A trip to Europe is on the wish list of nearly every Indian traveler and rightfully so. From Paris' museum-lined streets to the snow-topped Swiss Alps and the ancient history of Italy, Europe is a friendly, multicultural, and interesting destination. 

But preparing to travel from India isn't as simple as arranging tickets and a suitcase. Visa processing, connectivity, and logistics are a few of the many things that need to be planned beforehand.

Things to know before Traveling to Europe

Here is a step-by-step guide on planning your trip to Europe the correct way.

1. Apply Early for Your Schengen Visa

Procuring a Schengen visa to go to 27 EU states is one of the first and most key elements of planning. While other holiday spots provide visas on arrival or e-visas, the European nations entail huge amounts of paperwork and a pre-booked appointment for biometric fingerprinting.

You will be required to provide supporting documents like financial statements, tax returns, a minimum of €30,000 travel insurance, booking confirmation of accommodation, and a comprehensive itinerary. Refundable tickets also come in handy in the event of changed plans.

Since the appointment timings of India's VFS Global centers are reserved weeks — and in situations where it is a peak month season in advance, it would be prudent to pre-book your Schengen visa appointments. 

If you are a resident of the UK, US, Ireland, or UAE, you can conveniently book your Schengen visa appointments here and avoid last-minute hassles. It is also a wise idea to look at embassy websites for any change in processing time, lists of required documents, or national requirements (for example, Spain could have more requirements than France).

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2. Digitally and Physically Organize Documents

World travel comes with a lot of documents — not being able to get electronic access to one of them while traveling can send all of it haywire. Store all of them in one document in Google Drive or Dropbox and scan neat photocopies of passport, visa, reservations, insurance, ID papers, and local contacts or addresses.

Use folders and subfolders to keep things tidy — for example, Flights, Hotels, Visa Docs, Insurance, and Transport. On your mobile device, ensure offline access is enabled so you're not dependent on Wi-Fi or roaming to pull up a document.

Also, carry at least two sets of your most critical documents in different bags (main bag and hand carry). When traveling with children or a team, divide the critical documents so that no one person has everything.

3. Smarter Packing for Europe's Terrain and Climate

The weather and geography in Europe are highly diverse, depending on where you go and when you go. You could have warm summer days in southern Greece or Italy, but warmer spring days in Switzerland still require layers and an umbrella-style waterproof jacket. Being cozy and ready, pack items for layering - thermals, cardigans, and waterproof jackets. Layering by choice is not packing too much.

If you do have special dietary requirements or are uncomfortable eating untested food, take some ready-to-eat food, instant drinks, or a small travel kettle. It is an effortless step to ease your discomfort and save you money on food in nations where restaurants do not have foods you are accustomed to.

Skip the normal travel hassle through proper planning, and you will have the experience.

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4. Make Travel Planning Easier Through Technology

You do not have to be disorganized and disconnected with dozens of open tabs and links. The key is to generate QR codes for everything about your valuable resources: your whole travel plan, hotel addresses, e-tickets, train bookings, emergency numbers, and even Google Maps links offline.

You can even print your QR codes onto a tiny piece of card, keep them as an under-album of your mobile, or place them in a travel document shared by your work colleagues. You do not have the trouble of constantly searching around your mailbox or photo album, much less when you travel to foreign cities or have a timely check-in.

This is particularly convenient if you are traveling with kids or older relatives — you can have one piece of QR code that can be scanned by anyone. You can even deposit a code with your travel insurance or embassy contact information in case of an emergency.

5. Be Careful with Money and Connectivity

When you travel to some of the countries in Europe, there are two things to remember for a comfortable journey: remaining connected and protecting your money.

You must keep cash and cards with you because a couple of street vendors, taxi drivers, and small stores don't have cards—especially for making small buys.

Inform your bank before using overseas and activate foreign transactions on your debit or credit card. Prepaid travel cards or multi-currency wallets are another wonderful device that allows you to fill in different currencies and check how much you are spending.

Some cell carriers also offer international roaming plans to help them remain connected. 

You can also buy a local SIM card or eSIM online or at the airport. If you are visiting several nations along your journey, buy a plan for the entire Schengen region so you do not have to keep switching SIM cards each time you enter a different country.

Although public free Wi-Fi is common in most of Europe, do not log into personal information using an open Wi-Fi network.

Lastly, you may also leave a copy of important emergency information in written format, such as hotel addresses, local emergency contacts, and important phone numbers. 

These are lifelines in case your cellular phone is lost or the battery is dead, and you can save yourself the possible inconvenience and worry overseas.

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Final Words

A trip from India to Europe is a wonderful experience — an ocean of knowledge, culture, and memory creation. But to enjoy it the most, the trip has to begin with discipline.

Right from pre-booking a visa and meticulous documentation to smart packing and smart use of technology, everything can make you travel more relaxed and less anxious.

Plan where you must, improvise wherever you can, and plunge into the unknown with your heart open.

The more you plan your logistics, the more space there will be for spontaneity — a serene Viennese coffeehouse or the sunrise hike on top of the Dolomites.

Safe travels to all, and bon voyage!