Europe travel reservetions

Questions
1

I’m planning a trip to Europe and need to make some hotels/motels and public transport reservations. I prefer sharing as little personal information as possible. When and where is it important or legally required to give my real name? How can I know if it’s okay to use a pseudonym? What kind of information can I “fake” instead providing real details? Regarding phone number, I don’t have a European number anyway so if I need to fill one in can I write something like +49 171 0000000 or will it raise flags?

Any general advice for traveling and making travel reservations in Europe while protecting my privacy and personal information?

Thank you.

2

Hotels in the EU will ask to see your passport when you check in - they’re required to do so. So I do not know of any legal way to hide your name or travel anonymously.

You can certainly use throwaway email and phone numbers, though.

1 Like
3

You can use a throwaway email and a burner phone but when something happens with your booking or payment or hotel, you will see results of your actions.

You are already using your credit card, you are providing your ID card and your face is on camera on the hotel desk. What kind of privacy are you expecting?

4

Asia and Australia too. In fact, I would be surprised if any countries will let anyone check in without any ID.

5

You can protect your privacy but anonymity is impossible as air travel needs positive identification of you along with your government issued documents.

I still think what you do in your hotel room is private for the most part.

Taxi paid with cash still seems to be relatively private.

Hotels, even small ones, look for ID and may ask for a refundable prepaid charge on a credit card. I do not know if you can get away with a disposable or prepaid CC. Banks and financial institutions demand KYC.

I seem to recall an acquaintance mention a Facebook travel club of sorts several years ago. The premise is you lend a room in a house that you own/actively rent so that people in the travel club can come and go as they please, free of charge. I do not know how they vet members, but I seem to recall that having a room is a requirement. Not sure if it is a still thing even after Covid, but if you have a property you can use for such purpose, having an alias in such a club could be an avenue for travel with relatively anonymity. Then again your local government might be attracted about you. But hey it is an option.