Information on Loos

Here's a good read on the topic http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/0600wc.htm

thanks. i guess most of it is common sense. selling toilet paper? hmm. that's interesting.

It really depends where in Europe you are. In general, I find public restrooms are easier to find in Europe than in cities in the U.S. The downside is, you almost always have to pay for them, and some of them are strange, self-cleaning contraptions that can be a little confusing. (Whatever you do, don't try to avoid paying or you may end up being showered with disinfectant!) In restaurants, if there is waiter service, you generally don't have to pay. I also find that unless there's a sign explicitly posted on the door saying the restrooms are only for paying customers, you can usually sneak into a busy restaurant and use the bathroom. In some places it's even law that they have to let you, in other places not, but I haven't been yelled at yet.

Travel rule: when you see an available toilet....use it.

I'm with Bruce - I don't care if I have to go or not - if there is a (free) bathroom, I'd try - after walking around Paris for about 3hrs holding everything in...worst toilet experience - the public pay toilets in I think it was Monterosso in Cinque Terre at the train stn area - a hole in the floor - but at least it was porcelain around it...lol...but, ladies, tell me, it's not that easy to squat and aim! ;p I almost took my coin back when I came out...I thought I went into the mens, peeked at the door, saw it was ladies...nature calls! So if you're in a museum or restaurant or even a large store - look for the br's

To add additional information not already mentioned... For full-service restaurants, the only country I have ever seen where they charge to use the WC is Poland. Elsewhere, I've seen fastfood joints in busy locations that charge, but most don't. As mentioned, at full-service rest stations on the German Autobhan network, you pay, but there are some smaller rest stops that have unmanned, free toilets. In my experience, they're generally clean enough, if not as immaculate as the pay toilets. On the French autoroutes... only use the full-service rest station WCs! The smaller rest stops have what are essentially glorified Port-o-Potties, and they are foul beyond belief.

I have had to pay in a few countries. You typically have to pay at train stations and large department stores. I don't think I had to pay anywhere in London, Ireland, Spain or Italy. I definitely paid in Germany and France. I don't think you are paying for the toilet paper per say, but for them keeping the facilities clean. My husband was using a bathroom somewhere in Germany and the female attendant was mopping the floor between his feet. Awkward!! I always carry tissues and hand sanitizer with me, just in case. I encountered the porcelain hole-in-the-floor toilets twice in Italy, once at a train station in the Cinque Terre and once at a public bathroom in Tuscany, possibly Volterra but I can't remember exactly. You'd better have good balance with those!

Three words: Charmin-to-go. Never travel without it. It depends entirely on where you are in Europe. In Spain, the toilets were always free and clean, and there are public facilities in grocery stores, department stores, restaurants.

Spain is the one place I cannot recall paying anywhere. But pretty much everywhere, at some point when I have really needed a health break, I've walked into a café/bar/pub/restaurant like I was a regular and either went straight to the back, upstairs, or downstairs (depends – you need to figure it out quickly without asking) in search of a WC. It's always worked, and nobody has ever questioned me. BTW, I do this here, too, so it's not just a thing I do in Europe. I've done it, even when signs are posted (no public restroom) due to a large event or whatever. You gotta be bold when you have to go. And I'm not proud of this one, but I may have used a bush at night somewhere near a famous palace in Austria...and another time in the woods in Eastern France...not too far off the auto route – technically probably the Argonne. So if you've ever had to use nature here for this purpose, it's possible there, too. Be careful...you don't want to go to jail. And get ready for some interesting toilet arrangements, such as the old hole in the floor. I've seen that one twice that I can recall – near Passau at a Shell station (free - I was buying gas) and at Milano Centrale station (pay). I've paid in many places.

Yes, in many places in Europe, you will have to pay to use a toilet. Get used to the idea now, or you will be miserable. I've paid as high as 1 euro, but it's usually less. Keep some coins handy. As said, use a free toilet whenever it presents itself. Restaurants and museums are always a good bet.

The most expensive I've found was the Printemps department store in Paris: 1.50 euros, even if you've eaten in one of their restaurants. Nothing special. Didn't compare to a free Saks 5th. Ave. Imagine if they gave vouchers for free pees if you spend a certain amount of money.

I'm always happy to pay the 50 centimes or whatever. I figure I have that much better chance to find the restroom clean then.

I remember when I was a kid, there was a charge for going into the stall, 10 cents, and we used to either hold the door for the next person, or slide underneath. Any of those options hold true in Europe?

I'm not sure I want to find out if that's an option in Europe if it means floor surfing in a public toilet...I would rather pay than roll around in someone else's urine to get under the door because it's cheaper.

