Essentials for your trip

Last updated on Monday, 13/11/2023

Almost ready to go! From travel documents to health requirements, here's a little reminder of what you need on a trip around Europe.

Your Travel Documents

Certain forms of ID are required when travelling throughout Europe, so be sure to have your passport and another form of national ID with you! Remember that when travelling to or from a non-Schengen country you must show a valid ID or passport.

Keep these documents safe, zipped up and hard to get to. It is also a good idea to have a scanned copy of these documents accessible by you or someone you can contact in case of emergency, for example in an email or in the cloud if you have a safe storage space. 

Should you get into difficulty, knowing your national embassy/consulate in your destination country can come in handy. You can search for their location through the European Commission’s consular protection website.

Your European Health Insurance Card

When travelling to another country, it's a good idea to think about what can happen once you arrive. If you fall ill while away, your ID won’t be enough – you’ll need your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

This card is designed to ensure that you can obtain medically necessary, state-provided healthcare while holidaying, studying or volunteering anywhere in the EU (as well as Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) should you unexpectedly get sick.

The EHIC doesn’t replace travel insurance, but while you are in a foreign country it guarantees you medical treatment under the same conditions and at the same cost as locals insured in that country. 

Itinerary, or how to solve the puzzle

You can use Rome2Rio as a tool for planning your trip. This website will show all possible connections, with estimated prices, and different means of transportation. It links you to the transport providers’ websites and their timetables.

There is also an interesting way of finding out where’s the best spot to meet up with your friends or plan a stopover. Websites like  What’s halfway and Meeting halfway let you pick two different locations, calculate the distance, and then provide you with the information on what’s in the middle. 

Roaming and Phone Usage

There are no longer any roaming charges for EU residents travelling periodically within the EU. You will be able to use your mobile phone with the SIM card from your country of residence when you travel to other EU countries, with the same prices and allowances for calls and texts that you have at home, the amount of data usage could be slightly different. 

This means you have no excuse for not staying in touch and sharing your experiences with friends and family!

Travel & Save

Budget is a very important part of any trip and you will be glad to know there are cards to make your journey more affordable:

• European Youth Card: if you are under 30, check out the 60 000 discounts this card can offer you. Search the European map and find reductions on cultural activities, shops, transport, eating out and accommodation.
• ISIC Card: if you are a student, this internationally recognised student ID card can get you discounts on travel, museums and major tourist attractions worldwide. Check where you can get your card and have access to reductions in around 125 000 locations across almost 130 countries.
• If you are keen on exploring museums, it’s good to know that in some European Countries the admission to the national museums (permanent exhibitions) is mostly free, there are also schemes such as the 1st Sunday of the month or a particular weekday with free admission. As you can see there is a variety of different systems, and the good news is that there are plenty of discounts for young people – just do a little research to find out what are the best deals, and plan your stay accordingly.

Travel guides

Nowadays you don't necessarily have to carry a book around during your journey; with all these online versions you just have to choose the best for your trip:

• Trip Advisor really comes in handy! Check for reviews, recommendations and reading on prices as well as opening hours. It also has a forum, and you can find a lot of good suggestions from people who have already visited places you will only start exploring soon.
• USE-IT stands for no-nonsense tourist info for young people made by young locals. Some also have a visitors’ desk, mostly run by volunteers. Every USE-IT publishes a non-commercial, free, and up-to-date map for Young Travellers that will guide you through the city in a fresh and fun way. It combines important sights with off-the-beaten tracks and funky local suggestions. You can get a free printable version or pick your copy from an info point or your hostel upon your arrival.
• Lonely Planet: you may already know the printed version: search by country to see how to get around and what to visit.
• World travel guide: includes country and city guides, things to see and to do, as well as special information about skiing and cruise destinations.
• The Culture Trip: where to go for brunch? Which are the less touristic spots to check out in a city? What you can’t really miss? Dig into this website for some inspiration!

Getting in touch with the EU

Would you like to meet the EU bodies and organisations while travelling?
You have plenty of possibilities: 

• On the phone or by email: Eurodesk is a youth information service that answers your questions about European opportunities (e.g. European programmes for volunteering, studying or doing an internship abroad). You can contact the closest Eurodesk info point via the interactive map.
• Online: Information in all the official languages of the European Union is available on the Europa website.
• In person: All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centers.
• On the phone or by email: Europe Direct is a service which answers your questions about the European Union. You can contact this service by Freephone: 00 800 67 89 10 11 (certain mobile phone operators do not allow access to 00800 numbers or may charge for these calls) or by email.
• Read about Europe: Publications about the EU are only a click away on the EU Bookshop website.
• European Commission Representations: The Commission representation offices act as the Commission’s voice and monitor public opinion in their host country. They provide information on the EU through events and the distribution of brochures, leaflets and other materials.
• European Parliament Information Offices: Their role is to raise awareness of the European Parliament and the European Union and to encourage people to vote in European parliamentary elections.

Emergency number 

If you need urgent help from the fire brigade, a medical team or the police, remember to dial the European emergency number “112” which is is the only emergency number you can call for free in all European countries.