Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Certain phone numbers don't have area codes. For example, numbers beginning with
074, 075, 076, 077, 078, and 079 are mobile numbers, which are more expensive to
call than a landline. Numbers starting with 080 are toll-free, but those beginning with
084, 087, or 03 are inexpensive toll numbers (
£
0.10/minute maximum from a landline,
£
0.20-40/minute from a mobile). Numbers beginning with 09 are pricey toll lines. If you
have questions about a prefix, call 100 for free help.
Dialing Internationally
Always start with the
international access code
—011 if you're calling from the US or
Canada, 00 from anywhere in Europe. If you're dialing from a mobile phone, simply insert
a + instead (by holding the 0 key).
• Dial the
country code
of the country you're calling (44 for Britain, or 1 for the US
or Canada).
• Then dial the area code (London's area code is 020—drop the initial zero if you're
calling from outside Britain) and the local number. The European calling chart lists spe-
cifics per country.
Calling from the US to Britain:
To call a recommended London hotel from the US,
dial 011 (US access code), 44 (Britain's country code), then 7730-8191 (the hotel's num-
ber).
Calling from any European country to the US:
To call my office in Edmonds,
Washington, from anywhere in Europe, I dial 00 (Europe's access code), 1 (US country
code), 425 (Edmonds' area code), and 771-8303.
More Dialing Tips
The chart on the next page shows how to dial per country. For online instructions, see
If you're using a mobile phone, dial as if you're in that phone's country of origin. So,
when roaming with your US phone number in Britain, dial as if you're calling from the
US. But if you're using a British SIM card, dial as you would from Britain.
Note that calls to a European mobile phone are substantially more expensive than
calls to a fixed line. Off-hour calls are generally cheaper.
Even in this age of email, texting, and near-universal Internet access, smart travelers still
use the telephone. I call TIs to smooth out sightseeing plans, hotels to get driving direc-
tions, museums to confirm tour schedules, restaurants to check open hours or to book a
table, and so on.
