Making International Calls from Europe: A Step-by-Step Guide

There is no doubt that a phone call can bring us closer to each other and facilitate communication compared to other means. Traveling to Europe does not have to be an obstacle to making international calls. With this guide, we will explain how to contact people abroad without any problems, as well as offer other tips to communicate efficiently. 

To be able to make international calls from Europe, you need to have a mobile plan that allows you to do so. Choosing the right one is essential to avoid incurring significant expenses, so that we will mention some of the best options for tourists on the continent.

How to call landline numbers or mobile numbers from Europe

When you call a mobile number or landline, the format to dial is the same. Even if you use a VoIP service or virtual number, the process does not change. The first thing you dial on your phone is the access code, which in Europe is “00” or if you are using a mobile phone, dialing + also works. Next is the area code of the country you are calling to. Finally, you must dial the phone number you want to contact, don’t be surprised if the amount of digits varies compared to the numbers in your country. 

To understand this, let’s practice calling the USA number +1 112 334 5566 from Europe. Following the steps above, when dialing, you should have something similar to 001 112 334 5566, or if you can dial the +, it would be +1 112 334 5566.

In another example, if we call the Australian number +61 123 456 789 from Europe, we will end up dialing something like 0061 123 456 789, and if you can dial +, it would be +61 123 456 789.

As you may notice, the main difference is in the area codes that vary from country to country. In the following table, we will give you the area codes for other destinations. Also, the number of digits in the phone may vary, but by following the steps and constantly dialing “00” or +, you should have no problems making international calls from Europe.

Area codes for international calls

Area codes are used in international calls to indicate which country we are trying to reach. This way, every country in the world has a unique area code, and dialing it correctly will prevent you from contacting the wrong person. These codes are usually ignored when making local calls.

How to call European phone numbers in Europe

The only thing to remember when calling European numbers from within the continent is to differentiate if it counts as a local or international call. If we are calling a French number from Spain, this counts as an international call, and we can apply the steps we used in the first section of this article by dialing the international access codes and area codes before the phone number.

On the other hand, if we are calling a French number from within France, this is considered a local call. So we must dial the phone number without including area or access codes. Also, remember always to include the first zero of the phone number. This zero is usually skipped when calling internationally.

You may be interested to know about the best eSIMs for Europe.

How to make calls to Europe from abroad

When you are outside the continent and want to call Europe, the main thing to remember is which access code to use. In most of the world, including Europe, the access code is “00”; however, countries like USA (011) or Australia (0011) have different access codes. A rule that can help you to avoid this difference is to use the + symbol, which counts as an access code from any destination in the world.

After identifying this difference, the process will continue in the same way as in other cases, locate the area code of the country you are calling and then dial the rest of the phone number.

For example, if you are calling the British number 07911 555 555 from the USA, you would follow these steps:

1. Dial the USA exit code, which is either 011 or +. To dial the “+” symbol, hold down the 0 key for a few seconds.
2. After the exit code, enter the UK country code, which is 44. You can help yourself with the list we gave you to locate the country code
3. Finally, enter the phone number, but omit the first 0 of the number because it is an international call.

The complete phone number would look like this: 011 49 7911 555 555 or +44 7911 555 555

How can I use international calls on my trip to Europe?

In many cases, when you sign up for a data plan that includes calls abroad, you may encounter some restrictions. Europe is a continent with more than 40 countries. You must confirm which ones you can call without paying more for the service. One option for tourists is Holafly’s eSIM for Europe which includes 120 minutes to receive and make calls in most of the continent and offers unlimited data on all available packages. 

You can use the minutes for calls in all destinations except Iceland, Norway, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Ukraine, and Turkey. Data is unlimited in all countries where coverage is available so that you can call through applications or to landline numbers without any problems. It’s never been easier to stay connected on your travels to Europe.

Leoneska Ruiz

Leoneska over here, your guide to travel connected. I'm a Venezuelan with over 4 years of sharing tips and tricks to keep mobile internet while traveling and make the most of your adventures. With me, you will be able to learn about the use of eSIMs, Pocket WiFis, and more.