Imagine Europe’s beautiful roads, and you are driving through them. Your car’s windows are rolled down, and the wind caresses your hair while your favorite singer’s music blasts through the car’s speakers. The day is stunning, and so are your surroundings. Such is the experience of exploring Europe by road on a rental car. And as it seems, it is undoubtedly brilliant and memorable. Plus, renting a car in Europe allows you the excellent opportunity to conveniently get off the beaten tracks and explore destinations that still have the authentic European vibe.
Traveling via a rental car also lets you enjoy complete freedom and flexibility in deciding where to go and how to schedule your trip, which in itself is empowering and exciting. If these are the things you are looking for in your European trip, then you might want to consider renting a car. However, there are certain things you should before renting a car in Europe for your road trip, which is listed below:
1. Factors that Affect Rental Car Price
While it is true that the car size, model, and rent duration are factors that determine how much you have to pay to car rental companies, it is also true that there are other charges you may initially be unfamiliar with. These may creep up on you while you are unaware and take a serious toll on your budget. Firstly, it is important to know that automatic and manual cars in Europe have different prices, with the former being as much as being 50% more expensive than the latter.
Secondly, often it makes sense to pick your car and drop it off at a location other than your starting point. For instance, you on your itinerary pick a car in the French Riveria and end your journey in Avignon. It would make sense to drop your car in Avignon (instead of driving back to your starting point); however, that may require an additional fee, which may be up to 1000 euros! This extra fee may also show itself if you ask your car to be dropped at an airport or train station for you to pick up and if you cross country borders, into non-EU countries, with your car.
2. Things You Will Need When Renting a Car in Europe
Obviously, you would need some documentation with you if you want to rent a car in Europe. Your confirmation number, ID, valid passport, credit card, and driver’s license are things that you would need in each country across the continent. However, some countries like Germany, Italy, and Spain may also ask you about your Internation Driver’s Permit (IDP) in addition to all those mentioned above.
An IDP supplements your driver’s license and is not a replacement. So, before you decide on renting a car in Europe, see if the country you are in requires an IDP.
3. You May Not be Allowed to Drive into Certain Countries
While you are most likely not going to run into any problems while commuting between western EU countries, you may have trouble getting in non-EU eastern European countries. Countries like Serbia, Albania, and Bosnia are usually found on companys’ lists of destinations you cannot take their cars in; but, these policies keep evolving in time, so you must check before renting a vehicle.
4. Finding a Parking Space is Hard
Sure, European cities are very easily accessible via roads, and they have stunning views to offer to their visitors. However, another thing that you must realize is that the cities are not always suited for cars. While some cities like Venice cannot be explored via car at all, others like Amsterdam must be walked through. No matter what the case might be, it holds that cars do not have much use inside cities, and you will ultimately have trouble finding parking spaces for them.
It is also true that you may have to park your car several blocks away from your accommodation (if it does not have a parking space) and will have to walk to get to the site, which is not exactly a pleasant option. So, remember to make sure if your hotel offers parking spots before renting a car.
5. Vignette
Some countries in Europe, like Switzerland, Austria, Romania, and the Czech Republic, require something known as the Vignette. If you are renting a car in a country requiring Vignettes, you can find a small sticker on the windshield, which shows that highway taxes have been paid, and there is nothing you need to do. However, if such a mark is absent, you will have to purchase one while crossing borders. Vignettes are most easily sold at gas stations near border crossings.
6. Insurances Can be Tricky
Car rental insurances are not as simple in Europe as you may think. In fact, they are sometimes extremely twisted. For example, an insurance contract may have a cap on the amount it can cover. Or it might even entail that the company can charge your credit card for any damages. Or it could be something else entirely, and something you are not prepared for, for the contracts usually come in ridiculously tiny handwriting! So, you might want to discuss the terms of the insurance agreement with the company before you rent its car.
7. Navigation is Not Simple
One thing that often surprises non-Europeans is that Google Maps is not very effective and accurate in Europe. Therefore, the chances you may get lost during your road trip or navigating through smaller cities are fairly high. However, where Google Maps fail, maps and GPS come to your rescue. If you are renting a car in Europe, make sure that you employ both of these resources in conjunction to avoid getting lost.
Some Final Thoughts
Traveling via car in Europe is not at all necessary. In fact, some people might consider it too much hassle, for European cities and countries are very extensively linked by public transportation. And often, public transit is cheaper than renting a car. So, you should know that you can manage very well in Europe without having a vehicle to yourself. That being said, having a car has its perks, some of which are undeniably attractive. If you feel that the advantages outweigh the complications, renting a car in Europe will be one of the best things to do!
Travel Resources for Your Road Trip in Europe
To make planning this road trip to Europe easier, in addition to some great car rental companies you use for renting a car in Europe, we included some of our recommended travel resources below. You can search and find the best flights, other transportation options, hotels to stay in, tours/activities, and things you can do during your road trip here.
Flights:
CheapOAir: You can find airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and vacation packages all on one site!
Kiwi.com: What we like about Kiwi is the fact that they are able to create combinations of flight, train, and bus tickets and offer them in a single itinerary. Also, Kiwi has what they called “Nomad” which helps you find the best way of visiting multiple destinations, saving you time and money.
JetRadar: You can search and compare airfares from 726 airlines and dozens of travel agencies and systems.
Hotels:
Agoda: Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms with a network of over 2,000,000 vacation rentals and hotels worldwide.
Hotellook: They have more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries, working with data from more than 10 online booking systems, such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, and others.
Transportations:
Airport Transfers: KiwiTaxi, Viator
Train: Trainline or RailEurope
Bus: Flixbus: Very affordable (as low as $6) and convenience way to transfer between cities in Europe.
Car Rentals: AutoEurope, EconomyBookings, or GetTransfer (transfers & car rentals with a personal driver)
Bike Rental: BikesBooking (Bikes & scooter rentals)
Transportation Comparison: Omio (search, compare, and book tickets for buses, trains, and flights all in one site)
Tours & Activities:
TakeWalks (WalkofItaly): This is our favorite site for walking tours & day trips.
Tiqets: Great site for entrance tickets. It offers directly bookable, instantly available, and completely mobile tickets for museums, shows, and attractions all over the world.
Musement: They have good activities and tours in Italy and Spain, also many great day trips you can choose from.
GetYourGuide: A large number of tours, excursions, and other travel activities
Viator: The largest one. It has everything from tours, attractions, shore excursions, and private guides in over 2,700 destinations worldwide. It also has many transportations and transfers options and some unique experiences we didn’t find anywhere else.
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links, MultiCityTrips may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.
Need help planning a road trip to Europe?
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