Cash is not king anymore (except for some spots) now it is all about contactless payments. So be prepared with your google pay, apple pay, and credit cards. As contactless payment is everywhere (well almost everywhere)
We also have pin/chip card payments everywhere in The Netherlands This may not help foreign tourists much but I'm just saying it's not nearly all contactless payments.
@@patrickreuvekamp If you're at a train station already, much better to go to a shop there and you can pay with chip or even cash. Vending machines at Dutch train stations are pretty useless. Only candybars and softdrinks.
Was about to comment on this! There has been a massive wipe out of places taking cash the last year... Contactless is now king.. We take a small amount of money and use apple pay on our phone... keep an emergency credit card in your shoe.
As an American myself, it's actually really sad. Obesity especially among youth is a terrible problem, and one can only imagine the other underlying health problems in those folks.
I agree there's a funny side to it, but to be fair, there are certain edge cases to be aware of. For example, the US in general prioritizes "accessibility" for people with disabilities, so you'll see things like handicapped parking spaces, wheelchair ramps, handicapped restroom stalls, large elevators, handrails on most stairs, large aisles, scooters in stores, etc. I've never been to Europe, but my perception from videos like these is that such features are less common, particularly in older city centers which predate many of these considerations. So yes, practicing walking might be valid advice for obese people, but it might also be for elderly people with walkers and things like that.
@@davidboeger6766 Most places have accessibility features. Where I live, sidewalks have wheelchair ramps, dedicated parking spaces for disabled people, accessibility ramps for trains, doors wide enough to get a wheelchair in and most businesses have added wheelchair ramps in case there's stairs to the entrance. Even my grandma, back when she had issues with her legs and required a walker, still walked everywhere and it's quite common to see elderly people walk with them.
I live very close to my best friends-less than 2.5 miles (4 kilometers). I’d love to walk there and back when I go to visit, but there’s no sidewalks and the roads are unsafe for pedestrians, with cars going up and down hills at 35-50 MPH (56-80 KPH). The continental USA isn’t as densely populated as Europe, so most of the cities are designed for cars, not pedestrians. 🤷♀️
@@shaunsteele8244 I can understand that but even North America has the US, Canada, Mexico etc. Only Australia is a country-continent, and whatever Alaska is.
@@shaunsteele8244 Sorry, not true. Europe as a whole is bigger land-wise, and people-wise. Population: more than 746.4 million. Population US: 329.5 million. Which doesn't matter at all, but it does make your 'point' invalid.
For North Americans: Get familiar with the 24 hour clock. You might think that you won't need to as you have your phone set to use the the 12 hour clock, but when your train departs 14:55, you need to know when to be at the station. And I don't agree about the service. European service is not about trying to get the biggest possible tip, it is about respecting the customers privacy and allowing them to enjoy the meal without interrupting them.
6:11 Also there are free refills in Europe. I don't know how common they are in general, but where I live they are quite common (depending on the restaurant chain).
I once read a comment that went something like: "WTF they use Military Time in Europe?!". 😆 The person didn’t know most of the world uses the UTC standard, and that their "military time" is just a variation of that.
Good video, Mark! However I wouldn't call European customer service 'not as good', because this is very relative. As a European, I consider European customer service great, because it is giving me space to breathe and time to enjoy myself, whereas in the US I almost feel intimidated by the over-the-top tipping culture based service, where I feel like I just need to tell them 'please leave me be unless I tell you, that way you will make the best tip'...
I just posted a very similar approach. For me the best waiter is invisible. Only if I raise my hand or call you, you come and check what I need. Otherwise, let's just assume I'm ok and I don't need to be check up on
Dutch waiter here! I always try to serve my customers by looking around to see if anyone seeks my attention, and only visit a table when I notice empty plates, or glasses, etc. In line with what you describe; being attentive while giving customers some privacy to enjoy themselves. However, I came to realise that American customers often found it rude that I made them request their check, instead of immediately bringing it after they finished their food. While to European customs, such practice would make customers feel rushed and unwanted. So while trying to provide good service, I’m considered rude and not so good at my job by those visitors from the States. If anything, I would wish that tourists get familiair with the European service industry and our ways, instead of immediately labeling it as bad since it doesn’t match what they’re used to.
German here. It is not that our service is not good, but we Europeans are not entitled like some of those Karens and Kevins over there, so we use much more common sense here. It is not that a server or waiter or clerk is my personal slave for the time of the transaction.
For most waiters in Europe, it is a profession, not a job "to get you by" like in the States. Thus they get paid a real wage. One way to clue in if you should tip is look for a service charge on your bill. If you see a service charge, the "tip" is built into your bill.
A small thing: Service isn't worse, it's just not what you are used to. We don't want our waiters asking us every ten minutes if everything is good, we'll tell them when we need something and if we don't there is no need for the waiter to be bothering us. Also: the Netherlands is so flat we rarely ever need elevators. All streets are pretty flat.
Was going to say the exact same thing. I think ‘good’ standard Euro waiter service is they ask how your day is when they take you to your seat, politely take your order and will be happy to explain the menu, a friendly ‘enjoy your meal’ and ‘was everything okay with your food’ before and after courses. What more do you need? I found the ‘in your face’ US service very overbearing, particularly all the questions and general small talk when sorting the bill...
From a business standpoint, it would be interesting to see the differences in server to table ratios. With the expectation to check tables in at their tables regularly, you probably can't serve as many.
@@enculpius No - here in Europe we do not have waiters having to treat us like children. When Europeans go out to eat, we do it to spend time with those that we go out with, not to spend time chatting with the staff and we are adults, that can get the attention of the waiter when we need it.
@@enculpius Not factual, when it is based on opinions - but that's a common mistake for childish people to make. And getting a grown-up treatment, can seem pompous and rude, when you are used to be treated like a child.
In Europe ‘they don’t care about the customer’ ‘so the service isn’t so good.’ What an incredibly superficial judgement. Service in the US is mercenary and unqualified. Service in Europe is qualified and real and egalitarian = Mutual respect, not ‘kiss my ass and I’ll tip you.”
well in northern europe people tend to be a lot more reserved, many aren't up for small talk and faffing about. northerners can be pretty stoic and it takes a while for them to warm up on you, being that out there on first greet just feels awkward to them, out of place, if they don't know you, don't come on too strong, it will be an unpleasant situation for both parties involved in terms of expectations. as the more extraverted party expects a somewhat proportional response to their openness, and the other party wasn't even looking for the situation to begin with lol it's just a different way of treating one another that extends way beyond just customer service, it's just how their society operates in mediterranean europe, people tend to be way more kissy kissy huggy huggy when greeting too, and usually have a stronger bond with multiple generations of their families eating together, it's just their culture. it's a sign of mutual respect to treat each other like human beings the way i see it too but some things in american culture are quite bombastic, so i'm not sure if getting rid of tipping culture would change their views on entertainment all that drastically. again, it's a cultural thing too :D i've seen plenty of american southerners that were actually nice people, not just nice to be nice, they were geniunely interested you know, the kind of people that would invite you, some rando foreigner, to their bbq after meeting you in a bar and starting some talk back and forth. these people would love to hear stories from other places and what we think of their great and proud USA, it's all good to me :D especially if you're a bit away from all the big cities, it's a pretty simple life out there still, and neighbours know one another well, everybody knows everybody lol and these people love to have guests around to spice up things a bit from time to time, they are genuinely thrilled to have you around. in the deep south, many people are actually crazy friendly, they don't have to fake shit. so i do think the notion that americans act fake because their entertainment is so sensationalist, and they're so used to overly positive reinforcement, is sometimes used too much as a trope that undermines the true hospitality and friendlyness a lot of american people have, i find it to be unfair as a cudgel putting all the chips on tipping culture being the culprit is a risky bet too, plenty of other american industries are sensationalist and overly bombastic, and they don't have tipping culture and get a good base salary, it's just how a lot of americans present themselves, getting out there and showing themselves, many reserved people complain americans are pretty loud, and that has nothing to do with the tips or lack thereof or even their salary, it is incentivized culturally in the USA to excel at something and show you're good at it, being assertive in making sure you get yours, that is the american way this is why in the USA people may be running over one another to get inside somewhere, and in the UK it's a deadly sin to even ponder the idea of jumping the queue... exceptionalism is part of the american culture a lot more. in some european countries, sticking your head out above the field, you're going to get it cut off (figuratively) in the USA, you're fucking nobody until you stick your head out above neither are absolutely wrong nor right, but yeah, at least pay those kids a better base salary than 2.50 i guess, as inconsequential i think it is for the cultural diffrences ;)
@@dutchdykefinger It has nothing to do with being reserved it has to do with being professional. What is considered good service in USA would be considered horribly bad service here.
