BNE From Australia, joined Mar 2000, 3156 posts, RR: 13 Posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 3 hours ago) and read 3678 times:
I was in Amsterdam 2 weeks ago and found that most fast food restaurant and some others required a payment of 50Euro Cents before using the bathroom. Does this fee also apply in other parts of Europe.
Made an expensive European holiday even more expensive.
Also the bikes; there were so many bikes around Amsterdam, people were riding them even at midnight. almost got run down by 1 or 2 of them, it was a close call, had enough trouble looking out for the trams.
ACDC8 From Canada, joined Mar 2005, 7598 posts, RR: 40 Reply 1, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 3 hours ago) and read 3666 times:
Quoting BNE (Thread starter): I was in Amsterdam 2 weeks ago and found that most fast food restaurant and some others required a payment of 50Euro Cents before using the bathroom. Does this fee also apply in other parts of Europe.
Welcome to Europe! Its normal practice to pay for the use of public washrooms in some European countries, this is usually given to the cleaning crew at the facility. In Germany, most restaurants (with the exception of fast food joints) malls, and stores have a plate at the front of the bathroom where one places it. Other places such as many Autobahn gas stations or train stations have a rotating guard rail where you put the money in and it lets you go through. At least the airports are still free.
Quoting BNE (Thread starter): Also the bikes; there were so many bikes around Amsterdam, people were riding them even at midnight. almost got run down by 1 or 2 of them, it was a close call, had enough trouble looking out for the trams.
Amsterdam is know as the city of bicycles. You get used to it, besides I'd rather get run down by a bike then a inconsiderate driver in a car back home.
Mhodgson From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2002, 5047 posts, RR: 29 Reply 2, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 3 hours ago) and read 3658 times:
A few of the large stations in the UK have pay toilets (London terminii and Manchester Piccadilly), but it hasn't caught on elsewhere in the UK, beyond a few councils installing toilet cubicles which require 20p before you can use them.
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Kevinl1011 From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 2964 posts, RR: 51 Reply 4, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 3 hours ago) and read 3655 times:
Quoting BNE (Thread starter): there were so many bikes around Amsterdam, people were riding them even at midnight. almost got run down by 1 or 2 of them,
Whoooa! Dude! I'm sorry! Was that you? I just left an AWESOME opium den and had to take a CRAP! So I rode as fast as I could to an ATM to get money for the use of a well maintained shitter. Ahhhhh... and the double ply paper was worth it. Sorry, ugly American in Amsterdam.
GlobeTrekker From Netherlands, joined Dec 2003, 851 posts, RR: 16 Reply 7, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 3 hours ago) and read 3623 times:
In Holland you can even pay by cellphone..... dial the number written on the toilet door and you get a pincode...... type in the pincode in the door and voilá... door opens.
This is sometime seen at trainstations.
Globe Trekker / AUA
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OYRJA From Denmark, joined Feb 2007, 77 posts, RR: 16 Reply 8, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 3 hours ago) and read 3618 times:
You are not forces to pay in Denmark either. But in some trainstations and gas stations they have people sitting with a cup and beggin money before they are the ones cleaning the toilets.
LTBEWR From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 12337 posts, RR: 12 Reply 9, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 3614 times:
Pay toilets are basiclly illegal in the USA, or at least in almost all states or by custom. This is also the policy in the UK and Ireland per my recall. This no fee policy makes it very difficult to provide public toilets like you find as in Europe. In NY City, they have been fighting for years to put up the free standing pay toilet facilities as you see in Europe, but so far, no luck.
For many years up until the 1970's, gas stations in the USA used to play up that they offered clean rest rooms. Now, your best bet if you need to pee or crap are the rest rooms at fast food resturants, a malls, large chain stores (Walmart) or some of the few public facilities available run by government agencies. In some cities in the USA, many resturants do restrict access to rest rooms to customers only mainly to keep tourists and homeless out of them.
