Which currency to tip in?

In that case, I'd guess you could tip in either currency - but you will probably have Euros starting in Vienna so I fail to see how a tip in any currency other than Euros would be expected. Same with a driver starting in Hungary - he/she isn't going to going to expect you to have Zloty in advance. (Or if you have Euros too, ask the driver in Hungary if he/she would prefer Euros.)

I would tip in the same currency that was used to pay for the transfer.

I'd tip in euros

Same with a driver starting in Hungary - he/she isn't going to going to expect you to have Zloty in advance.

I'm not surprised considering the Zloty is the currency of Poland. Hungary uses the Forint.

JC:

I'm not surprised considering the Zloty is the currency of Poland. Hungary uses the Forint.

Good for you. I said the same thing: OP probably won't have Zloty yet when still in Hungary, so driver isn't going to expect a tip in Zloty. Try not to be so quick to correct someone when you yourself have misunderstood the answer.

driver is not expecting a tip ,so why give him one, you have agreed a price i am pretty sure, so why pay more over and above the agreed amount.

Thank you all for your helpful answers.

Unclegus - I was thinking that since the transfer was booked through a thirdsy party service sort of like Uber rather than directly with the driver that I should probably give some sort of tip to the driver. Perhaps this isn't so? I admit that I am still awfully American about tipping, so afraid of offending someone by not doing it, although I understand that I. an unintentionally offend by over tipping where it is not customary as well.

you are unlikely to offend them but why worry it is not as though you will see them again.
here is an idea for all you big tipping Americans , don't tip but all the money you would have tipped on a trip donate it to a local Charity, might make you feel better about not tipping.

I think your remark abou T "all you big tipping Americans" is uncalled for and unworthy.

The driver has your life in his hands. It is not an easy job. If he has been careful and helpful I see no reason not to tip.

It is a thoughtful gesture and last time I looked generosity was still a virtue. Even in Scotland.

@ arthurperry

Do you tip the pilot and other flight staff when you travel? After all, it's a difficult job and they have your life in their hands.

To the OP's question ; any driver routinely crossing borders would most likely get tips in multiple currencies so I wouldn't worry abou t it. But Euros would probably be the safest choice.

Jc. no and you know why as well as I do. Not only has it been forbidden by all airlines for staff to accept tips it also is not customary to do so. However it has been customary to tip all kinds of drivers for more than 100 years even in England and many places in Europe.

Why are you tipping?

@ arthurperry

No, it is not customary in England to tip drivers. I've never witnessed anyone tipping a bus driver, a coach driver or a train driver. Some people may round up the fare in a taxi, I do sometimes because I can't be bothered with having small change, but that's pretty much the extent of it.

Tipping in much of Europe is even less of a thing than in the UK.

My point is the arbitrary nature of tipping. What dictates who and when you tip?

Many Americans like to tip for good service. In my experience, no has refused one.
OP had a specific question, not about whether or not to tip.

Of course no-one is going to refuse a tip, why would they? The exception of course would be in countries where tipping is likely to cause offence.

Americans may like to tip but in doing so in countries where it's not widely practiced or where the bill is simply rounded up it creates an expectation amongst workers in the service industry to receive large tips which is a problem for us non American tourists. It's called cultural sensitivity and understanding the practices and norms of the country you're visiting rather than simply doing as you please.

If you feel like giving a tip, I would suggest tipping in Euro. "They" always want Euro.

"Americans may like to tip but in doing so in countries where it's not widely practiced or where the bill is simply rounded up it creates an expectation amongst workers in the service industry to receive large tips which is a problem for us non American tourists. "
Got it, some people give out of generosity, which may cause you a problem.

no,most give out of habit and not wanting to offend.

Got it, some people give out of generosity, which may cause you a problem

No David, most give out of habit and ignorance to cultural norms, a lazy and arrogant way of travelling.

And a lot of people like the self-satisfied feeling they get after tipping.

Wow, I really think this thread dissolved quickly. I really think it is rather rude to assume people that tip in countries where it is not customary are being lazy, arrogant, culturally insensitive or doing it for a feeling of self satisfaction. In fact, the whole point of asking questions like this is to learn what is customary to be more culturally sensitive. Most likely the cause would just be innocent ignorance, like in my case. In my reading on this topic on the RS site, the article says it is acceptable to round up for a 5-10% tip if service was good, although tips are not expected at restaurants, and for taxis to round up to the nearest whole number or add a few euro to the total for a long drive. Perhaps this information is incorrect. Since my transfer is pre-paid through a third party, I can't just round up so I thought it would be ok to tip a few euro extra.

In the US we don't tip because we want to, but because the way our system is set up people in tip-based services would not eat if we didn't. You can argue the merits of that system all day, but it is what it is. If I am traveling to another country and am not sure if tips are customary or not, my inclination is to err on the side of tipping rather than not, in case I am in a similar situation and that person relies on my tips to help feed his/her family. I've been to many countries in Central America where this is also true.

I appreciate the thoughtful comments that attempted to answer my genuine question instead of attacking the character for those of us who are less knowledgeable about customs in various countries. A simple "a tip would not be expected or recommended" would have done fine.

Tamara, my comments weren't directed at you but at those who arrogantly insist that their way is correct wherever they travel and who dismiss the advice and guidance from those with better knowledge.

Well, I appreciate that, JC. I would like to believe that people who overtip overseas are doing it with good motives and out of ignorance, but perhaps that isn't the case. I appreciate the interesting education this thread has given me. I had no idea this was such a hot button issue!

