Individuals planning a Europe trip from India for the first time may seem lost due to the particulars of international travel. However, a Europe trip requires proper planning, from applying for visas to shortlisting the countries and obtaining international travel insurance.

Here is a well-rounded piece on some useful tips one might follow while planning a vacation.

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Top 7 tips for planning your Europe trip from India

Travel enthusiasts may require some hacks for a successful trip to Europe from India. The below-mentioned tips can help in avoiding last-minute hassle.

1. Identify the country/countries you want to visit

According to the United Nations, there are 44 countries in Europe currently. As it is not practical to cover all the countries on a single trip, one should choose the destination countries to visit based on preferences. For example, some individuals prefer art and culture while others love adventures. Depending on this, travellers can select a base city and visit places around it.

2. Plan your budget

Thinking of a budget figuratively while planning a Europe trip might not be as effective as writing it down. As traveling to Europe from India can be a hefty affair, one should know their budget before planning a vacation. While jotting down the costs associated with such a trip, travelers should include the following expenses:

• Food
• Accommodation
• Sightseeing
• Public conveyance
• Emergency cash

However, adventure-loving travelers may need to include additional costs for activities like skydiving, visiting an adventure park, etc.

Further, one should note that for a budget-friendly trip, focussing on areas of Eastern Europe will be convenient. Scandinavia and Western Europe are the most expensive destinations in Europe.

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3. Plan your travel itinerary

After planning a budget, individuals should focus on creating an itinerary. As a first step, booking cheap flights from India is necessary for a hassle-free journey. Then, as per preferences, travelers must shortlist the areas they want to visit around a specific base location. Then, they can scatter the additional activities as per time and budget. Further, consideration of the traveling time while planning an itinerary is essential.

4. Know the COVID-19-related health advisories

Traveling amidst the COVID-19 pandemic can be difficult if individuals are not well aware of the restrictions and other health advisories. So, those traveling to Europe must take basic health measures like vaccination, maintain social distancing and wear masks for a seamless journey. Additionally, one should get primary vaccines for COVID-19 approved by the EU or WHO, and it should be less than 270 days from the vaccination date.

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5. Know about the necessary vaccinations

Travelers with the following COVID-19 vaccinations can enter Europe without any hassle:

• Comirnaty – Pfizer
• Vaxzervria – AstraZeneca
• Moderna
• Covishield (AstraZeneca – Serum Institute of India)
• Janssen – Johnson & Johnson

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6. Get your Schengen visa

Travelers cannot visit EU countries without a valid Schengen visa from India. However, one can apply for a single-entry tourist visa and travel across the borders of the Schengen territory. Ideally, individuals should apply for this visa 4 weeks before the start of their trip. It gives them enough bandwidth as the Embassy Consulate takes only 10 days to process the visa. Further, one should note that the tourist Schengen visa is valid for not more than 90 days. The procedure for visa application is quite simple:

• Firstly, travelers need to decide on the embassy from where they are going to apply for a visa.
• Now they need to fill up the visa form and furnish essential documents.
• After successful submission, individuals need to visit the embassy for a visa interview.

7. Get your travel insurance

Finally, one must obtain proper travel insurance before going to Europe as a safety measure against mishaps. A travel insurance policy covers additional costs necessary during unfortunate events like baggage loss, passport loss, etc. Additionally, the chances of an individual cracking the visa interview increases if they successfully present the insurance papers.

So, after going through the aforementioned tips, one will find it easier to plan a Europe trip from India. In addition, these hacks will also reduce financial liabilities that may occur during the travel period.

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