folder of the 20th Century Press Archives
Travel topics > Preparation > European quick reference

This quick reference to Europe collects country codes, currency code information, direct dialling information and time zone information into a single location.

Understand edit

 
Map of Europe with national flags

This article provides an index to the countries of Europe and catalogues certain aspects such as currency, dialling codes and time zones that affect a traveller. Items that are the same across most of Europe, such as electricity, are not shown in the table, but are detailed, along with the relevant exceptions in separate sections.

The script (Latin, Cyrillic, Greek) used in the country concerned can be inferred from the script used when writing the country's name using its local format.

Driving edit

Main article: Driving in Europe

Driving is on the right on the European mainland, in Iceland and in Gibraltar, while one drives on the left in the other island nations (United Kingdom plus dependencies, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus). Petrol (gasoline) is dispensed by the litre throughout Europe. Distances and speed limits are posted in kilometres and kilometres per hour, except in the United Kingdom and its dependencies (apart from Gibraltar) where they are posted in miles and miles per hour.

Electricity edit

Main article: Electrical systems

Apart from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Russia who use 220 V at 50 Hz, all of Europe uses 230 V at 50 Hz. Plugs and sockets however vary from country to country; adaptors are available for travellers. The various types of plug are illustrated below and their usage by country is in the attached table.

Time Zones edit

Main article: Time zones

The standard time in most of Europe apart from Russia and certain of its neighbours is GMT, GMT+1 or GMT+2. In 2023 those countries of Europe that observe daylight saving time will put their clocks forward at 0100 GMT on Sunday, 26 March and put their clocks back at 01:00 GMT on Sunday, 29 October.