My tips for Europe: 1) Check local customs. Nothing is more annoying than wanting lunch during siesta. Or know when it is Ruhetag in (for example) Germany. These things can screw over your well planned days. 2) Don't be the melodramatic fool. I've seen tons of foreign tourists making a fuzz over a custom they seem not fit to them. Or talking too loud in trains (like Mike said) or as I saw once in Venice an American lady falling so dramatically that it sounded like a goose dying in air. Don't make a fool out yourself. 3) Try musea that don't are the classics. Europe is sometimes called a living museum, true, but there are so many fun things. For example in the Netherlands, in Amsterdam the 3 big ones (Van Gogh, Stedelijk and Rijksmuseum) are on the same square, are brilliant, but look at the smaller ones as well. It's way less crowded and just as interesting as well. Like 'Onze lieve Heer op zolder'. It's a hidden catholic church in a house. Or the Tropenmuseum about all places the Dutch have been. Lots of quirky ones as well and so fun. 4) Don't do Europe in one visit! It's like saying to do the US in one holiday. That's absurd, insane and you always miss good stuff. Take your time. The distance from Moscow to London is like New York to Denver. Tons of stuff is inbetween and it would be a shame to.miss it. 5) Europe is old, but still, people live there. Respect the locals. Don't be that douche that takes a piece of the Berlin wall or the one who puts his name in the Charles Bridge in Prague. You end up with somethimg not worthy anyhow.
@@itsniquenique45 Quite a big chunk of Russia is in Europe, including Moscow. Also most of Russia's population lives in the european part of the country. (~80%, but do look it up)
@@itsniquenique45 The eastern boundary of Europe is the Ural Mountains, which is still more than 1,200 km (750 mi for you) to the east of Moscow. European Russia is 38% of the area of the entirety of Russia but home to 75% of its total population, and makes up most of Eastern Europe. (Historical trivia: up to about 200 years ago, Russia was considered a part of _northern_ Europe.) Though I noticed many Western Europeans and Americans are confused about this and think Eastern Europe is the formerly "communist" members of the EU, even though those are in Central Europe and no further east than Greece or Finland.
Regarding talking too loud on trains (and other public transport), it bears elaboration that "loud" for most Europeans (as well as most people in the rest of the world) is already a much lower volume than "loud" for Americans. This is because the personal bubble is smaller and people learn to set the volume of their speech to a level enough to be understood. So if you're an American and travel on public transport anywhere else in the world, try to talk at a _really_ low level, if at all, or else you'll not only stand out but will be seen as a nuisance.
At what time did you want to lunch? Because what you call "siesta" (a nap) for us is "la hora de comer" (lunch time) and it usually goes from 1pm to 3.30-4 pm. And that's the busiest time for restaurants. So unless you arrive in a restaurant too close to the closing, you shouldn't have any problem.
"Service [in Europe] isn't as good." No, American style service is just super-exaggerated because y'all don't pay wait staff enough and those people are sucking up to ya to earn rent. Good video otherwise though. 👍
lol so true, I worked as a waiter for the first time in Paris and loved it, then moved to Canada and took a try at it. The waiter in Canada is basicaly the front window with a happy face that has to make the customer feel good, then there's the rest staff behind that does all the work but without the tips, it's kind of cheap.
For those Americans who are adventurous enough to rent a car & drive on European motorways (you call them expressways or freeways), remember 1 thing: LEFT LANE(S) are for PASSING Only, or, the right lane if you're in Ireland & the U.K.. If you are in the Passing Lane & a faster car comes behind you, flashing its lights, YOU have to get out of the way. And, using your cell phone while driving can be treated as a moving violation. In Germany, Moving Violation convictions=Automatic & Immediate suspension of your driver's license in the country--including Foreigners. Not sure if the German authorities would contact your American state's DMV regarding the conviction or not, but, why take the risk?
Spoiler, the german police (rightfully) doesn't give two shits about if you're a german or not. You wanna drive in a different country? Cool, but learn the rules first. Just like I as a german can't go to the US and drive without a care in the world
And if a traffic light is red, is RED! You are not allowed to turn right, just wait the green. I've never seen Americans doing that mistake myself, but I think it worth to tell
Yes, I remember learning this the first time I drove in Rotterdam. I actually love it. There are less cars on the roads compared to the US and the etiquette is common sense. People are less distracted and aware of your turn signals. If you're a car nut or just enjoy driving, its definitely a fun experience.
What us Europeans also love is being lumped together under the moniker of "Europe" because we don't have any inter-European rivalries and all the cultures are very very similar....did I tell you Europeans use sarcasm a lot more than Americans do?
@@adamkun5524 the adjacent countries a bit but... Compare say a Spanjard to a Dutchman and you will be sorely mistaken. Or a German and a Greek. Or ANYONE and a Frenchman lol.
@@GundamReviver They are different. But I claimed that these differences are smaller than comparing the Spaniard, the Frenchman and the Dutchman to a Chinese, an American or a Japanese. Or at least this is how I felt when I was travelling around Europe.
I suppose a very important difference is that driving in Europe is very different compared to driving in the US. I experienced the culture shock (if you can call it that) in reverse when visiting the States. In general, roads in Europe are narrower and have way more bends, except highways. Driving speeds are lower in urban areas in Europe, but higher on (most) highways. Europeans don't do 'keep your lane' but rather 'keep right unless overtaking'. Not returning to the right lane after passing another vehicle and holding up traffic behind you is actually a ticketable offence and WILL induce road rage from other drivers as overtaking on the right is a cardinal sin in Europe. Street parking in Europe is rarely free in town centres (even small ones) and more often than not it's easiest to use a parking app to make sure you don't get a parking ticket. Also, no right turn on red in Europe. You pay after you get your gas (unless you use an unmanned pump where you first use your credit or debit card). And when filling up, fuel is much more expensive in Europe, but you can save a huge amount by only getting gas in towns or cities instead of next to the highway. Also note the vast differences in fuel prices between countries, i.e. if you're travelling from country to country, it might be worth filling up before or after crossing the border. Belgium and Germany are cheaper than the Netherlands. Poland is cheaper than Czech Republic and Germany. France and Slovenia are cheaper than Italy, etc.
IIRC, overtaking on the right is illegal in Denmark, and you might lose your license if you do it. Drive poorly enough, and your car might be seized, and sold at an auction.
I wish police would issue tickets here in the US to inconsiderate drivers that camp out in the left lane for no reason. It’s incredibly annoying to be behind these people. They basically force other drivers in to unsafe passing maneuvers and incite road rage.
I’m some states in the US it is very normal to keep right unless overtaking. In other states, especially California, it’s whatever the heck you feel like at the time.
As a British public transport enthusiast I must correct you on one point. On European TRAMS it is now very rare that you can pay the driver. You must use a ticket machine, either on the sidewalk or inside the tram. The same is increasingly true of continental European BUSES. (In Britain (outside London) you can usually still pay the driver.) As to quality of public transport CITY public transport is usually very good. But rural transport, even in tourist areas, is of very variable quality. It depends on the country you are visiting. Eg rural Switzerland is superb, Austria generally very good. Rural Britain and France are generally poor. Note special deal in Germany this summer until August. . 9 Euro go anywhere tickets for LOCAL public transport.
