Social ConventionsHandshaking is the normal greeting. The code of practice for visiting someone’s home is similar to other Western European countries: it is acceptable to give gifts or flowers if invited for a meal. Smart-casual dress is widely acceptable, but some dining rooms, clubs and social functions will demand formal attire. Smoking is prohibited where notified and is becoming increasingly unacceptable.
International Travel:Getting There by AirThe national airline is
Luxair (LG) (website:
www.luxair.lu).
Departure TaxNone.
Main AirportsLuxembourg (LUX)
(Findel) is 5km (3.5 miles) northeast of the city (journey time – 20 minutes).
To/from the airport: Coaches and buses run regular services to the city. Taxis are also available (journey time - 10 minutes).
Facilities: Outgoing duty-free shop, car hire, bank/bureau de change and a tourist information office.
Journey TimesThe following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from
Luxembourg-Ville to other major cities/towns in Europe.
| | Air | Road | Rail |
| Amsterdam | 0.45 | 5.30 | 6.30 |
| Brussels | 0.45 | 2.00 | 2.30 |
| Paris | 1.00 | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| London | 1.00 | *8.00 | **6.30 |
*Includes ferry crossing from Dover (via Calais or Ostend).
**Eurostar via Bruxelles-Midi (Brussels).
Getting There by RailEurostar: The quickest route by train from the UK is through the Channel Tunnel with connections from Paris
Gare de l’Est (journey time - 3 to 4 hours) or Brussels to Luxembourg.
Eurostar operates direct high-speed trains from London (
St Pancras International) and Ashford International to Paris (
Gare du Nord) and to Brussels (
Midi/
Zuid). It takes 2 hours 15 minutes from London to Paris (via Lille) and 1 hour 51 minutes to Brussels. For further information and reservations, contact
Eurostar (tel: 0870 518 6186, in the UK
or +44 1233 617 575, outside the UK; website:
www.eurostar.com).
Rail PassesBenelux Tourrail: covers Belgium, Luxembourg and The Netherlands. This gives unlimited travel on any five days within a one-month period throughout the year.
InterRail: offers unlimited first- or second-class travel in up to 30 European countries for European residents of over six months with two pass options. The
Global Pass allows travel for 22 days, one month, five days in 10 days or 10 days in 22 days across all countries. The
One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month in any of the countries except Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Travelers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children’s tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on
Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from
Rail Europe (website:
www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Eurailpass: offers unlimited first-class train travel in 17 European countries. Tickets are valid for 15 days, 21 days, one month, two months or three months. The
Eurailpass Saver ticket offers discounts for two or more people traveling together. The
Eurailpass Youth ticket is available to those aged under 26 and offers unlimited second-class train travel. The
Eurailpass Flexi allows either 10 or 15 travel days within a two-month period. The
Eurail Selectpass is valid in three, four or five bordering countries and allows five, six, eight or 10 travel days (or 15 for five countries) in a two-month period. The
Eurail Regional Pass allows four to 10 travel days in a two-month period in one of nine regions (usually two or more countries). Children recieve a 50% reduction. The passes cannot be sold to residents of Europe, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia or the Russian Federation. Available from
The Eurail Group (website:
www.eurail.com).
Getting There by RoadIf traveling from the UK, Luxembourg is easily reached within one day via Belgium or France. The quickest way to cross the channel is by driving the car onto
Eurotunnel trains.
The Channel Tunnel: Eurotunnel (tel: 0870 535 3535, in the UK; website:
www.eurotunnel.com) runs shuttle trains for all types of vehicles between Folkestone in Kent, and Calais, France. Vehicles are carried through the tunnel in shuttle trains running between the two terminals. The journey takes about 35 minutes from platform to platform and around one hour from motorway to motorway. There are up to four passenger shuttles per hour at peak times, 24 hours per day and services run every day of the year.
Car ferries: For drivers not using the shuttle through the channel tunnel, car ferries operate frequently between Dover and Calais. From Calais, the quickest route is to take the motorway to Brussels via Lille (A25, then head south through Namur along the E411 to Luxembourg). In total, the journey from London (including the ferry crossing) takes approximately eight hours.
