Hello, I am traveling to London, Paris and Munich this March 08. Does anyone know what is the best international phone card to buy that will allow me to call from each of these countries to the US? Also, any tips on using them from pay phones (Do I use a coin to make the toll-free call)? Your help is appreciated very much!
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
You'll need to buy a card in each country you visit. You can find them at newsstands and convenience stores. Buy one that has a PIN so you can use it in both pay phones and hotel room phones. (No coins needed.) Ask for a card that gives the best rate for international calls. You can also use it for calls within the country.
Here's the URL for a helpful article on making international calls: www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/phonechart.htm.
Posted by
OP
Davenport, IA, USA
14 posts
Thank, Tim. Do you dial a toll-free number and enter your pin to dial back to the state? Also, as I will only be in each country a day or 2, do you know if each country's card begins with small euro or pound amounts? Got an idea what the starting cost is by chance? And thanks so much for your knowledge!
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
The phone card will come with instructions on what number to call and how to then enter your PIN. After that, follow the instructions Rick gives in the article I mentioned in my previous post. Cards come in varying amounts so buy the cheapest one you can find in each country.
Posted by
Los Angeles, CA, USA
1449 posts
just to mention another option -- depending on your personal circumstances, you might not need to make very many or very lengthy calls back home. In which case any US cellphone that uses the GSM network (AT&T, T-Mobile, some others) will work overseas. The rate isn't cheap, about $1/min. On the other hand you can make calls from anywhere rather than having to hunt down a pay phone (which are becoming harder to find since so many europeans use cell phones themselves), because of the time difference between the US and Europe you're not standing on dark corners at odd hours, etc. And you in case anyone from back home needs to get hold of you they just leave a message, so you don't need to keep checking in.
Posted by
Bend, OR, United States
1167 posts
I have been very happy with Net2phone. The have a calling card that you can use for both local and international calls at very low rates (3-5 cents/minute) in 30 countries.
http://web.net2phone.com/consumer/callingcards/
Posted by
Myrtle Beach, USA
12315 posts
I've had the best luck with single country PIN cards. When you use the cards, you put the card in and follow directions. Sometimes the phones don't work, so don't think you're crazy if you have to go to a second or third phone before it works as advertised.
Buy a smaller denomination card and use it up before you leave the country then glue the card in your journal as a souvenir.
The multiple country cards aren't nearly as good of deal and not as many phones accept them.
Another option that worked well for me was calling from an internet cafe.
Posted by
Los Angeles, CA, USA
1449 posts
Sam, I have AT&T (formerly Cingular) and the rates I paid from Europe were 99 cents / min. Thats with paying a $5/mos fee that I added on before I went and turned off when I returned. If you don't have that, then the rate is still only $1.29 / min.
See http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/international/roaming/international-roaming.jsp