August/September Car Trip EU Requirements
Sep 7th, 2021, 12:41 PM
#41
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You’re welcome! We did a Eurodelivery on a BMW in 2001, which was fun. We went north on that trip, into Sweden and Norway, before ferrying across to Scotland and England. I don’t know if our purchaser’s insurance would have had restrictions for Slovenia or Croatia, though. It was mid-March, and we got into a horrific blizzard between Germany and Denmark! Everything closed—stores, banks, post office, schools, etc. We were heading to stay with some relatives in rural Denmark for a few days, and the only cars on the road were OFF the road, LOL. We made it!
Sep 7th, 2021, 11:50 PM
#42
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No “lost time” on trains
...”You pay for the car and parking of course but if you want to squeeze every minute of a given day, cars can be more efficient.
...losing an hour here or hour there limits the chances to use the Multipass as much as I otherwise could have. So I may drive or just go at a more leisurely pace.”
...losing an hour here or hour there limits the chances to use the Multipass as much as I otherwise could have. So I may drive or just go at a more leisurely pace.”
Traveling is exhausting enough even without having to drive anywhere, and trains give one a much-needed break.
Also, being in a car isolates you from the very places you want to experience. Many Europeans don’t have cars and only travel by rail; joining them includes you in that experience and permits some great chances to meet some of them. I met at least three fascinating people on trains last week. In fact it was the only time I really interacted with Europeans; most of the other time I spent alone, exploring towns, museums, cathedrals and market halls, which is what I was there for, but it was tiring, and I couldn’t imagine having to then climb in a car and have to face traffic to my next destination.
So I certainly don’t consider time in trains to be “lost”; I consider it gaining valuable rest and immersing myself in the local culture.
And I never wasted time waiting for trains, because when I arrived at each new station, I simply looked up the departure times of the next day, and went back to the station the next day a few minutes before that. German trains are amazingly efficient and almost always leave at the exact minute posted.
So skip the car and do as you said: “go at a more leisurely pace”. And let someone else do the driving.
Yes, once in a while a car might be needed to get to small villages and such, but I’ve been to Europe over 30 times and only rented a car twice, and both times I wished I hadn’t.
Last edited by Europesmyplace; Sep 8th, 2021 at 12:02 AM. Reason: Added a final sentence
Sep 8th, 2021, 07:23 AM
#43
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Sure, when you’re on vacation you want to travel efficiently and not waste time. But you also need some rest; you can’t possibly be busy “every minute of a given day”. Trains give you that rest. Because of my planning, each train trip was no more than an hour. And which way would you want to spend an hour in Europe: having to concentrate on driving and worrying about where you’re going in a strange country, or relaxing and watching the scenery, and catching up on your email or posting some photos for your family & friends back home? Or maybe grab a coffee and roll from the club car, or use the large, clean bathrooms on the train?
Traveling is exhausting enough even without having to drive anywhere, and trains give one a much-needed break.
Also, being in a car isolates you from the very places you want to experience. Many Europeans don’t have cars and only travel by rail; joining them includes you in that experience and permits some great chances to meet some of them. I met at least three fascinating people on trains last week. In fact it was the only time I really interacted with Europeans; most of the other time I spent alone, exploring towns, museums, cathedrals and market halls, which is what I was there for, but it was tiring, and I couldn’t imagine having to then climb in a car and have to face traffic to my next destination.
So I certainly don’t consider time in trains to be “lost”; I consider it gaining valuable rest and immersing myself in the local culture.
And I never wasted time waiting for trains, because when I arrived at each new station, I simply looked up the departure times of the next day, and went back to the station the next day a few minutes before that. German trains are amazingly efficient and almost always leave at the exact minute posted.
So skip the car and do as you said: “go at a more leisurely pace”. And let someone else do the driving.
Yes, once in a while a car might be needed to get to small villages and such, but I’ve been to Europe over 30 times and only rented a car twice, and both times I wished I hadn’t.
