How to Call to and from Europe
By Rick Steves
Calling to, from, or within Europe is simple with a few of the following tips.
Some European phone numbers begin with 0, but you must drop the 0 when dialing internationally (except when calling Italy).
In some countries, phone numbers vary in length (for instance, a hotel can have a seven-digit landline and an eight-digit mobile number). I've used the phone number of one of my recommended Paris hotels in the dialing examples below (01 47 05 25 45).
From a Mobile Phone
Whether calling from the US to Europe, country to country within Europe, or from Europe to the US, it's all the same:
For international access, press zero until you get a + sign, then dial the country code (33 for France) and phone number, dropping the initial 0.
→ To call the Paris hotel from any location, dial +33 1 47 05 25 45.
From a US (or Canadian) Landline to Europe
Dial 011 (the international access code from US/Canada), country code (33 for France), and phone number.
→ To call the Paris hotel from home, dial 011 33 1 47 05 25 45.
From a European Landline to the US/Canada or Europe
Dial 00 (the international access code from Europe), country code (33 for France, 1 for the US or Canada), and phone number.
→ To call the Paris hotel from Spain, dial 00 33 1 47 05 25 45.
→ To call my US office from France, dial 00 1 425 771 8303.
European Country Codes
Just smile and dial…
Country | Country Code | Country | Country Code |
---|---|---|---|
Austria |
43 |
Ireland |
353 |
Belgium |
32 |
Italy |
39² |
Bosnia-Herzegovina |
387 |
Latvia |
371 |
Croatia |
385 |
Montenegro |
382 |
Czech Republic |
420 |
Morocco |
212 |
Denmark |
45 |
Netherlands |
31 |
Estonia |
372 |
Norway |
47 |
Finland |
358 |
Poland |
48 |
France |
33 |
Portugal |
351 |
Germany |
49 |
Slovakia |
421 |
Gibraltar |
350 |
Slovenia |
386 |
Great Britain & Northern Ireland |
44 | Spain | 34 |
Greece |
30 |
Sweden |
46 |
Hungary |
36¹ |
Switzerland |
41 |
Iceland |
354 |
Turkey |
90 |
[1] For long-distance calls within Hungary, dial 06, then the area code and number.
[2] When making international calls to Italy, do not drop the initial 0 from the phone number.
For a complete list of European country codes and more phoning help, see HowToCallAbroad.com.