We use trams a lot. In many, if not all, Austrian cities you buy your ticket (maybe form a kiosk, maybe from a machine). The first time you board the tram with an unvalidated ticket, loom for the ticket validation machine and insert your ticket. If you have a ticket valid for the whole day, you only need to validate the ticket on first journey that you use it. The take-home message is that you must buy the appropriate ticket for your journey and then validate when you travel.
If you come to Italy and want to use a car, think TWICE before renting it! Use it in the countryside, in the middle of nowhere but Under any circumstance don't drive in big cities like Rome, Naples, Milan and similar!
Vouch, we took a 2-week road trip from Finland to the northern part of Italy. You have to be a master of parking and finding a spot in big cities. We tried to drive in Milan and our car was too big for the parking hall. We took the train the next day.
I'm a Spaniard living in the US. Regarding the restaurant service, I have to say that I prefer the European style. When I go to a bar or restaurant I want to enjoy my food and enjoy my companions, and in the US I'm interrupted every minute by the waiters asking if everything's good, if I need anything, trying to have small talk... I don't consider that good service, I consider that pushy sales technique from a person that only cares about trying to get money from my pocket to theirs. For me the best service is "You only come when I call you, and my food and drinks are brought to me as soon as they're ready". What I miss in Europe though is the free water. And what I miss in the US is the no-tipping thing
I agree. Where it matters the european servers does their job as well as the once I've had in US. They take my order, bring my food, etc. I don't generally think the service is much better if I get called "honey" or if the waitress tells me her name. I don't want to say it was bad in US, but it wasn't genuine enough for me to call "friendlier".
Its funny, a year ago when my sister and I were in Sevilla we noticed we were ignored by most waiters but now it makes sense. To be honest idk which I prefer lol, depends on the day I guess.
@@medalgearsalad1419 the thing is that in the US if you have to call the waiter it's perceived as if they weren't attentive enough, so it's a bad thing. Also the ratio customers/waiters in Spain is much higher (higher salary means smaller staff), so they're busier in Spain. That's why you have to call their attention when you need something. Anyway they come and check periodically, to remove empty dishes, get you another round of drinks...
As someone living in a country where tapwater is free (and clean, and I believe Spain is like that too), I find it hard to imagine ALWAYS paying for sixpacks of 2l waterbottles
As an Estonian, just a quick remark about service: the American style of service would feel very out of place and even overbearing for locals. Therefore, it's not that the service is necessarily worse over here (though it often is) but it's also a different culture overall. It's not automatically considered bad service if you have to wave the waiter down to get their attention, for example. I think the point about cash being king is not entirely accurate. I've been to Norway, France, the UK and Belgium this year alone and in all of them I could pay for everything by card, most of the times using contactless payments. Even Germany, which used to be the European cash capital, has been changing rapidly since the outbreak of Covid and bank payments are a lot more popular than they used to be even 3 years ago.
"Service" in the US is a live play where underpaid staff are constantly repeating phrases like a npc in games. At one place the waiter asked me if I enjoyed my meal. A glance at my table would have shown no meal, not even a plate. Because I just ordered five minutes ago.
He does say that "northern Europe" is more card based, that definitely includes Nordic and probably some other countries like Belgium and Germany (it's quite a nebulous term).
I'd be careful saying that you can get by here in Germany with card. We're still very much cash based, especially if it's small or local businesses. I advise everyone coming here to always have 20€ at hand including coins.
Regarding the language stuff, I completely agree, learning a few simple phrases goes a VERY long way. I had heard the French were rude, and disliked Americans. Maybe because I had lived in Europe for a few years before I went to France for the first time, but I did not find that to be the case at all. A few simple phrases in French, enough to show that you are making a little bit of effort to recognize that you are in France, and the French will be perfectly nice, hospitable, and helpful.
That's probably because most tourists go to Paris and Parisians are considered to be exceptionally rude by most French and other Europeans. Sort of the European New York I guess.
@@boomerix - Funny, I have never found New Yorkers or Parisians to be "rude". I have found them to be busy, and not necessarily interested in being tour guides or vacation hosts, but never downright rude. Maybe I have visited enough that I just don't notice it.
@@boomerix Parisian are not necessarily rude, they are usually busy and don't have time for inpolite American or Chinese tourists that get in the way or are rude because they think they own the place
Stop & think about it. If I as a Dane were to visit New York, go into a store there like Macy's etc., and start talking Danish to the shopping assistant assuming that everybody in NYC must be able to speak Danish, what reaction would I get? 🤣 Hello! English is a foreign language in Europe, so it's ill-mannered, surely, to just assume everybody must be able to speak your language. It's not rocket science, people 😆
@@theon9575 - English is a foreign language in Europe? I wonder what the Irish think of that (or the Brits, even though for some strange reason they don't think of themselves as part of Europe)! Lol. But yes, I agree with you. Although you are more than welcome to speak Danish to me.
We walked 130 miles and climbed over 200 flights of stairs in 2 weeks in France. Unlike London the Paris Metro does not have escalators at every station.
I work in local government in the UK and part of that is having inclusivity stuff drilled into you. Naturally this includes disabilities and those with mobility issues and when my wife and I were in Paris I almost immediately noticed how bad the Paris metro is for that.
I live in the far southwest. No metro, or buses, but lots of beautiful hills, vineyards and mountains - the Pyrenees. On the highest peaks there is still some snow, although today's temperature was 33 C. I would not live anywhere else on a permanent basis. I can drive to the Mediterranean coast in 40 minutes. sheer bliss. And the wines...!
@@cobbler9113 I can assure you that the London metro is not that good either. While there are stations with elevators and especially the line to the Olympic village has been upgraded for the 2012 paralympics, a lot of stations don't have wheelchair access. That's why my and my father took the bus when we visited London 5 years ago. Those were all adapted, that's true. I think the main problem with disability access in Europe in general is that a lot of the buildings are very old and retrofitting all that stuff in is often very difficult. The nice part is that if they have elevators in older museums, it's often in the back, so you get to see stuff regular tourists don't.
@@koenven7012 I'm not going to pretend it's perfect, in fact many of the stations in outer London are pretty bad for that. Even in the centre, being disabled does make travel more or less impossible by Tube, but if you have mobility issues only, you can still get around easily at most stations as they have escalators. Even if they don't the stations are usually close enough together where a more accessible one isn't too far from where you need to be going. My point was that in Paris, these are very rare. Difficult and expensive to be sure. Especially if the building is a world heritage site for example.
My tip before visiting Europe is to make a list of experiences you would like to have instead of a list of cities you would like to visit. Experiences such as renting a bicycle to ride through some dutch towns on the way to some windmills OR, finding a gelato shop near the river Seine so you can sit by the river and relax while people watching are unique memories that you'll have forever. This way you won't tend to be focused on only visiting endless crowded tourist hotspots, museums and churches like everyone else on their first trip. Join your experiences together, work out were you need to go and start from there.
Great tips! We love taking coffee at a sidewalk cafe in Paris and people watching. We sat outside a corner cafe watching the waiters at it and other cafes, it was like a choreographed ballet. And then you realise how very professional the service is. A great experience and a pleasure.
Another tip: when introducing yourself, don’t say you’re from state X (Utah, Ohio, etc), say you’re from the United States. It’s like a German saying they’re from Schleswig-Holstein instead of Germany when introducing themselves.
@@Ch-xk5tv I don't agree with that. As a German I really don't cary if you're from Utah or Ohio, just tell me that you are from the US (chances are high that I already knew from your accent). If I want to know more I will ask.
I agree but you should also hear how often some Europeans give American crap for saying "I'm from US" I literally have gotten eye rolls and "yeah I know , WHERE in the US"
@@Cath38639 I actually got an attitude like that once or twice. For those people, the US is too big a country to make really any generalization as to subcultures, etc., so they are curious. On some trips I was from Philadelphia and on others from L.A. when I lived there.
