Before You Travel

Before you head off both overseas or within the UK, it’s wise to triple check you’ve got everything you need for safe travels. With so much to think about, we’ve decided to lend you a helping hand with a quick checklist of all the serious stuff you’ll need before you hop onto a plane and jet off.

Passports & Visas

It may seem like an obvious one, but forgetting your passport is unfortunately more common than you think. To make sure the whole group have guaranteed access through security and onto the first part of the holiday, double check everyone has their passports.

For different nationals, you’ll want to make sure each person who is not a UK passport holder checks their own visa requirements to make sure they’re eligible to get through airport security. It may sound simple, but these things will save you a lot of hassle!

Safe & Healthy Travel

Before you travel abroad, make sure you gather an adequate amount of foreign travel advice that will help you remember everything and make sure you’re fit to fly. You can find all the travel advice you need here:

https://­travelaware.­campaign.­gov.­uk/

Travel Insurance

As all of the overseas countries we work with fall in the EU, this means you’ll receive reciprocal health arrangements as you’re coming from the UK. However, we still recommend purchasing your own travel insurance which will cover costs of any medical attention you may need while abroad. We also suggest you register for a European Health Insurance Card with the Post Office, if you haven’t already.

Some companies to purchase travel insurance from include:

• https://­www.­mone­ysu­per­market.­com/­travel-insurance/­travel-insurance/
• https://­www.­compa­ret­he­market.­com/­travel-insurance/

Airport Rights

Whether you’ve been on an airplane before or not, it’s good to know your airport rights in case of an emergency. Often overlooked, these rights can come in handy if you find yourself in a tricky situation, you’ve got a disability or you feel uncomfortable around large crowds of people. To help you have the smoothest travel possible, we think airport rights are important and also relate to travel safe for your abroad visit.

Body Scans

When going through airport security, you could be asked to have a full body scan before going through. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve done anything wrong, however you must have one even If you’re pregnant. If you’re asked to undergo a body scan, you can request a security officer of the same sex to analyse the screen of your scan. Or, you can request a private search instead.

Disability Access

If you or someone in your group is travelling with a disability, you must let your airline know at least 48 hours before your departure. This way, they can prepare for your arrive for example if you’re a wheelchair user. Every airport differs, so we strongly advise that you research how accessible your airport of choice is before booking.

Airport Security

Safe Travel by Train

Not everyone jets off to sunny shores every year, some people stay planted on our little wet island and like to explore here too. Trains have revolutionised the way we travel for decades, but it pays to sharpen up your train knowledge before you board. Whether you’re heading into the bustling capital of London, going right up North to secluded Aberdeen or using the Eurostar to head over the border – make sure you know your train safety before you travel.

In the Station

If you’ve already purchase your ticket online, make sure you double check the platform you need to catch your train and away you go. For people who are buying their tickets, waiting through the station and travelling on top of that, there’s a few things to keep in mind:

• Keep your train documents close to hand at all times so you’re not penalised
• Always have a hand on your luggage – thieves thrive on big crowds and open train stations unfortunately
• Keep your valuables in a safe, hard to access place to avoid pick pocketers
• Keep near the crowds – stay in well-lit areas near other travellers if you’re waiting
• NEVER cross the train tracks to access other platforms
• We highly suggest you drink after your train journeys, rather than during

Using the Eurostar

Since launching back in 1994, the Eurostar has been a great alternative to flying. Eurostar travel can often be cheaper than a plane ticket, has more times available throughout the day for flexibility to you and less waiting around time. If you’re travelling from London to Amsterdam, Brussels, Lille, Disneyland Paris, Avignon, Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Marseille, Rotterdam or Fréthun the Eurostar might be ideal.