Plan a trip
Language: English
Trip plannerPlan your trip on a map

Top destinations

Japanese lantern over city bike at nighttimeJapana view of a city with a body of water in the backgroundMartiniquebrown rock formation on body of water during daytimeThailand
EnglishDeutschFrançaisEspañolPortuguêsPortuguês (BR)Italiano

Jonas Brandt

Analyst, Europe: EES, ETIAS and Schengen rules, based in Amsterdam

Covers Germany, Visas and entry, Austria, Money and costs

Last field trip Sep 202633 guides published
  • Entry rules
  • Schengen
  • UK ETA

Languages: English, German, Dutch

About

Jonas trained as a lawyer in Hamburg and now explains European border rules in plain English. He tracks EES, ETIAS, the UK ETA and the 90/180 rule, keeps a changelog on every page, and does not guess when the regulation is silent. If a date on his page has passed, the page has been updated.

Field trips

Months, not dates, for privacy.

  • Sep 2026Schiphol and FrankfurtEES kiosk rollout observed on arrival, 2 nights
  • Jan 2026LondonUK ETA application and border test, 3 nights

Guides by Jonas Brandt

white and brown concrete building near body of water during daytimeHead to headZell am See Summer Card, Hike & Swim or SalzburgerLand Card?Updated Oct 3, 2026a group of people standing in front of a tall buildingWhere to stayWhere to stay in Dresden: Altstadt, Neustadt, station or LoschwitzUpdated Oct 3, 2026brown wooden house near green mountain under blue sky during daytimeHow toTyrol without a car: trains, buses and guest cards that replace itUpdated Oct 3, 2026brown wooden house near green mountain under blue sky during daytimeWhere to stayWhere to stay in Tyrol: five bases from Innsbruck to St. AntonUpdated Oct 3, 2026brown wooden house near green mountain under blue sky during daytimeHead to headTyrol or Salzburgerland: which Austrian Alps region for a first trip?Updated Oct 3, 2026white and brown concrete building near body of water during daytimeItineraryZell am See in 3 days: lake, Schmittenhöhe and KitzsteinhornUpdated Oct 3, 2026white and pink petaled flowers on metal fence near concrete houses and tower at daytimeHow toRothenburg ob der Tauber: day trip or overnight, and how to get there by trainUpdated Oct 3, 2026white and brown concrete building near body of water during daytimeWhere to stayWhere to stay in Zell am See: town, Thumersbach, Schüttdorf or KaprunUpdated Oct 3, 2026a hand holding a bookData storyRechecked: every entry rule that changed in 2026 so farJonas Brandt · Updated Oct 3, 2026gray and brown concrete cathedralWhere to stayWhere to stay in Cologne: four bases from the Old Town to DeutzUpdated Oct 3, 2026gray and brown concrete cathedralHead to headCologne or Düsseldorf: which Rhine city to choose, and where to sleepUpdated Oct 2, 2026a city street with a yellow taxiRulesWhich attractions in Europe sell out weeks ahead, with booking windowsUpdated Oct 2, 2026People are walking through a busy airport terminalRulesVAT refunds: Europe vs Japan, who qualifies and what it really savesUpdated Oct 2, 2026a hand holding a bookRulesThe six-month passport rule: which countries actually enforce itUpdated Oct 2, 2026a hand holding a bookRulesThe Schengen 90/180 rule, explained with worked examplesUpdated Oct 2, 2026a person walking in a large buildingRulesAirport transit visas: when a layover needs a visa (Schengen, UK, US, Canada)Updated Oct 2, 2026a hand holding a bookRulesEES, explained: what changes at Schengen bordersUpdated Oct 2, 2026a hand holding a bookRulesTraveling with children: consent letters and documents by countryUpdated Oct 2, 2026a group of people standing in front of a tall buildingHead to headDresden or Leipzig: which Saxon city to visit, and how to see bothUpdated Oct 1, 2026white and pink petaled flowers on metal fence near concrete houses and tower at daytimeHead to headRothenburg, Würzburg or Bamberg: which Franconian town should you choose?Updated Oct 1, 2026Neuschwanstein Castle, GermanyHow toHow to visit Neuschwanstein: tickets, the walk up and the bridgeUpdated Oct 1, 2026an aerial view of a river and a cityWhere to stayWhere to stay in the Rhine Valley: five bases from Bacharach to KoblenzUpdated Oct 1, 2026a fountain in the middle of a town squareWhere to stayWhere to stay in Heidelberg: Altstadt, Bergheim or NeuenheimUpdated Oct 1, 2026white and pink petaled flowers on metal fence near concrete houses and tower at daytimeThings to doThings to do in Rothenburg ob der Tauber: wall walk, lanes and an evening tourUpdated Oct 1, 2026an aerial view of a river and a cityHow toRhine Valley by train or boat: how to see the castles without a carUpdated Oct 1, 2026a fountain in the middle of a town squareHow toHeidelberg day trip from Frankfurt: trains, timing and a one-day routeUpdated Oct 1, 2026a hand holding a bookRulesETIAS, explained: Europe's €20 travel authorization and when it startsUpdated Oct 1, 2026a fountain in the middle of a town squareHead to headHeidelberg, Freiburg or Baden-Baden: which southwest town to visitUpdated Oct 1, 2026Neuschwanstein Castle, GermanyItineraryMunich to Neuschwanstein day trip by train: timings and a planUpdated Oct 1, 2026an aerial view of a river and a cityHead to headRhine or Moselle: which German river valley should you choose?Updated Oct 1, 2026Neuschwanstein Castle, GermanyHead to headFüssen day trip or overnight: what one night adds to NeuschwansteinUpdated Oct 1, 2026gray and brown concrete cathedralItineraryCologne in 2 days: cathedral tickets, museums and a Kölsch eveningUpdated Oct 1, 2026a group of people standing in front of a tall buildingItineraryDresden in 2 days: Altstadt, museums, Neustadt and an Elbe eveningUpdated Oct 1, 2026
DestinationsWhere to go, when to go and how to get around in 221 countries. Every practical fact shows the date we checked it and who checked it.Where to stayNeighborhoods walked end to end: who each area suits, how far it is from the airport train, and the hotels we would book ourselves.PlanVisas and entry rules, travel insurance, eSIMs and rail passes, explained in plain words and rechecked when the rules change.EventsFestivals, concerts and tours with confirmed dates, rooms near the venue and the fastest way on to the next city.StoriesField reports and data stories from the road. We time the queues, count the costs and say what changed since last year.

Asia

KansaiTokyoBangkokOsakaSiem ReapMt FujiOkinawaKōbeManilaKyotoAll Asia

Caribbean

Fort-de-FranceNassauPort of SpainNegrilSan JuanOcho RiosHavanaEleutheraEl Yunque National ForestSosúaAll Caribbean

Africa

MarrakechRabatToubkal National ParkMaasai MaraCape WinelandsDiani BeachMombasaNairobiAswanSharm El SheikhAll Africa

Events

Sapporo Snow FestivalCherry blossomGion MatsuriDía de MuertosOktoberfestKandy Esala PeraheraEvents calendar

More places

AustraliaKiribatiJordanLebanonMexicoUSAAustriaEnglandColombiaPeruCosta RicaNicaraguaAll Australia & PacificAll Middle EastAll North AmericaAll EuropeAll South AmericaAll Central AmericaAll destinations, A to Z