 The little church of St Coloma, just outside Andorra la Vella. |
London to Andorra La Vella by train...
A French count and a Spanish bishop disagreed over who should rule a small rural enclave high up in the Pyrenees. They decided to rule jointly, and the result was the Principality of Andorra, the only country in the world whose official language is Catalan. Today it's no longer rural - its spectacular scenery is home to more ski resorts and duty-free perfumeries than you can shake a stick at. But if you look hard enough, the odd bit of historical interest remains...
Andorra has no rail station or airport, but it's easy to get there by Eurostar from London to Paris, Intercités de Nuit overnight train from Paris to l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre (the station just outside Andorra) and then a bus ride across a spectacular mountain pass into Andorra. It's cheap too: If you book online in advance, London-Paris starts at just £69 return, Paris-l'Hospitalet by overnight train starts at just €20 (£18) one-way in a reclining seat or €35 (£33) in a couchette, then it's just €9.50 for the connecting bus to Andorra. That's centre-to-centre.
Train
times, fares & tickets...
London to Andorra La Vella by train
Hotels & accommodation in Andorra
General European train travel information
Luggage Taking bikes Taking dogs
Useful
country information
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Bus operator in Andorra: |
There are no trains in Andorra, but buses link it with France. |
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To check train times and fares in France and book online: www.raileurope.co.uk (UK residents) or www.voyages-sncf.com (residents of any country). To check for any disruption affecting trains in France (SNCF website, in French only), www.infolignes.com. Eurostar times & fares. Buses Andorra to Barcelona: www.autocarsnadal.com. |
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Railpasses: |
Beginner's guide to European railpasses Buy a rail pass online |
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Time zone & dialling code: |
GMT+1 (GMT+2 from last Sunday in March to last Saturday in October). Dialling code: +376 |
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Currency: |
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Tourist information: |
www.andorra.ad Tripadvisor Andorra page Hotels & accommodation |
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Page last updated: |
1 May 2013. Train times valid 9 Dec 2012 to 8 June 2013. |
London
to Andorra La Vella
Option 1: By overnight couchette train...
The direct overnight couchette train between Paris and L'Hospitalet for Andorra used to run every day all year round, a simple message to give prospective passengers. Unfortunately, from 2013 it runs on an apparently random dog's dinner of different dates, thanks to French Railways obsession for running a different train service every day and cutting back on 'quiet' departure dates, resulting in a timetable that it is impossible to convey to travellers in any coherent way. I'm surprised even the French locomotive drivers know which dates to stay in the canteen and which dates to get out and drive it! So if it's running, here's the easiest and most time-effective way to reach Andorra from London or Paris, you'll just have to check whether it's running on your date of travel using www.raileurope.co.uk or www.voyages-sncf.com. If it isn't running, use daytime trains as shown in option 2.
London ► Andorra
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Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 16:22 (16:52 on Saturdays) arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 19:47 (20:17 on Saturdays). Cross Paris by métro to the Gare d'Austerlitz.
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Travel from Paris to l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre overnight by Intercités de Nuit overnight train, leaving Paris (Gare d'Austerlitz) at 21:57 and arriving at l'Hospitalet at 07:21. This train has 1st class 4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes and 2nd class reclining seats.
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On what dates does the Paris-l'Hospitalet couchette train run? The Paris-L'Hospitalet night train used to run daily all year, but from 2013 it will run on a pretty random series of dates, impossible to understand, a real dog's dinner. The only way is to check for your date of travel using www.raileurope.co.uk or www.voyages-sncf.com.
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A daily bus service connects with the train, leaving L'Hospitalet station forecourt at 08:10 for Pas de la Casa (arriving 08:40), Soldeu (09:00), Encamp, and Andorra La Vella, arriving 09:20. It's a very scenic ride through the Pyrenees - try and get the front seats for the best views. The bus is operated by La Hispano Andorrana SL, www.andorrabus.com. Subject to cancellation when the mountain passes are blocked by snow!
