Are you planning a vacation to Europe? Have you fixed an itinerary? With the pandemic almost behind us, everyone is planning to go out and soak in the serene beauty on offer in Europe. Renting a car in Europe doesn’t always make sense but in certain situations, you would be much better off with your own car. In this short article, we will quickly explore the various advantages of renting a car in Europe and a few tips to help you make the right choice.
One of the most obvious advantages of renting a car in Europe is that you are not tied down to a pre-decided path. You can go anywhere, stop anywhere or make any kind of change to the itinerary as per your convenience. You are not bound by the rules of a tour bus or train stop. You can explore a lot more and soak in a lot more and create a lot more personal memories. In many cases, you will find renting a car is cheaper as compared to buying Eurorail passes for everyone in the group.
Renting a car can be especially useful if you balticar younger children with you who don’t like to walk much. Enjoying holidays with children is an art and having your own car that you can stop anywhere, park anywhere and take anywhere will make your vacation a lot less tiring. If you haven’t been able to spend a lot of time with your loved ones, the time spent in the car has the potential to reinforce those family bonds and create some lifelong memories.
While these are some of the many advantages of renting a car in Europe, it is important to keep in mind that like all car rental industries in various countries, there are specific nuances unique to Europe. This is why it’s better to be prepared to get the best value for your money and have a hassle-free experience.
One of the first things you need to do is choose the right company. There are several reputed companies in Europe for car rentals. You should check out the car rental prices on all the popular agency car rental agency websites. There are also websites that aggregate deals from all the other popular rental websites. These aggregate websites can be used to quickly compare deals and prices and choose the package that’s best for you.
An important thing you should know is that there are a lot more manual vehicles in Europe as compared to automatic vehicles. Every region has its preference. If you are used to driving automatic and you have no experience with the stick, expect to pay as much as 50% more as compared to renting a manual vehicle. If you do not have experience driving a stick shift, stay with automatic. Don’t think that you would be able to learn in a day or two.
The next thing you need to choose is the pickup and drop off location for the rental car. Keep in mind that you can always choose different locations for pickup and drop-off. It can save you a lot of time. However, it’s an extra feature that comes at a price and that price can be expensive if you choose to rent in one country but return in another country.
If you are planning to pick up your car at an airport or a train station, you will have to pay extra. If you want to save that money, consider renting in town. However, renting directly from the train station or the airport saves a lot of time. Also, you will have more options at airports and train stations as there are a lot of cars and you won’t have to wait much to rent the type of car you want.
Since there are a lot of countries in Europe and most people like to explore several countries on their holiday, you should know that many car rental agencies may charge you extra for taking your car to a non-EU country. Also, you’re not allowed to drive into any country. On top of this complication, the rules are always changing. If you have any doubts, get in touch with a representative and they might be able to help you with any query.
Needless to say, you will need an international drivers permit for renting a car in Europe. Not all the countries require it but many do. These include Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Poland, Austria, Hungary and a few others. There is this thing called a vignette. It’s a sticker which shows that the highway taxes have been paid. without hidden costs, you might be asked to pay a fine. The stickers don’t cost much.
Insurance adds a lot to the car rental cost but there are credit cards that cover rental insurance. If possible, use a credit card with rental insurance to book your car.
Overall, Europe is a great place to explore with so many historical monuments and old architecture. There are many beautiful places to explore and the food is awesome. Make your vacation extra special by renting a good quality car, at the right price. The above-mentioned tips should help you make the right choice.