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An International Traveler’s Guide to Tipping: Europe will help you know when and how much to tip during your next venture across the pond.
Last month I shared with you A Traveler’s Guide to Tipping. I broke down all the potential tipping situations that can come up while traveling in the United States. It was quite a lot of information and guess what? I’m not done!
It’s quite funny when I think about these tipping guides that I created. I set out to create one guide. After I finished the domestic travel section I quickly realized that I would be better off doing a separate guide on international tipping.
Well, I finished writing about international tipping and ended up with over twelve pages of information! I didn’t even include every country! It seemed a little too much to throw at you at once. I decided to break the guide down into four different posts.
Today’s installment of the series, An International Traveler’s Guide to Tipping: Europe is the first installment. I decided to start with Europe because it is one of the most popular destinations for Americans. It’s also become not only a popular summertime destination but the fall season, too. So, I felt it would be most useful being published now.
Tipping in Europe often comes down to service charges. They are very popular there, particularly, in restaurants. It’s often a good idea to check your bills to see if one has been added before determining the gratuity. If you’re unsure 10 – 15% is average.
Austria
Dining: If a service charge is not included, tip 5% – 10% for good service.
Hotel: Tip porters one to two euros per bag. Leave one to two euros per night for housekeeping on the bed. It’s not required but appreciated when exceptional service is given.
Taxis: Drivers do expect a tip, 10% is standard.
Belgium
Dining: If there’s no service charge, tip 10% for good service.
Hotel: Gratuity is often included in hotel charges but it’s nice to have a few euros on hand for porters.
Taxis: Not expected but you can round up to the next euro.
Croatia
Dining: Tip 5% for casual meals and 10 – 15% for good service in nice restaurants.
Hotel: Keep some Croatian kuna on hand for bellhops and housekeeping. A good amount is fifteen to twenty kuna per bag for porters and the same amount per night for housekeeping.
Taxis: Round up on fares.
France
Dining: Most restaurants in France include a service charge in the bill. However, if you received excellent service feel free to tip an additional 5 – 10%.
Hotel: One euro per bag for porters and one euro per night for housekeeping.
Taxis: On short trips you can round up to the next euro and add a few more when the drivers are extra helpful. Longer trips tip 10 – 15%.
Germany
Dining: A service charge is included in all bills. However, if you received excellent service feel free to tip an additional 10 – 15%. Just make sure to hand the tip to the server directly. Leaving gratuity on the table is considered an insult.
Hotel: Tip one to three euros per bag for porters. Leave three to five euros per night for housekeeping. You can leave the tip on the bed or the night stand.
Taxis: Round up to the next euro.
Greece
Dining: Tip 5 – 10% for good service.
Hotel: One euro per bag for porters and one euro per night for housekeeping.
Taxis: Round up to the next euro, for exceptional service tip 5 – 10%. Yacht charters render a 5 – 10% tip in an envelope.
Hungary
Dining: If a service charge is not included, tip 10% – 15% for good service. Make sure to tell you waiter beforehand how much you want charged to your card including the tip.
Hotel: Have some Hungarian 200 forint coins on hand for porters and housekeeping.
Taxis: Tip 10 – 15%.
Ireland
Dining: If a service charge is not included, tip 10% – 15% for good service.
Hotel: One to two euros per bag for porters and one to two euros per night for housekeeping.
Taxis: Round up to the next euro, no more than 10% for exceptional service.
Italy
Dining: Restaurants in Italy include a service charge. However, if you received excellent service feel free to tip an additional 10%.
Hotel: One euro per bag for porters and one euro per night for housekeeping.
Taxis: Round up to the next euro and add a few more when the drivers are extra helpful. It’s not necessary to tip gondoliers.
The Netherlands
Tipping is not customary here. You can leave a 5 – 10 % tip for exceptional service in restaurants. Round up to the next euro for taxi drivers. Gratuity is often included in hotel charges but it’s nice to have a few euros on hand for porters.
Portugal
Dining: Tip 5 – 10% for good service.
Hotel: One euro per bag for porters and one euro per night for housekeeping.
Taxis: Round up to the next euro.
Russia
Dining: Leave a 10 – 15% cash tip for good service directly with your server.
Hotel: Have a few rubles on hand for porters and housekeeping. Tip thirty to ninety rubles per bag, this is about one to three American dollars. Leave sixty to one hundred twenty rubles per night for housekeeping on the night stand.
Taxis: Negotiate fare before getting into the taxi and leave a 10% tip.
Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Finland)
Like the Netherlands, tipping is not customary here. Service workers are well paid in this region. You can leave a 10 % tip for exceptional service in restaurants. Round up to the next euro for taxi drivers. Don’t feel obligated, though, to leave a tip. Prices tend to be much higher here than other parts of Europe. Gratuity is just meant to show your gratitude for high quality service.
Spain
Dining: Most restaurants in Spain include a service charge in the bill. However, if you received excellent service feel free to tip an additional 7 – 10%. Leave the gratuity in cash. It’s fine to leave the change in cafes.
Hotel: One or two euros per bag for porters and between two and five euros per night for housekeeping.
Taxis: Round up to the next euro or leave up to 10%.
Switzerland
Dining: Most restaurants include a service charge in the bill. However, if you received excellent service feel free to tip an additional 5 – 10%.
Hotel: Keep a few Swiss francs on hand for bellhops and housekeeping. Standard is one franc per bag and one to two francs per night.
Taxis: Round up to the next Swiss franc.
United Kingdom
Dining: If a service charge is not included, tip 10% – 15% for good service.
Hotel: One to two pounds per bag for porters and one to two pounds per night for housekeeping.
Taxis: Round up to the next pound, 10 – 15% for exceptional service.
As you can see from An International Traveler’s Guide to Tipping: Europe, the standard percentage for tipping is lower in Europe than here in the States. That’s if they tip at all! Uninformed travelers could be unnecessarily leaving cash behind that could be used on other parts of their travels.
I hope you find this guide useful the next time you head to Europe! Stay tuned for next month’s installment of this series when I share with you how to tip in North, Central, and South America!
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