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Tips for Planning Your Business Trip to Europe

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Do your professional obligations require you to travel to Europe for your upcoming conference, business meeting, or any other work-related occasion? If so, here is a list of some vital items to consider and to carry with you for a secure, enjoyable, and successful business trip.

Getting Started

Before doing anything further, we strongly advise you to do some study and familiarize yourself with the area by consulting an online guide with a current map. The European Union, the Eurozone, and the Schengen area are not synonymous with Europe, which is the actual continent. While a nation (like the Czech Republic or Poland) can be an EU member and not use euros, the opposite is not necessarily true. Schengen includes Switzerland, which is not an EU or Eurozone member. Therefore, it pays to know precisely where you are going and what your needs will be.

Prepare Travel Documents

Your personal travel documents are the most obvious things to have before your flight, whether you’re leaving from New York, Cape Town, or Melbourne. They include your passport, visa, photo ID, flight ticket, insurance cards, and hotel reservation confirmation. Therefore, make sure they are completely up to date to prevent any last-minute scheduling or organizational concerns. Furthermore, carrying them in a secure, readily available place is wise.

Be Sure of Visa Requirements

If you are traveling to Europe from the US, being refused entry into the destination because you lack a tourist visa is a surefire way to ruin your trip. While most European nations don’t demand a visa for brief visits, it’s best to be aware of those that do.

You may learn about tourist visa requirements before your trip and whether you need to buy a visa in person at the airport or online. However, it’s always a good idea to find out in advance. There are several sources online that detail visa requirements.

Purchase Travel Insurance

It’s never a good idea to believe there won’t be any risks involved when crossing international borders. Always be ready for anything that might occur, such as being sick or getting into an accident. It’s a good idea to get an additional plan to cover any medical costs if your insurance doesn’t provide coverage abroad. Thankfully, there are many inexpensive solutions on the internet to choose from.

Exchange Currency and Money

As already mentioned, not every European nation uses the euro as its official currency. In particular, it should be noted that Romania, Sweden, and Denmark have not joined the Eurozone. The UK, incidentally, is a member of neither the EU, Schengen, nor the Eurozone.

However, if you unintentionally switched your Dollars to Euros for your future business trip to London, you may want to make a change. Currency experts from ExchangeRates.org.uk advise using a handy Euro to Sterling Pound conversion tool to stay current with the best and most accurate rates. Doing so will take advantage of the best deals available and avert any future costly misunderstandings.

While it may seem that credit cards are now accepted almost everywhere, it’s common for European establishments to only accept cash. Your transactions will go more smoothly, and you’ll save on international transaction fees if you have the correct cash for tips, taxi rides, restaurants, purchases at local markets, and daily activities. You might even consider taking out a personal loan to ensure that you have adequate amounts of cash on hand.

Have an Adequate Briefcase or Travel Bag

You are a thoughtful and methodical businessperson who understands the value of having a durable, trustworthy travel bag to carry all your possessions and documentation with you wherever you go. You can choose between a useful backpack and a more conventional briefcase for your bag. There are countless models available online, regardless of your preferences, that will let you travel in luxury without sacrificing functionality.

Carry Tech and Backups

You must make sure you have all of your electronic devices. This includes devices such as computers, cell phones, tablets, charging cords, and e-readers. These essentials will keep you up and running no matter what else happens. Also, it’s always a good idea to take a USB power bank and enough electrical adapters to keep your workstations charged and functional. You certainly don’t want to come up short before an important meeting or a conference call.

Familiarize Yourself with European Train Travel

In Europe, taking the train is frequently faster and, depending on your destination, easier than taking a plane. Because some options are not offered at the kiosks, purchase your ticket in person at the train station. In addition, to avoid fines, make sure you confirm your ticket before boarding the train.

Obtain the Best Flight Accessories

First, it’s important to be ready for lengthy aircraft travel. As a point of comparison, Sydney to Berlin is at least a 17-hour flight from New York, but London is only 7 hours. Therefore, it’s wise to bring a few items that will keep you amused, cozy, and clean. These should include:

  • A neck pillow
  • A good eye mask
  • Noise-canceling earplugs or earbuds
  • Book, trip guide, and word search for reading and cognitive activities
  • Bag of portable toiletries, including eye drops, a small toothbrush, and toothpaste.

Make Certain that all Bookings are Confirmed.

Take some time before you leave to ensure all your bookings have been received and confirmed. It adds to your peace of mind and can be a fail-safe for any inadvertent miscommunications. Even the best plans sometimes go awry. Therefore, always double-check before departure to avoid gaps or glitches in your trip.

Furthermore, documents with any specific instructions you might need should be printed out or stored digitally in a location that is easy to find. This might include contact information, travel instructions, check-in policies, or significant reminders.

You may also want to set up any favorite travel apps or guides you wish to download to your smartphone. In addition, making and confirming dinner reservations for your trip can be very helpful. After all, a well-fed traveler is a happy traveler!

Conclusion

Europe continues to be a very popular location for business travelers. Whatever your stay’s length, these suggestions will help you have the most enjoyable, organized, and comfortable trip possible. Happy traveling!

Adam is a proud American citizen, entrepreneur, 2x founder, father of 2, and married. He considers himself a Constitutional Conservative and loves to golf and read books when he’s not running his businesses and writing content.

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