Public restrooms can be difficult to find.

There are Apps that may help guide you to one nearby, however having tested two of the more popular apps in Europe, as of spring of 2026, our opinion of these apps is that they are not quite up to the task yet. Several times we were standing in front of a public restroom or a train station that had a restroom and neither app listed them.  As these apps gain popularity their data will improve. Our recommendation is to have a  couple of these apps on your phone. One of them might show a restroom in you vicinity. When you need to go this can be a life saver. Also, we suggest searching for “Public toilet near me” on your gps app. 

Many of the chain restaurants found in North America that you would expect to have a restroom available will also have one in Europe. Local restaurants, train stations, department stores may also have one.  Expect to either purchase something or pay to use it.

Although it has improved since Covid, there are still toilets that require cash (some without an attendant utilize turnstiles and require coins).  The cost ranges from .20P to 1 pound in the UK and .50 cents to 2 Euros on the continent. Many take credit cards. They also provide change, however it may return only coins.