Printing documents and tickets while travelling around Europe

Most hotels and even B&B places will allow you to print a few pages on their computer. Many won't even charge you. If they can't or won't I'm sure they can direct you somewhere that can. I used a public library on one of my recent trips to print boarding passes because the B&B I was at did not have internet due to phone line issues.

There used to be lots of Internet Cafes around Europe which provided this services, but with the invention of smart phones, most have closed.

If staying at a hotel, they may be able to do it; if staying at some other sort of lodging ask them where you can getting printing done. It is unlikely you would be the 1st person to have the need, so they should have an answer.

I always try to print out everything before leaving home, not always possible as some airlines only allow online check-in 2-3 days in advance.

Hotels will often print things if you ask nicely. Be prepared to e-mail them the files to print from your phone, the rightfully don't like sticking strange USB sticks into their PC's.

I've never heard of Kinko, but I don't think an office supplies shop would do print-outs for you.

Often some sort of business centre in hotels. Even when staying in apartments, I have been able to ask nicely to use a hotel business centre - I get stuck on a European keyboard, however..
Also, I check in on line before flights, but never print out boarding passes until I arrive at the airport. I know not all post gates ahead of time, but I tend to have better luck with the gate being printed on my pass 2-3 hours before departure than 24 hours beforehand.

I get stuck on a European keyboard, however

No such beast. There is a French keyboard, German, UK (not the same as US), Swiss, Portuguese, Norwegian, etc., all different (I know, I have had to deal with them all). Each has the characters needed for that language, but not these only used for other languages.
One of the joys of computerised travel.

Kinko's used to be a US office supply company that would do printing for a few cents a page. They are now FedEx Office. Don't remember seeing anything like that on my European journeys.

I too get stuck on the various European keyboards. Finding some keys can be very difficult if you are typing on a German layout, for example, and need a specific US English character.

I will print out as much stuff before I take off next week. But some tickets are not yet available for some of the things I wish to see or do so will need to do printing while "on the road." I will be staying in airbnbs so the chances are good that my hosts will help out but occasionally I may need to find a store that does printing.
There are a couple of office supply chains in NZ and Australia where you can take a USB drive and get pdfs or even digital photos processed/printed. So I am assuming that this is also common in the UK and Europe.

I can't recall ever staying in a hotel (in Europe or elsewhere) that wouldn't print something out without charge, especially a boarding pass. I've had to print out police reports and insurance documents, also. It's more of a problem if you're staying in AirBnb or vacation rentals, though. In that case, simply ask the host far ahead of time where you can print stuff out. There's almost always a convenient solution.

I rarely print anything anymore unless required. Many train and bus tickets don't need to be printed anymore if you have a phone.

But I too have always had good luck getting the hotel to print them - MOSTLY! I had one almost-nightmare experience in Cochem, Germany a few years ago, where a jerk of a hotel manager promised to help me print my train tickets in the morning but never showed up as promised, and his terrified staff were afraid to touch his computer nor even let me try to print it from my laptop. Nor would any of them even bother offer any suggestions as to who nearby might help me print them - or even any sympathy, really.

I hadn't given myself much margin of error in the morning - just assumed I'd be able to print my non-refundable tickets - but I was going to miss my train if I didn't get going! Frantically, I ran across the bridge into Cochem and found a TI with a free computer and printer and got my tickets printed just in time and barely made the train! I gave them a nasty review on Trip Advisor. Worst customer no-service at a hotel - EVER!

Go to an internet cafe

Go to an internet cafe

Good luck finding one these most went out of business near the end of the last decade.

No problem is finding an internet cafe if you know where to look.

Even in London after the one I used in Kings Cross had disappeared, I've found another one to replace it. Still, not quite as convenient as the previous one at Kings Cross.

In Berlin, Düsseldorf, Vienna, Frankfurt, Munich I know of internet cafes all within walking distances from the hotel or Pension, ca 3-10 mins. My B&B in London offers printing documents, likewise with the hotel in Hamburg.

German keyboard has more letters..ä, ö, ß, ü...making it 30 letter keys, more efficient here by just hitting the proper key. French keyboard is obviously different too You see that in an internet cafe.