In my experiences in Europe you don't put coin into the thing on the stall door like here. There is usually an attendant, or you put money into the machine before you can enter the bathroom, not the stall. In Paris there are public bathrooms on the street. You put your money into the slot and the door opens to let you in. After you leave the entire bathroom is sprayed down to be disinfected. I wouldn't recommend trying to sneak into one of those, as you are likely to be sprayed.

Ever heard the British expression "spending a penny" used in connection with going to the toilet? It comes from the fact that for years women had to put a penny in the slot on stall doors to use the toilet....even in museums and department stores. I remember many a frantic search for a penny when nature called. What used to make my Mum mad was that as far as she knew, men got off scot-free! It does vary in different countries - only place I was actually sold toilet paper was near Ephesus in Turkey. On a RS tour in Italy last year our guide presented each participant with a small package of Kleenex for such use. Mine remained unopened and is in my suitcase ready for this year!

I've been traveling in Europe since 1972, and I've come up with some observations and simple rules regarding toileting issues. I agree with one of the other replies that suggested a prime rule for travelers is never pass up a chance to use a toilet; i.e., when you're a customer in a bar or cafe, etc. You'll find conditions vary from country to country, and from region to region. One of the most surprising to me was that modern facilities in French rest stops on the autoroutes (not the ones with commercial amenities, but just picnic tables and restrooms) had toilets with no seats and no tp. 2nd rule: always carry a packet of tissues. You will still run into hole-in-the-floor facilities in France, Italy, and Turkey; some clean and some not so. Some women even argue they are more sanitary than regular toilets because there is no contact with the body. Pay toilets are very common everywhere I've been in Europe, sometimes with a person collecting the fee, sometimes automated. For the latter, there is rule 3: keep a supply of of coins with you. Several other posters have mentioned just going into bars, etc. and using the restrooms. Big hotel lobbies are good for that, also. They almost always have facilities; and, unless you look really disreputable, no one will question your right to be there.

Marjorie - - thanks for being bold and putting this topic out there! This has been on my mind also. From previous travels I remember more hole in the ground toilets in Italy. Have an upcoming trip to France and am sure hoping to avoid these as much as possible! I don't mind paying at all if it comes with a seat!!! In Cochem, Germany at a public toilet there was a man working inside the women's restroom. He had a cup towel in his hand. There were about 3 stalls and as each women would exit a stall he would go in and wipe off the seat (all with the same towel! eew!) before the next lady would go in. It was a memorable experience! That's the only time I've ever encountered that though. This freaked my then middle school daughter out and she refused to go!

After writing my contribution to this thread, I remembered something else that may astonish travelers, but in a good way. A few times, in France for sure and maybe in Switzerland, I've run across two versions of super hi-tech toilets. One has the seat enclosed in a plastic tube, kind of like a continuous plastic baggie. When the toilet is flushed, the plastic starts to move. By the time the flushing is done, the seat has a completely new cover. The other had an automatic disinfectant spray which was activated by the flushing. It then dried the seat with hot air. These were in restaurants; I'm not talking about the coin -op ones on the streets. There is one further thing to be aware of and wary about. It is common, in Europe, to have lights on automatic timers, so as to save on electricity. That's fine except in a small, windowless bathroom. Suddenly the light goes out; it's pitch black; and you don't know where the switch is. I guess rule 4 should be if you enter such, make a point of noticing where the light switch is located.

Thing is, Europeans visiting the U.S. for the first time will ask the same type of "dumb" questions, because they're going into unchartered territory. They don't know what they don't know, and Americans certainly haven't cornered the market on asking what seems to some to be ridiculous questions about a place they've never been. And imagine someone from Pakistan of all flippin' places being afraid that they'll literally be shot and killed while attending university here. It happens, but good god...seriously...you're from Pakistan (true story re: a friend from Pakistan)?!?! Those automatic toilets with the revolving seats encased in plastic wrap are all over the place here, too. Just visit the nearest restroom next time you're an airport or other huge venue.

Hi, "...the best places to relieve oneself in Europe?" To answer that I have to say in Germany (or anywhere) it's Rail and Fresh, most impressive WC facilities I've seen. They're at certain train stations, such as Berlin Hbf, Ostbahnhof, Munich, Hamburg, didn't see one at Frankfurt Hbf. A little pricey, one Euro to use all the facilities, instead of the ususal 40-60 cents, but you'll see why. Very well organised, coin and bill changer, linguistically oriented to the traveler/tourist.

Don't you guys remember "Don't break the seal" from college? I swear it's a real phenomenon! OK all kidding aside, I have the same worry. But I really worry about "staying hydrated" on the plane and having to climb over my seat-mate every 30 minutes to stand in line for the bathroom!

" One has the seat enclosed in a plastic tube, kind of like a continuous plastic baggie. When the toilet is flushed, the plastic starts to move. By the time the flushing is done, the seat has a completely new cover." They have the same thing at O'Hare airport in Chicago, and even here in central Illinois at BMI.

