Church of St Coloma, 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.

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 closest to Andorra) and then by road through the Pyrenees into Andorra la Vella.  Alternatively, you can travel by train to Toulouse then take a bus from Toulouse station to Andorra la Vella.  This page explains how...

  London to Andorra La Vella by train

  Andorra to Barcelona

  Useful country information

  Hotels & accommodation in Andorra

  General European train travel information

  Luggage   Taking bikes   Taking dogs

Useful country information

London to Andorra La Vella

There are no trains in Andorra, the closest railway station is l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre, a little station in France on the scenic local line from Toulouse towards Latour de Carol in the Pyrenees.  An Intercité de Nuit overnight train links Paris with l'Hospitalet every night all year round.  Sadly, the bus from l'Hospitalet to Andorra ceased in 2019, but you can take a taxi, a very scenic ride.  Alternatively, you can get off the night train in Toulouse and take a bus to Andorra from there, this takes longer but avoids the expense of a taxi.  If you'd prefer daytime trains to a sleeper, see option 2, which suggests taking Eurostar to Paris, a daytime TGV high-speed train to Toulouse then a scheduled bus to Andorra.

Option 1, by overnight train

London ► Andorra (by taxi from l'Hospitalet)

• Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 15:31 arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:50.

  Cross Paris by taxi or métro to the Gare d'Austerlitz.

  There's a later Eurostar at 16:22, but I recommend taking an earlier departure for a more robust connection and to have dinner in Paris at the Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon.  After dinner, stroll over the bridge across the Seine to the Gare d'Austerlitz.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre by Intercité de Nuit, leaving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 21:14 & arriving l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre at 08:40.

  The Intercité de Nuit has 1st class 4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes & 2nd class reclining seats.

  The Paris-L'Hospitalet night train should run daily all year, but there are occasional dates or periods when it doesn't run due to track work, so check for your date of travel at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  It also has an annoying habit of opening late for booking, less than the expected 4 months ahead, so don't be too impatient.  If it's not running to l'Hospitalet on your date of travel, it might still be running from Paris to Toulouse.

• Step 3, travel from l'Hospitalet to Andorra la Vella by road.

  A daily connecting bus used to meet the train, operated by La Hispano Andorrana SL, www.andorrabus.com, a very scenic ride through the Pyrenees.  However, after running for decades this bus was discontinued in 2019.  So until or unless this bus is reinstated, you need a taxi.

  A taxi all the way from L'Hospitalet to Andorra la Vella (38 km) costs around €75 & takes around 55 minutes, feedback appreciated.  Call Altitud Taxis, 00 376 856255 or 00 33 561644714.

  To reduce the cost, take a taxi the 14 km (8 miles, 19 minutes) from l'Hospitalet station to Pas de la Casa just inside Andorra, this should cost €35 per taxi.  Call Altitud Taxis, 00 376 856255 or 00 33 561644714.  You then take the hourly local bus (bus L4) from Pas de la Casa to Andorra le Vella for €6.20, taking 1h05.

• Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 15:31 arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:50.

  Cross Paris by taxi or métro to the Gare d'Austerlitz.

  There's a later Eurostar at 16:22, but I recommend taking an earlier departure for a more robust connection and to have dinner in Paris at the Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon.  After dinner, stroll over the bridge across the Seine to the Gare d'Austerlitz.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Toulouse by Intercité de Nuit, leaving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 21:14 & arriving Toulouse Matabiau at 05:54.

  The Intercité de Nuit has 1st class 4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes & 2nd class reclining seats.

  French night trains have an annoying habit of opening late for booking, often much less than the expected 4 months ahead, so don't be too impatient.  Times may vary, check them for your date online.

  Tip:  Don't worry about the early arrival, I can recommend the breakfast buffet at the Pullman Hotel, a few minutes walk from the station.

• Step 3, travel from Toulouse to Andorra by bus.

  A bus run by Andbus (www.andorrabybus.com) typically leaves Toulouse at 11:00, arriving Andorra la Vella bus station at 15:00.  Check current times at www.andorrabybus.com, I'd allow at least an hour between train and bus in Toulouse in case of delay.

