Embassies And Consulates. Foreign embassies and consulates are in Luxembourg City. Luxembourgian embassies and consulates abroad include: Australia, Level 4, Quay West, 111 Harrington St., Sydney, NSW, 2000 (☎02 9253 4708); UK, 27 Wilton Cres., London, SW1X 8SD (☎020 72 35 69 61); US, 2200 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC, 20008 (☎202-265-4171; www.luxembourg-usa.org). Canadians should visit the Luxembourg embassy in Washington, DC; Irish citizens should go to the embassy in London.
Visa And Entry Information. EU citizens do not need a visa. Citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days, beginning upon entry into any of the countries in the EU’s Schengen zone. For more detailed information,
Tourist Offices. Contact the Luxembourg National Tourist Office, Gare Centrale, P.O. Box 1001, L-1010 Luxembourg (☎42 82 821; www.visitluxembourg.lu).
Money. The euro (€) has replaced the Luxembourg franc as the unit of currency in Luxembourg. For more info, The cost of living in Luxembourg City is quite high, although the countryside is more reasonable. Restaurant bills usually include a service charge, although an extra 5-10% tip is a classy gesture. Tip taxi drivers 10%. Luxembourg has a 15% value added tax (VAT), a sales tax applied to most purchased goods. The prices given in Let’s Go include VAT. In an airport upon exiting the EU, non-EU citizens can claim a refund on the tax paid for goods purchased at participating stores. In order to qualify for a refund in a store, you must spend at least €100; make sure to ask for a refund form when you pay. For more info on qualifying for a VAT refund,
By Plane. The national airline, Luxair (☎2456 4242; www.luxair.lu), and a slew of other European airlines fly to the Luxembourg City airport (LUX). Cheap last-minute flights on Luxair are often available online.
By Train And Bus. A Benelux Tourrail Pass (€94 second-class, under 26 €71) allows five days of unlimited train travel in a one-month period in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Within Luxembourg, the Billet Réseau (€5, book of 5 €20) is good for one day of unlimited bus and train travel. The Luxembourg Card (€10-24) includes one to three days of unlimited transportation along with free or discounted admission to over 50 sights around the country.
By Bike And Thumb. A 575km network of cycling paths already snakes its way throughout the country of Luxembourg, and plans are in place to add another 325km to the network in the near future. Bikes aren’t permitted on buses, but domestic trains will transport them for a small fee (€1.20). Service areas in Luxembourg are popular places to hitch rides into Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, as many motorists stop to take advantage of relatively low fuel prices. Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking.
Telephones. There are no city codes in Luxembourg; from outside the country, dial 352 plus the local number. Public phones can only be operated with a phone card, available at post offices, train stations, and newspaper stands. Internet cafes are not abundant. Mobile phones are an increasingly popular and economical alternative . International direct dial numbers include: AT&T (☎8002 0111); British Telecom (☎8002 0044); Canada Direct (☎8002 0119); MCI (☎8002 0112); Sprint (☎8002 0115); Telecom New Zealand (☎8002 0064).
Language. The three official languages of Luxembourg are Luxembourgish, French, and German. While Luxembourgish, a West Germanic language, is used primarily in daily conversation, official documents are written in French, and the press is in German. English is used as a second, third, or fourth language.
Luxembourg’s nine HI youth hostels (Auberges de Jeunesse) are often booked solid during summer, and it’s wise to reserve ahead. About half of the hostels close for several weeks in December. Beds are approximately €17-20. Contact Centrale des Auberges de Jeunesse Luxembourgeoises (☎26 27 66 40; www.youthhostels.lu) for more info. Hotels are expensive, costing upwards of €40 per night in the capital. Luxembourg is a camper’s paradise, and most towns have nearby campsites. Contact Camprilux (www.camping.lu/gb/gbstart.htm) for more info.
Luxembourgish cuisine combines elements of French and German cooking. Specialties include Judd mat Gaardenbou’nen (smoked pork with beans), Friture de la Moselle (fried fish), and Quetscheflued (plum tart). Riesling wines, which show up most Chardonnays, are produced in the Moselle Valley.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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