European travel tips

Railway stations in Europe are generally open, passengers can enter and leave the station at will, take the bus at any time, and no one checks tickets on the platform. After the train starts, the conductor will check in. If there is no ticket, you can make up the ticket now, and the fee will remain unchanged. There are manual ticket outlets, automatic ticket vending machines, restaurants, shops, toilets, luggage rooms, passenger information desks and other services in the station. Some railway stations also have shower rooms, which are very convenient for self-help passengers.

Visitors can ask at the information desk if they have any questions. They can tell you where to go and when to leave, and they will also give you a printed note with the train number, driving time, platform number and arrival time. If you need to change trains, there are also station names and trains that should be changed, which is clear at a glance.

The luggage part in the station is the large luggage department and the automatic storage box. The price of automatic lockers is also very cheap, 4 marks /24 hours in Germany, 4 guilders /24 hours in the Netherlands, 0/5 francs /72 hours in Nice, France, 60 Belgian francs /24 hours in Belgium and 60 Belgian francs /24 hours in Luxembourg. Passengers can store their luggage and backpacks after getting off the train, travel light and take them out after getting on the train. This method is most suitable for self-help travelers. However, it should be noted that in France, tickets need to be checked at the automatic ticket vending machine on the platform.

◆ Types of European trains

1. domestic inter-city trains

(1) ①IC (Intercity) refers to a big city connecting China, which is equivalent to an express train. Traveling in this car during the day can save time.

②DE is a state-run railway train, which is equivalent to a local train. Passengers who want to save money had better take this bus.

2. International trains

Tee (Train Europe Express) refers to the European International Express, which connects international cities and is suitable for transnational travel.

②IIC (international city) international metropolis express train.

③TGV refers to the French high-speed train (commonly known as bullet train).

3. Local and suburban cars:

① Nahvekerkhr, abbreviated as N, is a train in the outer suburbs.

②②eil zug is short for e, which is ordinary express.

③D-Schnellzug is short for express train. It's cheaper to go to the same destination by D and E tickets. Tickets for IC, TEE, IIC and TGV are more expensive.

How to read the train timetable: If the foreign language is not very good and you want to check it quickly, you can use this method: the train station has it. Generally speaking, yellow paper represents the departure time and number of trains; White paper represents the time and number of incoming trains. The timetable is marked with the platform number where the train stops.

Be careful when you ride: one of the characteristics of European trains is that not every train car goes to a place, but it may also be in the same direction, but the terminal is different. So when you get on the bus, you should see the terminal marked outside the carriage. Especially when you take the overnight train, you should pay more attention. If you need to spend the night on the train, move the armrest of the seat upwards and it will become a sofa bed. Put a small bag under the pillow (use it as a pillow) and cover it with clothes, so you can sleep comfortably. If you are afraid of being stolen in the middle of the night, the conductor can lock the balcony door with his own spring lock after checking the ticket.

Traveling between European countries is like traveling between different provinces of a country. The conductor only looks at the train pass, not even the passport.

European food is more expensive for self-help travelers. How to eat well, eat well and eat economically is the most concerned issue for tourists. Here are some experiences.

Chinese restaurants abroad are more expensive than local ones, so eating in Chinese restaurants is not cost-effective. Some people think McDonald's is cheap, but it's not. The whole set meal is about 8 guilders, including only one hamburger. For us, we don't have enough to eat, we are uncomfortable after eating, and we can't eat often.

In the Netherlands, for men who eat meat, Arabs sell Turkish kaba (equivalent to biscuits with meat) very well, 6 Dutch guilders each. Take two at a time, and don't eat next time. The French fries sold in the stall cost 3.5 guilders and the roast chicken legs cost 2 guilders. Italian pizza has a tooth of 4-6 guilders (one tooth is enough for one person). If you want to eat big food, you can go to a restaurant. Basically, they provide package tours (this meal is specially prepared for tourists), which is very affordable and has Dutch characteristics. One copy is 19.5 guilders. The food in the supermarket is one third cheaper than that in small shops and railway stations, so you can buy some drinks, bread and sausages in the supermarket. Milk, beer and wine are very cheap in Europe. What you can drink can be used as a drink. Ladies can eat salad, pizza, cream cake, fruit and so on. You can also bring some convenient food and cook it yourself in the youth travel service. Dutch dairy products, especially cheese, are very famous.

Wurst is world-famous, especially sausages. They are sold everywhere. The way to eat it is to fry or boil it, add it to the bun and spread it with mustard sauce. It's delicious and not expensive. Half a chicken+fried rice+drink is 10 mark, 1 people can't eat it. Some food stalls sell potato beef patties, which are economical, about four to five marks. The food in the supermarket is also very cheap. Besides sausages, German specialties include sour cabbage and roast pork elbow.

