One way car to Prague - such a deal
Aug 14th, 2006, 12:45 PM
#1
One way car to Prague - such a deal
So I was looking over the weekend at possible alternatives to what is now a London-airport-intensive itineray over the next couple of weeks, and found myself trying to arrange land-based transport from London to Prague, where our frequent-flyer tickets to Africa begin and end.
Spouse suggested that since we'd need to Eurostar somewhere anyway, why not go to Amsterdam for a couple of nights in lieu of a couple of nights now planned for the S. of England, convenient to Gatwick for our (ticketed but refundable) flight to Prague.
As anybody knows, one-way trips on Eurostar are more expensive than return trips, and rail prices on the continent are far from the bargain they once were. So I looked at London-Amsterdam returns on Eurostar (around £90) and then set about looking for rail fares between Amsterdam and Prague. Holy Moley, around €450 each, way more then flying.
So I thought, well, the Czechs are in the EU now, so maybe things on the one-way rental car front have gotten easier, so I zipped off an email to Auto-Europe to see what a one-way rental (AMS-PRG) would run (we would worry about leaving Prague after Africa until later.)
Good price - 3 day rental around €150. "But this hire may entail one-way charges; we will advise you by email within 24 hours."
So today...
<i>Dear Gardyloo,
The one way that you requested has been confirmed. The minimum rental for the one way is 3 days so we switched your rental to 3 days. We also had to change it to Avis because they were the only supplier to allow the travel east. <b>The one way fee to drop in Prague is €2000.00 + VAT which is paid locally.</b></i>
Hell of a deal. Why don't they just say what they mean?
Meanwhile, BAA and DfT and BA and the other Powers The Be have now "relaxed" conditions at UK airports to the extent that we're not inclined to cancel our current tickets, and hopefully by the time we get back from Africa/Prague things will have gotten even better. Meanwhile, I wish Auto-Europe and Avis well in finding some foo who will put up with that silly pricing.
Spouse suggested that since we'd need to Eurostar somewhere anyway, why not go to Amsterdam for a couple of nights in lieu of a couple of nights now planned for the S. of England, convenient to Gatwick for our (ticketed but refundable) flight to Prague.
As anybody knows, one-way trips on Eurostar are more expensive than return trips, and rail prices on the continent are far from the bargain they once were. So I looked at London-Amsterdam returns on Eurostar (around £90) and then set about looking for rail fares between Amsterdam and Prague. Holy Moley, around €450 each, way more then flying.
So I thought, well, the Czechs are in the EU now, so maybe things on the one-way rental car front have gotten easier, so I zipped off an email to Auto-Europe to see what a one-way rental (AMS-PRG) would run (we would worry about leaving Prague after Africa until later.)
Good price - 3 day rental around €150. "But this hire may entail one-way charges; we will advise you by email within 24 hours."
So today...
<i>Dear Gardyloo,
The one way that you requested has been confirmed. The minimum rental for the one way is 3 days so we switched your rental to 3 days. We also had to change it to Avis because they were the only supplier to allow the travel east. <b>The one way fee to drop in Prague is €2000.00 + VAT which is paid locally.</b></i>
Hell of a deal. Why don't they just say what they mean?
Meanwhile, BAA and DfT and BA and the other Powers The Be have now "relaxed" conditions at UK airports to the extent that we're not inclined to cancel our current tickets, and hopefully by the time we get back from Africa/Prague things will have gotten even better. Meanwhile, I wish Auto-Europe and Avis well in finding some foo who will put up with that silly pricing.
Aug 14th, 2006, 12:53 PM
#2
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Dear G,
They are telling you, nicely, that they do not want you to take a car to Prague and leave it there.
Why are you bothered by this?
If you lived in Holland and a friend asked to borrow your car and you could come get it in Prague, would you loan it to them?
They are telling you, nicely, that they do not want you to take a car to Prague and leave it there.
Why are you bothered by this?
