MY CHATEAU

Making Sense of Renting or Leasing a Car Abroad

 

If you're traveling on your own most likely you will rent or lease a car during your stay.  Steer away from Fly-Drive packages that may seem inticing as the value for what you get is probably going to offer a big disappointment.  Rentals are for under three weeks but leasing begins with a minimum of three weeks travel or more.  

 

In the months prior to your trip you owe it to yourself to search some of the best European Car rental companies that offer competitive rates from economy to luxury rentals.  Do your homework as prices are all over the board.  If leasing seems to offer better rates if abroad longer than 3 weeks it may make more sense to do so. 

 

Keep in mind that if you are visiting both England and Europe you cannot take your rental car across the Channel.  You often will obtain cheaper prices by not picking up your car at the airport and do so in a city. 

 

Various countries also charge fees for taking cars in to their country.  For example, Switzerland.  The good thing most rental cars end up passing through most European countries, and very likely there will already be a sticker for the annual fee each vehicle would have to pay entering a country.  We have never been charged a fee in all our years of travel as the car we rented already had vehicle stickers. A list of countries and the charges can be obtained from the individual car rental companies.

 

One last piece of advice, if you are planning on driving a few thousand kilometers, you will probably want to stay away from a 4-cylinder car.  You really feel the effects of the extra or lack of cylinders when driving through the Alps of up some of the high hills and foothills of Europe.

 

Travel by Rail or Ferries

 

Unlike some of the horrid stories on train travel that have come out over the years, statistically both ways in Europe are extremely safe and budget friendly if that is what you are looking for. 

 

There is no other better run system then the British and European Rail transportation companies that work in tandem to assure pleasant travel across their part of the world.

 

Additionally, Ferry Travel is still very popular and we have included links for further information based on country of the various Ferry companies, ports, countries, etc.

 

The links below will offer everything you need when it comes to ground transportation in England and Europe.  If you have specific questions that you would like assistance with fill out the contact form below and we will do whatever we can to help.