Europe Travel- What You Should Know Before Renting a Car
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Posted On :
Nov-30-2010
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Article Word Count :
519
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Travel car hire in Europe can be more expensive than it is in the United States. However, it will be worth it if you want to explore the continent to the maximum. There are some points you should consider before you book a car in Europe.
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Do you really need a car?
Before you book a car rental, decide which mode of transport will work for you. If you will be moving from city to city, trains will be a better mode of transport than cars, thanks to the excellent transport system in Europe. However, if you will be exploring the countryside, hiring a car will be better.
Money matters.
Savvy travelers are always looking to save on car rentals and one of the best ways of doing this is to reserve your car in advance. Your preferred car rental company in US is likely to be having an office in Europe. Call the agency and ask for their rates in Europe. Alternatively, look at international price scan websites and compare rates of different companies. From there, visit your preferred agency’s website and check for any special offers.
Arranging your rental will a consolidator may be cheaper. However, the downside of using a middleman is that you may not get the help you would want in case you encounter a problem.
Renting a European car for a week and with unlimited miles is usually cheaper. Daily rates can be quite high in Europe. Find out how extending or reducing the number of days will affect your rates.
Which routes will you be travelling?
You are likely to pay more if you pick your rental at the airport than downtown. Instead of picking the car at the airport, get a taxi or board the airport shuttle to a downtown rental car agency. Picking up the car at a small town may be more expensive than in the larger towns. Also, many small towns are rigid on their working hours and you may pay extra to pick up or drop off the car during a weekend or holiday.
If you will be moving from city to city, go for bigger car rental companies which have branches all over the country. Most companies will allow you to pick up and drop off the car at different towns within at no extra charges. This is however only valid within the same country. However, be wary of international drop-off fees. They can increase your cost by $200 to $400.
If your route will be crossing through different countries, such as Ireland and Great Britain, it is better to get different car rentals in the countries.
Fees
There are many extras you may have to cater for when renting a car in Europe. Tax is usually 18% to 25% on top of the base price. You may also have to pay the CDW (Collision Damage Waiver), which is usually $15 to $35. Some countries, such as Italy, require consumers to take mandatory theft protection, which costs about $20 per day.
Automatics can add an extra $100 to $200 per week. Most rental cars in Europe have manual transmissions. If you would prefer automatics, book it well in advance.
The above are some of the things you should keep in mind when you will be going to rent a car in Europe.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Europe Travel- What You Should Know Before Renting a Car_43410.aspx
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Author Resource :
For more help and advice regarding cheap car rental, please visit car rental Darwin airport.
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Keywords :
europe travel, , car rental, rental companies, car rental companies, rental cars,
Category :
Travel and Leisure
:
Travel Tips
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