The Convenient And Affordable Solution For Making Phone Calls In Europe, Per Rick Steves

People are reliant on their cell phones for a variety of reasons. We use them as cameras, to get our news, pay our bills, and, of course, make calls and text. However, if you use your cell phone when traveling overseas, roaming charges can really increase your bill. You may choose to put your phone in airplane mode while on a cruise or traveling in Europe to save yourself from a huge fee. However, if you want or need to make an actual phone call, that's not helpful. 

Travel pro Rick Steves has given us some great advice on things to do before traveling, smart steps to keep your financial information private, and how to prevent pickpockets. However, his brilliant advice on making convenient and affordable phone calls in Europe on his website can save you a lot of money and hassle. He suggests we use a phone card while traveling in Europe. 

There are two kinds of phone cards, and the first is insertable for use at pay phones.  He says they're available in most places in Europe outside of Britain. You take the phone off the hook and put the card in. Once you have a dial tone, proceed as usual, and you'll see the balance on the phone. He adds, "Each European country has its own phone card — so your German card won't work in an Austrian phone." 

One thing to note is that pay phones are becoming a thing of the past in many countries. That said, they do still exist in some places, and a phone card is worth having for emergencies. However, there are other solutions you can use to stay in touch with loved ones back at home. 

Another option that Rick Steves claims may work better for you is an international phone card. He says, "These cards let you make inexpensive calls — within Europe, or to the US, for pennies a minute — from nearly any phone, including the one in your hotel room." This way you're not locked into payphones, just in case you can't find one. They'll give you a toll-free number with a PIN or a code on your receipt. 

Steves cautions, however, that the instructions on the line may not be spoken in English, however, so you can try putting in the code with a pound sign, and then the number with a pound sign, and see if it works. (You could also try holding the landline up to your cell phone with the Google Translate app's live-translation going. If it's loud enough, it may translate the instructions for you.) If the phone has a surcharge for using a card, however, that may cancel out your savings. 

Your best bet may be to call your carrier and ask about international plans, which is something the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recommends. They say you should ask if your phone will work in whichever country or countries you're going to, and whether you'll be able to make calls, text, use data, or all three. For instance, at the time of this writing, Verizon and AT&T both offer a $12 a day plan (for many countries) that gives you unlimited calls, text, and data, and charges you only on days you use the phone in another country. You can also ask your carrier to unlock your phone so you can use a local SIM card, or eSIM which gives you a local number to avoid roaming charges.