1) It’s not just the Euro everywhere, even in the EU. Same with adapters - check! 2) Europe is tech-y. E-tickets/QR codes for everything basically - transport, museums, royal palaces, health passes, events, etc. You don’t necessarily need new apps as this would be annoying for everyone, and usually you can still buy the old-fashioned way. Buying online is almost always the cheaper option, though. In a restaurant, ordering through a QR code is also quite common. No need to wait for waiter or go up to someone. 3) we usually don’t put put ice in water so ask beforehand 4) ACs (the big bulky type in windows) are not as common in homes/offices/smaller hotels, especially in Northern Europe.
When I first went to the US as a teen, I was shocked to see a waitress talk to me with a smiling face, asking me if I needed water etc. but I did not understand when she said "what kind of water, tap water?" and I said wtf, just drinking water lol like in Europe that's such a weird question and they bring you fresh bottled water. Waitress was confused as well, she went and got me a room temperature tap water from the sink, I was not happy lol.
@@choonblaze Bottled water is only a thing in some places in Europe, mostly German speaking ones. In Croatia, where I live, most places will give you tap water.
@@2712animefreak a lot of traditional places in Italy serve tap water, but only if it´s good quality (like in the Alps or near a thermal place). however, they will serve it fresh from the fridge anyway, unless you ask for room temperature.
I think that soon most places in Europe will have at least some air conditioning as some (if not plenty) of those units are in fact heat pumps that can either cool ar heat.
Warning! In Italy, after you buy a train ticket you have to validate it in (usually) yellow machines BEFORE getting on the train. Be careful because if the machine doesn't work, you have to tell some train agent as soon as you get on that the yellow machine didn't work. Otherwise you risk up to a €200 fine
"Europeans are very patriotic" --a man from a country where flags are everywhere and days in schools start with a "pledge of allegiance" (?!) Depending on the service and area, sometimes you need to validate your tickets, sometimes only to buy them. Toilets aren't the same everywhere in Europe, and it also depends on how new they are. Speaking loud on public transport also (sadly) depends on where you are, but anyway please don't do it.
@@ceoofuzbekistan4025 He's comparing Europe and America, and he sounds like he thinks Europeans are more patriottic than Americans, while Europeans usually perceive Americans as more patriotic than them.
@@ceoofuzbekistan4025 Here in Europe, Americans are recognised as being very patriotic (plus the stereotypical American owns lots of guns and eats Hamburgers all day). Patriotism in Europe depends on the country. In my country, Austria, you see the Austrian flag very rarely. Even on the Austrian National Day our flag is very rare. And I think many people don't know the national anthem. Despite that, many people are proud of their region, or city or their village.
@@hakon_dlc yea in Italy we are patriotic for the food 😂 then usually if someone is too much patriotic it's a sign wich political side they are. Not a good one in my opinion
Tip: Be respectful for the cultures there. The cultures in Europe are thousands of years old, they are not just the Disneyland, invented to please you. They were centuries of wars, genocides, belles epoches, golden eras, famines, religious civil wars, feudalism which made it as it looks nowadays. This backstory is responsible why its not the US. Please be respectful and dont compare it too often to the States. It can drive people mad.
"they are not JUST disneyland"??? No we definitely are not disneyland and Disneyland Paris was not built for Americans coming to Europe. It was built for Europeans who wouldn't travel to Disney World. "the backstory"??? You mean history? As in the reason why Europeans discovered then colonised America? You lot seriously need to widen your horizon. Even when you're trying to make a responsible comment you manage to offense other countries. You're not the centre of the universe.
Agreed. That’s something I can’t stand. Europe is a beautiful place but I think it’s overly romanticised by Americans. They come to our continent like it’s a playground sometimes and expect everyone to worship them and every single person to speak English and never do any research into the culture. I think what’s worse is all the European culture tik tokkers are Americans who moved there, so its all shown from their perspective and it’s always compared to the US and also shown as a sunny paradise where everyone sits on a balcony drinking wine overlooking the whole city every day. 😂
I’m a European (from Austria) and i was in the U.S. a weak ago to visit my sister in Chicago. She lives in the suburbs of Chicago and of course i heard before that Americans don’t move much and are generally fat and my trip to America revealed me why: American suburbs consist of patches of row houses that look all exactly the same and those patches aren’t really connected into one suburb but rather scattered kilometres apart and none of those patches have any store to buy groceries that you can reach by walking. In the middle of all those patches there’s a town center where you can find some stores but to reach it from your patch of the town you need to drive at least half an hour. You would need hours if you want to reach it by walking. So when you life in a house in the suburbs there’s literally nothing to se except houses that look all to same. There’s no reason to go outside your house and take a walk. there’s nothing to experience. If you forgot something at the grocery store you literally have to go back into your car and drive half an hour to the next store somewhere next to a road and those stores have all gigantic parking spaces. Everything in die U.S. is made to be reached by car and not foot. Even the layouts of their suburbs. So you can’t even blame the ordinary people for their laziness and obesity. Their government is to blame who built their towns in that “have a car or die hungry” fashion. Here in Europe it’s normal to have stores that are reachable in 5 minutes by foot. Even in Villages and towns.
Hey Wolter, great video! As a German I really enjoyed how you prepare US-Americans. But one very common mistake that I saw several times when foreigners plan their first trip to Europe is this: "Let's do Paris, Berlin, London, Rom and Zürich in 2 weeks" It's not impossible but you will definitely regret it. Or would you recommend doing NewYork, Los Angeles, Miami and San Franscisco in 10 days? Probably not. Better chose one region and stay there for 3-4 days each city. E.g. When Rome is your favorite, combine it with Naples, Florence, Pisa and Milano (11 days). If it is Amsterdam, then combine it maybe with Paris, Brussels, Berlin (11 days). Don't waste your time in the plane. You will love Europe so much, that you will return anyway. And then you are happy, if there are lot of (famous) highlights remainings that you can combine with less famous hidden spots. Because there are thousands in Europe ;)
The wife and I did a roadtrip in 11 days: Amsterdam, Brugge, Paris (for 3 days), drove down to Annecy and Geneva, drove back up to Brussels then back up to Rotterdam. Exhausting yes but driving though France is always a joy as an American that enjoys driving. Plus we're relatively young (30s) so we had the energy to do all of walking.
@@Shorty15c4007 that sounds like a nice trip. And you're probably used a lot to driving. But check out international train tickets. They're very flexible and you're getting around Europe for small money and totally relaxed 😉
@@phien851 Oh no, absolutely. If you're on a tighter budget, trains are much cheaper. But me being me, I wanted to spoil myself with the convenience of driving where I want, when I want. Plus we had 2 large luggages and 2 carryons. I'm sure the train would accommodate the luggage we had but meh. The rental with insurance was around $1100. Gas was about another $300-400. I drive a manual at home but there is something oddly special about driving around Paris in a Seat Ibiza 5 speed. You see more of the countryside roads, villages near the highways. Adds excitement and some hecticness to the trip :)
One thing to keep in mind is that Europe has different power outlets, so if you are coming from North America you might want to bring some converters so that your plug-ins work. The U.K. and Ireland also have different plugs than the rest of Europe, so if you are going to Ireland or the U.K. and Europe you are going to need two different converters, or a universal converter (which is typically much more expensive as it kind of functions as a swiss army knife where you have to mess with it in order to get the plug you want).
I saw a meme involving the pikachu shocked face on Facebook about Americans not realising other countries have different power outlets, and there were SO MANY offended Americans in the comments with many trying to justify it by saying their voltage is better so other countries should have the same power outlets as them. XD
Great tip about not talking loud, it can be pretty annoying! It is true that we Europeans usually avoid talking loud in public transport or other places with lots of strangers, and generally do not shout out our emotins in public ("Oh my God!!!"). My tip for first-time travellers to Europe would be - do not tell your first name to complete strangers, or expect them to tell them theirs. We normally do not exchange names, unless we expect there will be some longer "relationship" between us. I always find it strange when an American I happen to sit next to on a plane or bus starts a conversation by saying something like "hi, my name is...".