BCAL From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2004, 3384 posts, RR: 18 Reply 10, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 3602 times:
Well it is certainly catching on in England. All the mainline railway stations in London charge 20p for using the toilets, Harrods in Knightsbridge charge £1 (but you can then use the 'complimentary' after shaves), and top-class establishments often have an attendant who will pass you a towel, brush you jacket etc but expects a tip of not less than £2 (I did not wash my hands to try and escape paying on my second visit but then the attendant chased after me!). Public toilets are fast being replaced with self-cleaning cubicles where the admission fee is 20p. Even at Brighton Station (my home town) the "Gents" has been given a spruce-up but a 20p fee now applies. Generally, the introduction of fees has improved the facilities as previously the 'free' toilet was a disgrace. I am prepared to pay a fee if this means better facilities but the worse thing is being caught short - i.e. needing to use the toilet desparetly but finding you do not have the change - try asking some vendor nearby for change and hear their reply!
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A319114 From Netherlands, joined Aug 2004, 541 posts, RR: 3 Reply 13, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 3578 times:
Quoting BNE (Thread starter): Also the bikes; there were so many bikes around Amsterdam, people were riding them even at midnight. Angry almost got run down by 1 or 2 of them, it was a close call, had enough trouble looking out for the trams.
In The Netherlands, there are more bikes than people (I have 3 bikes myself), and we love riding them
If only those stupid tourists wouldn't keep walking on the bicycle lanes :P
Destruction leads to a very rough road but it also breeds creation
Aloges From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 8358 posts, RR: 47 Reply 14, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks ago) and read 3554 times:
- public toilets, e.g. in train stations: pay 50 ct, more or less
- "manned" Autobahn service areas: cleaning personnel will put the infamous plate somewhere visible, thus asking people to give, say, 30 to 50 cents
- restaurants and bars: only very few will feature one of those plates, and that's a good thing because you pay enough for the food and drinks
Walk together, talk together all ye peoples of the earth. Then, and only then, shall ye have peace.
Msllsmith From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 396 posts, RR: 10 Reply 16, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 3512 times:
Pay toilets went out in the US about thirty years ago..... usually women had to pay but men didn't. Gloria Stienam (a prominent feminist .....) pointed out, "If we were meant to pay to use the toilet, we would have been born with exact change." Until then a lot of women I knew just used the men's room.... always a crowd pleaser.
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ME AVN FAN From Switzerland, joined May 2002, 13874 posts, RR: 28 Reply 18, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 3496 times:
Quoting BNE (Thread starter): Does this fee also apply in other parts of Europe
it is widespread in Switzerland, usually CHF-.50 upto CHF 2.-- (Euro -.75 to 3.-)
-- in many restaurants you have to get the key which is only given to guests
Quoting ACDC8 (Reply 1): this is usually given to the cleaning crew at the facility
in Switzerland, it usually is a paybox, very seldom a person
ME AVN FAN From Switzerland, joined May 2002, 13874 posts, RR: 28 Reply 20, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 3455 times:
CORRECTED, using today's exchange rates 1.55 / 1.74 :
-
it is widespread in Switzerland, usually CHF-.50 upto CHF 2.-- (Euro -.33/-.29 to Euro 1.30/1.15)
-- in many restaurants you have to get the key which is only given to guests
Quoting ACDC8 (Reply 1):
this is usually given to the cleaning crew at the facility
--
in Switzerland, it usually is a paybox, very seldom a person
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ACDC8 From Canada, joined Mar 2005, 7598 posts, RR: 40 Reply 21, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 3439 times:
Quoting Aloges (Reply 14): - public toilets, e.g. in train stations: pay 50 ct, more or less
This is actually one if the few things that really went up in price with the introduction of the Euro. When I left for Canada in December 2001, the toilets cost 50pf, when I got back in January 2002, they went up to 50ct.
I do like the newer ones on the Autobahn Rasthofs, you pay your 50ct, then you get a coupon giving you 50ct off any purchase in the store.
