MediaWiki Users and Developers Conference/Guide for Americans visiting Europe

The below are solely the opinions of the Fall 2025 local chair, who is himself an American.

Welcome to the European conference! Things work a bit differently in these European conferences.

Do I need to bring anything special to Europe?

In Europe, the power plugs are different than in the U.S., so you will need to either buy a European plug for your phone/laptop, or more commonly, a universal power plug adapter. You can purchase them on Amazon ahead of time, or in a pinch, at an electronics corner shop in Hanover.

You'll also more likely than not require euros in cash. Unlike in the United States, it's common for establishments to not accept credit cards.

Do I need the ETIAS e-visa this year?

No. The European Commission intended to launch ETIAS in the last quarter of 2026, but this has been postponed indefinitely. For more information, please visit the official website of ETIAS: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/etias

Do I need to speak the local language?

While locals of course would appreciate you to speak as much of the local language as possible, they recognize that the diversity of European languages makes it infeasible for everyone visiting to learn the respective local language. When two Europeans from different countries communicate with each other, most likely they will speak English with each other. Therefore, in most European cities, it's reasonable to try speaking English with locals, but don't expect everyone to speak English. In larger cities, many important signs also contain English. Don't expect every mom-and-pop shop to speak English though. In those cases, consider using ChatGPT voice mode or Google Translate for translation.

Phone numbers

We Americans are fortunate to be in the NANP, which means we just need to type in 10 digits when calling. In Europe, each country has their own country dialing code. For instance, +44 is for the UK, +33 for France, and +49 for Germany. Therefore, it's imperative to include the proper country code in phone numbers.

For the U.S. and its territories, Canada, and many other Caribbean countries, the country code is +1. This goes in front of your regular phone number.

For instance, if your number in the U.S. is `(234) 567-8910`, you should write this as `+1 (234) 567-8910` in Europe. Don't forget the +1, or else they will assume it is a local number and might call the wrong number!

Date formats

Europeans put the day before the month, which is the opposite of what we do in the United States.

Please keep in mind if someone writes 08/10/2025, they are not referring to August 10, but rather 8 October.

When booking your hotel, please write your dates in European format (dd/mm/yyyy) rather than the American format (mm/dd/yyyy) to which we are accustomed.

Decimal separator: dots or commas? Blue = dots, green = commas, red = apostrophes.

Currency format

If we were to write $1,234.56 in the United States, in continental Europe this is typically denoted by 1.234,56€. The decimal point becomes a comma, and the comma becomes a decimal point. Also, the currency sign is after the amount rather than before.

How to get to the hotel? (2026)

Slovenia does not have dedicated high-speed train lines. It takes 4 hours to get from Venice to Ljubljana by rail.

You can also fly to Ljubljana from major airports in Europe.

There are carpools being formed for road transport from major cities like Vienna. Inquire on Element/Matrix for more info.

Are you flying into Ljubljana Airport? If so, and if you are able-bodied, you can buy an Urbana public transport card to load and pay for your transportation. (For more information: Visit Ljubljana - Getting around)

For hotel recommendations and walking directions, please check the conference page directly.

How do I take the train in Europe?

In most of Europe, intercity rail trips are boarded based on the honor system. In countries such as Italy and Spain, there are ticket-checking machines at turnstiles which require you to scan your QR code or ticket.

Local trains have spot checks done by fare enforcement.

For intercity rail, conductors go through the cabin to check everyone's tickets after each station.

You will need to buy an appropriate ticket. There are many tickets which are accepted for use on the local train system. Keep in mind, if you have an intercity Eurail ticket activated for that, it may be possible for you to take the local public transit with that very ticket that day, depending on the city.

Keep in mind that if you are taking the train through Germany, Deutsche Bahn is infamous for delays. If you are expecting to get somewhere on time when riding Deutsche Bahn, it is very unlikely. Please add plenty of padding into your scheduling to account for such delays. As a good rule of thumb, for every 1 hour your journey is expected to take, expect 20 minutes of delays on top of that.

Isn't this hotel kind of far away?

European cities primarily rely on public transport and good ol' fashioned walking! For able-bodied individuals, walking for 10-20 minutes is not only considered normal, it's considered healthy. :) Please work with the local chair for ADA-style accommodations if needed. (Obviously the ADA is not law outside of the United States, so please keep in mind local limitations to services for those with disabilities.)

Why isn't breakfast served at the conference? And why isn't breakfast included in the conference room rate?

In Europe, it is typically the prerogative of the conference attendees to procure their own breakfast. In Western Europe, it's considered perfectly normal to find a bakery or grocery in the morning and pick up some simple breakfast.

Coffee will still be provided throughout the day in the conference.

Do I need to carry euros with me?

It's better to carry cash than credit card, especially if you are going to smaller stores, which are likely to be cash-only.

Will stores in Europe accept my U.S. dollars?

While this is common in foreign countries which receive a large number of American tourists, such as Canada and the Bahamas, this practice does not exist in the Eurozone.

Where can I get euros?

The most cost-effective way is not to use the currency exchange stands at the airport, but to use your debit card (yes, it works in Europe too!) at any respectable bank's ATM in Europe and decline dynamic currency conversion (DCC).