Well, it just feels like intruding on my personal space... it's bad enough with smalltalk already (I'm a Norwegian, we don't do smalltalk), unsolicited introduction feels too much!
One thing worth mentioning for Germany: June, July and August you can buy a "9 Euro Ticket" valid for the month you buy it in and it's accepted in all regional trains and city buses, trams, subways/metros, commuter rail (S Bahn). It's pretty good in case you arrive at a German airport and you'd like to spend some time exploring the city and neighboring regions. Edit: I'd like to add that in case you visit Hamburg - (it has a great museum of emigration!) - that ticket can get you also to Sylt - the very posh island with pristine beaches.
We're going to German for three weeks in July and this is going to be a real money saver for us. It doesn't cover long-distance/ high speed travel (IC or ICE), but everything else, its going to be a big help.
@@markeschen In case you like romantic train rides - the black forest railroad (Schwarzwaldbahn) from Offenburg to Konstanz through the black forest is a wonderful trip to look out of the window. Stunning railtrack and many little tunnels. Was an engineering marvel back in time when it was built. Yes, it's a regional train so included in the ticket.
To not confuse future viewers or those who plan to travel to Germany some other year, the 9 Euro Ticket isn't an annual thing, but a summer 2022 exclusive offer. It might not exist again in the future.
As for any traveler to anywhere, be a little humble. I find this especially true for some (not all) Americans. Ask any European about the "American attitude", and you will get tons of stories. Yes, the European countries have their stereotypes about other European countries too, sometimes quite evil. One way to get ALL Europeans united very fast though, is to bring "The American Attitude" into the discussion. Yes, you traveled to another country. It is not the US. Things work different here and there. Be humble. Ask questions (in a nice way). Say thank you and please. The tip of learning some native phrases is great, it shows you are trying. Another tip is to ask about the culture, the history, local traditions, language and the local food. Those are questions that will make any native happy - basically everyone from every country loves to talk about that.
My tip is to be careful about budget airlines. RyanAir's "Paris" flight is actually some small town an hour away from Paris. And if you get there too early or too late for the public transit, you'll be paying a very expensive cab ride into town. They also tend to be really strict about the size of carry on items/luggage. Sometimes its worth paying the extra $$ for a more traditional airline.
@@picobello99 With RyanAir I've had the single handly best customer service I've ever had with an airline: I arrived like 20 minutes before my flight was about to leave (not my fault). They rushed me trough all sorts of back doors to make sure I got on. No idea why they was so friendly and helpful, I didn't even think what they did for me would be possible. But overall, you're right. But also unfair. It's like comparing the customer service on your local commuter train with like some fancy expensive train. You get what you pay for. In RyanAir's case, that's just getting you from A to B. Which I'm happy with. If I want a nice flight and being pampered - that's a whole another experience. Flying with RyanAir is well, like taking your local bus or the commuter train. Without them the alternative for many wouldn't be to pick another airline, it would be to stay at home. Before RyanAir, there really wasn't anything in that segment. It would be as if we all were used to only having fancy expensive restaurants with excellent customer service and someone introduced McDonald's... Like comparing apples to oranges. Both serve their purpose. But like, sometimes you just need to get from A to B. You don't need all that extra unnecessary stuff. Especially if it makes your ticket cost 100s of times more. I prefer spending that money in my destination. Eating some better food. Getting a better hotel. That stuff, the stuff that matters. Like I did "Stockholm">"Marseille">Porto>London>"Stockholm" over a decade ago for under €5 in total, one of the flights was literally 0.something.
@@user-lv6rn9cf8m I'm not talking about customer service, but about the way the company treats their own employees. What do you think cheap flights mean for the staff? Exactly, low wages, hardly any rights, etc. They don't even get a pension. In some countries employees protested, striked even. Instead of improving their situation RyanAir just shut down their hubs there and sacked all of their employees.
@@picobello99 Yup. Same kinda thing as I was saying was the difference between like some fancy expensive train in Japan and your local commuter rail or your local bus driver. Your local bus driver works long hours, if he can use the toilet it's probably by pure luck.. same thing. I'm not condoning it or anything but like.. we get it. Obviously it's going to be that way. I'm mostly concerned about the pilots though, the actual safety of the flights - that stuff.
Even though I’ve been to Miami once and saw for myself that walking or public transport is not really an option, I was still shocked to hear the thing about walking. Literally just last week I hiked 60 kilometers (90 miles) over 4 days on hilly terrain and it was great. Granted the only foreigners I ran into were some Germans.
I'm American, but I've been living in Europe für decades. It's fun to hear about all the details that would seem odd to Americans. I got a healthy dose of reverse culture shock watching your video. 😊
As a European I definitely prefer the customer service here! It's realistic and genuine and you aren't hounded by the staff 24/7. I understand servers are paid a lot less in the US, but it was damn annoying being bombarded all of the time in the US. I even had servers ask how I wanted to pay the tip and how much. Tipping is not the same in Europe and if you feel generous it's 10%.
For what it's worth, it really shouldn't be the case in the US that a server hounds you for the sake of getting tips. It does happen occasionally, and maybe they hound foreign visitors more out of fear of not getting tipped, but it's not the norm, and would likely cause many Americans to tip less. It's kind of just assumed that the service should be prompt and respectful, and it's also more or less assumed that the tip will be 15%-20% regardless of the level of service, because they're basically not making money if you don't tip. My wife literally tells me to tip less when servers do things like rush us out the door or mention tips to us. A good server will generally just do quick, simple checks for refills, dessert orders, making sure steaks are cooked as ordered, replacing empty condiment bottles, etc. It should not feel like an interview.
You were right to start with toilets. One thing you did not mention is how Eurotoilets are low water. Europeans generally find the high-water US toilets to be wasteful -- and sometimes a bit concerning regarding splashback.
Be prepared for the Dutch toilets. We have a platform for our poops and pees, haha. Many foreigners seemed freaked out at the thought of being confronted with the food of yesterday, once they turn around to flush. I can imagine it's a shock when you've always seen it under water. So...be prepared.
I would say if you are timid of traveling, Ireland is the most beginner friendly country. Everything is beautiful, no language challenges, people are amazing. Looking to move there.
Perhaps Americans would find Ireland to be a good fit because American culture was largely influenced, especially in some places, by immigrants from Ireland!
@@Nekotaku_TV yeah, been all over Ireland multiple times and occasionally you will run into typically an older primarily Gaelic speaker, but you can work around that with even only a few words. A bit of eastern Europeans working in Dublin, but never had and issues communicating with them.
Thank you Mark for being honest about the realities of having a physical disability/difference and the nature of public transportation in much of Europe. I have been living in Germany since 2013 and I have mild cerebral palsy, I walk differently and struggle with my balance from time to time. It's frustrating that even in big metro areas like Düsseldorf and Berlin elevators are frequently out of service, stairwells dangerously crowded and transportation stops not accomodating to people in wheelchairs/big prams.I have a three year old who sometimes has to travel with me and some of these elevators can barely fit us both.
