Independent Travel in Europe
Tips and resources for independent travellers
Auto & Motorcycle Rentals/Auto Leases
Your decision to rent a car or not for your entire trip or part of your trip will depend on your itinerary. If your itinerary takes you from one major city to another with only a few day trips outside the city, then go with using the trains and buses. You'll have to pay for train and bus tickets, but you won't be buying fuel and paying for parking. On the other hand, if you would like to spend at least part of your vacation visiting rural areas and small towns, then consider renting a car since public transportation may not be adequate and the train/bus schedules may not be convenient for you, especially if you would like to have lots of flexibility regarding what time you leave for day trips in the morning or afternoon and what time you head back to your hotel/apartment in the evening. In rural areas, having a car will allow you much more freedom to explore and discover towns and sites.
During our trip to France, we visited Paris, Lyon, Annecy and the French Riviera. We only rented a car for - you guessed it - our stay in southern France since we wanted to explore the villages and take in the coastal scenic drives. We offset the cost of the car rental by renting a self-catering apartment outside of Nice and also for our stay in Paris.
Auto Rental Tips and Resources
Rent a manual shift - Manual shift is always cheaper than renting an automatic.
Pick-up locations - Airport pick-ups are always more expensive than picking up your rental car at a downtown location.
Day of pick up - Rates vary depending on what day you pick up the car. If your dates are flexible, check the rates for a day or two ahead or later - you may be pleasantly surprised.
Book in advance - Arrange for your car rental prior to leaving home. It's always cheaper to book ahead instead of waiting until you're in Europe.
Rate - Daily rates are usually high, but the longer you rent for, the less it will cost per day. Inquire about what is included in the rate of the rental. Ask about unlimited mileage and whether or not the CDW insurance is included. Always check whether you are covered for CDW by your credit card - if you are, you'll save on the price of the rental if you pay for the rental using your credit card. Note that Ireland, Italy and Spain refuse to honour the CDW and other insurances covered by a credit card. Rental agencies may charge as high as $ 15 a day for CDW, so it's best to go with Travel Guard, who charge $ 9 a day.
Shop around - Search the main car rental companies such as Avis, Budget, National/Alamo, Dollar/Thrifty, and Hertz, just in case they are advertizing promotions. You can use Expedia.ca, Travelocity.com, or Orbitz to compare prices across the major rental agencies. Always search the consolidators as well. I have booked through Auto Europe ( www.autoeurope.com) a few times simply because that's where I found the best rates. Another resource is CarRentals.com - a consolidator/aggregator that arranges car rentals internationally.
Geographical restrictions - There are often restrictions regarding where you can drive a rental car, so it's best to inquire about them when you're booking. Most rental agencies will not allow you to drive a rental car from a Western European country to an Eastern European country. Some travel agencies restrict you to driving only in the country of rental, and if you're renting a car in England, you won't be able to take it to the continent or to Ireland. Restrictions vary, so always inquire.
It's always a good idea to also check the aggregators - they search the major rental agencies, travel agencies and discounters for the best rates. Breezenet.com specializes in auto rentals, but you can also check other aggregators such as Kayak.com, Sidestep.com, Momondo.com and Mobissimo.com .
Short-term auto leases - If you're planning on renting a car for more than 17 days, or you are considered too young or too old to rent, you may want to look into short-term leasing instead. Auto Europe provides both auto rentals and short-term leasing.
Rail-and-Drive Pass - If you would like to combine rail travel with renting a car, consider looking into the rail-and-drive passes. These passes provide several days of train travel combined with several days of auto rental. You can even customize the number of days of rail travel and car rental - how's that for convenience!
Pick-up & Drop-off Time - Make sure to choose pick up and drop off times that are conventient for you. If you're late bringing the car back, you may be charged an extra day, although a 59-minute grace period is not uncommon.
Provides short-term auto leasing in Europe, mainly of French manufactured cars (Citroens, Peugeots and Renaults); but, other makes are also available.
IdeaMerge arranges French auto leases (Peugeot or Renault) for up to 360 days in France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal and England. Pick-ups and drop-offs in 9 European countries.
Driver's license/permit - In most European countries, your Canadian or American driver's license is all you need; however, it's a good idea to also carry the IDP (International Driving Permit). The IDP is a translation of your driver's license. The IDP also serves as an extra ID card. In Spain and Italy, you may be required to show your IDP when you pick up your rental car. You must always carry both your IDP and your Canadian or American driver's license. In Austria, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Germany, and Eastern Europe, you will be fined if you're stopped by the police and you don't have an IDP.
You can obtain an IDP at your local Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) or American Automobile Association (AAA) for $ 15.00 and the cost of two passport photos.
Age restrictions - Rental agencies may sometimes charge extra for rentals to younger and older drivers. Most companies won't rent a vehicle to anyone under age 21, but if you are 25 and older, you shouldn't have any problems. Those 21-24, may be charged extra per day. In the Republic of Ireland, you can rent up to age 74, but will be charged extra if you are 70 - 74. If you are 70 or older, you might not be able to rent a car in Greece, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey, as well as in some locations in Northern Ireland and the UK. If you want to rent a car in Denmark, the maximum age is 80.
Rent motorcycles of various sizes, including scooters, from various manufacturers, including BMW, Peugeot, Yamaha, and Harley Davidson.
Road 2 Luxe rents Honda Goldwing motorcyles.
Bosenberg offers motorcycle tours and rentals in Europe. Various motorcycle makes available.
Motorcycle rentals from various locations in Spain.
Copyright 2010 europeindependenttravel.com
La Colle-sur-Loup. France
Vespa rentals in Paris and Nice (Vespa Tour and Rental Specialist).
En route from Seville to Nerja, Spain
Book online car - Zurich Airport, Switzerland, is second in terms of traffic inflow. It is Switzerland's biggest international flight gateway and hub to Swiss International Air Lines. The passengers feel a lot of gratitude towards its service as they aim to serve with a peculiarly pleasant and cheerful attitude.
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