French bread is world-famous. Buy a whole freshly baked baguette and eat it while it's hot. It smells delicious. Next to the big shopping mall, there is also a Kabbah sold by Arabs. Cut a cow's tongue-shaped fire from the middle, coat it with special hot sauce, cut a few pieces from the skewer of mutton and chicken cooked on the stove, put it in the middle, and attach some French fries. Here you are, wrapped in paper. This is Kabbah, 22 francs each. Very delicious. People who have a small appetite eat one at noon and are not hungry at night.

◆. Common sense of European customs

You don't need to tip when you eat in an ordinary restaurant in Europe.

☆ Most public toilets in Europe are charged, so you should bring some coins.

☆ When visiting the church, don't eat or drink in it.

☆ On Sunday, the large shopping malls in the city are basically closed, and only some small shops are open, but the prices are higher.

☆ When eating in a restaurant, be sure to ask the waiter to guide your seat. Don't see the empty table.

☆ When buying fruit at the fruit stand, try not to take it yourself, otherwise the seller will be unhappy (except in the supermarket).

Unit price of retail food (such as meat, sausage, salad, etc.). ) In European stores, it is100g, not 500g commonly used in China.

☆ Try not to smoke and talk loudly in public places. When you walk in front of others, face them, not turn your back on them.

☆ When there is a traffic accident or personal injury, don't say "I'm sorry" to the other party easily, otherwise it is tantamount to admitting that the fault is on your own side.

In Europe, most people will answer strangers' questions warmly and politely, and some will drive you there in person.

☆ Big department stores in Europe can't bargain.

☆ Foreign films are more expensive than domestic films. For example, 24 200-spindle Konica films, 4-5 marks and 20-30 yuan.

☆ In the store, if you don't want to buy a magazine, don't just flip through it.

☆ Although some shops are small, you can't eat and visit at the same time. Ordinary shopkeepers will write outside that they can't eat in the store, so they should have a look before going in.

◆. How to use the automatic storage box: There are generally two types:

1. Opening method of disposable automatic storage box:

① Open the empty storage box, put it in the bag and close the door; (2) Next to the fluorescent screen, the required amount of money:

(3) Put money (coins) in the hole, and you will hear a sound that the door is locked; ④ Punch out a piece of cardboard from the hole;

⑤ When reopening, insert it in the direction of the arrow and the door will open automatically.

Note: If you don't have coins, you can change them at the automatic money changer. Insert the paper money into the slot of the machine, select the kind of coin you want, press the corresponding button, and the desired coin will come out automatically.

2. Before entering the password slip, the operating procedures are the same, except that the last one is a printed slip with the password number on it. When you open it, just enter this number. While keeping the note, passengers should re-record this number and put it in other places to avoid accidental loss of the note and causing trouble.

How to go to the toilet: the toilet sign in western European countries is not expressed by W.C., but by the toilet. Just arrived abroad, sometimes I don't know where to go to the toilet. Generally speaking, some fast food restaurants, such as McDonald's, KFC, pizza shops, or coffee shops, large shops, restaurants and so on. , all have toilets, but some charge, the cost is equivalent to 2.5-5 RMB once. The toilets in McDonald's are basically free, easy to find and tourists can make full use of them. But be careful not to squat when going to the toilet, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble.

Traveler's checks are usually denominated in US dollars. Carrying a lot of cash is convenient to use, but it is afraid of being stolen. I think it's best to bring a small amount of cash and use traveler's checks for the rest, such as American Express and Thomas Cook.

1. Purchase: available at Bank of China Branch (next to Asia Pacific Building on East Second Ring Road). You need to bring your passport, ID card and US dollars when purchasing, and the handling fee is 4% of the currency sold.

2. Purpose: After buying a check, you must sign it in the designated place in front of the bank staff (consistent with the autograph on your passport). When exchanging cash at the bank, you should show your passport and sign in the designated column of the check in front of the bank staff. The signature must be exactly the same as the original signature.

3. How to guard against theft: Write down the number of the check you bought, keep one at home and take one with you. After each exchange, record the exchange place and amount. If the check is lost or stolen, please report it to the local check exchange office in time and get a new check.

4. How to return the check: If the check is not used up, you can change it into cash in the same currency at the bank, but you have to pay a handling fee of 0.75%.

5. Pay attention to:

In the United States, American Express dollar checks can be used like cash, but in Europe, they must be converted into cash at the exchange office.

The exchange rate of traveler's checks is higher than that of cash.

(3) At the time of exchange, most places have to charge a handling fee.

The exchange rate in the west is free, and the exchange rate and handling fee of different countries, cities, banks and even different branches of the same bank are different. Generally speaking, the exchange rates of airports, railway stations and hotel exchange offices are low and the handling fees are high; Big banks or American Express exchange offices have high exchange rates and low handling fees. Some small exchange offices in the Netherlands write the exchange rate in a conspicuous place outside as the buying price, which is higher and makes people mistakenly think it is the selling price; Some of them are only expressed in local words, rather than percentages, which is easy for tourists to misunderstand. The simplest way is to ask how much local currency 100 dollars can be exchanged without looking at the exchange rate.