12) There are many bus stops only on reqest in Europe. In some countries and regions (for example all of Germany, Austria, most of the Czech rep.), there are even all stops only on request. When you want leave the regional public bus (tram, train), you need push the button on the door BEFORE the stop. When you don't do this, the bus doesn't even have to stop! 13) When you say "How do you do?" - We know, what you mean. :-) But when an European say "How do you do?" in his language, he really want to know how do you do, so how are your feelings. We, Europeans, are not rude, but a little bit more direct and more honest. :-)
Yep, in Czechia it's as follows (from my experience) - City buses usually have marked request stops with an announcement that the next stop is request only (this announcement may be only in Czech though, so it's better to just push the stop button anyways if you're not sure) - Regional buses have all stops as request only, so you better push that STOP button if you wanna get off - Regional trains (Os, Sp) have marked request stops (the information displays and announcements will state that a stop is request only), and the button is usually near the door and is clearly marked in a few languages - Fast(R)/InterCity/EuroCity trains stop on all their stops, because all of their stops are big population centres
My biggest tip, Europe (and a lot of the world) isn’t as convenient as the US for some things. Its rare to have anything open 24/7 and sometimes even after 8pm. Always make sure you bring all of your comfort OTC meds like stomach/allergy/cold/headache pills because there is no making a quick midnight trip to CVS. Same goes for night time food and snacks, especially for jet lag.
I have only experienced uncomfortable situations with American tourists so far, I can sum them up for you in a few points. *1.* Avoid loud speech, I've heard screaming and I thought someone was in pain, turns out they were calling over their daughter to have pizza. Not to mention every American on the train, bus or other public transport. Sssht. *2.* Avoid backhanded compliments. I love it when people speak their mind and I hate fake politeness and I hate insecure PC-attempts at a conversation, but don't give me a compliment like; 'Your country is cleaner than I expected' or 'Wow, your cleanliness is nearly up to the standards we are used to' or 'I love how good your English is, why doesn't your country just change your native language to English, it will be so much easier for all the tourists!' *3* Don't fuss over your safety. Keep an eye out for pickpockets, and don't walk away with strangers or buy weed on the street or just walk into anyone's basement, but especially when there is a government sign on something, inviting you over, it's likely that it is very safe. The Dutch water has no chlorine, but it has the same quality as mineralwater. Our local church is as sturdy as ever, just because it's old, it doesn't mean that it will collapse when you walk inside. Just because it's old, doesn't mean it's frail. *4* If possible, leave your car at home. A couple of times a week, when I try to cycle to my parents, I'm in a rush and have 3-4 bags hanging from my steeringwheel and I can't just pump the breaks when something's standing in front of me. And I stíll see the same local Americans driving around their car, blocking the entire street, trying to carefully manouvre through the alleys without scraping it. The car doesn't fit, the cow-horns on the dashboard annoy me, the alleys aren't made for that size cars and once I pump my breaks, I have to start over again and build up the speed. Don't bring your car. Leave it at home. The public transport is fine here, you don't fit in the alley with your car, it will not be appreciated and if you try to pull this trick on the bike-lane in Amsterdam, you'll find that nobody is able to break and you'll have 30 people crashing into your precious truck. Leave. it. at. home.
@@gchecosse I don't know if this is what the OP meant, but in some places in Europe there are still some very old train cars where you have to open the door manually. There are a few remaining in Croatia, where I live.
Many metro cars in Paris have a latch that you must manually work to open the door. I was there just a month ago. Same cars from 20+ years ago. Other cars had automatic doors.
Two tips for northern europe - #1. Do not brag, your status or wealth at home nor the fact that you are american impresses us. #2. Try to read up on the metric system. Other than that you are welcome - be friendly and open and you'll recevie the same treatment.
I'd be careful about asking the concierge where to go out. In most cases it is OK, but in some hotels they have side deals with really crappy places to direct guests there. Asking locals on the street, especially if they seem to be having a fun time, is a better idea.
Learning little bits of the local language, or at least showing an interest in learning bits of the language goes a long way with locals. I find this is doubly true in countries that may be less popular or less well known. Also, look into what the culture is like around tipping before you go. Knowing ahead of time can save you some awkward moments. When I was in Croatia we were at a restaurant during a slow time of day. We had just landed and were hungry, and we definitely are, drank, and were merry. The waiter was awesome. He sat with us for a bit, taught us some words in Croatian, and even had a drink with us. It was the best service I ever had in my life. However, we had been told that tipping can be seen as offensive in Europe, so we never gave the guy a tip. It turns out that they DO accept tips in Croatia, and I still think about that waiter three years later, and how I should have tipped him the value of the entire meal.
You just look at the wage in general by country. Wages in Croatia are relatively low so you should tip about 10 kuna at least. It's offensive to tip in Japan, Korea and so.
I had a similar experience in Austria... the beautiful waitress was sitting with us and talking with us. Then like an idiot I drank too much and I don't remember much of what happened next lol
I honestly haven't heard of any country in Europe where tipping is rude. That it isn't obligatory doesn't mean it's rude or not appreciated. You don't have to tip, but it's always nice to do so.
The only place in Europe where tipping in a restaurant is not the norm is Sweden. However, partly in terms of the amount (rarely as high as in the US) but much more o in the precise method, there are very different tipping customs across Europe, you need to look them up beforehand. In some places, you can pay the tip officially along with the full price with any payment method. In other places, tipping is always in cash. In some places, you tip by rounding up, elsewhere you give small change separately. In some places, you tell beforehand how much you want to tip, elsewhere you let the waiter dole out the change but you leave it on the table or the bill.
All true!My daughter and I were wandering around the Gare Du Nord lost trying to find the Metro.A very nice lady came up to us and in perfect English offered assistance.Forever grateful to her.Go enjoy ,be courteous,learn a little French,Italian etc and you will have a great time.Oh yea watch what ever video Mark has on your destination,very informative!
@@wingedhussar1117 Yes! I foiled a pickpocket in the Gare du Nord subway station. I saw him and his friends get into the train behind me. When the train started, I grabbed for my wallet. He already had my pocket unzipped and his hand on my wallet. I was able to grab the wallet from the outside so his hand came out empty. He just stared at me for a moment and got off the train at the next stop.
The same in Germany: Often people aimlessly wandering major trainstation are scammers. Use your common sense and don't be destructed by them telling you some story.
As someone from Ireland, agree with the whole “Americans being loud” thing. It’s true. Please keep the noise level down. Also I’ve been to multiple European countries and use my card everywhere, I very rarely have cash. A lot of places now are ‘card only’ because of covid 19. It means less handling of dirty cash. 😁👍🏻
Those businesses are screwed if/when their card machines or the internet connection ever goes down. On my last break, one business had that problem but fortunately they were still taking cash. Being so germaphobic that people are afraid to touch cash is a pretty unhealthy mindset. (Not to mention that we touch other things all the time; why should cash be made the sole scapegoat?) This isn't to say don't bother with a card though because they are very useful.
I can not speak for the entirety of europe, but from a german perspective: Avoid fake/forced happiness/cheeriness and useless small talk! Stay true to yourself when interacting with strangers. People are super nice to help, but it's downright weird to just talk and smile without reason. It is not rude to be honest and get to point.
Thank you, it really isn't normal to be loud anywhere. But especially on trams, trains, buses... You can always tell Americans are around the corner. Because you hear them from miles away.
3:00- I saw that when I was in Zurich Switzerland, an old lady in front of me on the tram didn’t have a ticket because she didn’t know how to buy one but they told her to get off the tram with them and she got fined.
Keep in mind that here we use meters, kilos, litres and Celsius temperature. Most cars are with manual transmission. No ice in water (but it is from fridge), unless you ask for it. Smokers are not considered as killers.
Well, it depends. In Sweden, smoking is more or less banned in all public places. We have also switched from manual transmission cars to automatic in recent years.
@@testcardsandmore1231 smoking is forbidden in all indoor public places in all Europe, I believe. But smokers can smoke outdoor, without risking being chased. Cars have automatic transmission if they are hybrid, that is not the greatest part in Germany, France, Italy, Spain.
As a Londoner, now living in the Netherlands for several years - these are such great tips!!! Something to really highlight is that rooms, beds, apartments, stairways, portion sizes, cars, roads, table layouts - are smaller than you find in the US. Most things in fact! Great channel!!!
