First Europe trip from India without a Travel Agent- ThatHumblePost

Europe was literally by far the most unexpected travels and a dream destination for me. More than that it was my first ever International Trip. I was lucky to be able to explore many European Countries like Germany, France, Austria , etc on a fixed budget and that too without a Paid Travel Guide. I did everything on my own , starting from Getting the Europe Visa, Travel Tickets, International Sim cards , EuroRail passes, Hotels and Dormitory bookings and of course the Insurance. This trip made me realise that in a digitally forward era, why do we need to pay to Travel Agencies. We can get everything online. You too can plan your first europe trip from India by following along the guidelines and processes.

I must tell you I did a lot of research and asked my friends about the Best places to see in Europe and Top things in Europe. So I am putting every little detail here below. I might even share FREE Itinerary for Europe so that you plan your Dream European Trip without paying to any Travel Agencies. Hurray! Let's get started.

Should I get a Travel Ticket first or a Schengen Visa or a Hotel Booked ?

You are planning to visit more than one country in Europe, for that you will need a Schengen Visa. A European visa which covers most countries in Western Europe & a few in Eastern Europe. So while you apply for the Schengen Visa please remember to check multi country and not single. If you select single you won't be allowed to visit other countries.

Getting a Schengen Visa from India is a bit complex, you require to submit Hotel Bookings and Flight bookings information during your Face to Face interview. This sounds crazy because what if you pay for everything and don't end up getting an approved visa? But the reason for this is , they want proofs that you will be able to sustain yourself financially during your trip. In addition, it confirms your travel dates and the length of your trip. Anyways, There are ways by which you don't have to actually book for the Real Hotels and Flights. You heard it right. Indian hacks to get a Schengen Visa :P. Not really. The world does that.

Now, The best way is to Book a completely refundable flight on your credit card on Lufthansa , Quantas or any other low cost airlines like flydubai. Similarly, Book fully refundable hotels on Booking.com. I completely rely on this site when it comes to refunds. And then as Soon as you get your visa, cancel your bookings and start your real research.

Insurance for Schengen Visa for your Europe Trip from India

Indian tourists traveling to multiple countries in Europe which include any of the Schengen countries must have Travel Insurances. I chose Religare. There are multiple other options like Bajaj, HDFCERGO. Criteria is that you must minimum coverage amount of EUR 30,000. It should Cover the period of the traveler's stay or transit in the Schengen area . Above all It must Be valid in all Schengen countries.

Now that you are done with the legal procedures. I will give you a layout about how you can save your money on your Stay as well as Transportation and commute for your First time in Europe trip from anywhere in the world or India

Choose Dormitories over Hotels.

Unless you are travelling with a huge family, Hotels can be expensive. If you want to save a good amount of budget choose hostels and dormitories over Hotels. Hotels can be really expensive unless you book it through booking.com. But I prefer Hostels as they are equally comfortable, clean and cool. Apart from that, Hostels make it easy to meet other travelers. There are generally two types of rooms available in hostels - standard dorm rooms and private rooms. The best two sites to rely for Genuine Hostel Bookings and Review are HostelWorld and HiHostel

Hostel dorm rooms are almost universally equipped with multiple squeaky bunk beds. Many hostels offer private rooms for people who want more privacy but still want the hostel vibe. Most of the time private rooms are meant for one or two people. However, there are a lot of private rooms for groups of 3-4 people. I choose a private room for two,my sister and myself. Also I was not ready to share Restrooms as I have washroom OCD. There are lockers in the rooms, you can keep your valuable stuff. But I am pretty sure you being an Indian wont carry Gold jewellery for a Euro trip. I dont keep anything in the locker except for my unwashed clothes.

What's more in Hostels ?

You can get International Sim cards for yourself or get connected through Internet. Wifis are mostly free and available in Hotels , Hostels, McDonalds, Stations and Malls. Phone cards are also available, but I found it expensive. I preferred Internet. For the first few days, there was coordination issues as this was my first Europe trip and back in India my family would wait for my calls. So i found a solution. And I would select a proper time and do a Video call using IMO, Whatsapp Video or FaceTiming to India. India is few hours ahead of Europe, checking the time was indeed required for me so that people back in India won't worry about me. India and Europe time difference is approximately around 4-6 hours. Plan your day and connect with your family as per that.

Cash or Forex Card for your Europe trip