Travel Tips

Is there a ZIP code I can enter when paying-at-the-pump in the USA with a foreign credit card?

10/20/2016 12:04:56 AM Table of Contents Swiss credit cardsAustralian credit cardsSwedish Credit CardsGerman Credit CardsUK Credit CardsCanadian Credit Cards Swiss credit cards Not tried yet at the pump. At a Long Island Railroad ticket machine in New York City, the code was asked. I accidentally tapped the “Continue” button on the touchscreen witout typing any […]

Is this banknote still acceptable in Switzerland?

Is this banknote still acceptable in Switzerland?

9/5/2021 1:44:19 AM In 2015, I found an even older CHF 50 banknote in my grandparents’ house. It belonged to a series older than the 8th from which the picture is from. That one was no more legal tender since decades, for sure. Some Swiss coins found in the same box were stamped with the […]

Free access to Venice museums for the disabled, but with parking

6/22/2016 8:49:11 PM Since your parking venue in Fusina is Parcheggio custodito 24h, you probably have a simple solution, at least to solve the Blue Badge problem. Make a photocopy of your Blue Badge, and take the original and the photocopy to the car park attendant. Since the car park is staffed 24 hours per […]

Are steam train rides safe?

4/30/2021 5:50:23 PM Table of Contents SAFE – because of a wave of new Federal regulationsOperator error is largely off the listHow the government regulates tourist railwaysCoach rolling stockTrackwaysSignaling/interlockingElectrificationCrashworthinessMaintenance of carriagesMaintenance of infrastructureMethod of workingBoiler maintenanceConclusion SAFE – because of a wave of new Federal regulations In 1999 the Federal Railroad Administration massively rewrote the […]

EURO 2016: floods, mass protests, state of emergency… What are the consequences for visitors?

6/3/2016 8:15:17 PM There is always a difference between what you see in the media and the reality. I live in Paris. The current flood is not common but more because it is happening in June than for its intensity. There are floods in Paris almost every 2-3 years. Usually the avenue along the Seine […]

When flying on a very tight schedule, are you obligated to run to make it to the next gate on a connection?

7/25/2016 4:00:59 PM Technically, ‘No’. You are ultimately responsible for accepting the connection as part of your booking, so you must accept the consequences of it. If we take as a starting point, booking a flight from A to B and not turning up, then I am sure you would agree that is not the […]

What is this island in the South China Sea called?

What is this island in the South China Sea called?

7/19/2020 9:36:11 PM As a more generic solution, try using Google reverse image search, e.g. in Chrome: -> If using a web browser other than Google Chrome, go to https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch and click on the camera icon: If an airline erroneously refuses to check in a passenger on the grounds of incomplete paperwork (eg visa), is […]

Are there any non-obvious differentiators in travel-insurance policies?

6/16/2016 5:19:48 AM Travel Insurance is not a commodity, and can vary widely between companies. You’ll usually be offered insurance at the same time as booking a holiday, but can arrange separately – here’s what you need to check out; Is Your Destination Covered? It sounds obvious, but policies vary and if you don’t know […]

Why is the departures level always above the arrivals level?

6/22/2015 2:13:29 PM There actually is a right answer to this. Surprised it’s not here yet. Look at the airport this way: | (*) Departures Jet Bridge _|_ ________________________________________________ (*)/===\(*) |_____________________________________|__________|___( . )___________ |_________//__________________________| (o) \___/ Arrivals Airport Guts How high are planes? The jet bridge needs to be one story above ground for passengers […]

Why does Rotterdam not want me to lean against buildings?

5/20/2016 3:54:41 PM I have done an internet search in Dutch, I did not find the ‘do not lean against buildings’ for Rotterdam, nor in general neither for this one event. In the Netherlands it is quite common for cities to have special rules ‘with status of law’ for special events. The Ingress event is […]

If an airline erroneously refuses to check in a passenger on the grounds of incomplete paperwork (eg visa), is the passenger entitled to compensation?

4/15/2020 2:57:19 AM To answer somewhat indirectly: someone who is in this situation is probably better off initiating a dispute with their credit card company (assuming the tickets were purchased with a credit card). Some years ago I was denied boarding on a flight, for a reason I didn’t understand at the time, and can […]

Am I entitled to a refund on a non-refundable booking that has been cancelled by the hotel

3/18/2020 8:49:50 AM It might actually depend on where the hotel is. Yes, EU contract law normally guarantees that you are entitled to a refund, but there are some EU governments that have taken extraordinary measures in order to reduce the monetary stress on the hotel and culture sector. For example, the Belgian government has […]

Is it possible to walk from Gatwick Airport station to Travelodge Gatwick?

10/13/2022 3:56:03 PM Having made the journey in both directions only yesterday, I can confirm that this is a fairly easy 10 minute walk but since the route of about 200m nearest the Travelodge is designated as the West Sussex nature trail this doesn’t have hard footings and is, by its nature, uneven and potentially […]

Does Venice smell?

9/4/2014 6:47:32 AM It does smell a bit, and it’s not a nice smell, but at the same time it’s not so disgusting that it should put you off going. How to avoid hotels with bellhops in the USA 9/3/2014 8:32:26 PM I was in Venice about 6 weeks ago, and heard the same thing […]

Cashless visit to the USA?

3/11/2020 7:45:04 PM Locally: Public transit is cash only (unless you have a weekly or monthly pass), exact change required. Taxis take credit cards but charge you an extra $3 to do so. The closest national park accepts cards but the link is poor enough that they have a sign up about cash being faster. […]

Are non-Korean tourists speaking in Korean frowned upon in North Korea?

8/30/2017 3:20:53 PM As with any country I visit I spoke some basic local language (Hello, good morning, goodbye, thank you etc) to the guides, bus drivers and the small number of ‘locals’ I encountered as I believe this is the courteous and polite thing to do when visiting someone else country. They all seemed […]

Is using Swiss Francs (CHF) cheaper than Euros (EUR) in Switzerland?

12/13/2019 9:05:00 AM The answers so far provide you some good insight as to why you might want to prefer cash CHF vs cash EUR. Allow me to add my view on avoiding this altogether. If you are only travelling temporary and you use cash, they you always have some loss as you can’d budget […]

Call local emergency number using a foreign mobile number

1/3/2022 11:10:58 AM Per Emergency Communication Version 1.0 01 July 2021 – GSMA (PDF) When an end user dials a number related to an emergency, or a [sic], the UE shall check if this number is identified as a valid emergency number. The following nominal cases are identified by the UE as valid emergency scenarios: […]

Airline power sockets shut down when I plug my computer in. How can I avoid that?

8/16/2019 11:37:13 PM You are most likely drawing more than 100 watts of power. According to Acer, the Predator Helios 300 comes with either a 135 watt or 180 watt power supply, depending on model. The airplane outlet is likely correct in detecting a current overdraw and shutting down. In my experience, the outlet limiters […]

How to avoid hotels with bellhops in the USA

9/23/2016 11:17:01 AM Almost every hotel in the US will have a “bellhop” service. Normally though you have to ask for it. Generally while the service still exists, there is no longer a person that does it, and if you ask, one of the courtesy staff will come lug your stuff around for you. It’s […]

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