Watch video: Indian traveller's ‘toilet tip’ on using public washrooms in Europe goes viral; netizens amused

‘Toilets’ are the least discussed issues while planning a trip, although they can enhance or ruin a travel experience. While scenic views and exploring new cultures and lifestyles garner a lot of attention, few people discuss the importance of public washrooms before, during, or after the trip.

However, a traveller from India, ‘theturbantraveller’, shared an insight on the topic that was often ignored. He shared a "toilet tip" on his Instagram handle for travellers planning to visit Europe. The caption to the post states, “I’d like to share my experience with finding toilets in Europe, which may be helpful for you too.”

The viral video garnered 37, 000 likes and numerous comments. Sharing his experience, the traveller said that he was in the old town of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Although the city seems beautiful, the traveller says it is not easy to find a public toilet everywhere.

Initially, the traveller and his wife thought that they would use the washroom of any restaurant if the need arose, much like in India. However, to their surprise, even at the global fast-food chain McDonald's, the restroom facilities were only available for customers. The traveller can be heard saying, “Yaha har cheez ke paise lagte hai [Here (in Europe) you have to pay for everything],” in the video.

The most amusing thing was that one could enter the washroom only by using a code printed on the food bill. With respect to maintenance of the washroom, his wife noted that it was well-maintained.

Netizens strongly reacted to the post as one user stated, “Dusre ki bill ka code use kar sakte hai? [Can we use the code from someone else's bill?]” another user wrote, “Same rule applies in Finland.”

A third user replied, “It’s free in Germany.” A fourth user commented, "That's not everywhere, I'm in Portugal and here it's free to use."

A fifth user stated, "It should be like this because people don't know how to use free public toilets. I work at a gas station in Canada. People love to create mess every time, no matter how much effort you put into keeping the toilets clean. Most of them are not our customers." A sixth user mentioned, “Where there is more tourism evrything is paid. Like in kashmir every park is paid and you have to buy ticket (sic).”

A seventh user said, “Aur bhi style hain toilet ke , I always go to some nice hotel lobbies or free museum ,,, you don’t have to pay anything, I never paid for toilet in Europe. Public ones are dirty too.”