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Quick links: Fares How to buy tickets Left luggage facilities in Paris Taking your bike or dog
Andorra ► London
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The bus leaves Andorra La Vella at 17:00, Soldeu at 17:35, Pas de la Casa at 18:15, arriving at l'Hospitalet station forecourt at 19:30. In Andorra la Vella, the bus does not leave from the bus station, but from bus stop number 510 outside the Poste Française (French post office). The bus will be at this stop at about 16:50, then it will wait until 17:00, so get there in good time. The bus company is La Hispano Andorrana SL, www.andorrabus.com. On arrival at l'Hospitalet, the station ticket office, waiting room and toilets will be open until the departure of the night express for Paris, so you will have somewhere warm to wait...
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Travel from l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre to Paris by Intercités de Nuit overnight couchette train, leaving l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre at 20:50, arriving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 07:22 next morning. It has 1st class 4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes and reclining seats. Cross Paris by métro to the Gare du Nord.
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On what dates does the l'Hospitalet-Paris couchette train run? The Paris-L'Hospitalet night train used to run daily all year, but from 2013 it will run on a pretty random series of dates, impossible to understand, a real dog's dinner. The only way is to check for your date of travel using www.raileurope.co.uk or www.voyages-sncf.com.
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A Eurostar leaves Paris Gare du Nord at 09:13 and arrives London St Pancras at 10:36.
What's it like on the Intercités de Nuit overnight train from Paris to l'Hospitalet?
The train has air-conditioned couchette cars and a reclining seats car. Couchettes are flat padded bunks, each provided with a clean pillow and (on these French overnight trains) a special lightweight sleeping-bag, a welcome change from the traditional sheet and blanket. 2nd class couchettes have 6 bunks per compartment (upper, middle and lower on each side of the compartment), 1st class couchettes have 4 bunks (upper and lower each side). There are washrooms and toilets at the end of the corridor.
Formerly branded Lunéa, French overnight trains are now branded 'Intercités de Nuit', and each couchette passenger gets a small bottle of mineral water, earplugs (if you really feel you need them), and tissues. There's a security lock on the door which cannot be opened from outside, and staff are on hand if you need them. Only passengers with tickets and reservations are allowed on board, and there are minimal stops between midnight and 06:00 to ensure a safe and smooth journey through the night.
Men and women share the same compartments in couchettes, as you don't normally fully undress, but on French night trains, women travelling alone can ask for a place in a ladies-only compartment.
The train also has reclining seats, but a couchette allows you to sleep properly and is recommended.
Above right: The night train between l'Hospitalet and Paris, seen at the end of the line at Latour de Carol.
Near right: An air-conditioned French 2nd class couchette compartment with 6-bunks on the night train to l'Hospitalet.
Far right: 1st class couchettes have 4 berths and are carpeted and generally more comfortable. 1st class couchettes are wider and softer than the 2nd class couchettes.
The bus from l'Hospitalet to Andorra...
The bus ride across the Pyrenean mountain passes into Andorra is spectacular, although a new tunnel cuts off part of the original road over the pass. Get the front seats for the best views... www.andorrabus.com for bus times.
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How much does it cost?
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1. London to Paris by Eurostar: |
From £39 one-way, £69 return 2nd class. From £107 one-way, £189 return 1st class. Child, youth, senior fares |
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2. Paris to l 'Hospitalet by overnight train: |
In a 2nd class reclining seat: |
In a
2nd class
6-berth couchette: |
In a
1st class
4-berth couchette: |
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Cheap Prems fares: |
From £18 each way |
From £33 each way |
From £57 each way |
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Regular fare: |
£78 each way |
£104 each way |
£147 each way |
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3. l'Hospitalet to |
About €9.50 (£8.50) one way, buy tickets from the driver on board the bus. |
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Buy tickets online at
www.raileurope.co.uk...
