Mind the gap

This time, you will need to travel some waters to make it to this meetup! The UK has been one of the locations that has been on my bucket list for a while, and I am looking forward to finally be organising something here. The precise location has yet to be determined, but it will be around London. The meetup will take place from December 31st to January 3rd.

Traveling to the UK is a little bit trickier since they are no longer in the European Union, but I will help you through this! Read the info below carefully, and if you have any questions or need any help, feel free to contact yours truly.

Keep in mind

Passport: You are required to have a passport to visit the UK. European ID cards are no longer sufficient after Brexit. Make sure your passport is valid.
ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization): You need to fill out a form and pay for an ETA before traveling to the UK. This can be done on the website of the UK government: https://www.gov.uk/eta. Make sure to do this about a month in advance.

Money: As you probably already know, the UK uses Pounds instead of Euros. As such, sticking to card payments is the easiest. Bring a Mastercard or Visa credit/debit card (avoid Maestro / EC-Karte as it may not be widely accepted) and check the exchange rate of your bank. If you do still want some cash, it is recommended to go to an ATM once you are in the UK rather than getting it exchanged in advance in order to avoid high currency conversion fees.

UK Power Adapter – The UK uses a "Type G" power socket (3 rectangular pins) different from other European countries. Make sure to bring an adapter.
Phone plan: Since the UK is no longer part of the EU, free roaming is not guaranteed. Check with your carrier whether you can use your plan without additional charges in the UK. Otherwise, look into getting a UK (e-)SIM card.

Travel/Health Insurance: Make sure your travel insurance and health insurance cover you even if you are outside of the EU.
Medication: Bring sufficient supply in original packaging with prescription.

Weather-appropriate clothing: The UK is known for their very, very tropical climate, so prepare yourself for cold and wet weather conditions.

Recommended ways of travel

You are able to travel to the UK from mainland Europe in the following ways:

Plane

Flying tends to be the cheapest option to enter the UK. For the cheapest price, try to book a flight with budget airlines like Ryanair or EasyJet. Make sure to read the small print carefully when booking tickets through these budget airlines! If you are inexperienced, it is recommended to go through the booking process with someone more experienced.

London Gatwick is the recommended airport to travel to due to its location. Sometimes, you might not have that option with a budget airline and need to opt for London Stansted instead, though keep in mind this requires extra travel once you are in the UK.

Train

You can take a Eurostar train from the Netherlands, Belgium and France to the UK. This can be more relaxed than taking the plane, though keep in mind you still need to go through customs (as you are traveling outside the EU). Usually, this option is more expensive than taking the plane, but it is worth checking out if you happen to live close to one of the train stations that are served by the Eurostar trains.

Ferry

You can take a ferry from Calais, France to Dover, UK from companies like P&O Ferries. You are able to board the ferry with your car. This is the recommended way to travel to the UK if you insist on bringing your own car.

Underground tunnel

There is an underground tunnel from France to the UK. You drive your car onto a train, which then travels underground and takes you to the UK. Expensive, but the fastest way to travel by car.

Happy 2027!