Printed Documents

Many of us print out the items you mention as well as marking emails and using Wallet for tickets. I always like a back-up in case of tech failure. I have also needed to find an email quickly and failed - even when marked for quick retrieval. Printed info is sometimes easier for me than tech search when feeling anxious. It takes me little time to print hard copies.

I recommend creating an album in your Photos for travel stuff. Screenshot train tickets (specifically the QR codes), hotel reservations, museum tickets, etc. Include a photo of your passport. This way you can access all of these without data.

In the last 3 years of travel I have stopped printing anything unless there are specific instructions to do so. And that has happened once my last 4 trips to Europe.

Airline and train tickets are in either the app or my iPhone wallet, sometimes both. I keep all confirmation emails for hotels, restaurants, car rental, sights, ...in trip folder in email. Also, all tickets/QR codes for sights, concerts, theater are saved in the trip folder as well as a screenshot in a trip album in Photos.

This has been working well for me.

I used to print everything, but no more. Airline boarding passes I keep in my phone wallet (and indeed for many airlines they just ask for your passport when doing checkin/bag drop). Train tickets - in my phone wallet. Hotel reservations- in my email.

I do still keep a printed copy of my travel insurance

I print EVERYTHING. Really, everything. AND I have electronic versions (PDF, text docs, whatever) on our phones and iPads. I find I use the paper copies of things more than pulling out the phone or iPad. Bring both, and see what's most handy and accessible for you.

It's really personal choice. Some people like to have printed documents others have moved onto everything digital.

What I do is....

--use Tripit Pro to keep a record of everthing I have booked--flights, hotels, rental cars, tickets, tours, etc. The Pro version also sends reminders about checking in and will follow flights and alert me to any changes.

--set up a separate email folder for each trip and move emails to that folder. This makes them easier to find.

--use apps as much as possible but also take screen shots of tickets and boarding passes

Sometimes an app will have continung problems--are you listening British Airways--so I will print out a boarding pass at the airport. I use a self service machine and not wait in line.

I was going to say exactly what Frank just said - it's really personal choice.

If I didn’t print tickets & reservations that are paid, I would want to bring a power bank which I currently don’t need.

I do make an iCloud folder for each city I visit and place the screenshot of reservations, tickets, just in case. But other than train apps, I am showing paper tickets. It’s just me, but I don’t like handing my phone to someone who’s handling a lot of tickets to an event entree.

Oh, Simon’s comment reminded me- last year I had to return home quickly because of a family emergency. Having the papers printed of my remaining hotels, etc. made it so much easier to submit info for being reimbursed by the travel insurance company. I had easy proof of what I had paid & reserved to scan & upload to them since it was a stack in my holder. When a person is in shock, those papers were a blessing!

I'm learning to use my phone for tickets and passes, but I do prefer paper, when possible. With paper, I know it's there!

Frank - Glad to hear that BA’s app problems are not “just me”!!!!

Thank you everyone! Our first trip to Europe, so we ended up printing things out as a back up. Great advise! Keep on Traveling 😁

Always have a print backup, it can't crash. Also, at airports when you're checking in you can get an actual paper boarding pass which I much prefer to slamming my phone onto a turnstile.

We have digital copies (either .jpg graphics or .pdf's) on each of our phones. I also make printouts of a few of the most critical ones for each of us to keep. It's not that much paper, and I like backups. Recently, on a trip to Switzerland, we each had a Swiss Travel Pass. I printed the QR code for each of us to keep in our wallets. Worked fine, until my wife's got pretty wrinkled, and wouldn't scan well, so we went back to using the .pdf. However, on one occasion, we went to take the Harder Kulm cog railway, and the STP would give us half off. The .pdf of the QR code was not accepted. The paper printouts of the STP were accepted. And then we went to the Ballenburg Open Air Museum, which was covered 100% by the STP. Again, the QR code was not accepted, and we had to show the full-page prinout to get our free tickets.

So I don't recommend being too fanatic about going completely paperless. Same thing about being fanatical about not carrying any money. Sooner or later that fanaticism will come back and bite you.

Agree with everything said on your phone screen shots of tickets, etc. but I like printing out tickets that have barcodes because sometimes the phone scan doesn't work well, or you can't pull it up from your phone right when you need it - especially if it's a party of 4 or more on one phone.