Pay for bathrooms?

[JVilleGal]

A word of warning about the self cleaning toilets..... They clean themselves between uses.... DO NOT TRY TO HOLD DOOR OPEN for next user as they will get a cleaning they had not counted on! Disinfectant sprays the entire interior of the unit!

[CPT Trips]

We will be doing the Rhine Getaway from Amsterdam to Basel on Viking. What's the best way to get the change? We'll be bringing some Euros with us - probably the packets from AAA. I don't think they give you change, only bills.

 

Our local AAA told me that their convenience packs always include at least 3€ in coin. Them I found my leftovers from our most recent trip.

 

FYI expect to pay an exorbitant exchange rate to AAA for convenience. IIRC 78€ for $108. :eek:

[Hoyaheel]

And that's why I always just use an ATM at the airport upon arrival :p So much cheaper & faster than any local option.

[Barrheadlass]

I wish I could remember which German town this happened in on my Christmas markets cruise last year. The bathrooms were down a flight of stairs in a lovely cafe. After having cake and coffee, we went down the steps. There was an attendant, fee was .50 euro. Doors in the stalls were clear glass! When we went in and latched the doors, they frosted over. Really cool! We heard later that a woman sat down to go but didn't latch the door...and it stayed clear. When she realized it, wow, talk about red faces!

[Hoyaheel]

Yes, smart glass is a "hip" new thing in high end hotels, restaurants & clubs apparently. Eh. And every time I hear about them, I also hear about someone who doesn't know to latch the door to get the glass to "frost" over;)

Edited August 17, 2015 by Hoyaheel
ETA link

[No Spin]

A number of the pay toilets we encountered this past June from Budapest to Amsterdam were attended, so they could make change.

 

Fortunately for males there are occasional alternate facilities!:D

[Host Jazzbeau]

A number of the pay toilets we encountered this past June from Budapest to Amsterdam were attended, so they could make change.

 

Fortunately for males there are occasional alternate facilities!:D

 

That's why golf is more popular with men than women: the entire rough is a men's room!

[TravelerThom]

... You will get a receipt for 200 forints that you then use to help pay for your lunch or whatever you buy at the rest stop...

...At the toilets near the back (nearest the food market), they collected what was equal to $1 or 1euro or 1 forint...

I'm having a hard time understanding:confused:. The current exchange rate is 309.1 forints per Euro. Given a choice between paying 1 forint or 1 Euro, seems like 1 forint is rather the better deal. And doesn't seem like 200 forints would get you much lunch...

[rjscott]

I was mistaken about the forints. Thank you for correcting me. We did not get forints while in Budapest, so we either used euros or dollars (rarely, like at the bathrrom) or mostly our Visa

 

Becki.

[terpshockey77]

We went to Italy last year and I saw a similar post but thought why not use restaurant bathrooms. Next year when I go back to Europe I will be happy to pay the ½ euro or euro to use the bathroom. Hopefully Germany and Austria will be better. In Italy I found that 3 items I looked for in the restroom was toilet paper, towel to dry hands and a toilet seat. I always had tissue with me. For some reason seats must be expensive. One restroom was a little better than a hole. Also, to conserve energy the light in a couple bathrooms was on a timer and cut off. I learnt to wave my arms to get the light back on.

[Marigold252]

A few years ago my DH and went on a 3 week road trip in Europe and France produced two toilet stories. We were driving on the toll road and stopped to use the roadside rest. The toilet facility was brand new, beautifully tiled, complete with electric eye in the stall, but it had a hole in the ground! A previous poster said so correctly to be careful if you are wearing pants. Then at Versailles there was an attendant holding fort over the change bowl with the women's section to the left and the men's to the right. I went to pay for both of us but before I could get the coins out of my wallet the attendant was running after my DH screaming at him to pay. No riot occurred as I was able to get her attention.

[Fairfield Nana]

The main toilets in the Budapest Central Market Hall are unisex with regard to main entrance and wash area, with separate men/women toilet closets. I took a photo of the entrance while on a walking & food tour there last week. Found many local restaurants and cafes with free facilities for their customers.

 

Also, we used to live in Europe and the "hole in the ground" for many men & women's toilets (otherwise nicely furnished) was affectionately known as the "bombsight".

[Kenster]

Good morning everyone......getting ready for our 1st trip to Europe via Viking River Cruise. I noted some mention of paying for toilets?? Is this every where in Europe. We will be visiting Budapest' date=' Vienna, Germany. Should I be prepared for all countries? how much coin? I guess I should start limiting my water intake. LOL thx[/quote']

 

As the others have said, have coins ready. When I lead tour groups in Europe I tell them that, even though bathrooms in cafes and shops are 'free,' there is a cost to maintain and clean them and they are really for customers, so... I suggest that they buy a little something while in the shop/cafe. Some places have an attendant always on duty to keep things fresh and clean for you. He/she will have a basket at the entrance. Please do not try to stiff the person.

 

In France, I called the lady attendant "Madame PeePee."

[rockdoctor]

From what I observed the pay toilets tend to be a lot cleaner then the free ones.:D

 

Great observation. "Free" restrooms in restaurants and hotels frequently have a tip jar which I contribute to, especially if they are clean.

[pully8]

have also come across the ones mainly in Asia where there is a group of ladies sitting at a table by the entrance. you pay before going in and are given a few pieces of toilet paper and a tissue.

 

often not enough so pays to be prepared. willing to pay for clean facilities and believe it is as much a health and safety issue as a convenience.

 

in Europe seem to be less public facilities/stand alone ones. although seeing more of the self cleaning ones especially in paris. a taxi driver there told us they are handy for them to use when working. not always easy to find a park and find a toilet.

 

just finding an accessible 1 when needed when unfamiliar with a city.

[capriccio]

At least things have improved somewhat since we first lived in Italy in 1975 - 1976. At one tourist site the lady collecting change was also handing out toilet paper - you needed to anticipate your need in advance :eek:. I wouldn't be surprised if she would have doubled or tripled the price if you anticipated needing more than her standard couple of sheets! At a restaurant in Rome (granted this was off the beaten track since we were students), the toilet paper was cut up sheets of the local newspaper :eek::eek: but it was plentiful!

[marco]

We just got back from a Viking river cruise (France). Our guide pointed out where there were "free" facilities and there was a WC on our bus.

[jklc123]

Recently in France we found that the self-cleaning facilities marked handicapped accessible are free. We were prepared to pay the Euro but didn't have to.

[Hoyaheel]

Attached - the (men's) public bathroom in Basel:p

 

(also, that bathroom accepts CHF & EUR - I have a photo of the payment section too, but it's boring compared to the sign;)

[JVilleGal]

Well it's descriptive anyway! :)

[Host Jazzbeau]

Much better than the common signs in the US, where I can't decide if I should go in the door with a picture of a man wearing a kilt or the one with a women wearing a pants suit! :D

[Langoustine]

have also come across the ones mainly in Asia where there is a group of ladies sitting at a table by the entrance. you pay before going in and are given a few pieces of toilet paper and a tissue.

 

When I was stationed in the army in Germany in 1971, my wife and I took the train to Paris from our home in Bad Kreuznach. Arriving at the Gare de l'Est, I went to use the men's room in the station. At that time, it was a large tiled room with several hole-in-the-floor toilets arranged in a circle with chains to flush them hanging from the ceiling. What really threw me was that there was a toothless aged woman like somebody from the days of the guillotine sitting at a card table in the room with us who handed out the toilet paper, which seemed like sheets of waxed paper. I fled, hoping to find something more congenial at our hotel. But don't worry, those days are now long gone in France.