@@victormeidan1062 I would say it really depends. It's not so much country-to-country difference nowadays, but overall, you will find tourist scam traps in particular places in Stockholm, Prague, Vienna, Paris, Madrid, and in every major tourist city like this. I would always recommend finding some info on local tourist scam traps in a given city you are about to travel. Indeed, we have shifty characters eager to steal every of your tourist penny in Europe also, like anywhere else.
I prefer theEuropean "service" I really dislike being pestered by waiters and shopping assistants. And anyone who has ever worked in bars, restaurants or shops will tell you customers are not kings ;o;
I really do agree, I don’t want to have to pay people to do their job in restaurants or hotels! It’s like giving money to a beggar and not treating him/her as my equal.
I’m frequently baffled at people (quite often fellow Americans) who are so bothered by the differences they find in traveling…isn’t that one of the reasons one travels, to experience something different than home?
I wonder what some of my fellow Americans would think if they were plopped down in Asia or Africa then. The only reason some countries feel so similar to us is because they've been so "Americanized" (which I actually think is sad, because it means their traditional culture is being overridden or worse destroyed). I remember reading how some foreign folks were dreading this when American influence spread widely after World War II.
If you are disabled, in Germany, you should ask directly for a disabled-friendly room. Not every hotel room is designed in such a way that disabled people can use the normal rooms. hotels only have a certain number of rooms
1. Don't act like an American (No, we don't care about your 32% German 38% Italian, 16% Swedish and 14% Chihuahua ancestry results. No, we don't accept American dollars. No, we don't give veteran discounts.) 2. Learn to speak with a British or Australian accent (Unless you visit France, then you need to speak French) 3. Don't dress like an American 4. Don't do anything that might give away that you're an American 5. Don't attempt to speak German in Germany. They'll just switch to perfect English immediately and humbly insist they only know the "basics" while correcting your grammar in the process. 6. Prepare yourself for the fact that pretty much all of Europe doesn't like America. If you follow these steps you'll have an amazing time here! We look forward to your visit.
In public places in Germany you can normally open doors by pulling as you walk in. They are called"Fluchttüren" which means that in case of emergency people who want to get out can push the door open which is faster if you need to get out really quickly ;)
In Finland all doors must open outwards since 18th century. I believe it's same in Sweden, since the law is from times when Finland was part of Sweden. The story behind the law is that there was multiple church fires where people could not get out of the building, because the doors were inwards opening and and the croud was pushing everyone in front of them in panic, effectivelly jamming the doors.
Yes, all doors open towards you in Sweden, including front doors (which means ‘kicking a door in’ like in the Hollywood movies is impossible) The one exception is bedroom doors, which open inwards and therefore can be kicked in if there’s a fire
We just got back from a 2-week river cruise, visiting 5 countries. Your videos were valuable in preparing us for the trip. I am looking forward to our next adventure.
Great advice. I would also recommend spending a week in New York as preparation. It's our most European city. Lots of walking, lots of people who don't speak english, and half the bathrooms aren't free.
I've never been to the US but I always imagined Philadelphia or Boston to be the most European city outside of Europe (alongside Quebec maybe). Interesting.
@@vogliounacocacola As a European who has been to both NYC and Boston, I can assure you, that Boston is the more European city. I like both of them though :)
@@vogliounacocacolaHis point was that it involves a lot of walking as does Boston . I live in Connecticut so I used both of them as practice. Served me well!😊
In France Glass doors often have stickers saying POUSSEZ (push) or TIREZ (pull). In Germany, due to fire department rules all doors must open to the outside so that in case of panic the pressure of people wanting to get out of the store / the building opens the door. So pulling the door is at most shops always working, but many of those doors just open to both sides ;-)
The doors opening to the outside thing is actually not working for all doors, but rather for doors to public places with many people inside. Older doors and doors to smaller shops traditionally open to the inside, which I find actually a bit dangerous sometimes, because of that panic aspect. I think they to it a lot more in Italy though, expecially when refurbishing older buildings.
I've been to Europe 4 times (soon to be 5) and I agree with most of these. Those toilets with buttons are getting common in North America as well. At least in Canada. And in my travels, I've always been good with using my credit card almost everywhere. That being said, I always bring about 500 euros cash for a 2 week vacation.
Also make sure your credit card has touchless pay. I know most credit cards already have this but you'd be surprised how many people think just because it has the chip that it means that it also has NFC. If you got a smart watch with NFC, it doesn't hurt to add your cards there as a backup.
In Russia there's a way to enter public transport: you first lane up at the sides of the doors and let everyone out, then come in. Also, check the weather before your trip - it may surprise you.
Currencies: I have met tourists who thought they could pay in Euro everywhere in the EU, which is not the case. Most of western Europe uses the Euro but in northern and eastern Europe they often have their own currencies. Also be careful when you pick up a foreign currency at an ATM, especially the "Euronet" ATM's, which you can find all over Europe and which are notorious for giving terrible exchange rates. Also don't exchange cash at train stations or airports because they will give you bad rates, (only if you really need cash for a taxi for example.)
Tip no 1: There is no such thing as "what to know about Europe"! The countries are different in many aspects, not only language but also culture. Check out "What should I know about (insert country you are visiting)"
I am Australian and have travelled in Europe and the UK. Interesting how there are a number of commonalities between Europe and Australia, more than the Australia and the U.S. First floor = same; tipping = variable, but not the norm; people are helpful, but the customer is not always king. No endless refills here either. Flushing of toilets, same as Europe. Lots of walking, but like the U.S. we’re a large country with some large urban areas so lots of driving too; like the U.S. public transport exists but is not up to the high standards of Europe (something I really miss), especially outside the major cities; on public transport tickets are often purchased via a machine before boarding (or by a adding money to a transport card); cash used to be king but COVID has changed that. Public toilets are free, but like the U.S. I’d generally give these a miss. Hotel rooms generally similar to Europe, but there are lots of U.S. style rooms too; like the U.S. elevators (called lifts) are bigger. Also not mentioned: like Europe we use metric.
Just had your video in my recommandations and as a guy from Europe theses are good advices I think. In France (and maybe some other countries in Europe), if you're at a restaurant and the waiter comes more than twice to ask if "everything if fine?" it's not a good sign (you make a lot of noise, children started playing and running in the room or things like that). They leave you some privacy. You're at a restaurant to share a good time and/or have a good meal. Waiters are to "wait" and be ready in case you have to ask for something, but it's starting to change a little bit. And in France (can't tell for my fellows Europeans) in fact most of the time if you take your car just for 1 kilometer, you have to justify yourself like "I've got no time, I have to move further afterthat so I'll take the car" because it's not well seen at all.
Check when things are closed. The day you plan to see the Mona Lisa could be the day that the Louvre is closed. Also check some days places are open late one day a week which could be a better time to go.
I highly recommend paying attention to having the ticket on public transport. And not just having one, but having the right ticket. I was in Vienna with my spouse this spring and we took a train from the airport to the city. We bought tickets from a ticket machine and should have focused more on which tickets to buy and we accidentally bought the wrong ones. Well, we got on board the train and of course, had the ticket inspectors board the train at the next station. :D Having the wrong tickets would have cost us €210 but the inspector maybe had a good day or something and took "only" €105. When the inspector left, some local guy sitting behind us told us that the inspectors patrol very regularly the stations near the airport as this is a very common mistake that tourists make when buying train tickets. We have travelled a lot in Europe so should have known better. :D Super irritating.
Thanks for your video... perfect timing... we're flying over to Frankfurt in 31 days and its my first time in Europe in over 20 years! I especially needed that encouragement to keep up my daily walks!!!
Hi, Not sure how long you're planning to go, but since the gas prices are at an all time high...the German government subsidizes training. This means you can get a ticket for a month, basically throughout Germany, for only €9. Pretty cheap way to get around.
Wow! We have had a small button and a large button toilet for over 12 years here in super exotic Los Angeles California. Been to Europe and it was amazing! Walking! Oh yes! walked close to 10 miles a day in York England and Edinburgh, Scotland. Getting lost in Venice, Italy was fantastic! Athens Greece felt a bit uneasy to be honest.