Well, not only is everything up to date in Kansas City, as the song goes; but, evidently in the rest of the Midwest, as well. In the past year I've been at SFO, JFK, IAD, PDX, OAK, and SEA. Saw nothing but conventional toilets. The times I used those airports I also patronized many restaurants in the cities they serve - - except for JFK where we only changed planes. Again, only conventional toilets. Who knew that the Midwest would be so far ahead of the coasts, at least in so far as toilets are concerned.

I am sorry, but the world has enough plastic, and the last thing we need is more plastic on every toilet seat because people are afraid of "catching" something, even though most of us are traveling in 1st world, civilized countries. This is taking germ phobia to a new level, one we don't need. If you see airports, etc. with toilets using this huge waste of resources, write a letter, and complain. As to staying hydrated on a plane. There seems to be a huge phobia people seem to have gotten about not getting enough to drink all the time. I can understand needing to drink a lot in hot countries, or people with certain health conditions, but I have my doubts that most of us need to drink such huge amounts of water constantly so that we then need to use the bathroom every half hour. Is it some sort of fear about getting dehydrated while flying and if so, what would happen? Has anyone gotten dehydrated on a flight? Could our Helpline Drs. come post about these fears of dehydration, as well as chances of disease from toilet seats. More information would be welcome.

In California we don't have plastic seat covers, as far as I know anyway. I've never seen it. What we do have, and I do miss it when going other places, is paper seat covers. Everywhere. From gas stations and fast food joints, to nice restaurants and high-end department stores. We recently got a Hobby Lobby in our area and I was excited to check it out. I was shocked to see they didn't have paper covers in the bathroom.

At one time those paper seat covers were called "Nixon t-shirts".

There are apps for smart phones that do cover parts of Europe if you're looking for nearby restroom facilities. Hmmmm... Finding Michael's comment about his boldly peeing outside a palace a bit ironic as on a recent thread regarding following European laws he stated "Would I follow the laws of any country I'm visiting, regardless of what our laws are back home? Yes." but as liberal as Europe may be regarding the drinking age I don't think they look too kindly on public urination because if they did, then why the warning to "be careful you don't end up in jail" for pissing on the grounds near a palace? If one has a full bladder I guess then it's acceptable to not follow the local laws because when you gotta go, you gotta go?

Hey, I'm just trying to live like a local, Slugger! See number 6: http://www.tourmycountry.com/austria/badhabits.htm Oh, and it wasn't actually on palace grounds.

Michael: Awwww, that's so nice it wasn't on the grounds of the palace...just outside with the palace nearby. You, sir, are a true gentleman and I'm sure you always remember to remove the dishes from the kitchen sink before you urinate in it!

We always carried around change to pay for those 50+ centimes charges. This website also recommended taking you own toilet paper. Use your TP roll at home until it gets about one half inch of less. Remove the cardboard center. Put in a small ziploc bag and carry them with you. As we were on a RS tour I never had to use them, but they came in handy when we rented. Also can be used on airplanes as they seem to run out so frequently.

Michael is indeed living like a local if he pees next to the palace. It's much more common than in the States to see the back of a man with legs spread in a V standing straight as he relieves himself. Always the back. Never the front. In the countryside, not in the middle of the city. And the older folks on the Helpline will remember the free pissoirs on the busy streets of Paris where you could see the top of a head and the bottom of the pants legs as men let it out into a trough of water which then flowed into the street where you were walking. These were replaced by the equal opportunity pay automatic toilets, giving women some relief too. My French husband is always going on about how up-tight Americans are about peeing in public. C'est la vie. Maybe this answer belongs on the European laws/customs thread....

I didn't say anything about urinating anywhere, but Bets confirmed what Benedikt wrote in that link regarding locals using bushes for health breaks. For the sake of your own health, calm down on this one already – it's more fun observing you bashing Canadians or demonstrating your superior travel prowess as it relates to proper attire anywhere in Europe, proper food choices in Paris, or proper everything in Boston, Philadelphia, or Chicago.

The public toilet freestanding booths in Paris are free now. I have also paid 50 centimes to use the biffy in the Tuilleries Gardens but they are clean and have tp so worth it when needed. Outside Notre Dame and Eiffel Tower there are free toilets.

I am wondering if people traveling the big cities in the US know something that I don't know.... aren't the issues the same everywhere? I really don't recall seeing public bathrooms all over our cities, so whatever you do here should work there. Just returned from a week in NYC and we did the same thing as we would do in Europe... go into a store, stop in a cafe, make a walk back to the hotel. I, for one, am happy to pay for those German rest stops as they are sparkling clean, and it gives someone a job... wish we had more here. The cheap people can use the unattended bathrooms, but I'll pay the money every time.