The summer is coming, more and more people are preparing for a holiday.
If we plan a vacation to abroad but we wouldn’t like to take a train or bus, whether because of the long travel time or small children, we can always rent a car. It’s a more convenient and easier solution.
And it even might be cheaper, because we can save the cost of the local public transport.
What to keep in mind when renting a car:
- what we know to some extent: If we can, ask for a model we have driven in the past. We can save the time getting accustomed to the car and it will be more than enough to pay attention to the traffic rules, especially if we travel abroad.
- what size is appropriate: if we plan a family holiday, keep in mind that our luggage must fit in the car. Therefore, a small station wagon or estate car rental can be ideal.
- what is well-equipped: ABS, airbags, air conditioning, radio is now standard equipment in all, but if we have any doubt we can always ask the car rental service for more information. Ask for child seats/ booster seats or a navigation system if needed.
- which is the best solution for our current plans: if we plan to drive through small, narrow streets, don’t ask for a wagon type car. Instead, we can select the small category, which can be much easier to navigate and park with.
If we go abroad, there are some things that we should check:
- driving license validity: really important. Won’t it expire during a vacation / travel?
- car insurance: the car rental company usually takes care of this, in any case, we should still ask if there is any extra insurance needed in the particular country?
- local rules: speed limits, alcohol restrictions
- automotive equipment: all the necessary accessories can be found in the car? first-aid kit? A breakdown warning sign? Bulbs? Spare tire?
- European health insurance card: we will need this card to be eligible for local healthcare.
- necessary papers: do not forget them at home!
We must pay attention to many things, but it’s the same before every holiday. With car rental we can leave some other headaches out the process, such as how we are going to get from the train station to the hotel, which public transport to use for sightseeing, what happens if we get off the bus at the wrong stop, etc …
