Travel Guide to Europe
What you need to know
How to prepare: Visa
o Please note that for a Schengen visa you have to apply for in advance at any of the embassies/consulates above and prepare online.
o Be aware that the price for a Schengen visa differs from embassy to embassy.
o For more information please visit: http://www.schengenvisa.cc/
o Please note that your passport must be valid for at least six months after the return to your home country for a Schengen visa. For all other y return.
o Shop around when choosing your point of entry, as visa prices may differ from country to country
o Visa for other European countries (including the UK and Ireland) you have got to apply directly at the concerning embassy or consulate here in Hong Kong.
How to prepare: Immunisation
There are no special vaccinations required for most of the parts of Europe. However, it is always advisable to arrange to see your doctor or practice nurse if at a travel clinic at least 6 weeks before departure and tell them where you are traveling to, in case there are any special or additional immunisation requirements at that time.
Remember to arrange any additional prescriptions that you may require for while you are away, but to be aware that doctors can now only prescribe a limited quantity under the NHS. As a further precaution always carry a first aid kit whilst holidaying to include a packet of adhesive dressings, some insect repellent, antiseptic cream and the medicine you are used to.
For more information about possible vaccines for Europe please take a look at:
http://vaccine-schedule.ecdc.europa.eu/Pages/Scheduler.aspxHow to prepare: Insurance
A travel insurance will be easy to get at a travel agency, where you book your tour. If this is not the case you can find all ranges of TI for Europe on the internet as well, e.g. worldnomads.com
A health insurance will be easy to get at a travel agency, where you book your tour. If this is not the case you can find all ranges of HI for Europe on the internet as well, e.g. worldnomads.com or any international insurance company.
How to get there: Plane, Train or Ship?
Almost every European country has its own airline. Direct flights from Hong Kong to London, Frankfurt, Paris or Amsterdam e.g. are very frequently. However, an interchange flight, with a stop over at Dubai e.g., probably will save a lot of money but takes longer (16-26 hours). Compare prices before booking through the internet, e.g. airscanner, expedia, …
Take any train from Hong Kong to Beijing. In Beijing enter the Trans-Siberian line to Moscow. You can choose between the Trans-Manchurian or the Trans-Mongolian line. For both you will need a Belarus Transit Visa. In Moscow interchange for a direct train to Warsaw, Kiev, Berlin, Basel, Paris or Nice (http://www.groundedtravel.com/routes/rail/europe/nice-milan-vienna-moscow-russian-railways-train).
How to get around
· FOOT, Hiking
· BIKE
· CAR
o Uber App
- Private taxi service
- Not in every European country available
o Carsharing
- Mitfahrgelegenheit.de
- Blablacar.de
o Carpooling
- car2go.com
- DriveNow
- Multicity: multicity-carsharing.de/en
o Hitchhiking
- Write a sign with the place you want to go and wait with it on a street
- Less recommendable for women
o Rent a car
- Sixt
- Europecar
- Many more
· BUS
o Flixbus
o Postbus
o MeinBus.de
· TRAIN
o EuroRail Pass:
o Take overnight trains – Sleeping in your seat or couchette on longer trips saves on a night’s lodging
· AIRPLANE
o Airscanner
o Swoodoo
o Ryanair (UK based)
o Vueling (Spain based)
o Germanwings (German based)
o Air Berlin (German and Spain based)
How to find out where to stay
· TRAVEL AGENCIES who are focusing on European countries
· www.hostelword.com/hostels/europe
· hosteling international (hi hostels)
· Airbnb
· Wg-gesucht
· Couch Surfing: www.couchsurfing.com
· Workcamps
How to estimate your budget
Start With a Base of €85 Per Day.
add & subtract accordingly
1. Eat
o – 15 if you will buy your food at grocery stores or on the street
o – 10 if you will buy more of your food at a grocery store or on the street, but sometimes at a cheap restaurant
o DO NOTHING if you will sometimes buy food at grocery stores and on the street, but also eat at cheap restaurants
o + 10 if you will eat most meals out at cheap restaurants and on the street
o + 20 if you will eat most of your meals out at cheap and moderately priced restaurants
2. Sleep
o - 15 if you will have mostly free lodging via camping and Couchsurfing
o DO NOTHING if you will stay most nights in cheap dorms at hostels
o + 20 if you will be mixing it up with hostel dorms, hostel private rooms and a cheap hotel once in awhile
o + 40 if you will always have a private room – hostel or cheap hotel
3. Drinking
o – 20 if you never drink
o – 10 if you will almost always drink at your hostel a few nights a week and typically do not go out
o DO NOTHING if a few nights a week you will go out to a bar
o + 10 if you will drink most nights at a bar
o + 20 if you will drink most nights at a bar and go to clubs every once in awhile
o + 30 if you will drink out almost every night and go to clubs
4. Sites, excursions and activities
o – 15 if you will only ever go to free sites and no excursions or activities
o – 10 if you will rarely pay for a site unless it is really important
o DO NOTHING if you will pay a little bit every day for a site here and there
o + 10 if you plan on going to sites, museums and other attractions that cost money some days
o + 20 if you plan on going to more expensive sites and excursions a few times a week
o + 25 if you plan on going to most sites, take excursions, purchase concert and event tickets
To Sum Up
At its cheapest, your budget is €35 a day. This is not advisable and almost always unattainable. Things come up and they cost money. The most expensive outcome is €200 per day. This is very comfortable, but still considered a budget trip because even with this budget, eating at expensive restaurants and staying at expensive hotels is unfeasible.
What do you think? Comment and let us know your budget tips!
Service Civil International
Email: info@scichina.org.hk
Website: www.scichina.org.hk
Location: Youth Square, Chai Wan
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