Let’s not talk about ferry tickets and channel crossing, as those depend on where you travel and from where.
If you are spontaneous like me, probably you will be disappointed, as traveling around and within Europe will need a bit of preparation, however it is not that difficult as it might look at the beginning.
I assume that you already have a passport. If no, well go to the nearest passport office, and get one done now.
Vehicle documents to travel in Europe
Apart from proof of ownership (That is V5 in UK), you should have a proof that the vehicle is mechanically sound (MOT certificate in UK).
If you travel on a motorcycle, and your bike has an aftermarket exhaust – homologation certificate is a must. It’s a type of certificate that is provided with exhaust and serves as a proof that exhaust on your ride is as good as a standard exhaust or even better in terms of emissions… noise level is a different story… so if you wondered why big brands cost so much, i suppose that is one of the reasons!
Keep in mind that some countries in Europe are very picky, like Germany and Austria, if you don’t have a certificate and your exhaust is loud, you might get a fine.
If you are in the UK, you will need to contact your insurance provider and ask if they will cover you in Europe, they will have to issue a green card for you. Green Card is a proof in Europe that your vehicle is covered.
Personal Travel Insurance
One more thing to consider is your own personal travel insurance, just to be covered if something bad happens and you will end up in a hospital – the last thing you want to worry about…
List of Travel Documents
- Passport.
- Vehicle ownership documents.
- Proof that vehicle is mechanically sound.
- Aftermarket exhaust homologation certificate.
- Vehicle insurance documents.
- Personal travel insurance documents.
- Copies of all the documents (Highly recomended)
A good idea is to make copies of all the documents and stash them and a bit of emergency funds somewhere safe, somewhere where it will not get lost or stolen.
Probably sounds a lot, but it is not, and thats if you want to be sure you will be OK. In reality you probably can get away with half of that, but you will be risking bumping into delays…
More info can be found on Gov.uk – Visiting EU
Ride safe!