If you live in the UK, the best way to buy tickets for both Eurostar and the Paris-l'Hospitalet overnight train is online at www.raileurope.co.uk. Using www.raileurope.co.uk you can buy your Eurostar and onward tickets to l'Hospitalet together all in one place without relying on postage from France, it's easy to use, and prices are in pounds. If you use a debit card and collect tickets at the station there are no fees, and it's backed by a UK call centre if you need any help. Please read these tips before booking:
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Children under 4 go free, no ticket required. Children = children over 4 but under 12. Youth = anyone under 26. Senior = anyone over 60. Buy a special add-on ticket from almost any station in Britain to London International (St Pancras) |
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How to use this online booking form ...
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This booking form links to www.raileurope.co.uk. Tickets can be collected at St Pancras or stations in France free of charge, or sent to a UK address for a £2.25 fee. There's no fee for debit cards, but they charge a 2.5% credit card fee. Only UK credit cards are accepted.
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Reservations for French trains open 90 days before departure. You can't book before reservations open, but if you ask www.raileurope.co.uk for a date more than 90 days ahead, it may offer to send an email reminder when reservations open. Eurostar reservations open 120 days ahead, but I strongly recommend waiting till 90 days & book all your trains together. Note that the 90 days is often squeezed to maybe 60 for travel in the few weeks immediately after the European timetable changes in mid-June & mid-December.
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To see the cheap fares, treat London to l'Hospitalet as two separate journeys, one from London to Paris, the other Paris to l'Hospitalet.
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First book the train from Paris to L'Hospitalet and back. Enter 'Paris' and 'l'Hospitalet pres l'Andorre' and your dates of travel. Make sure you book a couchette, not just a seat. Add it to your basket. Double-check the trains departure/arrival times before booking the Eurostar connection, in case they change due to engineering work.
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Then click 'Continue Shopping' and book the Eurostar from London to Paris and back as a separate journey. Use the Eurostar times on this page as a guide, but feel free to choose an earlier Eurostar from London, or a later Eurostar returning from Paris, if these have cheaper seats available or if you'd like to stop off in Paris. Don't forget that on your return journey, your departure date from Paris to London will be the day after your departure date from l'Hospitalet to Paris!
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Tickets are sent from a UK office and normally arrive through the post in a couple of days.
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There is no need to pre-book the bus from l'Hospitalet to Andorra. Just turn up, hop on and buy your ticket on the bus from the driver. You can check bus times at www.andorrabus.com.
How to buy tickets by phone or in
person...
You can buy tickets from any UK European rail booking agency, including Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 09:00-19:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, £8 booking fee) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 772050 (8% booking fee). Rail Europe have a travel centre for personal callers at 193 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EU, open 10:00-18:00 Mon-Fri, 10:00-17:00 Saturdays. For more information about how to buy European train tickets, see the London to Europe general information page.
How
to buy tickets online at
www.eurostar.com &
www.voyages-sncf.com...
Anyone from any country worldwide can buy tickets direct from the relevant train operator websites as follows:
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How far ahead can you book? French trains open for booking 92 days before departure, you cannot book before bookings open. Eurostar bookings open 120 days ahead, but I strongly recommend waiting and buying all your tickets at the same time. I suggest doing a 'dry run' on both sites before booking for real, to double-check prices, availability and exact timings for each part of the journey.
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If you live in the UK, it can be better to buy all your tickets from www.raileurope.co.uk as shown above. Then you can buy your Eurostar & TGV tickets together in one place without relying on post from France, prices are (or should be) the same as on www.voyages-sncf.com, and it's backed by a UK call centre. On the other hand, there are no credit card or postage fees at www.voyages-sncf.com and prices are in euros so it's a fraction cheaper because you'll get a better exchange rate from your own bank. It also allows you to request specific seating options (such as a table for two in 1st class) which Rail Europe currently doesn't. But it's your call!
