Travelling abroad without a smartphone

[Deleted User]

I know there’s a separate travel sub-forum but have decided to post on here. Just wondered how relatively easy it is to travel to the EU/Schengen area without a smartphone given that printed tickets/boarding passes are no longer the default. I can check in online at home in advance and print them before I leave including any hotel booking documentation. But presumably there’s an option to print the boarding passes at the airport like the check-in desk? I won’t have the smartphone capability to scan barcodes there though.

Ditto for the return boarding pass.

Once at the destination I know a smartphone is needed for apps to get into various places but that is not an issue for me.

advance thanks.

QrizB

You can definitely get printed boarding passes at the airport. Some budget airlines might charge for these, but most airlines don't.

la531983

You may have issues abroad.

An example....Ive recently returned from Helsinki, tried to get from the train station to the airport on the train. No ticket office. The machines were all broken. The only way I could do it was to quickly install the Helsinki public transport app and get a ticket before the train departed. 

Other tourists on the train didnt have the same foresight I did and at the next station ticket inspectors got on.

And as mentioned above its going to depend on the airline. 

Voyager2002

QrizB said:

You can definitely get printed boarding passes at the airport. Some budget airlines might charge for these, but most airlines don't.

Perhaps not with Ryanair... and the fee for airport check-in could easily be more than the cost of the air ticket.

cantbelieveit23

We travel a lot within the Schengen area (at least 4 months each year).  We usually have all bookings, boarding passes both printed and on phone.  I must admit I feel more comfortable with paper, and have only had a couple of situations over the years when using a printed copy has been a problem.  Airport machines refusing to recognise either paper or phone boarding passes are not uncommon.  If I remember correctly from our flights this Spring, Ryanair now insist on you having a printed copy (and yes, they take pleasure in charging you significant sums to print at the airport!)  Regarding return boarding passes etc, before we had Smartphones, we always managed to find some kind person in a hotel or elsewhere who would print for us.

la531983

cantbelieveit23 said:

.  If I remember correctly from our flights this Spring, Ryanair now insist on you having a printed copy

You haven't remembered correctly. 

DullGreyGuy

[Deleted User] said:

I know there’s a separate travel sub-forum but have decided to post on here. Just wondered how relatively easy it is to travel to the EU/Schengen area without a smartphone given that printed tickets/boarding passes are no longer the default. I can check in online at home in advance and print them before I leave including any hotel booking documentation. But presumably there’s an option to print the boarding passes at the airport like the check-in desk? I won’t have the smartphone capability to scan barcodes there though.

Ditto for the return boarding pass.

Once at the destination I know a smartphone is needed for apps to get into various places but that is not an issue for me.

advance thanks.

In most cases it won't be an issue but it may well be more expensive and inconvenient than if you have a smartphone. As mentioned previously, RyanAir charge €55 for printing a boarding pass for you in the EU other than Spain. 

You may also find it more difficult to sort things out if matters dont go to plan. A friend was on a coach which broke down late in the evening in France and they were basically just dropped off at the nearest town over 100 miles from their destination. Smart phone allowed them to book a room and find how to get from the town to their destination and contact their hotel to say they will be a day late checking in. 

louby40

Do you not have a smart phone or do you just not want to take it with you?

QrizB

louby40 said:

Do you not have a smart phone or do you just not want to take it with you?

I was wondering that too, but didn't want to be the one asking 😬

A smartphone is rapidly becoming a travel essential, behind passport, wallet and insurance. And I suspect some people would put it before wallet.

twopenny

I don't have a smartphone and seem to manage but I haven't travelled for a couple of years.
Yes it's always the case that you can't be slick and quick but I've always found someone will help with the occasional request. At the airport, hotel reception, etc.
If they want to sell you something they'll make sure you can pay.

I've always printed everything even where it's not needed.. I've seen a few people absolutely desperate when the ticket or booking has vanished from their phone.

Granted being dumped somewhere by a coach driver is a big deal, fairly unusual,but if you're all in the same boat surely a kind soul will help.
I've found that so far. When traveling there's a lot of kindness.

lr1277

You might need to be able to confirm a transaction whilst abroad. In which case how would your bank contact you? I am guessing by text message as you don't have a smartphone.

Do you have a dumbphone that can receive text messages?

There has been a thread on here where somebody took the ferry to Europe and they couldn't buy something on board because they couldn't receive a text message because they hadn't enabled something. Sorry I don't remember the details.

And I am sure people have said receiving texts in Europe is free. You only need a package that covers Europe if your bank wants you to text back something. You need to find out how each financial institution treats transactions abroad for each of the card(s) you are taking with you and by that I mean both debit and credit cards.