Well I do know there are several Office Depots in Paris, I've used one, but not for printing. One thing to research is how to type the @ sign in various keyboards, not always obvious.

Thanks, everyone for your replies. One way or other I am certain I will get my printing done. And go for the pickup ticket option wherever possible.

I've actually run into this problem, it prevented me from going up the Eiffel Tower once as all the Internet cafes listed in my guidebook (just 2 years old!) no longer existed by 2012. I also found out I had to get tickets printed for a Greek ferry once I'd arrived and tried to board with an e-ticket. ugh.

And since you're staying at airbnbs that could in fact be a problem.

if you can't get your host to print something for you, every city in every country will have commercial print shops you can go to. You might need to use a translation app to search for them effectively. I'd try to look into it before you arrive.

I've yet to see anything approaching a Kinkos in Europe, sadly. I don't have a printer so I do go to a "call center" in my neighborhood which is mostly used by foreigners to Skype home, but does offer small-scale printing services. Keep in mind this can be a challenge in a foreign language, especially using the computer, so give yourself plenty of time and print at home whatever you can.

Well, in 2014, I was very lucky to find that TI in Cochem at the last minute. I don't know if TIs have public computers anymore with printers, but I'll bet some still do. Otherwise, I'd probably pop in to a hotel and just sweet talk them into printing a page or two for you. Be prepared to email them a copy of a PDF file on the spot to print. Costs them only a few pennies a page to print.

One of the several advantages of staying at Gare du Nord is the presence of internet cafes. There used to be three, one of which closed, That one I thought was the best one, the other two still exist, the closer one just 3 mins from my hotel.

Typically just ask at your lodging. Even hostels seem to have a way to get you a printed version of the ticket you need.

I only print a ticket if I really need it. Increasingly, you get a barcode in an email and the museum/attraction can just scan your phone screen (generally not in auto rotate, sometimes turn up the brightness on your screen).

For train tickets, at least in France, I've been just showing up and printing my tickets at a kiosk (similar to airports).

Yes, internet cafes died with the advent of smart phones and WiFi nearly everywhere in Europe - like video stores died when streaming became available.

"Even hostels seem to have a way to get you a printed version...." True, the hostel where I've stayed several times in Vienna, Wombats, at Westbahnhof has computers (50 cents for 30 mins) and a printer. I've seen guests use that printer.

Up the street on the same side is an internet café, which opens until 22:00 hrs. These still do exist.

I think y'all are missing that OP said they were largely staying at AirBnBs. I'm sure there are SOME AirBnB hosts who are willing to provide this service, but in my AirBnB experience it's usually meet to exchange keys, quick walkthrough of the flat, and I don't ever see them again because the doors lock on the way out and I just leave the keys. In this case, asking the host to print something means they'll have to meet you again. It's kind of a big ask and outside their responsibilities. They may live/work nowhere near the flat you're renting.

OP, again: "Call shops" in immigrant areas where people who don't have computers or internet at home will generally have services for you to print, language can be an issue (shops staffed by immigrants may speak the local language as a 2nd or 3rd language but English may not be one of them). But you're not going to find these places usually in the touristy center of a popular city.

Another potential option is just walking into a nice brand-name hotel and asking them to print a document for you/asking to use their computer services. Big hotels sometimes just assume you're staying with them and won't ask questions. You could also just be upfront and ask and not pretend to be a guest. Hotel people can be super nice and may provide the service for you anyway. Just make sure you go during the magic hours after check out and before check in. (12:00-14:00).

If you are in a big city, there is usually a copy/print shop around the business area/downtown. Just do a google search for copy/print shops.

However, I've noticed that nowadays, you can just show/scan your phone in many of the museums and attractions.

The internet cafes/call shops I go to in order to make a phone call or use the computer are run by SriLankans , Eritreans, Senegalese, Turks, etc. in Munich, Frankfurt, Vienna, Düsseldorf, Berlin (two different ones), besides Paris. Generally, the price is the same, the main difference is the closing time.

Except for the two in Berlin, the rest are all close to the central train station, eg, Kaiserstrasse at Frankfurt Hbf. That call shop on Mariahilferstrasse up and across from Wien Westbahnhof is the other exception.