Traveling is exhausting enough even without having to drive anywhere, and trains give one a much-needed break.
Also, being in a car isolates you from the very places you want to experience. Many Europeans don’t have cars and only travel by rail; joining them includes you in that experience and permits some great chances to meet some of them. I met at least three fascinating people on trains last week. In fact it was the only time I really interacted with Europeans; most of the other time I spent alone, exploring towns, museums, cathedrals and market halls, which is what I was there for, but it was tiring, and I couldn’t imagine having to then climb in a car and have to face traffic to my next destination.
So I certainly don’t consider time in trains to be “lost”; I consider it gaining valuable rest and immersing myself in the local culture.
And I never wasted time waiting for trains, because when I arrived at each new station, I simply looked up the departure times of the next day, and went back to the station the next day a few minutes before that. German trains are amazingly efficient and almost always leave at the exact minute posted.
So skip the car and do as you said: “go at a more leisurely pace”. And let someone else do the driving.
Yes, once in a while a car might be needed to get to small villages and such, but I’ve been to Europe over 30 times and only rented a car twice, and both times I wished I hadn’t.
Sep 23rd, 2021, 12:14 PM
#44
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Well, we’re back in the USA! Good to be home, still a little jetlagged (arrived home 1:15 AM local time this morning). It was a great trip and we went everywhere we wanted, COVID notwithstanding. Worried about country restrictions, but didn’t find any. Only Slovenia checked our vaxx cards, I was finally able to get the French Pass Sanitaire after they corrected the problem with their email link. The pass was received overnight online, and it was regularly checked at hotels and museums in France. Some hotels asked for our cards, some didn’t, and some just pantomimed getting shots, and we said yes. Most of the places we stayed have little English available, especially since we generally stayed in small villages, but we got through ok. People were friendly and welcoming all over. That “French are rude” meme you so often hear simply isn’t true, even when you ask directions of someone on the street!
So, plan your trip carefully, carry trip insurance that includes coverage for COVID in case you have to cancel at the last minute or quarantine in place if you flunk the test before returning, but GO! It was a long and complicated trip, especially compared to previous trips, but it all went off without a hitch. Well, the second plane was 15 minutes late, but… 😄
So, plan your trip carefully, carry trip insurance that includes coverage for COVID in case you have to cancel at the last minute or quarantine in place if you flunk the test before returning, but GO! It was a long and complicated trip, especially compared to previous trips, but it all went off without a hitch. Well, the second plane was 15 minutes late, but… 😄
Sep 23rd, 2021, 01:49 PM
#45
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Glad you're back safe and sound.
Here's the thing regarding trains, something that may strike a chord with some -
I'm in Maribor (Slovenia). I'm in a recommended hostel. Let's say tomorrow I want to go to the capital, Ljubljana. By train.
There are plenty, as expected. Quickest is 1 hour 45 mins and obviously more expensive than the rest which take anything up to 2 hour 50 minutes.
I get up and it's raining, not unknown in Maribor. It's two and a half kilometres walk to the railway station. Do I walk or get a taxi? Or try and see what buses there are? Plus, how long that would take me to get to the station to be sure I'm there in plenty of time not to miss the train.
I manage to catch the train and arrive in Ljubljana. I'm in one of the top three hostels, it's down by the river. It's a 2km walk though - it's raining still. I could get a taxi or try and sort out if there is a bus. Information is poor and difficult to find the routes and translate that to where I want to go. Just bus stop names to try and overlay on a map. I spent quite some time last night checking just in case, on the internet, longer than I wanted and ended up missing the opening times of the restaurant I'd wanted to go to. Had to just have a kebab as I was starving. Usually there are buses but I still get wet in the 300 metres I have to walk from the bus stop. Missed one bus and had to wait twenty minutes for the next, which made me miss the connection so again had to wait fifteen minutes for the next one.
Did I mention it is raining?
Best case - Imagine it had been fine weather and I'd just have walked in Maribor and Ljubljana.
