If you’d like to see Europe by car, plan on spending at least $430 a week to rent a sub-compact car with unlimited mileage, full insurance (including CDW insurance), and gas (1000 miles/week) and taxes. Two people in a car for 3 weeks pay about the cost of a 3-week Eurail Saverpass ( $648 each). Prices vary substantially from country to country and company to company.

Considerations When Renting a Car

Every year, as train prices go up, car rental becomes a better option for budget travelers in Europe. It’s surprisingly easy. While the lion’s share of travelers are planning on train travel, you should at least consider the driving option.

Cars are cheapest when rented by the week with unlimited mileage (though there are a few good 3-day deals) through your travel agent in the USA. Cars are ridiculously expensive to rent by the day. The various rail & drive passes are a good deal for travelers who want just a few days of car use, since they basically rent cars one day at a time at one-seventh of the cheap weekly rate.

To really compare car costs with train costs, add up these weekly expenses:

 

Then subtract the money you’ll save using the car to get to cheaper accommodations in the countryside.

The car insurance included in the rental cost comes with a very high deductible, often equal to the value of the car! For the peace of mind, if nothing more, you need to buy supplemental Collision Damage Waiver insurance, or CDW. CDW entirely covers the car’s deductible. At the cost of $10 to $25 a day, you can walk away scot-free from any accident. CDW is payable at the car rental agency where you pick up the car. Pre-trip alternatives: some “gold” credit cards automatically cover CDW for their customers, but this is getting dicey—check with your credit card company before you leave on your trip; or consider Travel Guard insurance, which covers CDW for $7 a day (but is not honored in Ireland, Scotland or Italy).

Your American driver’s license is all you need in most European countries. While not required, an International Driver's License is recommended in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece, and Eastern Europe. They are easy to get from AAA ($15 for AAA members, $20 for non-members). They provide a translation for your American license—making it easier for the cop to write out the ticket.

While age restrictions vary from country to country and company to company, people between 25 and 75 should have no trouble renting a car. Those older or younger than that will find some countries have less stringent age restrictions (e.g. 19 years is old enough in Germany).

Cars come with the necessary insurance and paperwork to cross all borders within western Europe. Before cruising the expressways of Austria or Switzerland, you’ll need to buy a special tax stamp at a local tobacco shop (or pay a special fine). Ask for specific limitations if you plan to drive through Eastern Europe. You are generally not allowed to take your car from England to the Continent or to Ireland; even if you could, the high costs of the ferry makes renting two separate cars a better deal (two single weeks of rental usually cost the same as two weeks in a row). You can normally pick up and drop off a car at any of your rental company’s offices in one country. There is usually about a $100 fee to drop in another country (with some happy/outrageous exceptions). Some companies are now charging 10% or so for airport pick-ups.

Invest in a Van 'n Go

Camping is a great way to enjoy rural Europe—especially with kids—and to mingle with vacationing Europeans in a relaxed, let-your-hair-down setting. But lugging a tent and camping equipment in and out of a rental car is no picnic, and by train it's almost unthinkable. If you're planning a leisurely trip that goes heavy on the countryside and light on cities, renting a camper van may be right up your alley. For example, some European dealers even "sell" vans with a guaranteed buy-back price. (Technically it may remain registered to the dealer, which saves you lots on insurance.)

For details on the art of camper-vanning, check out the latest Europe by Van and Motorhome by David Shore and Patty Campbell. The new edition covers trip planning, documentation, driving, campgrounds—and includes a guide to dealers who sell and rent camper vans in Europe. Call 800/659-5222 or visit www.roadtripeurope.com. They'll ship you the book immediately, and trust you for the $16.95 cost + $3.95 shipping/handling.

 

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Reading Assignment:

Read Chapter Five

 

Article Discussion Questions:

Use the article (above) to answer the following questions and submit them with your chapter five work via e-mail.

 

1. What is “CDW”?
2. What is unique about the car insurance that comes with a European rental car?  Most insurance “deductibles” are between $500 and $1000.  How is it different in Europe?
3. Do Americans need to have an International Drivers License to rent a car in Europe?
4. Where can a tourist apply for an International Driver’s License?
5. What is the minimum/maximum age to rent a car in Europe?
6. What is a “van-n-go” and what type of tourist might be interest in this?

 

Textbook Short Answer and Discussion Questions:

Use your text to answer the following questions and submit them with your chapter five work via e-mail.

 

1. What does a CDW actually “waive”?
2. What is the minimum age to rent a car in the United States?