car theft in prague
 

hello! three of us are planning to rent a car in berlin and then drive to prague, vienna, and munich. I'm concerned with the comments I'm hearing on car theft in Prague. We feel that renting a car for three, possibly four people, will be cheaper than taking trains. any ideas?

A few thoughts: <BR> <BR>You should check carefully with the car rental agency -- some rental companies restrict use of their cars in Eastern Europe, or at least charge much more for rentals in the area. <BR> <BR>Car theft in general in the Czech Republic is higher than Germany or Austria, hence the higher rental rates and insurance costs. Foreign plates make you noticeable, too, to potential car theives as well as traffic cops who know that you have more money than locals (it's customary to negotiate with traffic police here). <BR> <BR>In my experience, trains are much cheaper than car retals. Also, keep in mind that gas is about 3x more expensive in Europe than in the US, and in Austria, to drive on the highway, you must have a sticker (not expensive, just an inconvenience to buy and a sizeable fine to get caught without). <BR> <BR>Having said all that, I love the flexibility of having a car in the area. For example, trains from Prague to Munich take 6 hours yet I can drive there in just over 4. <BR> <BR>My gut sense is to rent the car but definitely find out about taking the car into the Czech Republic. I am certain the rules change. Also, I understand that the cheapest car rentals in Germany tend to be Munich, but I could be wrong on that. <BR> <BR>If you take precautions in Prague, you should be ok. Park like you're in NYC (nothing in view in the car, well-lit area, or in a parking garage like the Hotel InterContinental). It'll be fun to explore the countryside in a car and not have to stick to train routes. <BR> <BR>Have fun! <BR>Helena