Half an hour or so in Maribor, 15 min wait for train, two and a half hours on the train, half hour walk again in Ljubljana.
So about three hours forty five minutes to get door to door. Yep, nice on the train but I do also talk to people when I'm walking round, in sites of interest, museums, hostels etc etc.
Driving door to door is a few minutes either side of one hour and eighteen minutes. And I kept dry.
Driving is not hard in Europe. It really isn't in comparison. Really isn't - and if I want to have time relaxing, sitting on a train is ok. Being in an interesting bar/restaurant at my destination, or even having a snooze in the hostel, is for me, better.
The point is, as with this example, a direct train between two major destinations, just the train journey, is fine and dandy. Even though just that took nearly twice as long as driving purely by itself. It's the other stuff added on as well of getting to the station from your accommodation, then the reverse at the other end that makes it for me, not option number 1. If all I wanted to do was go between major railways stations, fair enough. The train is the thing. Deviate from that, which is in reality what happens, and the inconvenience/time/weather soon adds up.
Here's the thing regarding trains, something that may strike a chord with some -
I'm in Maribor (Slovenia). I'm in a recommended hostel. Let's say tomorrow I want to go to the capital, Ljubljana. By train.
There are plenty, as expected. Quickest is 1 hour 45 mins and obviously more expensive than the rest which take anything up to 2 hour 50 minutes.
I get up and it's raining, not unknown in Maribor. It's two and a half kilometres walk to the railway station. Do I walk or get a taxi? Or try and see what buses there are? Plus, how long that would take me to get to the station to be sure I'm there in plenty of time not to miss the train.
I manage to catch the train and arrive in Ljubljana. I'm in one of the top three hostels, it's down by the river. It's a 2km walk though - it's raining still. I could get a taxi or try and sort out if there is a bus. Information is poor and difficult to find the routes and translate that to where I want to go. Just bus stop names to try and overlay on a map. I spent quite some time last night checking just in case, on the internet, longer than I wanted and ended up missing the opening times of the restaurant I'd wanted to go to. Had to just have a kebab as I was starving. Usually there are buses but I still get wet in the 300 metres I have to walk from the bus stop. Missed one bus and had to wait twenty minutes for the next, which made me miss the connection so again had to wait fifteen minutes for the next one.
Did I mention it is raining?
Best case - Imagine it had been fine weather and I'd just have walked in Maribor and Ljubljana.
Half an hour or so in Maribor, 15 min wait for train, two and a half hours on the train, half hour walk again in Ljubljana.
So about three hours forty five minutes to get door to door. Yep, nice on the train but I do also talk to people when I'm walking round, in sites of interest, museums, hostels etc etc.
Driving door to door is a few minutes either side of one hour and eighteen minutes. And I kept dry.
Driving is not hard in Europe. It really isn't in comparison. Really isn't - and if I want to have time relaxing, sitting on a train is ok. Being in an interesting bar/restaurant at my destination, or even having a snooze in the hostel, is for me, better.
The point is, as with this example, a direct train between two major destinations, just the train journey, is fine and dandy. Even though just that took nearly twice as long as driving purely by itself. It's the other stuff added on as well of getting to the station from your accommodation, then the reverse at the other end that makes it for me, not option number 1. If all I wanted to do was go between major railways stations, fair enough. The train is the thing. Deviate from that, which is in reality what happens, and the inconvenience/time/weather soon adds up.
Last edited by Mark604; Sep 23rd, 2021 at 01:53 PM.
Sep 23rd, 2021, 02:09 PM
#46
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In answer - "Or maybe grab a coffee and roll from the club car, or use the large, clean bathrooms on the train?" - never mind the rip off prices and clean bathrooms? Really? Covid free are they?
"German trains are amazingly efficient and almost always leave at the exact minute posted." - nope, they don't. At one point, even with their criteria of anything up to six minutes late for departure or arrival is counted as on time, at one point in the not too distant past (2019) only a third of them were 'on time'. Yes, far better now but even so......
