I was all nerves several years ago when I returned our rental car in Munich, Germany. How strict would they be, would they find damage to the body, was the interior clean enough? One thing I didn’t expect was the person evaluating the car not to speak English. Fortunately, we managed to communicate and he noted no extra charges for the car. Here are some things to watch out for if you decide to rent a car in Europe.
Decide if you really want to rent a car
With a family of four and the goal of visiting different smaller towns in Germany (like Quedlinburg, Rothenburg, and Fussen) it made sense for us to have a car. We had the freedom to stop along the way, drive to dinner, and stay in a town adjacent to EuropaPark. Plus, if you added up the cost of four train tickets, we would have spent more taking the train than by renting.
Your driver’s license may be enough
While the European Union is united on many fronts, the rules for driving as a foreigner depend on the country. In Germany, all I needed was my US driver’s license and my passport. Other countries require an international driver’s license. Currently Austria, Spain, and Italy require the international driver’s license, while Germany, France, and England do not. But it pays to check the country you’re visiting (and nearby countries you might be tempted to visit) before traveling.
Rent from an American company, or not…
You will find most American car rental companies in Europe, including Hertz and National, as well as local or European companies. We used a rental car consolidator website (autoeurope.com) but other people have noted the benefits of using discovercars.com.
Rental car insurance
Before we rented a car, I compared my credit cards’ terms and conditions to fully understand what coverage they offered. Interestingly, the company we rented from required a letter from our credit card company noting the insurance they provided. The agent actually asked for and kept that document when we rented the car.
Age requirements
For most rentals in Europe, the driver must be at least 21 years old (and some countries have maximum age limits as well). In some places, you need to be 25 or you may end up paying a surcharge.
Where to pick up and drop off the car
This may seem a no-brainer – just get the car near your hotel. However, instead of my first European driving experience starting in the heart Berlin, I found a rental location on the western edge in the direction we would be driving. We took public transit there and then were quickly out of Berlin. Similarly, we dropped off the car within walking distance of our flat in Pasing, near Munich.
What type of vehicle do you need?
European cars aren’t that different from US cars, with the noted exception that you will likely not see many pickup trucks on the road. I think we saw more in Japan than in all of Germany. That said, many European cities have been around for a thousand years or more, so you might be driving in very tight areas. Rent a smaller car than you might consider in the US just for the ease of parking and city driving.
Also know that you might not receive the car you were promised on the website. We had requested a VW Passat and ended up with a Skoda Octavia. I had never heard of Skoda but my car-loving son quickly gave me a short history on the brand. Everything ended up fine – I actually quite enjoyed driving it.
Inspect your car closely
If you spend any time reading complaints regarding rental car companies, you will hear horror stories of people who returned a pristine car but were charged for various damages. The best warranty against this is to give your rental a white-glove inspection before you leave – perhaps even video recording the car inside and out (and the trunk) in case you run into any problems. Note the mileage and gas level while you’re there.
Save money by driving a stick
I mentioned this in a past article, but my family gave a small cheer when I was able to pull away from the rental location without lurching or killing the engine. It had been over a decade since I’d driven a manual transmission, but by the first traffic signal it came back to me. Usually, an automatic transmission will cost you more in Europe – if you know how, consider manual.
…or by renting for a week
When we were planning to drive around Germany, I never thought of limiting it to a week (or trying to extend our small-town adventure to seven days). It just worked out that way. But this ended up saving us money; when I compared a seven-day rental, it was less expensive than renting for five days. Essentially, we got two days free. If it makes sense, rent your car for a longer time period.
Beware crossing borders
I mentioned above that the EU has different driver’s license requirements. Similarly, some require the driver to prove they paid a tariff or tax known as a vignette. We visited Fussen, just a few miles from the border with Austria, yet we never ventured over in part because we didn’t want to deal with the required vignette. Again, it’s best to know the requirements of the country you’re visiting and those nearby in case you get an itch to drive over.
Know your road signs
Speaking of knowledge you want to master – road signs across Europe are consistent, but very different from the US. I remember at one point nearing a tunnel and looking at a sign I had never seen before. I quickly asked my kids to do a little research so I would know what was going on. While you won’t be able to know every sign, taking time to study the signs will help you feel more comfortable.
Use a navigation system for getting around
Before we left, I downloaded a free app that would allow us to navigate through Germany without using cellular data. The system worked great, except for one instance at a new traffic circle where I exited too early. This may seem paranoid, but I also printed maps from city to city, just in case the technology crashed or there was any question about the directions we were receiving.
Gas is expensive but cars get better mileage
While gas is eye-poppingly expensive in Europe, most cars get vastly better mileage than in the US. We averaged 38 MPG in the Octavia, so the fill-ups weren’t as taxing. And many stations are just like in the US where you can pay at the pump.
We had a blast driving around Germany. It’s a beautiful country, much of which we would have missed by riding a train. Cresting a hill to see a medieval castle off in the distance or seeing the Alps for the first time are things I will never forget. If renting a car makes sense for you, give it a shot.