  The bus leaves from bus stand 15 inside the Gare Routière (bus station) immediately outside Toulouse Matabiau station.  Simply walk out of the station onto the forecourt and look to your right.  The bus station is the modern building with the glass-and-blue-framework upper section, see the photos below.

Andorra ► London (by taxi to l'Hospitalet)

• Step 1, travel from Andorra to l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre by road.

  For decades a bus ran in connection with the night train to Paris, run by La Hispano Andorrana SL, www.andorrabus.com and leaving Andorra La Vella at 16:45, Soldeu 17:35, Pas de la Casa 18:15, arriving at l'Hospitalet station forecourt at 18:45.  Unfortunately, this bus was discontinued in 2019, meaning you need a taxi for at least part of the journey.

  A taxi the whole 38 km from Andorra la Vella to l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre station costs around €75, journey time 55 minutes.

  To reduce the cost. take the hourly local bus (bus L4) from Andorra la Vella bus station to Pas de la Casa close to the French border, this costs €6.20 and takes 1h05.  Then take a taxi 14 km (8 miles, 19 minutes) to l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre station, costing €35.  I recommend pre-booking the taxi, try Altitud Taxis, 00 376 856255 or 00 33 561644714.

• Step 2, travel from l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre to Paris by Intercité de Nuit overnight train, leaving l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre at 19:17, arriving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 06:50 next morning.

  The Intercité de Nuit has 1st class 4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes and reclining seats. 

  The L'Hospitalet-Paris night train should run every night all year, but there may be odd dates or periods when it doesn't run due to engineering work.  Confirm exact times for your date of travel at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Cross Paris by taxi or métro to the Gare du Nord.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, normally leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 09:13 and arriving London St Pancras at 10:30.

Andorra ► London (by bus to Toulouse)

• Step 1, travel from Andorra to Toulouse by bus.

  A bus run by Andbus (www.andorrabybus.com) typically leaves Andorra la Vella bus station at 15:00, arriving Toulouse Matabiau bus station (next to Toulouse Matabiau railway station) at 18:45.  Check current times at www.andorrabybus.com.  Have dinner in Toulouse, there are plenty of places near the station.

• Step 2, travel from l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre or Toulouse to Paris by Intercité de Nuit overnight train, leaving Toulouse Matabiau at 22:48, arriving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 06:50 next morning.  Times may vary, check them for your date online.

  The Intercité de Nuit has 1st class 4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes and reclining seats. 

  The night train should run every night all year, but there may be odd dates or periods when it doesn't run due to engineering work.  Confirm exact times for your date of travel at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Cross Paris by taxi or métro to the Gare du Nord.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, normally leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 09:03 and arriving London St Pancras at 10:39.

How much does it cost?

How to buy tickets

• Step 1, use www.raileurope.com to book from London or any station in Britain to Paris, add to basket, then book Paris to Toulouse or l'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre, add to basket & check out.

  Make sure you allow at least 90 minutes between trains in Paris, ideally more.  Use the suggested times above as your guide.

  You can buy one-way or return tickets in either direction.  Infants under 4 go free, no ticket necessary, children under 12 travel at the child rate.  There's a small booking fee.  Who are Raileurope.com?

• Step 2,  if using the bus between Toulouse and Andorra, book the bus online at www.andorrabybus.com.  If using a taxi from l'Hospitalet, pre-book with Altitud Taxis, 00 376 856255 or 00 33 561644714.

• International credit cards accepted!  Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com, as all credit cards are accepted and you'll usually get a print-at-home or a collect-at-station ticket.

• Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, but I recommend waiting until your onward French trains open for booking, so that times & prices can be confirmed before you buy a non-refundable non-changeable Eurostar ticket.  Just so you know, the big annual timetable change happens on the 2nd Sunday in December, and most years, bookings for dates after this up to and including the Christmas & New Year period open around mid-October, significantly less than 4 months ahead.  Intercité de Nuit overnight train sometimes open significantly less than 4 months ahead, sometimes as little as 30 or 40, so don't be too impatient.

• Fares vary like air fares, so book as far ahead as you can:  Fares for Eurostar & French long-distance trains are cheaper in advance, more expensive closer to the date of travel, so book as early as you can and search for the cheapest departures.  Remember that the cheapest tickets mean no refunds, no changes.

