marvelousmouse

I'm visiting Europe (Germany, Italy, and London) for a month in the winter. I've seen several weird posts or articles about how one must be able to know the addresses of their hotels, show their itinerary, etc.

I've never been overseas. If I travel in the US, I just keep everything in my email on my phone. How do you handle this? Should I print my flight confirmations and hostel confirmations all out ahead of time and just keep it in an envelope? Is my visa credit card enough proof for "sufficient funds"? Is there something else that I'm overlooking?

I basically don't want to misplace anything important. I never print out plane etickets or carry much cash or travelers checks (although I don't know anyone who does anymore). But obviously I don't want to run into trouble with immigration.

marvelousmouse

The main reason I ask, btw, is that I've had a few very strange run ins with Canadian immigration. Nothing serious or even personal, I think, just very thorough border patrol. So I prefer to make the process as smooth as possible.

janisj

What is so hard about having the address of your hotel handy?

And yes -- you probably should print out your confirmations, just in case.

No one carries travelers checks -- and if someone has TCs they are pretty much useless. You get cash from an ATM when are in the arrivals hall.

greg

I have been asked odd questions at security points before getting to the counter or before carry-on security check points such as where I have been, if I have train tickets, hotel receipts for a proof. I suspected these were rhetorical behavioral questions. They didn't mind when I told them I have some of them in my checked luggage.

>>> I never print out plane etickets or carry much cash or travelers checks (although I don't know anyone who does anymore).

This might happened to work for you where you live within the scope of the airlines/airports you have visited.

While I don't print out plane etickets, I still have vital info: booking codes, the flight number/time info on sheets. So you think all these info are in your phone. What are you going to do if you cannot retrieve them from your phone? What if you lose your phone? What if your phone is kaput? You tend to have less fall back options away from your home country.

Whether you can get away without carrying much cash or not depends on what you are doing. You might not need them with what you do at home, but that might not be the case in the countries you mentioned and the type of business you need to deal with.

Traveler checks are unmistakably passe and useless. I agree with that.

tom_mn

Usual Schengen Zone (Germany/Italy) entry is stamped passport and no questions, although once I was asked how long I was staying.

UK entry seems to always get a short interview and where you are going to be staying is a common question. Here a printout would be handy (also for filling out the immigration card).

Are you young? If you are worried you could bring a copy of a bank statement to prove funds, but it wouldn't come to that unless the interview is not going well.

I always bring a 2 pocket folder with key printouts in it. Phones can get lost or lose power.

marvelousmouse

Not hard, janisj, it's just that normally I don't write down the address/confirmation numbers until the day before. I move 6 times on this trip and it just would not have occurred to me to have all of that information available when I land initially in Munich.

Thanks, Greg. That is the type of thing I was looking for- and the back up idea is a good point- I usually use the computer at hotels and hostels but a printed out backups in my luggage might certainly come in handy. The behavioral questions are sometimes so random.

I guess what I'm really wondering- I'm assuming you fill out paperwork before landing or something- so you list ALL of your destinations or just your immediate destination?

MmePerdu

It goes beyond immigration and costs you nothing to have printouts of your confirmed reservations. But it can cost you if you don't, not often, but occasionally. I just make it a rule to carry an itinerary along with printed reservations and never worry about the effect of other people's mistakes or not having information at hand when I need it.

Most recently, I was promised a complimentary room at a nice hotel and on arrival the manager was away. Not having a copy of our email exchanges would have cost me dearly. I rest my case.

marvelousmouse

That's true. I've had a hotel lose my reservation before- hadn't thought of that. All right, I'll print everything out beforehand

Macross

I once had a hotel try to charge me three times my original booking amount in Savannah for St Patrick's Day for two rooms I booked. I was a little freaked out. I had the paper copy of my original booking reservation with me saving me around 1,000 dollars. It still ruined my last night there. It took them till morning to have the manager say I was right and they were wrong.

nytraveler

Usually the people that get asked all these questions are yong people who look like they don't have much money and as if they may be coming to stay with a boy or girlfriend or try to get a job there and/or end up a charge on the public benefit systems. I haven;t been asked any of those questions since the first time I arrived at 21 dressed very casually - and I've been back to the UK at least 15 times.

Still you should know the address of your hotel and be able to show that you have either a return or an ongoing plane or train ticket - just in case they should ask. I am just usually asked purpose of trip and just say either vacation or business.

Kathie

Also, having your hotel reservations printed out means you have a printed address to show to a taxi driver or to someone you want to direct you to the place you are staying. While I bring my iPhone, I also print everything out. I had a time when the scanner that reads an electronic boarding pass was not working at the airport - everyone in line had to go get a printed copy of the boarding pass if they din't already have one.

Cjar

I usually have printouts of everything in a folder. I also usually have both the email confirmations and screen shots of everything in my iPad because I can never seem to locate the correct email when I need it.

marvelousmouse

Oooh cjar, I like that idea a lot. Thanks! Now to see if I can figure out screen shots...

Cowboy1968

<i>but a printed out backups in my luggage might certainly come in handy</i>

I know this is stating the obvious, but you want to have those printed out backups in your <b>hand</b> luggage and not in your checked bag(s).
In Munich, you will go through passport control first, and afterwards to baggage claim.

janisj

yes -- they are of no help at all in checked bags.

I take print outs of all hotel/flat reservations, all flights, all theatre or exhibition bookings, dinner reservations, etc. Toss then as I go along.

Also have a sheet w/ copies of the front/back of each credit card/ATM card and a copy of the info page from my passport.

sparkchaser

I always travel with hard copies of my flight, car, and hotel.

Like janisj, I toss them when I no longer need them.

marvelousmouse

I am kind of curious as to how a copy of the credit card would help you? Is it so you have the number on hand if it gets stolen? Because I can't see any other way it would help.

thursdaysd

I do the same as janisj, plus these days I scan the copies and email them to myself. I include cipies of any visas. I also do the same with a list of important numbers which includes my credit card numbers. Having a card stolen is the most important reason for having the numbers handy.

I find the practice of trusting everything to your phone unwise - there are too many things that might go wrong, having it stolen being only the most serious. I have had the battery die (i.e. no longer hold a charge) and even had the battery charger die on one trip. And that's assuming you can find somewhere to charge it if necessary en-route.

I just tossed my first flight information, and my first hotel booking.

bilboburgler

yep paper print out is a must

sparkchaser

<i>I am kind of curious as to how a copy of the credit card would help you? Is it so you have the number on hand if it gets stolen? Because I can't see any other way it would help.</i>

I think having a hardcopy of the front and back of your credit card is just asking for trouble. Better to just have written down the card type, last 4, and the emergency contact number.