Many years ago I also visited Salzburg and many surrounding areas. I mostly stayed at small German shalays. A single room has (1) bed. A double room has (2) single beds. All the guests share a bathroom. All the hall lights are on a timer. At night you turn on the lights and shortly latter the lights go out.
If Americans hire a car in Europe, it won't be a 5.7 litre V8 automatic SUV! We drive 'compact' cars with manual transmissions, and we have corners! No driving 200 miles in a dead straight line like in Arizona or Utah! And the fuel is either call petrol or benzine, never, ever call it gas, as some cars do run on actual gas (LPG)
Top tip if you rent a car: don't rent anything bigger than a VW Golf - Europe has small narrow streets and small car parking spaces - save yourself a lot of stress and money by renting a smaller car. Also, where public transit is available (virtually all urban Europe, basically) forget the car and instead take the tram/metro/commuter light rail.
How to enjoy : 1. Find the big square near the big church, sit down, and slow down. Drink something nice 2. Get lost. No seriously, wandering aimlessly around is much more fun than walking like a pre-programmed robot the same route everybody else takes. Who knows what you might find?
My recommendation for an accommodation would be: private rooms via airbnb or some such. I always enjoy in foreign countries to see what the interiors of local houses look like, I also always have a local at hand to give me some info about the place or someone I can ask about something I don't know about or to talk to in the evening about my day and what I have seen and done, the price is often below the price for a hotel room and you can normally make use of the kitchen as well, meaning, you can go to a local supermarket (always interesting to look at all the different brands and products) and get something for your cooking - especially if you are travelling a bit on a budget. - But the most important thing is: Please, Americans, always know where you are. Many Americans go to several countries during one journey - sometimes they seem not to know exactly where they are on that very day. Maybe that mostly happens with organised group tours.... but still. Know where you are. - And remember: Our numbers are the same as in the US. If a note says 100 €, it's the same number 100 as in the US, just not dollars, but euros. No need to convert this like temperatures. If an item costs 12.95 € and you have a 100 € note, yes, that will be enough to pay for this item (just mentioning this because this American lady once in front of me in the queue in a shop asked the cashier exactly this.... cringe).
Lots of good advice in this video! I hope you enjoyed gorgeous Salzburg. I live about 1 hour (by train or Autobahn) east of there. Here is my advice for visiting a restaurant or café: in Austria, never assume that you can pay with your card at the end of your meal. Lots of places only take cash, payable at the end of your meal or refreshments. Note, this is different from the UK (I'm English), where a debit card payment at the end of your meal in a restaurant is very common. On the other hand, in a UK pub you would typically pay up front for refreshments, either in cash or with your card (ask if not sure what is acceptable). Happy travelling!
In the Netherlands cash isn't accepted everwhere and many places don't accept credit card. This goes for restaurants as well as shops. Make sure to bring a debit card!
Also, even if a place accepts credit card, that doesn't mean that you won't be better off paying cash: many restaurants will bill an automatic service surcharge (on the assumption that credit card users are less willing to tip), and this is not considered a rip-off. If you're not familiar with local customs like this, read your bills before paying.
My recomendation would be to read about specific country you are going to visit. Especially about the little quirks. Because even we don't know sometimes how to function in other countries. For example in Portugal in a restaurant they will bring you a menu, you chose something and wait. In a meantime they will come with starters. They are not free. Even if you haven't ordered them, they will come. Or im Poland we have a custom that women go through the doors first. In most cases, if someone for example carries something heavy it is normal that other people will hold doors for them and let them go first. When I'm with people from western countries the door etiquette causes a lot of confusion. :D Also our food portions in the restaurants are smaller (I heard that about half the size but I think it might be exagerated) and beers are bigger (and stronger). And if you go for vodka or a any other strong liquor please don't try to drink it as a juice. I've seen a lot of Americans wasted because they tried to drink everything very fast.
The push/pull thing reminded me of a fun little story: My girlfriend is in the US army and was deployed over here in germany. In the first week a bunch of the freshly deployed guys and girls decided to take a train to a closeby town (Bad Windsheim is pretty cute btw.) and the train arrived on time (wow). But the doors didn't open on its own cause you have to push the little button. So now you have 25+ people in front of their train but not one of them knew this little fact and the train just left without them :D
A few important things about public transport. First of all almost all bigger cities have apps and maps of public transport. Secondly after the pandemic you can no longer buy a ticket by the bus driver in Dresden, Germany so it is highly possible that other major german cities adopted the same thing. In Poland you cannot buy a bus ticket by the driver for ages now but it is way more developed than the german public transport so you can buy a ticket in an app, ticket machine at the bus/tram stop, inside the vehicle and in some big cieties still in small kiosks. Mind you Poland is mostly contactless payment country so in Wrocław for example you can only buy a ticket inside the bus or tram with a card. Other cities are mostly keeping a mix of coin and card payments, like for example Szczecin, Zielona Góra and so on. While in Poland you can easily live without having much cash and pay almost everywhere with your card (btw all types of cards are accepted from debit through credit all the way to those dumb and useless Maestro cards xD) in Germany if you don't have cash with you it will bite you in the ass faster than you may think. *IMPORTANT* Germany has issued a terminal software update and in some shops with old devices it is almmost impossible to pay with a card. Sometimes Visa works, Mastercard doesn't at all and it will be so until the terminals wouldn't be replaced by newer ones so get cash! Oh yeah, not every single country in the EU has Euro, lol.
Avoid feeling the center of the world and that locals must do as you wish, you're in Europe therefore get used to their rules, if not you'll have a hard time (strangely this only happens to people from the US and Argentina)
As someone who works in a museum in Amsterdam, I would like to suggest to people to please book in advance! That way you won’t get disappointed when places are already full. Cities like Venice, Paris & Amsterdam are major tourist hotspots, so they can get really crowded. When you want to visit a museum, first check out their website. And when it’s possible, book your tickets in advance! PS. Cash is hardly excepted anymore in the Netherlands. So bring your credit or debit card. Or simply buy online.
"Cash is king" doesn't work at all in northern Europe; most places in Sweden will not accept cash at all, and I've been to the UK four times this year without handling cash a single time. Regarding public transport, I'd say that most places are moving to apps. One new bloody app in every city. It'll clutter up your phone - but it is pretty convenient in the end. ...I was going to leave a sarcastic comment about Americans not being able to handle push/pull on doors...but then I remembered all the times I've smacked into a door myself, so I'll just stay very very quiet about that...
Thanks! This is very helpful. I'm leaving in a month for a month-long trip, visiting 5 countries. I usually carry cash. Looks like I would need to get pounds out when I get to the UK. And those dang apps!
@@evelyngrammar Ooh, hope you'll have a great trip then! But if you have a card with PIN, then I think you can actually get by in the UK without thinking much about cash.
In most of europe in order to obey to safety regulations, doors in public places have to open to outside ( pull to enter, push to exit) so that if there's an emergency inside and people start to panic and push each other the door opens and you get pushed out. So yea about the confusion about doors, you usually have to pull if you get inside somewhere
as already other persons have mentioned - Europe is a continent and not a country. Check the local „rules“ travelling through Europe - I‘m Swiss and we do a lot of things different than an Italian, a German or a French (just examples). But it‘s part of the experience travelling through Europe to discover all these local differences. The service is not bad in European countries, just different and you‘re getting more personal space. Both styles are ok and IMO it is just a sth. to get used to. And yes, public transportation is in most countries really good but getting a ticket can be tricky (even for an European). Tipping in Switzerland is not necessary but it is appreciated - especially if you‘re out for a nice dinner. And if you‘re visiting Switzerland: you should really be prepared to walk a lot because otherwise, you will miss some of the most beautiful views! Last but not least: don‘t compare the US too much with Europe and just have fun travelling through the different countries.