• Tip:  Upgrade to 1st class on the French train often for little extra cost!  Most booking sites won't let you mix & match 2nd class on Eurostar (on which 1st class is expensive) with 1st class on your onward French train, on which 1st class can cost little more than 2nd class and can even be cheaper, because of the way the pricing quotas work.  With raileurope.com there's an easy solution:  Before running the enquiry, click '+ Add via/stopover', enter Paris Nord (or Lille), select 'specific duration' & enter (say) 1 hour.  In the search results, instead of showing a total price for London to your French destination, it will allow you to select a class & price from London to Paris (or Lille) and a separate class & price from Paris (or Lille) to your final destination.  See if there's a cheap 1st class fare for your onward French train!

• Tip:  Don't be afraid to split the booking in Paris.  For complete control, first book from your local station to Paris, add to basket, then book from Paris to l'Hospitalet remembering to allow at least 60 minutes to cross Paris trains southbound, 90 minutes (to include the Eurostar check-in) northbound.  Southbound, I'd allow 90 minutes between trains when catching a sleeper, rather than just 60.  Add to basket and checkout.  You can easily adjust the Paris time this way, to stop off in Paris or perhaps have dinner.  SNCF's database now has some sub-standard 40-minute cross-Paris connections when I'd recommend at least 60 minutes southbound or 90 minutes when catching a sleeper train, splitting the booking allows you to avoid those.

• Tip:  If you want sole or dual occupancy of a couchette compartment on a French overnight train:  On French overnight trains you can book sole or dual occupancy of a 4-berth couchette compartment, this facility is called Espace Privatif, see details of the cost & how to buy tickets here.  You can book espace privatif on www.thetrainline.com, you can't do it on raileurope.com.  If an espace privatif  option shows up, fine, if it doesn't it's unavailable, then the solution is to book all the berths in a compartment by adding phantom child tickets.

• Train seat numbering plans:  TGV seat numbering plans.  Couchette numbering plans.

Or buy at Thetrainline.com

• I recommend www.thetrainline.com for the same reasons as Raileurope:  It connects to the Eurostar & SNCF (French, Railways) ticketing systems so you can easily book all your tickets in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $ with overseas credit cards no problem.  Who are Thetrainline.com?

• Some people prefer www.raileurope.com, others prefer www.thetrainline.com, both are good and should show exactly the same prices, so use whichever you like the look of best.

• Most of the same booking tips in the Raileurope advice above also apply, except that www.thetrainline.com can only sell journeys starting in London - but you can easily add a British domestic train ticket separately as explained here.  If you want a stopover in Paris, simply book London-Paris & back separately from onward trains.

Or buy at eurostar.com & sncf-connect.com...

• You can of course buy tickets from the relevant train operator with no booking fee, but it's more work and the fares should be the same:

• Step 1, book the night train from Paris to Toulouse or l'Hospitalet at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com.  You print your own ticket.  Check the Paris departure/arrival times before booking the Eurostar.

• Step 2, book the Eurostar from London to Paris.  Stay on www.sncf-connect.com (which keeps both bookings together) or go to www.eurostar.com and book a suitable Eurostar from London to Paris & back.  Use the Eurostar times on this page as a guide, but by all means choose an earlier Eurostar from London or a later Eurostar back from Paris if it has cheaper fares available or if you'd like to stop off in Paris.  You print out your own ticket, or can load it into the Eurostar app.  Easy!

How to buy tickets by phone

• It's better to buy online, as you avoid phone booking fees and can see for yourself which departures are cheapest for each stage of the journey.  Online booking is possible 24/7, but most telephone booking agencies only work office hours on weekdays.

• If you want to call someone, here's a list if UK ticketing agencies with phone numbers & opening hours.  For a journey between the UK & Andorra I'd call Ffestiniog Travel, International Rail or Trainseurope.  Book early for the cheapest prices, ideally 2-3 months ahead, as prices increase close to departure, just like air fares.  Tickets will usually be emailed to you as e-tickets, so there's no postage cost or delay.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Paris by Eurostar...

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in at London St Pancras (45-minute minimum in Paris, Brussels & Amsterdam) as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More information about Eurostar including check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Gare du Nord station guide.  How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.

A Eurostar e320 at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.		1st class:  Standard Premier or Business Premier.

