Renting a car in Europe can make the rural areas more accessible and for families, may be cheaper than taking public transit. But renting a vehicle outside of your home country always comes with a few quirks.
Selecting a Car
We try to book directly with providers. Third party aggregators may have been prices, but the few times we have run into an issue, it has been because we booked through a supplier, not the rental company. Local providers can be great (and cheaper) than big-box companies. Read reviews on local companies to familiarize yourself with their service track record and what will happen if they are short on inventory.
If you plan to rent for more than 30 days, a few auto companies have leasing schemes for non-EU residents. At major airports around Western Europe, you can procure a lease complete with insurance for less than a long-term rental. As an added bonus, you can select your exact make and model. Leases are available for 21-175 days. This is thanks to complicated VAT rules that make new cars much more expensive than used. Leasing creates a pool of barely used vehicles so it is a win all around.
Licensing & Insurance
In many countries, Americans need an International Driver's Permit to drive legally. This is a document that translates your license into other languages. While your rental company may not ask you for it, the police likely will. It costs $20 plus two passport photos. Apply at AAA offices or online up to six months before its effective date. It is good for one year from the date written on the cover.
An added difficulty is license renewal. Unlike many other countries, most US states do not show the date the license was originally obtained, only the date of the last renewal. Many rental agencies will require at least one year of driving experience prior to leasing a vehicle. If you have recently renewed your license, carry a copy of your renewal or your previous license to validate that you have held a license for longer than a year.
Insurance is a requirement in many countries. Thankfully, many credit cards offer car rental insurance for rentals up to 30 days. If you are renting for more than 30 days, you will need insurance through the leasing company. If you plan to use credit card insurance, request a proof of coverage with the insurance amount from the card issuer before your trip to prove your coverage. When the sales pitch starts, produce your proof and state clearly that you are covered.
This is usually when the pitch for refueling comes as well. Locate the nearest gas station to the airport before you get to the counter and judge the feasibility of filling up prior to returning - Will the gas station be open at your return time? Does your itinerary give you time? Is it convenient to stop? Also consider the distance you are traveling. If you are driving a ton and filling up isn't convenient, it may be a wash to prepay for fuel.
Getting on the Road
Before your trip, familiarize yourself with road rules for each country. The US is the rare bird in using metric so be accustomed to kilometers. Many countries have basic speed limits that are determined by road type. Because these are ubiquitous, they may not always be signposted. Thankfully, navigation systems including Google Maps typically will list speed limits if you are unsure. Electronic speed controls are far more common in Europe, often camera systems. These are also often on maps and are usually announced with signage.
Bear in mind that turning right on red is illegal throughout Europe unless explicitly stated. This is one of the biggest differences from driving in the US. Avoid bus and taxi lanes as well as historic centers which are often restricted to local residents or energy efficient vehicles. One ways are quite common, however, roads that might feel one way are more than often not. Be aware of other drivers, especially on blind turns.
Navigation is much easy than ten years ago thanks to handy phone apps like Google and Waze. However, data can drop, particularly in the mountains or in rural areas. Download maps offline. For Google, it is as simple as typing "OK maps" into the search bar. Select your area and download. You can navigate for driving on downloaded maps! I also still get a local map from the rental counter as a double backup.
Parking & Tolls
Free (frei, libre, liberta, etc) usually means available, not unpaid, parking. Prices are often posted at the entrance and pedestrian exit. Payment options vary wildly - coins, text, app, or ticket. Always keep spare change for these circumstances. Worst case scenario, buy a coffee or water and request change for parking.
Disc parking is common, often one or two hours. You need to display your arrival time on the dash. If you aren’t sure, check the line color on the parking space. It varies by country, so be sure to ask at the rental counter if you aren't sure. Some rentals come with discs on the dashboard, but I've had mixed reuslts. Order one ahead of time or purchase one after arrival (usually sold whereever bus tickets are). In an aboslute pinch, some muncipalities will accept a written time of arrival on the dash,
Toll roads are commonplace especially around major cities and for managed highways. More and more are automated with tap and go credit cards. Here and gas stations seem to have the most difficult time with American cards so keep some cash just in case.
Electric Cars
Electric and hybrid cars are becoming more common at European rental counters. They tend to be automatic and, thanks to green incentives, may be cheaper to rent than a typical automatic.
When renting an electric vehicle, use the Electromap app to locate charging stations, review rates, and check for open spots. Some are tap to pay, others require an app, and others still allow you to pay online via a QR code. Before accepting an electric rental, check your routing and distances. Some places are further ahead with installing electric charging stations than others. For example, we’ve not had a problem in Tuscany even with the little battery in the Fiat 500e, but I would not recommend using one in rural Wales.
Some companies have key fobs that enable tap and go at charging stations. The charge details should be in your contract, but confirm the rates at the counter. Depending on the company, it may be break even (especially on shorter trips), but using the company fob may end up costing you a premium. Also confirm recharge levels. Some companies want like for like charges, while other have a minimum battery level at return.
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