Travelling Europe

Europe travel

With so many countries packed into such a small space, you’ll never run out of places to explore in Europe. Here’s our handy guide to everything you need to know.

Money

Across Europe there are 28 different currencies in use, with the euro being the currency of 21 countries and four microstates. One pound is currently worth euros.

The other currencies are the Albanian lek, the Armenian dram, the Azerbaijani manat, the Belarusian ruble, the Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the British pound, the Bulgarian lev, the Croatian kuna, the Czech koruna, the Danish krone, the Georgian lari, the Hungarian forint, the Icelandic króna, the Macedonian denar, the Moldovan leu, the Norwegian krone, the Polish złoty, the Romanian leu, the Russian ruble, the Serbian dinar, the Swedish krona, the Swiss franc, the Turkish lira and the Ukrainian hryvnia.

For up to date rates and more information on the euro, check out our dedicated pounds to euro guide.

Travelling around Europe

By plane

Although Europe is a small continent by the standards of the rest of the world, travelling by plane is a quick and easy way to get from country to country without a fuss. There are plenty of budget airlines to choose from, from the notorious Ryanair and EasyJet to Vueling and Norwegian. To get the best deals, be super flexible and book as far in advance as possible, and you may even be able to find flights for as little as £9.99.

By train

Travelling Europe by train is an iconic way to get around, and with so many different countries and cultures so close together, you can comfortably visit several in one day. Train travel in Europe is known for its amazing views, such as the Bernina Express through Switzerland and Italy, and the Bergen Line across the delights of Norway. Another popular option for European rail travel is interrailing: buying a rail pass that allows you to travel across all the participating countries, getting on and off wherever you choose. Some good interrailing options are Interrail and Eurail.

Within cities

The majority of European cities will have a well-developed public transport system, including buses, trains, trams and metro lines. Popular destinations such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Madrid even run 24 hours a day, meaning you’ll always be able to get yourself home!