Americans are supposedly starting to get the reputation on average of being amongst the archetypal poor tippers in Europe, on par with the Italians and British. Maybe hyper-correction to their habits at home?

"No David, most give out of habit and ignorance to cultural norms, a lazy and arrogant way of travelling."
Who made you the final arbiter of people's motives? Is it ok if you think they are being generous?
And I hope the OP got a clear direction for the inquiry.

@JC The people you cite as examples are a straw man argument. YOU know as well as I do I am sure that those same folks in the US are not tipped either. Except for Taxi drivers. And I have friends in England who do round up for taxis...that’s still a tip. Further the OP was talking about a Private Driver (I believe) and in that case it is definitely customary to tip them.

And by the way in much of Europe tipping is not only expected it is required through the system of Service Charges applied to your bill. And where I am right now in Bulgaria tipping is customary to servers and others who wait on you and that was true in Montenegro, Bosnia and Serbia. Assuming that an entire segment of Americans are slobbering Rubes when it comes to travel is offensive. I know the customs where I am at any moment and watch carefully what the locals do in any given situation.

The only arrogance I see exhibited here along with a good dollop of ignorance of what happens in the whole of Europe is what I have read from a couple of responses on this thread to the OP’s question.

This was an honest question from the OP that deserved just a simple honest response without all of the attendant barely concealed anger and dislike of Americans that is clear in a few posts.

If I feel the driver, guided tour guide, river cruise guide, etc deserves a tip, say one Euro, then that person gets a tip. I determine that, my decision, not interested in knowing what the cultural norm is. I've done this in France, Austria, Germany (one Euro), in London ( one quid).

thats great Fred, so when I am in the US I can care not one jot what the cultural norm is in the US and not bother to tip at all.
At least in the EU countries I know that the staff are working for a reasonable minimum hourly rate can I presume the servers/ drivers in the US are on a similar rate?

not interested in knowing what the cultural norm is.

Wow, great travel mindset to have Fred!

Travel is so broadening, is it not? Not for everyone, apparently.

The person receiving that one Euro tip, ( or one DM or French franc), or one quid as after the London Thames river ride from Westminister to Greenwich always appeared to be pleased and said thanks, merci, or danke after receiving the tip,... regardless of the cultural norm, isn't it?

"Tamara, my comments weren't directed at you but at those who arrogantly insist that their way is correct wherever they travel and who dismiss the advice and guidance from those with better knowledge."

I just returned from 10 days in Scandinavia, and as JC arrogantly insists, the custom is not to tip or at least just round up. After all, that's what Rick Steves tells everyone. Well, my experience is that times may be changing. Almost all of the restaurants where we ate, which were certainly NOT Michelin rated places, we paid by credit card, as everyone does in Sweden and Denmark for all purchases. In most cases they did not simply hand me something to sign with the amount of the bill on it. Instead, they gave me the portable credit card machine with the amount of the bill and I had to enter how much I wanted to pay. If the custom is not to tip, then why are they doing this? In fact since I couldn't read the Danish or Swedish instructions, I wasn't sure if I was entering the amount of the tip or the total amount, including tip. The only reason for them to do this is to encourage the customer to tip, as is customary in the US. So who has the "better knowledge"?

I just returned from 10 days in Scandinavia, and as JC arrogantly insists, the custom is not to tip or at least just round up.

Care to point out where I mentioned Scandinavia, arrogantly or not?

I would first find out if it is customary to tip the driver in this case. It is is, then I would do so in Euros.

In Canada, like in the US, it is customary to tip for so much but when visiting other countries, it is in my mind, very important to understand what their cultural norms are and be respectful of that. When people go to the US, Americans expect them to abide by the norms/culture of the US, why would this not be the same for Americans going abroad???????

I'm with the group that believes tipping should follow the customs of the region, not one's preferences.

Question for those (mostly) Americans that tip in places where no tip is expected: Would it be ok for Europeans visiting the US to not leave tips because that is what they do? I'd think lots of American service workers would be quite upset.

I also think a lot of Americans have a very outdated understanding of tipping. It did used to be a way of providing generosity for good service. The wealthy providing a little extra for servants. But that passed long ago and tipping is really just a way for employers to underpay their workers, relying instead of customers to pay them directly. For the most part, this isn't the case in Europe where service workers tend to be paid a reasonable living wage.

I also agree that over-tipping or tipping when not custom can easily lead to abuse by people who start to expect it. I've had waiters in places where I know tipping is not common directly "hint" that a tip is customary. You could add that to the "scam" section and it is caused by (mostly) Americans leaving tips when they are not customary.

Having said all that, I know it can be confusing to know when or not when to tip in Europe. And in many places it is customary to round up (even if to avoid coins). But people should try and know the customs and comply with those rather than just do whatever they normally do.

In Germany and Austria whether you round off, say 8,20 Euro is the amount, then you tell the waitress/waiter, it's 9 Euro, OR, if the bill is 22, 60 Euro and you tell him/her 24 Euro is the final price, that extra amount beyond the actual amount for what you ordered is a tip.

In the pre-Euro days when I rounded off in Germany and the person got 10 Pfennig, they still said, Danke. If the bill is 22,60 Euro, and you leave nothing extra, ie, paying that exact amount, they are used to that too.

Do I tip in France when on my bill is stated, "service compris?" Most often not.