Travel tips
Everything besides the flight and hotel: internet, insurance, transfers, cars, tickets. Plus what to watch out for.
Check the country before you go
Internet, documents, healthcare and currency — in one place.
Internet
Roaming depends on your operator — consider an eSIM
EU roaming rules only cover SIM cards from EU and EEA countries. Check your operator's rates or buy a local eSIM.
Documents
Passport required
Visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180; your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you leave. Check the current Schengen entry rules (EES, ETIAS).
Healthcare
Your UK GHIC is valid
It covers public healthcare in the EU — travel insurance is still recommended.
Money
Local currency: CZK
1 CZK ≈ £0.0347 (average NBP rate)
Internet abroad (eSIM)
Outside the EU, roaming can cost a small fortune per megabyte. You buy an eSIM before you fly and switch it on after landing — no need to swap SIM cards.
- In the EU, Norway and Iceland you usually don't need an eSIM — EU roaming works as at home.
- Check that your phone supports eSIM (Settings → Mobile network).
- 3–5 GB is usually enough for a week; maps and messaging use very little.
Travel insurance
Outside the EU the EHIC doesn't work, and even in the EU it doesn't cover transport home or private clinics. A hospital bill abroad often runs into thousands of euros.
- First check the cover that comes with your credit card or bank account — it may already be included.
- Medical cover: at least around €25,000 in Europe, more in the USA and Asia.
- Skiing, diving and high-risk sports need a separate add-on.
Airport transfer
After a night flight with luggage and kids, a car at a fixed price saves your nerves and often your money — especially where taxi drivers like to “round up”.
- A fixed price per car, not per person — for 3–4 people it's cheaper than the bus.
- Give your flight number: the driver will wait if you're delayed.
- In cities with good public transport (Lisbon, Barcelona) the metro can be faster.
Car hire
On islands, in the mountains and in the Balkans a car is the only way to see more than the area around your hotel.
- Check the deposit amount and whether a credit card (not a debit card) is required.
- A “full-to-full” fuel policy is usually the cheapest.
- Outside the EU, check whether your driving licence is enough.
Tours and tickets
Tickets to the biggest sights (Sagrada Família, the Vatican, the Acropolis) sell out days ahead, and the ticket queue on the spot takes hours.
- Buy with free cancellation — travel plans like to change.
- A timed-entry ticket skips the main queue.
Luggage storage
Check-out at 11:00, flight at 21:00. Instead of dragging your suitcase around town, leave it near the station for a few euros.
- Drop-off points are usually shops and hotels in the centre — check the opening hours before booking.
Compensation for a delayed flight
If a flight from the EU is delayed by more than 3 hours or cancelled, you're entitled to up to €600 per person (Regulation 261/2004). Airlines rarely pay out on their own.
- Keep your boarding pass and take a photo of the departures board showing the delay.
- You can claim from the airline yourself — these services do it for a commission, but without any effort on your part.
💳 Cards and money
- Pay by card in the local currency. When the terminal asks “your currency or EUR?”, choose the local one — converting on the spot (DCC) is usually more expensive.
- A multi-currency card or an account with in-app exchange saves a few per cent on every payment.
- Withdraw cash from bank ATMs, not independent networks with high fees. Decline the ATM's “guaranteed rate”.
- Outside the eurozone, a little local cash comes in handy for taxis, markets and tips.
✅ Pre-departure checklist
- A valid ID card or passport (check the expiry date!)
- An EHIC (or UK GHIC) card — free from your national health service
- Travel insurance (especially outside the EU)
- Online check-in and a boarding pass on your phone
- Your airline's cabin baggage size checked
- An eSIM or roaming bundle outside the EU
- Registering your trip with your foreign ministry for long-haul trips
- A plug adapter for the UK, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus
Links to partner services may be affiliate links — we may receive a commission on purchases made through them, which does not change your price. Information on documents and healthcare is general; check your country's official travel advice before you go.