Coach: Eurolines (tel: 0870 580 8080, in the UK; website:
www.eurolines.com) runs a limited service to Luxembourg from London.
OverviewThe following goods may be imported into Luxembourg without incurring customs duty by travelers arriving from countries outside the EU:
• 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco.
• 1l of spirits or 2l of sparkling wine or 2l of dessert wine and 2l of non-sparkling wine.
• 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette.
• 500g of coffee and 200g of coffee extract.
• Other goods to the value of €175 for passengers over 15 years and €90 for passengers under 15.
Note: Alcohol and tobacco products are only available to passengers of 17 years of age or over.
Abolition of duty-free goods within the EU
On 30 June 1999, the sale of duty-free alcohol and tobacco at airports and at sea was abolished in all of the original 15 EU member states. Of the 10 new member states that joined the EU on 1 May 2004 and the two states that joined on 1 January 2007, these rules already apply to Cyprus and Malta. There are transitional rules in place for visitors returning to one of the original 15 EU countries from one of the other new EU countries. But for the original 15, plus Cyprus and Malta, there are no limits imposed on importing tobacco and alcohol products from one EU country to another. Travelers should note that they may be required to prove at customs that the goods purchased are for personal use
only. Member states may follow the EU’s guide levels of: 10l of spirits; 20l of fortified wine; 90l of wine; 110l of beer; 800 cigarettes; 400 cigarillos; 200 cigars and 1kg of tobacco.
Internal Travel:Getting Around by RailThe national railway company,
Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois (CFL) (tel: 2489 2489; website:
www.cfl.lu), runs an efficient rail service which is fully integrated with the bus network. CFL has introduced a so-called
horaire cadencé schedule, meaning there is at least one train every hour to every station at the same time in every hour. Reductions are offered for weekend and holiday return tickets.
Rail PassesLuxembourgCard: gives unlimited travel on public transport for a period of one to three days, with free entrance to up to 40 attractions.
Öeko Pass (Billet Réseau): a single-day ticket for unlimited travel on all forms of public transport (not valid on sightseeing buses), with concessions for senior citizens. For further information, contact
CFL.
InterRail One-Country Pass: offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within Luxembourg. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Travelers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children’s tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on
Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from
Rail Europe (website:
www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Getting Around by RoadAs in the rest of Western Europe, there is an excellent network of roads and motorways in Luxembourg. Traffic drives on the right.
Bus: Cross-country buses are punctual and operate between all major towns.
Taxi: These are metered. There is a minimum charge and a 10% surcharge is applied from 2200-0600. There is also an extra 25% surcharge all-day on Sundays. Taxis are plentiful but cannot be hailed in the street. A 10% tip is usual.
Car hire: All the main agencies operate in Luxembourg.
Regulations: The minimum age for driving is 18. It is obligatory to carry €15 at all times for the payment of on-the-spot fines. The wearing of seat belts is compulsory in the front seat and in the back, where seat belts are fitted. Children under 12 years of age must travel in the back seats, unless they are 1.5m (5ft) or taller, or if the front seat is fitted with an appropriate ECE-approved child seat. Motorcyclists must use a dipped beam even by day. The speed limit is 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas, 90kph (56mph) outside built-up areas, and 120kph (74mph) on motorways.
Emergency breakdown service: Automobile Club du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg (tel: 4500 45400; website:
www.acl.lu).
Documentation: Third Party insurance is necessary. A Green Card is not obligatory but is strongly recommended. Without it, visitors have only the minimum legal cover in Luxembourg (if they have motor insurance at home). The Green Card tops this up to the level of cover provided by the visitor’s domestic policy. A valid national driving license is sufficient.
Getting Around Towns and CitiesLuxembourg-Ville has municipal
bus services, for which single-journey flat-fare tickets may be purchased. This ‘short-distance’ ticket is valid for one hour (or for a maximum of 10km/6 miles) from purchase on the whole of Luxembourg’s public transport network, and also allows transits between city and country buses and trains. Ten-journey tickets are also available, but must be purchased in advance.
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