The United Kingdom comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and is just a short hop across the 'pond' for North Americans. Steeped in history, full of natural beauty, and abounding in cultural attractions, there is something here for everyone. The UK is often the first choice for many North Americans going to Europe for the first time.
To contact Auto Europe from Britain, dial 00-800-223-5555-5.

Entry Requirements
U.S. citizens do not require a visa to enter the United Kingdom for visits of less than six months. All domestic dogs and cats must undergo a six month quarantine upon arrival in the United Kingdom. An import application must be completed before kennel accommodations may be arranged.

Local Time
The United Kingdom is 5 hours ahead of Eastern Time in the United States and Canada.

Languages
English is spoken throughout the United Kingdom but accents and dialects vary widely. In addition, Welsh is spoken in Wales and Gaelic is spoken in Scotland.

Electricity
240 V, 50 Hz. The three-flat-pin plug is standard.

Local Tourist Information

In addition to the tourist boards listed here, more than 800 information centers can be found throughout the U.K. Dial the phone numbers in parentheses only if calling from British locations outside the city in question.
British Tourist Authority
USA Office
551 Fifth Ave
7th Floor
New York, NY
Web Site: http://www.btausa.com/
British Travel Centre (mail and in-person queries only)
British Tourist Authority and British Train and Expotel Reservations
12 Lower Regent St.
Piccadilly Circus
London SW1Y 4PQ
Northern Ireland Tourist Board
St. Anne's Court
59 North St.
Belfast BTI INB
Phone (+44) 01232-246-609
Scottish Tourist Board
23 Ravelston Terrace
Edinburgh EH4 3EU
Phone (+44) 0131-332-2433
Fax (+44) 0131-315-4545
* The Scottish Tourist Board is linked to more than 140 regional information centers.
Wales Tourist Board
Brunel House
2 Fitzalan Road
Cardiff CF2 IUY
Phone (+44) 01222-499-909
* The Wales Tourist Board is linked to more than 60 tourist information centers throughout the country.

Customs
Travelers are not required to pay duty on an appropriate amount of items for their personal use during their visit. In addition, the following duty-free allowances apply: no more than 1 liter of alcohol and 2 liters of wine; and 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco.

Currency Exchange
A note about currency: Scotland issues its own bank notes, of which all but the one-pound bill are interchangeable with Bank of England pounds and are accepted throughout the U.K. Banks are open from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 or 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Some banks are open Saturday mornings. British ATMs can usually access American and Canadian checking accounts and you may find that your bank will not charge you an additional commission making the cahs withdrawal preferable to currency exchange locally. Bureaux de change are plentiful in London, but rates are usually not favorable. Thomas Cook and American Express charge bank rates for their respective checks. Credit cards are as widely accepted for services in the city as they are here in the North America.

Tipping
Service is often included in your hotel or restaurant bill, but if it isn't, a tip of 10-15% is acceptable. Tips are also expected for a taxi ride (10%), a porter or bellhop (£.50 per suitcase) or a hairdresser (about £2 plus £.50 for the assistant who washes your hair). Tips in pubs are not necessary, but for exceptional service you may wish to ‘but the tender a drink.’ If they accept they may choose to keep the money, or may indulge in a libation, but this is a good rule of thumb and keeps you from offending with a cash tip.

General Business Hours
Museums: There is wide variation from region to region, but typical hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday plus Sunday afternoons. Post offices: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Restaurants: Breakfast is served between 7:30 and 9 a.m. Lunchtime is from noon to 2 p.m. Dinner or supper is served between 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. (later in big cities), but high tea around 6 o'clock replaces dinner in some areas. Shopping: Around 9 a.m. to around 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Some shops close early on Wednesday or keep evening hours on Thursday. Do note that major retailers in London keep extended hours through the weekend.

Value Added Tax
17.5%

United States Embassy in Britain
24 Grosvenor Square
London W1A 1AE
Phone (+44) 0171-499-9000
Consular fax (+44) 0171-495-5012

United States Consulate in Northern Ireland
Danesfort House
223 Stranmillis Road
Belfast BT9 5GR
Phone (+44) 0 328 9038 6100
Fax (+44) 0 28 9068 1301

United States Consulate in Scotland
3 Regent Terrace
Edinburgh EH7 5BW
Phone (0131) 556-8315
Fax (0131) 557-6023
Dial the numbers in parentheses only if calling from British locations outside the city in question.