Robbietravels

We're planning to drive around Germany (Alsace, Rhineland), Switzerland and maybe France (Geneve & West) next summer. For a one week rental in the same type vehicle, are rates better in Switzerland, Germany or France. Because of our touring route we can rent a car and drop it off in any of these countries.

nytraveler

Renting in Germany is usually cheaper - but if you drop it in a different country - there is usually a drop-off charge - which may be significant. (Shop around before you organize your rental).

Also - Alsace is in France and Geneva is in Switzerland.

pja1

As nytraveler says, Germany is usually the cheapest option. Very easy to get non binding quotes for your trip. Be sure to compare quotes using the exact same car class, options, etc. In other words, be sure your comparing apples to apples, not apples to oranges. I'd suggest getting a quote from www.gemut.com and other consoldators along with rental co.'s themselves.

Michael

I did not have any luck with www.gemut.com when looking into a rental for Poland. I would try www.autoeurope.com and see if the prices are the same for the same type of car and same period in each of the countries in consideration. Keep in mind that a vignette is required in Switzerland to drive on its autobahns.

pja1

While Michael didn't have any luck with www.gemut.com for a rental car in Poland, we've rented through them for our last three trips to Germany.

Also, you may want to look into getting CDW through the AmEx "Premium Car Rental Protection Plan".

www295.americanexpress.com/premium/car-rental-insurance-coverage/home.do?intlink=premiumprotecthub_browsepromos_pcr pmonitoring&intlink=us-CCSG-NAC-CarRental-LearnMore

Info on "Vignette", which is a toll sticker for use of highways in Switzeralnd and Austria:

www.german-way.com/autobahn2.html

Paul

ParisAmsterdam

Dropping your car in a country other than the one where you picked it up can cost into the hundreds of euros. Go and do some test bookings at http://www.autoeurope.com and you can decide for yourself where to get the best deal. Then phone and ask about one way fees...

Robbietravels

Yes, I know about the crazy drop off charges and plan to drop it in the country we rent it in. Because of our tentative travel plans we'll be in and out of France, Germany and Switzerland. I'm leaning toward picking it up in Strassburg (we arrive in Frankfurt) and dropping it just west of Geneva in France or further southwest in Lyon. I think I was being silly to let the differential in car rental rates influence the flow of our travels.
Last month we traveled through Corsica and Budget served us well. I'd originally booked with Kemwel but they use AutoEurope and require the CDW, apparently American companies do not. We wanted the liability carried by our credit card (British Air Visa).
I will check out Gemut and thank you all for your clarifications.

Alec

Interestingly, Strasbourg is offered as a rental location for both France and Germany, and with some companies you can drop off/pick up a French-registered or German-registered car without the usual fees. Also for Geneva, the airport has both French and Swiss terminals with dedicated rental station each, so it's easy to do something similar. So you want to factor this is for your planning. Another aitport with similar set-up is Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg.