Everyone likes to be flexible with their choices of transportation while touring or visiting Europe. The most flexible choice a traveler can have is a car. Since not everyone can ship their car into Europe, people usually rent cars for their trips. However, there are a few things that you need to know before renting a car in Europe.
In this article, we are going to tell you everything you need to know about renting a car in Europe.
1. How expensive is it to rent a car in Europe?
While the prices are different for every country, there are a couple of factors that can further determine how much extra you need to pay to rent a car in Europe.
• Manual is cheaper than automatic
Like most places in the world, manual cars are the most common type in Europe. When someone rents a car, they usually rent manual cars. While automatic is always an option, you might need to pay as much as 50% more to rent automatic vehicle rather than a manual one.
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• Pick up and drop off locations
There is a common trend in some parts of Europe that you can rent a car at one location, and drop it off at another one. This is very smart as it can save you a lot of time and unnecessary backtracking. This service can cost anything between $100 and $300 and that solely depends on the length between both locations and the type of vehicle. Beware as the price can be as high as $1000!
• Renting Cars from the airport or train station costs more
Some rent-a-car companies, like Rent a car service in Bucharest, can offer you the option of renting a car straight as you make your flight or train. However, do understand that this service might cost you an extra $100 depending on the country.
2. You might need an international drivers permit
A common trend in Europe is for rent-a-car companies to ask for your driver’s license, confirmation number, ID verification such as a passport, and a credit card. Another piece of documentation they might ask is an International Drivers Permit.
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International Driver Permits are not that expensive and can cost you $20 if you’re buying it from AAA. An IDP allows you to drive a car in certain countries in Europe such as Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany, Slovenia, Hungary, Poland, Austria, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. In some cases, they might not even ask for one, but it’s a precautionary move to have one with you none the less.
3. You might be permitted to driving into certain countries
It’s not unusual for companies to forbid you from driving into certain countries. While this is not the case with all rent-a-car companies, some do not like their vehicles being driven into other countries. This is especially the case with non-EU countries and the ones that companies are most specific about are Croatia, Serbia, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Just to know, if you are not in Europe things are not so different. For example, if you need SUVs for rent in Dubai you can check it out.
4. They drive on the left in Great Britain
It could be a problem, with 99% of the world driving on the right side of the car, but the UK and Ireland drive on the left. While this has nothing to do with paperwork or documentation, it could be a problem for you until you get accustomed to.