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Step 1: Book the train from Paris to l'Hospitalet. Buy your tickets at the official French Railways website www.voyages-sncf.com using these step-by-step instructions. Tickets can be collected at the station in Paris. Double-check the Paris departure/arrival times before booking the Eurostar.
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Step 2: Book the Eurostar from London to Paris. Go to www.eurostar.com and book a suitable Eurostar from London to Paris and back. Use the Eurostar times on this page as a guide, but feel free to choose an earlier Eurostar from London or a later Eurostar back from Paris if these have cheaper seats available or if you'd like to stop off in Paris. You can print out your own ticket, or collect it at the station at London St Pancras. Easy!
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There is no need to pre-book the bus from l'Hospitalet to Andorra. Just turn up, hop on and buy your ticket on the bus from the driver. You can check bus times at www.andorrabus.com.
Option 2: By daytime trains...
This option runs daily all year round. In the outward direction, it's not possible all in one day, so an overnight stop in Paris is required, but in the return direction you can get from Andorra to London the same day.
London ► Andorra
- Travel from London to Paris by any afternoon or evening Eurostar you like. The last one is the 20:01 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Paris Gare du Nord 23:17, or the 20:31 on Sundays arriving Paris Gare du Nord 23:47.
- Stay overnight in Paris.
Hotel recommendations near the Gare du Nord here.
Travel from Paris to Toulouse by TGV or Téoz train. Again, French Railways seems to offer a different train service on every date. However, you'll often find a high-speed TGV from Paris Montparnasse at 09:28 arriving Toulouse Matabiau at 14:57 - just check trains for your date of travel using www.raileurope.co.uk or www.voyages-sncf.com.
Travel from Toulouse to l'Hospitalet pres l'Andorre by TER (Train Exprès Regional) local train, departing Toulouse Matabiau at 16:49 and arriving l'Hospitalet at 19:20. This train runs daily, except for 18 March to 7 April 2013. In summer when it's light, this is a very scenic ride.
A daily bus service connects with the train, leaving L'Hospitalet station forecourt at 19:45 for Pas de la Casa (arriving 20:00), Soldeu (20:25), Encamp, and Andorra La Vella, arriving 21:05. In summer when it's still light, this is a very scenic ride through the Pyrenees - try and get the front seats for the best views. The bus is operated by La Hispano Andorrana SL, www.andorrabus.com. Subject to cancellation when the mountain passes are blocked by snow!
Andorra ► London
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Travel from Andorra to l'Hospitalet by bus, leaving Andorra La Vella at 05:45, Soldeu at 06:10, Pas de la Casa at 06:40, arriving at l'Hospitalet station forecourt at 07:10. In Andorra la Vella, the bus does not leave from the bus station, but from bus stop number 510 outside the Poste Française (French post office). Get there in good time. The bus company is La Hispano Andorrana SL, www.andorrabus.com.
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Travel from l'Hospitalet to Toulouse by TER (Train Exprès Regional) local train, leaving l'Hospitalet at 07:52 and arriving Toulouse Matabiau at 10:16. This is a very scenic ride!
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Travel from Toulouse to Paris. Train service varies by date, though on most day's you'll find a high-speed TGV leaving Toulouse Matabiau at 13:04 arriving Paris Montparnasse at 18:33 or on many days a 125mph Téoz train at 10:45 or 10:49 arrivjng Paris Austerlitz at 17:18 or 17:30 - just check trains for your date of travel using www.raileurope.co.uk or www.voyages-sncf.com. Make sure you allow at least 20 minutes to change trains in Toulouse. Cross Paris by métro to the Gare du Nord.
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Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 20:13 arriving London St Pancras at 21:39.
How much does it cost?
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London-Paris starts at £39 one-way, £69 return. The price varies like air fares, book early for the cheapest price.
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Paris to Toulouse starts at €25 each way 2nd class, €45 in 1st class. The price varies like air fares, book early for the cheapest price.
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Toulouse to l'Hospitalet costs €22.50 each way, fixed-price local ticket, no reservation required.
How to buy tickets...