"German trains are amazingly efficient and almost always leave at the exact minute posted." - nope, they don't. At one point, even with their criteria of anything up to six minutes late for departure or arrival is counted as on time, at one point in the not too distant past (2019) only a third of them were 'on time'. Yes, far better now but even so......
Sep 23rd, 2021, 02:53 PM
#47
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Agreed, Mark604! There are inconveniences at times with cars, of course, but when your travel plans take you to tiny villages, mountain passes, and the smaller cities, cars are really unsurpassed. I was worried about Dubrovnik, for example, but our plan was to park at the B & B and walk from there. It worked perfectly! The place I picked was literally across the street from the city wall, so we parked once and never moved the car in 2 1/2 days.
I am surprised no one has mentioned luggage. On a month long trip, it’s hard to do that much walking from train stations to hotels, with or without rain, while toting baggage. With the car, our biggest suitcase stayed hidden in the trunk and we transferred clothes as needed to smaller suitcases to bring to the room.
I am surprised no one has mentioned luggage. On a month long trip, it’s hard to do that much walking from train stations to hotels, with or without rain, while toting baggage. With the car, our biggest suitcase stayed hidden in the trunk and we transferred clothes as needed to smaller suitcases to bring to the room.
Sep 23rd, 2021, 10:43 PM
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If you are parking in the hotel/hostel car park on their grounds then I wouldn't bother at all stripping the car out. If it's on the street and an obvious rental car then I would. If stopping off somewhere on a journey I'd just make sure there was nothing visible on display and make sure I have my valuables/passport etc with me.
Advice worldwide is not to leave anything in the car at any time. Practically it's not possible or convenient. same thing as taking the train or public transport. It's not always possible nor convenient. You just have to, or can, mitigate the risk with the car.
I'm not so bothered if someone steals my dirty laundry (but clean underwear is another matter). I don't take my best clothes and suits with me anyway, but, I know it may not help at the time, but that's what you have travel insurance for.
Nevertheless, don't get me wrong, public transport can be a wonderful thing and more ecologically sensible and I'm all for it. But saying it is the best, only and complete solution to travel in the form of road trips, fails to acknowledge the often hassle and inconvenience involved in its use. It's not just always an hour on a train sitting watching the world go by, there's usually a lot more involved. I always consider it mind you but as I'm on holiday and want to 'enjoy myself' the flexibility of a car, starting, stopping, diverting usually wins out.
If you consider South America, north, central and southern Africa, Middle East, Asia in total, driving in Europe in general can be done with your eyes closed, though I wouldn't recommend it.
Even with a Tesla.
Advice worldwide is not to leave anything in the car at any time. Practically it's not possible or convenient. same thing as taking the train or public transport. It's not always possible nor convenient. You just have to, or can, mitigate the risk with the car.
I'm not so bothered if someone steals my dirty laundry (but clean underwear is another matter). I don't take my best clothes and suits with me anyway, but, I know it may not help at the time, but that's what you have travel insurance for.
Nevertheless, don't get me wrong, public transport can be a wonderful thing and more ecologically sensible and I'm all for it. But saying it is the best, only and complete solution to travel in the form of road trips, fails to acknowledge the often hassle and inconvenience involved in its use. It's not just always an hour on a train sitting watching the world go by, there's usually a lot more involved. I always consider it mind you but as I'm on holiday and want to 'enjoy myself' the flexibility of a car, starting, stopping, diverting usually wins out.
If you consider South America, north, central and southern Africa, Middle East, Asia in total, driving in Europe in general can be done with your eyes closed, though I wouldn't recommend it.
Even with a Tesla.
Sep 24th, 2021, 09:31 AM
#52
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Couldn’t have been any easier. We drove to the original pickup point, as directed by the nav system. I went inside while an attendant looked the car over, and signed 2 documents, one of which was an engraved paper similar to our US titles. Then we climbed into the courtesy van and were taken to the departure gate area. Took maybe 5 minutes in the office and 20 minutes total including the shuttle time.