Standard class seats.  Larger photo.		One of two cafe-bars, in cars 8 & 9.  Larger photo.

2. Paris to Toulouse or l'Hospitalet by Intercité de Nuit:  Watch the Intercités de Nuit video

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.

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.

Intercité de nuit sleeper train at Paris Gare d'Austerlitz.  More information about Intercités de Nuit.  Watch the video.  Photo courtesy of Philip Dyer-Perry.

1st class 4-berth couchettes, as recently refurbished.  Courtesy of @Bristol_Phil.  Photo in 2nd class courtesy Dan Chester.		2nd class 6-berth couchettes		Couchette car corridor.  Courtesy Dan Chester.

Upper berths, 2nd class, showing compartment lighting & temperature controls above door.  Courtesy of Dan Chester.		Each couchette is provided with pillow, lightweight sleeping bag, bottled water & kit with ear plugs and eye mask.

If you choose to go via l'Hospitalet, you stay on the sleeper train as it climbs into the Pyrenees south of Toulouse.  This is Foix, between Toulouse & l'Hospitalet.  The castle is on the right just south of the station.

Beyond Foix, the sleeper train climbs higher into the mountains...

...and arrives at l'Hospitalet-pres-l'Andorre station, pictured above right...

3.  Take road transport to Andorra...

If you choose to go via l'Hospitalet, travel to Andorra by taxi.  If you choose to go via Toulouse, Toulouse to Andorra by bus...

Toulouse to Andorra bus at bus stand 15.  Photo courtesy of Andrew McIntyre.		Bus station in Toulouse Matabiau forecourt.  Photo courtesy of Andrew McIntyre.

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Option 2, by daytime trains

This option runs daily all year round except Christmas Day.  You can travel from London to Andorra in a single day if you like.

London ► Andorra

• Step 1, travel from London to Toulouse by train...

  You take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord in 2h20, transfer from Paris Nord to Paris Montparnasse by metro or taxi, then take a high-speed TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Toulouse Matabiau in around 4h25. 

  I'd allow at least 70 minutes between trains in Paris, ideally more.

  See the London to Toulouse timetable on the France page & check times for your date at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

• Step 2, travel from Toulouse Matabiau station to Andorra la Vella by bus, taking 4 hours.  There are typically 3 services per day run by Andbus, check times at www.andorrabybus.com.

  The buses leave from bus stand 15 inside the Gare Routière (bus station) immediately outside Toulouse Matabiau station.  Simply walk out of the station onto the forecourt and look to your right.  The bus station is the modern building with the glass-and-blue-framework upper section, see the photos below.  I'd allow at least an hour between train and bus in Toulouse, just in case of delay.

• You can do the whole journey in a single day on Mondays-Fridays for example, leaving London St Pancras at 07:55 (08:01 Sundays), have dinner in Toulouse, the evening bus will get you to Andorra la Vella at midnight.  Or you could catch an evening Eurostar to Paris, stay in Paris overnight (see suggested hotels), catch a morning TGV high-speed train to Toulouse then the afternoon bus to Andorra arriving early evening.

Andorra ► London

• Step 1, travel from Andorra to Toulouse Matabiau station by bus taking 3h45 - it's a little faster downhill!  There are 3 services every day run by Andbus, check times at www.andorrabybus.com. In Toulouse, I suggest allowing at least an hour between the bus arrival and your train departure, in case of any delay.

• Step 2, travel from Toulouse to London by train, taking a high-speed TGV from Toulouse Matabiau station to Paris Montparnasse in 4h25, transferring from Paris Montparnasse to Paris Nord by metro or taxi, then taking a Eurostar from Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras in 2h20.

  See the Toulouse to London section on the France page, then check times for your date of travel at www.raileurope.com.

• You can do the whole journey in one day if you leave Andorra at 05:00 on the early morning bus, reaching London St Pancras at 20:39.  Or leave later and stay overnight in Paris.

How much does it cost?

• London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £115 one-way, £199 return standard premier (1st class).

• Paris to Toulouse starts at €25 each way in 2nd class or €40 each way in 1st class.  As with Eurostar, the price rises as cheaper seats are sold, so book early for the best price.

• Toulouse to Andorra la Vella by bus costs €36 one-way or €64 return.

