Paid public toilets usually require cash: coins for turnstile-operated ones or coins or notes for those with an assistant. I haven't come across toilets accepting cards. The cost of paid toilets in Italy is usually between 50 cents and 1 euro.
USING A PUBLIC PAY BATHROOM IN ITALY
If you use a public pay bathroom, you'll pay a small fee (usually €0.50 to €1.00) by inserting Euro coins into a machine or paying an attendant. Occasionally, the bathroom will be 'free,' but you're expected to 'tip' the attendant (€0.50 to €1.00 is fine).
Roman Public Bathrooms
There are several options you can use when in a tight spot. There are of course the public toilets Rome has dotted around the city. These cost 1euro to access and are generally open from 10am to 6pm. Better still, if you have the Roma Pass you can access these public restaurants in Rome for free!
Costs of Using the Toilet
Public restrooms in America don't require a payment for use, but the “customers only” rule may apply. Some public restrooms in Europe actually require a fee to use the toilet. The fee is usually 1.5 Euros to gain access to the restroom.
We went over this in more depth above, but very generally speaking, you can usually use the toilet for “free” in Europe in places you are a customer. Large public spaces, like train stations, are where you'll see pay-to-use toilets.
Bathroom Fees
Even though public restrooms are mostly free around the world, you should expect to pay a small fee in many European countries for using the facilities. England, France, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands are some countries where you need to pay a small fee for using the bathroom.
We asked Italian friends about the frequent absence of toilet seats, and they helped to fill in the blanks. Apparently, the toilet seats are there originally but, then, they break. The seats break because people stand on them. People stand on them because they are not kept clean enough to sit on.
There is no common standard for toilets in Italy. In most cases, public toilets are basic but ok, with a toilet vase, a sink to wash hands, often a mirror and a hand dryier. In some cases, you will also find what we call bagni alla turca (Lit Turkish toilets).
In Paris, it's easy to go on the go
For those times when the urge strikes and art nouveau architecture is the least of your concerns, look out for one of the 435 public restrooms on the streets of Paris called Sanisettes: self-contained, self-cleaning units that are free to use.
Public toilets in France are just like any in Europe. They are usually free and generally well-maintained.
The bidet is for washing your nether regions. That means specifically: you can use it to clean your butt, and/or your taint, and/or your genitals.
You don't really need to bring this from home, of course — Italy does have toilet paper! — but it's a smart thing for ladies, particularly, to throw in their purses before leaving the hotel in the morning.
First off, tipping in Italy is neither mandatory nor expected, but if you do decide to do so, the gesture is a very clear indicator that you appreciated the service provided.
Instead of buying bottled mineral water, you can just fill it for free on the street. Interestingly, Italy is full of ancient water fountains. They can be incredibly beautiful, so bring your water bottle and camera! Some public areas have paid refill stations, that serve filtered tap water for 5 to 10 eurocents.
At restaurants, know what you do and don't have to pay for
Yes, you do have to pay for water. (You can ask for “acqua dal rubinetto,” tap water, but it's often seen as a bit rude. Plus, those glasses of tap water will take ages to get refilled by your waiter, if they're refilled at all!).
TfL toilet facilities are free to access, but some non-TfL facilities may be chargeable. Other public toilets may be available near to stations. Some facilities are inside the station's ticket gates.
There are free toilets on all floors of the Tower (1st, 2nd and the top) as well as on the parvis. There are baby changing facilities on all floors (parvis, 1st, 2nd) apart from the top of the...
Toilets can found in the welcome area under the Pyramid and throughout the museum.
France, Portugal, Italy, Japan, Argentina, Venezuela, and Spain: Instead of toilet paper, people from these countries (most of them from Europe) usually have a bidet in their washrooms. A bidet like a toilet, but also includes a spout that streams water like a water fountain to rinse you clean.
An Italian shower, more commonly known as a roll-in shower, is simply a shower with no curb or step between the shower and the bathroom floor.
Squat toilets are generally non-existent in Northern and Western Europe. France and Italy are an exception and have some squat toilets remaining in old buildings and public toilets because they used to be the norm there in the early 20th century.
It's the moment we all dread in the Netherlands: having to use the loo when you're out and about.
Paris has some of the best public restroom infrastructure in the world, and the city is miles ahead of everyone else. The QS Supplies team scoured a list of the world's most popular cities to judge their public toilet infrastructure.