Is it feasible to rent a car for a multi-country Europe trip?
I'm planning a (mostly Western) European trip starting in London and ending in Rome, and am considering the possibility of renting a car for the entire trip.
The countries I'll be entering are the UK, Ireland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, potentially a day trip to Slovakia, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Monaco and Italy.
The trip is for November 2019 - February 2020.
I know that I'll need to:
- have winter tyres for some countries
- get vignettes for some countries
- pay more for a one-way rental
- have an international driving permit (for at least some of the countries)
What I'm not sure about is whether this is a feasible, or even good, idea.
- I've seen some rental companies state that while you can take a car on a ferry (eg. from Scotland to Northern Ireland, and Ireland to Wales), their insurance won't cover any damage while doing so.
- Picking up a car in a non-winter-tyre country might mean it's difficult to ensure I'm complying with regulations in every country I'm passing through.
My main priority is keeping things simple and having flexibility: being able to take day trips/drive to country areas; not having to lug luggage between trains, etc. I don't mind paying extra for the privilege, but don't want to break laws or get myself into difficulty.
My question is: is this a feasible plan, and if so, what aspects am I missing in the things I need to plan for? Alternatively, is it worth splitting into multiple rentals (eg. UK & Ireland rental; train from London to Paris; Paris - Rome rental) to simplify the process?
Best Answer
The solution here could not be simpler,
Just hire a car in the UK (pick it up and drop it off anywhere you want), and
Just hire a car in Europe (pick it up and drop it off anywhere you want).
(It's trivial to transfer between say Folkestone and Calais by train, or between any UK airport and say Lyon.)
It's completely commonplace to do this.
You'd be one of a zillion tourists doing it this year!
The idea of using one car for both UK/Europe is a non-starter, just forget about that.
One of the great joys in life is motoring around the Continent. Enjoy!
Some further points:
- Once you are on the continent save a massive amount of money by making a loop rather than a one-way rental.
https://travel.stackexchange.com/a/38154/19233
One-way car rental in Europe is fantastic, but it is incredibly expensive.
- Whatever you do, in the name of goodness avoid the "living hell" major airports (all London airports, Paris). Fly to a city such as Lyon or Munich The quality of your holiday is boosted to a whole different level.
For the record, note that it is no big deal to take a UK rental car to the Continent for a day trip returning to the UK ... if for some reason you want to do that.
(Example, Sixt promoting the concept of a day trip! link )
Again, you would never do this for a longer tour: simply rent a car on each landmass. Enjoy!
Pictures about "Is it feasible to rent a car for a multi-country Europe trip?"
Can you rent a car and drive to different countries in Europe?
Can I take my rental into another country? In Europe, car hire companies typically allow renters to drive their vehicles across international borders into neighbouring countries. However, you may have to pay a cross border fee in order to drive the car abroad.Can I hire a car to drive across Europe?
Can I rent a car and drive across Europe? Yes, you are able to use your hire car across Europe \u2013 particularly important if you are planning an extended holiday.Can I rent a car and drive to another country?
Most vehicles rented in the US can be driven throughout US and Canada. Some vehicle classes like Exotics, Large Passenger or Cargo Vans, and other specialty vehicles may not be allowed to travel outside of the US. Please reach to the renting location directly for details on cross-border restrictions.Which country in Europe has cheapest car rental?
Eastern Europe is where travellers can drive longest for least, with the cheapest country for car hire being Montenegro. There, you can rent a vehicle for seven days for just $61.8 Tips for Renting a Car in Europe
More answers regarding is it feasible to rent a car for a multi-country Europe trip?
Answer 2
Typically, there is little trouble in taking a rental car through all the countries you listed - I have done more than half of them in the same rental car already. It becomes only difficult if you would want to go further east, like Bulgaria or Poland, as most car rental companies don't allow that.
Your main issue will be cost for the one-way (an arm and a leg, for sure), and to find a company that accepts international one-ways. Consider that the company has to get the car back to the original country, so they have to pay someone to fly to your destination, and drive the car all the way back.
It's worth a try, but you would save thousands by making it a complete loop - for example, fly to France, rent, drive directly to GB, and then start your trip. At the end, add a day, and drive it back to France. You will lose a day each at the beginning and at the end, but save serious money.
Note also that rental are typically not allowed over 30 days. You will have to turn the car in and take a replacement every 30 days latest.
Answer 3
There used to be a car hire programme called Le Swap. Suppose you are heading from the UK to France, you would return your right hand drive UK car, travel by Eurostar, and collect a left hand drive car on the other side. I cannot easily find evidence that this programme still exists but you could still try to arrange something similar. Look for rental locations at the points where you cross water. The side of the steering wheel issue won't apply between the UK mainland and the island of Ireland but the cost and complications of taking a rental car on the ferry would still apply. This strategy would certainly work if you were flying over the water but will probably work by ferry or train as well.
If you really want to drive all the way then it might actually be cheaper to buy a car. Still expensive and complicated but maybe a little less less so. There have been some recent questions on this subject.
Answer 4
There are some regulations that ban EU citizens driving non-EU rental cars in the EU.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/may/28/eu-citizens-car-hire-switzerland
This can be awkward for hiring in Switzerland and presumably the UK shortly. You may also find insurance more expensive as a result.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Gustavo Fring, Gustavo Fring, Gustavo Fring, Gustavo Fring