Country-specific data edit

Main article: Money
Main article: Dealing with emergencies
Essential data for travellers in Europe
Country Code§1 Currency§2 Telephone Timezone§4
(UTC offset)
Plug Type
(English) (Local) Vehicle ISO 3166 Inter'l Primary emergency numbers§3
  Albania Shqipëri AL AL L - ALL - Lek +355 17, 18, 19 +1 / +2 C, F
  Alderney Alderney GBA (GG) £ - GBP - Pound Sterling +44 112 +0 / +1 G
  Andorra Andorra AND AD € - EUR - Euro +376 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  Armenia Հայաստան
Hayastan
AM AM ֏ - AMD - dram +374 103, 101, 102 +4 C, F
  Austria Österreich A AT € - EUR - Euro +43 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  Azerbaijan Azərbaycan AZ AZ ₼ - AZN - Manat +994 103, 101, 102 +4 C, F
  Belarus Беларусь (Belarusian)
Белару́сь (Russian)
BY BY Br - BYN - Rubel +375 03, 01, 02 +3 C, F
  Belgium België (Dutch)
Belgique (French)
Belgien (German)
B BE € - EUR - Euro +32 112 +1 / +2 C, E
  Bosnia and
Hertzegovina
Bosna i Hercegovina (Bosnian, Croatian)
Босна и Херцеговина (Serbian)
BIH BA KM - BAM - Convertable marks +387 124, 123, 122 +1 / +2 C, F
  Bulgaria България BG BG лв - BGN - Lev§5 +359 112 +2 / +3 C, F
  Croatia Hrvatska HR HR € - EUR - Euro +385 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  Cyprus Κύπρος (Greek)
Kıbrıs (Turkish)
CY CY € - EUR - Euro§7 +357 112 +2 / +3 G
  Czech Republic Česká republika CZ CZ Kč - CZK - Czech Koruna +420 112 +1 / +2 C, E
  Denmark Danmark DK DK kr - DKK - Danish Krone +45 112 +1 / +2 C, E, F, K
  Estonia Eesti EST EE € - EUR - Euro +372 112 +2 / +3 C, F
  Faroe Islands Føroyar (Faroese)
Færøerne (Danish)
FO FO kr - DKK - Danish Krone +298 112 +0 / +1 C, E, F, K
  Finland Suomi (Finnish)
Finland (Swedish)
FIN FI € - EUR - Euro +358 112 +2 / +3 C, F
  France France F FR € - EUR - Euro +33 112 +1 / +2 C, E
  Georgia საქართველო GE GE ₾ - GEL - Lari +995 112 +4 C, F
  Germany Deutschland D DE € - EUR - Euro +49 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  Gibraltar Gibraltar GBZ GI £ - GIP - Gibraltar Pound +350 112 +1 / +2 G
  Greece Ελλάδα GR GR € - EUR - Euro +30 112 +2 / +3 C, F
  Guernsey Guernsey GBG GG £ - GBP - Pound Sterling +44 112 +0 / +1 G
  Hungary Magyarország H HU Ft - HUF - Forint +36 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  Iceland Ísland IS IS kr - ISK - Icelandic króna +354 112 0 C, F
  Ireland Ireland (English)
Éire (Irish)
IRL IE € - EUR - Euro +353 112 +0 / +1 G
  Isle of Man Isle of Man GBM IM £ - GBP - Pound Sterling +44 112 +0 / +1 C, G
  Italy Italia I IT € - EUR - Euro +39 112 +1 / +2 C, F, L
  Jersey Jersey GBJ JE £ - GBP - Pound Sterling +44 112 +0 / +1 G
  Kosovo Kosova (Albanian)
Косово (Serbian - Cyrillic)
Kosovo (Serbian - Latin)
RKS XK € - EUR - Euro +383 94 +1 / +2 C, F
  Latvia Latvija LV LV € - EUR - Euro +371 112 +2 / +3 C, F
  Liechtenstein Liechtenstein FL LI Fr - CHF - Swiss Franc +423 112 +1 / +2 C, J
  Lithuania Lietuva LT LT € - EUR - Euro +370 112 +2 / +3 C, F
  Luxembourg Lëtzebuerg​ (Luxembourgish)
Luxembourg​ (French)
Luxemburg​ (German)
L LU € - EUR - Euro +352 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  Malta Malta M MT € - EUR - Euro +356 112 +1 / +2 G
  Moldova Moldova MD MD L - MDL - Moldovan Leu +373 112 +2 / +3 C, F
  Monaco Monaco MC MC € - EUR - Euro +377 112 +1 / +2 C, E, F
  Montenegro Crna Gora (Latin script)
Црна Гора (Cyrillic script)
MNE ME € - EUR - Euro +382 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  Netherlands Nederland NL NL € - EUR - Euro +31 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  North Macedonia Северна Македонија (Macedonian)
Maqedonisë së Veriut (Albanian)
NMK MK ден - MKD - Macedonian Denar +389 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  Norway Norge (bokmål)
Noreg (nynorsk)
N NO kr - NOK - Norwegian Krone +47 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  Poland Polska PL PL zł - PLN - Zloty +48 112 +1 / +2 C, E
  Portugal Portugal P PT € - EUR - Euro +351 112 +0 / +1
  Romania România RO RO L - RON - New Romanian Leu +40 112 +2 / +3 C, F
  Russia Россия RUS RU ₽ - RUB - Russian Ruble +7 112 +3§6 C, F
  San Marino San Marino RSM SM € - EUR - Euro +378 112 +1 / +2 C, F, L
  Serbia Србија (Cyrillic)
Srbija (Latin)
SRB RS РСД - RSD - Serbian Dinar +381 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  Slovakia Slovensko SK SK € - EUR - Euro +421 112 +1 / +2 C, E
  Slovenia Slovenija SLO SI € - EUR - Euro +386 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  Spain España (Spanish)
Espanya (Catalan)
Espainia (Basque)
E ES € - EUR - Euro +34 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  Sweden Sverige S SE kr - SEK - Swedish Krona +46 112 +1 / +2 C, F
  Switzerland Schweiz (German)
Suisse (French)
Svizzera (Italian)
Svizra (Romansh)
Helvetia (Latin)
CH CH Fr/fr - CHF - Swiss franc +41 112 +1 / +2 C, J
  Turkey / Türkiye Türkiye TR TR ₺ - TRY - Turkish Lira +90 112 +3 C, F
  Ukraine Україна UA UA ₴ - UAH - Hryvnia +380 112 +2 / +3 C, F
  United Kingdom United Kingdom UK GB £ - GBP - Pound Sterling +44 112 +0 / +1 G
  Vatican City Civitatis Vaticanae (Latin)
Città del Vaticano (Italian)
V VA € - EUR - Euro +379 112 +1 / +2 C, F, L
§1: There are multiple systems of codes by which countries are identified. The international vehicle registration code must appear on the back of any vehicle that is travelling in a country other than the country where it is registered. Unlike the vehicle code which can have 1, 2 or 3 letters, the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code, which is shown here and used in many contexts, always has 2 letters.
§2: The first item is the symbol that is usually used in the shops, the second is the ISO 4217 code (which is used in banking) and the third the name of the currency.
§3: Where three numbers are listed, they refer to Ambulance, Fire and Police respectively (i.e. in alphabetic order). For the sake of brevity, alternate numbers such as 999 in the United Kingdom are not shown.
§4: Standard timezone / Daylight saving timezone. In 2024 those countries of Europe that observe daylight saving time put their clocks forward at 0100 GMT on Sunday, 31 March and put their clocks back at 01:00 GMT on Sunday, 27 October.
§5: From 1 January 2025, Bulgaria is expected to use the euro.
§6: Time in Kaliningrad is GMT+2, for the rest of European Russia, it is GMT+3.
§7: Unrecognized Northern Cyprus uses the Turkish lira as its official currency, but the euro is also widely accepted.
This travel topic about European quick reference is a usable article. It touches on all the major areas of the topic. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.