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Booking usually opens 92 days ahead.
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UK residents can buy all their train tickets together at www.raileurope.co.uk. I recommend booking Paris to l'Hospitalet and back first, making sure you choose a train that arrives in l'Hospitalet at 19:20 or earlier southbound, departing from l'Hospitalet at 07:10 northbound. Add this to your basket, then add the Eurostar connection as a separate ticket.
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Anyone from any country can book from Paris to l'Hospitalet at the French Railways website www.voyages-sncf.com. Do this first and confirm times. Then book London to Paris and/or Paris to London at www.eurostar.com.
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There is no need to pre-book the bus from l'Hospitalet to Andorra. Just turn up, hop on and buy your ticket on the bus from the driver. You can check bus times at www.andorrabus.com.
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TGV 2nd class (left) & 1st class (right). The interior is designed by Christian Lacriox, with power sockets at all seats. On the TGV Atlantique route from Paris to Toulouse via Bordeaux, one 1st class car has a conventional 'open plan' layout, the other two have a unique layout with bays of two seats facing across a table one side of the aisle, and semi-compartments of 4 seats around a table on the other, as pictured above. Very civilised! 1st class photo courtesy of Rafal Tomasik. |
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Moving
on from Andorra...
Andorra to Barcelona...
If you are heading on to Spain, the bus connections back to l'Hospitalet do not work well with the local railway to Barcelona. However, there are regular buses between Andorra and Barcelona taking about 4 hours, see www.autocarsnadal.com. There are trains from Latour de Carol to Barcelona, see www.renfe.com (the Barcelona-Latour de Carol route is classed as a Barcelona suburban service, so ignore the main journey planner, leave the site in Spanish mode, and look for the 'Cercanias' link below the main enquiry form on their home page. Select the Barcelona suburban area).
Andorra to Perpignan: Le petit train jaune...
If you don't mind paying for a taxi between Andorra and Latour de Carol (there's now no bus service), the scenic narrow gauge 'petit train jaune' runs from Latour de Carol through the Pyrenees twice-daily in winter, much more frequently in summer, connecting with a standard gauge service at Villefranche at the eastern end of the line into Perpignan. This makes for a very scenic and interesting alternative route into/out of Andorra. The 'petit train jaune' is run by the French national train operator SNCF, so train times, fares and online ticketing for the petit train jaune can all be done through the SNCF website, www.voyages-sncf.com. For info of the Petit Train Jaune, see www.trains-touristiques.sncf.com/region.asp?menu=1&train=jaune&lang=fr. For train times between London and Perpignan, see the London to France page.
Right: The Petit Train Jaune from Perpignan/Villefranche to Latour de Carol...
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Find hotels
in Andorra
◄◄◄◄ Search all the main hotel booking sites at once...
I'm a big fan of www.hotelscombined.com as it checks all the main hotel booking sites (Opodo, Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com, AsiaRooms, LateRooms etc.) to find the widest choice of hotels & the cheapest rates. Try it and see! |
Travel
insurance & health card...
Get travel insurance, it's essential...
 |
Never travel without insurance from a reliable travel insurer with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover. It should also cover loss of cash (up to a limit) & belongings, and cancellation. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself). Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, though, see the advice on missed connections here. Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.
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Get an EU health card, it's free...
If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS. This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006. The EHIC card is available from www.ehic.org.uk. It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.
Get a spare credit card, designed for foreign travel with no currency exchange loading & low/no ATM fees
Taking out an extra credit card costs nothing, but if you keep it in a different part of your luggage you won't be left stranded if your wallet gets stolen. In addition, some credit cards are better for overseas travel than others. Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.
You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.
Get an international SIM card
to save on mobile data and phone calls...
Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find a huge bill. Consider buying a global pre-paid SIM card for your mobile phone from www.Go-Sim.com, which can slash costs by up to 85%. Go-Sim cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries. It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home. It also allows cheap data access for laptops & PDAs. A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not used between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.