By Rick Steves

Many Americans are intimidated by dialing European phone numbers. You needn't be. With these tips and list of calling codes for Europe, it's simple, whether you're calling from the US, Canada, or within Europe.

Calling Internationally

Whether you're phoning from a US landline, your own mobile phone, a Skype account, or a number in another European country (e.g., Spain to Italy), you're making an international call. Here's how to do it:

1. Dial the international access code.

• 011 if calling from a US or Canadian landline or mobile phone; if dialing from a mobile phone, you can enter a + instead of the 011 (press and hold the 0 key)
• 00 if calling from a number in any European country; if dialing from a mobile phone, you can enter a + instead of the 00

2. Dial the country code.

• For example, dial 39 if you're calling Italy or 33 for France (see chart below)

3. Dial the phone number.

• If the number begins with a 0, drop it (except for Italy)

In some countries, it's normal for phone numbers to have varying lengths (for instance, a seven-digit phone number and an eight-digit mobile number).

European Country Codes

Just smile and dial...

Country Country Code Austria

43

Italy

39²

Belgium

32

Latvia

371

Bosnia-Herzegovina

387

Montenegro

382

Croatia

385

Morocco

212

Czech Republic

420

Netherlands

31

Denmark

45

Norway

47

Estonia

372

Poland

48

Finland

358

Portugal

351

France

33

Russia

7³

Germany

49

Slovakia

421

Gibraltar

350

Slovenia

386

Great Britain &
Northern Ireland 44 Spain 34 Greece

30

Sweden

46

Hungary

36¹

Switzerland

41

Ireland

353

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.

[3] For long-distance calls within Russia, dial 8, then the area code and number. To call the US or Canada from Russia, dial 8, then 10, then 1, then the area code and number.

Calling Domestically

If you're calling from one number to another within the same European country (either from a landline or with a local mobile phone or SIM card), simply dial the phone number, including the initial 0 if there is one.

In the US, we're accustomed to seven-digit phone numbers and three-digit area codes, but European phone numbers and calling standards are a bit harder to predict. Phone numbers and area codes can vary in length, even within the same country, and mobile phones utilize their own sets of prefixes.

In some countries, much like at home, you can choose to drop the area code if dialing landline to landline within the same area code, while in other countries, you must dial the full number, even if calling across the street. But I keep things simple by always just dialing the full phone number, including the area code or prefix.

Examples

• To call a Munich hotel (tel. 089/264-349) from your Berlin hotel phone, dial 089/264-349. To dial it from your hotel in Italy, enter 00, then 49 (Germany's country code), then 89/264-349 (area code — without its initial 0 — and number).
• To call a Paris hotel (01 47 05 49 15) from your US home phone, dial 011, then 33 (France's country code), then 1 47 05 49 15 (the hotel's phone number minus its initial 0).
• To call a Madrid hotel (915-212-900) from a friend's house in Germany, dial 00, then 34 (Spain's country code), then 915-212-900.
• To call a Florence museum (055-238-8651) from your US mobile phone (whether you're in Florence or the US), dial +, then 39 (Italy's country code), then 055-238-8651 (phone number with its 0).

Source: www.ricksteves.com