At first, it got some getting used to having to pay for the use of public washrooms, but it doesn't bother me now anymore. Just like having to pay 30ct extra for mayonnaise or ketchup at most imbiss'. Glad that McDonalds and BK offer them for free now though.
Fbgdavidson From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2004, 3688 posts, RR: 31 Reply 22, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 3414 times:
Seems common place to charge for use of restroom on the continent. I remember paying in Amsterdam and at TXL (damn Diners Club Lounge was closed )
Quoting BCAL (Reply 10): Harrods in Knightsbridge charge £1 (but you can then use the 'complimentary' after shaves), and top-class establishments often have an attendant who will pass you a towel, brush you jacket etc but expects a tip of not less than £2
Harrods do? Since when? Admittedly it has been a few months since I was last in Al Fayed's bazaar but I certainly wasn't charged.
In my local town in the UK it seems fairly normal for nightclubs to have a little man with aftershaves, towels and the like but they've never held a plate out for cash or asked for money!
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HKGKaiTak From Australia, joined Jun 2005, 1050 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 3401 times:
Quoting BNE (Thread starter): I was in Amsterdam 2 weeks ago and found that most fast food restaurant and some others required a payment of 50Euro Cents before using the bathroom. Does this fee also apply in other parts of Europe.
Made an expensive European holiday even more expensive.
Get over it mate!
How does 50c (even if it equates close to *gasp* 1 Aussie dollar) per toilet visit make you break the bank on your Euro holiday? Even if you use it 10 times a day that's only 5 euros ... how much did your plane ticket over cost?
Quoting A319114 (Reply 13): In The Netherlands, there are more bikes than people (I have 3 bikes myself), and we love riding them
If only those stupid tourists wouldn't keep walking on the bicycle lanes :P
Hear hear. It's so much fun riding in the middle of Amsterdam and watch as the tourists wander into your lane and then jump 3 feet in the air when you whoosh past (not even quickly) - the American tourists are the most fun!!!
Cycle lanes are just that ... you don't step off the road into the traffic lane and expect not to get run over or even yelled at, do you?
It's exactly what we should start practising here in Australia (starting with the Harbour Bridge cycleway)
And it's so refreshing to visit a country where the population gets its lazy backsides out of cars and onto human-powered transport ...
27 BDKLEZ: I think the point here is actually being missed. If you can tell me that any toilet that you have had to pay to get into was dirty or unclean in any w
28 Jwenting: Those plates (or so I've been told many times by Germans) are actually not allowed (at least not with a note saying you HAVE to pay). The operator of
29 ACDC8: Where have you paid 1DM? I've never had to pay more then 50pf. Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Köln, Oberhausen, Duisburg, Essen Hbfs were all 50pf. Not to
30 BCAL: The policy has been in place for a few years now, although toilets in the store's restaurants are still free (but for how much longer is anybody's gu
31 NoUFO: Berlin Zoo Station and Hamburg Hauptbahnhof (Main Station) spring to my mind.
32 Sudden: That should not cause any trouble as Amsterdam is a big toilet! The smell when you walk on some streets are evindence of that people do not bother to
33 AMSGOT: You shouldn't walk around the red light district too often, sudden!
34 Sudden: Oops, you got me there! Aim for the sky! Sudden
35 ACDC8: Did they at least have 4 ply toilet paper? That's about what? 2% of the total bike population in Amsterdam?
36 ME AVN FAN: invest in companies producing security-devices for bicycles !
37 AMSGOT: Great idea! My locks are usually twice as expensive as my citybikes. Citybike = bike I use to get into town.
38 N1120A: Actually, they are legal in many places, California in particular. What an establishment cannot do is charge a patron for the use of the toilet. If t
39 Acho: In Mexico "pay toilets" are very common, in some gas stations you pay 2 pesos and the person there will automatically give you to squares of toilet. I
40 TPAnx: Yes, but if you eat at one of their overpriced restaurants you get a voucher which lets you in for nothing....I lost mine... TPAnx
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almost got run down by 1 or 2 of them, it was a close call, had enough trouble looking out for the trams.
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