Driving through Europe
 

Hello all. Just want to know if anyone has rented a car and driven through Europe. How was your experience driving through? I'm an American driving through Europe. Is the driving crazy or pretty much the same as here in the states.? Are there any cool places to stop at? I'm starting in Berlin and heading towards Prague and Austria. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

You need to familarize yourself with the paperwork required for driving on Austrian highways.

Stay out of the left lane except for passing. You hog the left lane you get a fine.

Have done many road trips in europe. It's very different from the US in several ways:

Speeds are considerably higher

Most cars are quite a bit smaller

Gas is really expensive (like $10 per gallon)

Most rental cars are standard transmission; you can rent automatic but it costs more and is rarely available in the smallest cars

In general drivers are better than in the US (where IMHO a chimp could get a license) - but they also take rules of the road more seriously and expect other drivers to be competent (lollygagging, wandering across lanes, and blocking the left lane - for passing ONLY - are not tolerated)

You can;t take the car into center of quite few cities (pedestrain only zones) and need to pick hotels that have garges (fairly rare) or have them find you a garage - figure $30 pe rnight or so

For places where you will park - spaces are smaller, it's almost always parallel parking, on either side, and you need to easily park in spaces a tiny bit bigger than the car (and always fold mirrors in after you park)

I love driving in europe - since I like driving fast cars fast and we usually rent something sporty with extra power - but the places with unlimited or very high limits are becoming more rare - although highway speeds are still higher than in the US. (Check the Autobahn - there are now limits near some of the major cities. Other areas have no limits and you MUST stay to the right - since the left lane is for Mercedes at 130 and Ferraris/Porsches at 160 or more. That's mph - not kpm.)

If you are a competent, confident driver that enjoys driving, you will love it. If you aren't - take the train.

Start shopping for a car rental company that will allow you to take a rental into the Czech Republic and good luck with that.

Read the rules of the road for each country you plan to drive in.

Not only will you get a fine for hogging the left lane, you'll be a road hazard.

I found this to be helpful

http://www.gettingaroundgermany.info/auto.shtml

Or go to AutoEurope and read this for each country you plan to visit.

http://www.autoeurope.com/go/driving-information/

Also, are you over 25?

Do you plan on dropping off the car in a different city?
If yes, can you afford to?

I prefer driving holidays. I like the flexibility and the independence. I have never had an issue finding a garage and usually, the hotel will take care of it for me.

The things I would recommend are:
Diesel as gas is much more spendy here
Know the rules as far as priority goes -- the yellow diamond.
Use a gps.
Do not leave anything visible in the car when it is parked.

As far as driving into the Czech Republic, most will allow it these days. I just did a quick check and economybookings.com which uses europecar, Sixt and other well known brands allows rentals into all EU countries. Kemwel doesn't.