How to buy tickets

• Buy your train tickets at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

• Buy the bus ticket at www.andorrabybus.com.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Paris by Eurostar...

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in at London St Pancras (45-minute minimum in Paris, Brussels & Amsterdam) as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More information about Eurostar including check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Gare du Nord station guide.  How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.

A Eurostar e320 at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.		1st class:  Standard Premier or Business Premier.

Standard class seats.  Larger photo.		One of two cafe-bars, in cars 8 & 9.  Larger photo.

2.  Paris to Toulouse by TGV...

Most Paris-Toulouse TGVs are double-deck TGV Duplex, most with the Océane interior shown below, 1st & 2nd class, cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

This is a TGV Duplex at Paris Montparnasse... Click the images below for larger photos...

TGV Océane cafe-bar, upper deck car 4 (or 14)		TGV Océane 2nd class...

TGV Océane 1st class.  An innovation on TGV Océane, all 1st class seats (except the end ones) rotate to face direction of travel, or can be rotated to make a face-to-face group of 2 or 4 seats.  The drop-down tables open to reveal USB & 2-pin power sockets.

3.  Toulouse to Andorra by bus...

Toulouse to Andorra bus at bus stand 15.  Photo courtesy of Andrew McIntyre.		Bus station in Toulouse Matabiau forecourt.  Photo courtesy of Andrew McIntyre.

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Moving on from Andorra

Andorra to Barcelona

	The Petit Train Jaune from Perpignan/Villefranche to Latour de Carol...

There are regular buses between Andorra and Barcelona Sants station taking around 3h15, see www.autocarsnadal.com and buy tickets at www.andorradirectbus.es.  There are also competing Alsa & Eurolines buses which you can book at Omio.com.

If you don't mind paying for a taxi between Andorra and Latour de Carol (there's now no bus service), there are also trains from Latour de Carol to Barcelona, you can look up times at rodalies.gencat.cat/en/horaris.  Latour de Carol is listed as La Tor de Querol-Enveig, the main station in Barcelona is Barcelona Sants.  These are local trains, 2nd class only, fare around €12, pay on the train.

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 once or 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 www.thetrainline.com.  For info of the Petit Train Jaune, see www.ter.sncf.com/occitanie/decouvrir/le-train-jaune (let me know when they change this yet again!)  For train times between London and Perpignan, see the London to France page.

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European Rail Timetable & maps

The European Rail Timetable (formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable) has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  It is essential for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.  You can buy it online at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses) or www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide).  More information on what the European Rail Timetable contains.

Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted.  See an extract from the map.  Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).

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Find hotels in Andorra

My favourite hotel search site: www.booking.com www.booking.com is my favourite hotel booking site and I generally prefer booking my hotels all in one place here.  You can usually book with free cancellation - this allows you to confirm your accommodation at no risk before train booking opens.  It also means you can hold accommodation while you finalise your itinerary, and alter your plans as they evolve - a feature I use all the time when putting a trip together.  I never book hotels non-refundably.  I have also come to trust their review scores - you won't be disappointed with anything over 8.0. Tip:  It can pay to compare prices across multiple hotel sites:  HotelsCombined.com is a price comparison site which compares hotel prices on Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, Accor, Agoda and many others.  Though if there's not much in it, I prefer keeping all my bookings together in one place at www.booking.com.

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Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance...

You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer.  It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit.  These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I use an annual policy myself.  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.

  www.staysure.co.uk offers enhanced Covid-19 protection.

  You can use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Curve card saves foreign transaction fees...

Banks often give a poor exchange rate, then charge a currency conversion fee as well.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The balance goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:  1. Download the app for iPhone or Android.  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to most European addresses including the UK.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, just like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance onto whichever of your debit or credit cards you choose.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I use a Curve Blue card myself - I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I'm recommending it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card - they'll give you £5 cashback through that link, too.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  VPNs & why you need one explained...

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi.  In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions.  And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN.  VPNs & why you need one explained.  ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use it myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription, and I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank...

With tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes now often held digitally on your mobile phone, it's vital to keep it charged.  I recommend carrying an Anker powerbank which can recharge your phone several times over if you can't get to a power outlet when you're on the move.  I never travel without one.

 

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