If you lived in Holland and a friend asked to borrow your car and you could come get it in Prague, would you loan it to them?
Aug 14th, 2006, 01:46 PM
#3
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Why not check on budget flights at www.skyscanner.net?
Easyjet flies from Gatwick to Prague; others may fly from STN or Luton.
there may also be flights from AMS.
Easyjet flies from Gatwick to Prague; others may fly from STN or Luton.
there may also be flights from AMS.
Aug 14th, 2006, 02:00 PM
#4
<i>They are telling you, nicely, that they do not want you to take a car to Prague and leave it there.</i>
Ya think? $-)
Thanks Dukey - I'm aware of the various LCC options. The objective was to avoid London airports altogether, especially ones run by BAA. The whole exercise was really semi-recreational; however we've found in the past that one-way car rentals in Europe, even with reasonable drop fees, can be price-competitive with one-way rail fares. I've just never seen a drop fee quoted with that particular location for the decimal point.
If I wanted to fly from AMS to PRG I'd take Czech airlines in a shot. Nice airline, great airports. But there are times that flying is a giant pain in the tuckus, and this is one such.
Ya think? $-)
Thanks Dukey - I'm aware of the various LCC options. The objective was to avoid London airports altogether, especially ones run by BAA. The whole exercise was really semi-recreational; however we've found in the past that one-way car rentals in Europe, even with reasonable drop fees, can be price-competitive with one-way rail fares. I've just never seen a drop fee quoted with that particular location for the decimal point.
If I wanted to fly from AMS to PRG I'd take Czech airlines in a shot. Nice airline, great airports. But there are times that flying is a giant pain in the tuckus, and this is one such.
Aug 14th, 2006, 02:16 PM
#6
(I'm flashing on the Monty Python skit - Is this the right room for an argument?)
<i>If it were cheaper, once upon a time, I could understand your surprise. It never was.</i>
Of course, once upon a time you simply <i>couldn't</i> do a one-way rental to/from the east bloc; but it actually <i>has</i> been pretty affordable between western European countries (with some exceptions) in the past. I've rented in Germany/dropped off in Italy; Germany > Spain, Holland > Spain, France > Germany, and one or two more IIRC, with never such a giant fee quoted. But times they change.
I've never checked Houston > Guatemala. Who'd want to go to Houston anyway?
<i>If it were cheaper, once upon a time, I could understand your surprise. It never was.</i>
Of course, once upon a time you simply <i>couldn't</i> do a one-way rental to/from the east bloc; but it actually <i>has</i> been pretty affordable between western European countries (with some exceptions) in the past. I've rented in Germany/dropped off in Italy; Germany > Spain, Holland > Spain, France > Germany, and one or two more IIRC, with never such a giant fee quoted. But times they change.
I've never checked Houston > Guatemala. Who'd want to go to Houston anyway?
Aug 14th, 2006, 02:33 PM
#7
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If you think my argument is specious, because it wasn't available, then how 'bout an explanation in simple supply and demand language?
It's a new service that has not been provided in the past. Not so different from a new product (say, like a plasma TV), whose supply costs are unknown (in the quantity likely to sell), and likewise the demand curve, at the prices they may command.
No car rental company is particularly interested in supplying this service, or at least not at the price you think you'd like to pay - - and correspondingly, the car rental companies are betting that there is not sufficient demand for this service for them to ramp up and offer it at a more affordable rate.
If and when it costs less to offer, and when demand for it increases, it will be available more cheaply.
It's a new service that has not been provided in the past. Not so different from a new product (say, like a plasma TV), whose supply costs are unknown (in the quantity likely to sell), and likewise the demand curve, at the prices they may command.
No car rental company is particularly interested in supplying this service, or at least not at the price you think you'd like to pay - - and correspondingly, the car rental companies are betting that there is not sufficient demand for this service for them to ramp up and offer it at a more affordable rate.
If and when it costs less to offer, and when demand for it increases, it will be available more cheaply.
