines do not accept longer codes and do not have alphabet letters marked. Before you leave, ask your bank about its overseas transaction fees (range from 1-4%) and daily withdrawal limits. Ask your bank which European banks are affiliates — using these banks can reduce ATM service charges. Let your bank and credit card companies know that you plan to use your debit or credit cards overseas, so they do not freeze your cards because they detect "unusual spending patterns" when they see transactions in Europe.

Most European ATMs withdraw money from checking accounts only. They will not allow you to withdraw funds from savings accounts or transfer funds from savings to checking. Make sure you have sufficient funds in your checking account before you leave.

A VISA or MasterCard credit card also offers excellent exchange rates, as well as important fraud protection. Use your credit card for hotels, meals, souvenirs, and other major expenses. While many credit cards can also be used for "cash advances" at ATMs, the steep interest rate and fees you pay make this an option for emergencies only. Get a PIN code assigned to your credit card, just in case, and find out about fees (range from 1-4%), interest rates, and currency conversion charges before you leave. And, as at home, save all receipts and check your statement.

Finally, photocopy all of your cards (front and back). Ask your bank for a phone number you can call collect from outside the US in case you have a problem (800 numbers generally do not work outside the US, so ask for one with a "real" area code).

Although credit cards and ATMs are widely used throughout Europe and Rick and all of our guides have been using them exclusively and successfully for many years, some people still like to bring a small emergency stash of travelers checks (in US dollars, not euros) as a back-up for those rare times when your card is eaten, the computers are down, or you simply can't find the right type of ATM. Please keep in mind that you may not have much time during the tour to find an open bank or exchange outlet to cash the travelers checks, so if you can bring an ATM card for your major cash needs you will enjoy the 24-hour convenience provided by your ATM cards.

Foreign Currency

Not all European countries have switched to euros. As of now, major holdouts include Britain (and Northern Ireland), Bosnia & Herzogovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey. You can easily get the local currency (euros, pounds, etc.) from an airport ATM as soon as you arrive in Europe. If you'd like to get a small supply ($50-$100 per person) of the local currency before you leave home, ask your bank or auto club, look in the yellow pages under "foreign currency," or call Thomas Cook (for their nearest location visit www.thomascook.com). Keep in mind that exchange rates fluctuate so visit www.oanda.com just before you leave and print out the handy Travelers Currency Cheat Sheet to take with you. For more advice about money matters, see Rick's article.