Know Before You Go

What is The Know Before You Go Campaign

The Know Before You Go campaign (KBYG) was launched in 2001 and is an ongoing campaign promoted by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and over 400 travel partners including Ferryonline. It's aim is to help Britons prepare before travelling abroad to ensure a stress free trip.

The Know Before You Go campaign provides lots of useful information including travel checklists, what to do if things do go wrong while abroad, and detailed information about every country in the world so if you are in any doubt as to any safety issues before travelling then check the FCO’s country travel advice.

Know Before You Go | Key Messages

  1. Get travel insurance adequate for your requirements.
    Travel Insurance policies are not expensive so there should be no excuses not to buy a policy. Their coverage should provide comprehensive emergency medical expenses and must include repatriation. You can then decide to include other cover within the policy which may include personal belongings, cancellation and travel delay.
  2. Check your passport is in good condition and valid for at least the duration of your trip but often the requirement is for 6 months after your return. Also ensure you have all necessary visas.
  3. Always make copies of important travel documents and where possible store them online using a secure data storage site or email them to an email account you can access while abroad.
  4. Familiarise yourself with the local laws and customs of the country/countries you are visiting.
  5. Familiarise yourself with the driving laws of the countries that you are visiting and ensure you have the compulsory equipment that is often required. For more information see our Driving Abroad section.
  6. Make sure you tell someone you are going abroad and leave emergency contact details with them.
  7. Take enough money with you and make sure you have access to emergency funds, ideally a credit card.
  8. Depending on where you wish to travel you may need to consult with your GP incase medication is required before, during and after travel.
FCO Travel Advice

Know Before You Go Quick Links

  • FCO - Know Before You Go Campaign
  • FCO's Country Travel Advice
    Their country advice pages provide information for all countries throughout the world. They will also give advise on the safety of travelling to a particular country.
  • Travellers Checklist
    Prepare and plan your trip away with the help of their travel checklist
  • Who to Contact When Things Go Wrong
    Generally if you have travel insurance your first call will be to them since most offer a medical emergency number and travel assistance number. However for more serious issues you may need Consular Assistance. This link gives those details.

Top Tips - Did You Know

  • You Can Get A Free EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) - Click Here
    If you are resident in the UK you can apply for a free EHIC card. This will give holder rights to state provided healthcare that becomes necessary during a temporary visit to EEA (European Economic Area) countries or Switzerland at a reduced cost or sometimes free of charge.
    GB Stickers are compulsory within the EU unless your UK registration plates display the GB Euro-symbol (Europlates).