Renting a car. For renting anything else use the "rental" tag instead.
27
votes
3answers
826 views
If I visit Los Angeles, am I better off renting a car or not?
California has a pretty notorious reputation for having bad traffic, so I am wondering if it would be worth my time to rent a car when I visit there. If I stay within the LA area, is public ...
25
votes
6answers
964 views
Is it dangerous to drive through Death Valley?
I planned to drive through Death Valley with a rental car during end of May or beginning of June. Now a friend of mine told me that this is a little bit dangerous, and that a lot of rental companies ...
22
votes
7answers
2k views
Car rental vs. buying a car for 1 month
I would like to visit a few places in the states sometime next year, and I was thinking of doing a road trip while I'm at it. I could start in either Los Angeles or Montreal, and then I would like to ...
18
votes
2answers
396 views
Should I purchase rental car insurance? What protection does my credit card provide?
We just arrived in Hawaii this afternoon, and when I went to pick up the rental car, I discovered I hadn't done my homework with regard to the insurance options.
I recall that my credit card will ...
15
votes
2answers
679 views
Why is car rental in the US so much cheaper when booking from outside the US?
I'm going on a road trip from San Francisco to New York in a month and I was checking several car rental companies. The big bang brands (Hertz, Europcar, Avis...) were all very expensive, about $2000 ...
14
votes
3answers
509 views
Do rental cars in France come with the two legally required breathalyzers?
As of June 2012 France requires all cars / drivers to carry two self-test breathalyzers.
Do all rental car companies supply them and if I use one what is the charge associated with it?
13
votes
2answers
784 views
Renting a car in Ireland & Great Britain: 1 rental or 2?
My wife, two kids and I will be traveling in Ireland and the UK Nov. 1st through 21st. We're flying into and out of Dublin. Our plan is to do a clockwise tour: Fly into Dublin -> Belfast -> Scotland ...
12
votes
4answers
3k views
Driving in Iceland: a good idea?
For this summer I am thinking about going to Iceland. I would like to fly to Reykjavik, spend some days there, then rent a car, travel around the island and then fly back home. Now I have a few ...
12
votes
5answers
2k views
Is it possible to rent a car in one US state and drop it off in another?
I'm from the UK and I'm looking at planning a road trip around the US with some friends. I wondered if it was possible to rent a car in one state but drop it off in another.
If it's possible do they ...
12
votes
2answers
165 views
With car rental should I pay now or pay later?
I'm just checking some car rental options for May and June in California. Avis for example offers the pay now and the pay later option. When you chose pay now, you have to pay the full amount while ...
12
votes
1answer
282 views
Where can I rent a car in French Guiana to cross to Suriname/Brazil?
Flying to Suriname can be very expensive since the transatlantic connection is tightly controlled by the GOS. A less expensive solution is to travel to the neighboring French Guiana which is ...
11
votes
3answers
689 views
Would renting a car in Basel, Switzerland be safe for a foreigner?
I am from the US, and will be traveling to Basel, Switzerland for about a week. While there, I need to get from the airport to the hotel, the hotel to a certain location every day and back, and then ...
10
votes
5answers
215 views
Car rental in Sydney - airport or town?
Three of us fly into Sydney in January. I've looked up car rentals, and am just wondering logistics wise, if we're heading west to Orange afterwards:
is it easier to pick them up from the airport
...
10
votes
2answers
2k views
Are there any techniques, tricks, or tactics to avoid a one-way fee when renting a car?
Very often, when renting a car and dropping it off at a different location than where you picked it up, you have to pay a huge one-way fee.
Have you successfully used any technique, trick, or tactic ...
10
votes
4answers
3k views
Are there any legal requirements for renting a car in the US as a foreigner?
I am planning a road trip in the US with some friends and plan to rent a car for the purpose. Are there any legal requirements for renting a car.
Do they require a US driver's license?
Do I have to ...
10
votes
1answer
359 views
Is it safe to drive in Morocco if you don't understand Arabic?
Because of the risk of malaria in Thailand we are now considering going to Morocco. I have read some interesting journeys by car in this country. When I searched on Google image for "traffic signs ...
10
votes
1answer
174 views
How do carpool lanes work?
I'm doing some research for our roadtrip through SW USA (+Calif.) and ran into "carpool lanes" and this came to my attention:
Hopefully if you're not travelling alone, you will be allowed to
...
10
votes
2answers
199 views
Car return / relocation services in Canada?
In New Zealand there are car return / relocation services like Transfercar which allow you to find one that a rental company wants moved from A to B, and you do it for them, often at very minimal cost ...
10
votes
1answer
196 views
Truck rental, Mexico pick-up, U.S. drop-off
So my car recently died here in Mexico, and I need to tow it back to the U.S. to have it worked on. (It's a long story). I'm hoping I might be able to rent a small (u-haul style, would be fine, or ...
9
votes
1answer
105 views
Can I use my probationary Australian driver's license to rent a car in the United States?
I got into this driving thing kinda late, which means I have a probationary driver's license from Victoria, Australia that looks kinda like this:
(courtesy Angie Sommer's blog)
This basically means ...
9
votes
1answer
228 views
How to find car rental companies in Kalibo, Philippines?
How can I find a rental car in Kalibo, Philippines? Google didn't turn up anything useful.
Is it even a good idea to try to find one, or should I just take cabs and busses to explore Panay?
8
votes
4answers
379 views
Crashing a rental car abroad
What happens if I (a US citizen) rent a car in, say, the UK, and crash it because I was driving on the wrong side of the road?
Do I have to pay the damages out of pocket? What if I don't have the ...
8
votes
4answers
327 views
Pick up full tank, return empty policy
I decided to rent a car for a future trip - in Canada if it can help answering.
On my rental contract, I could see the company applies a "Pick up full, return empty" policy for the fuel tank. I am ...
8
votes
3answers
330 views
Renting a car in Ireland when under 25?
My friend and I are planning a vacation to Ireland later this year. We'll be there for a week, flying into Dublin and then renting a car and driving around the country.
Both of us are 23. Are there ...
8
votes
3answers
91 views
Importance of hotel location in Cape Town if you have a car
We will be visiting Cape Town, South Africa for a week, and on the recommendation of several friends who have been there before we are renting a car.
Having a car limits us to hotels that have ...
8
votes
2answers
429 views
Getting around on Kyushu (Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Beppu)
We are thinking about taking shinkansen to Fukuoka and then visit Nagasaki and Beppu (possibly some place in the mountains as well) and probably stay a night or two in both places. Then back to ...
8
votes
1answer
144 views
Are taxes included in fuel prices?
I'm planning a road trip through SW USA. One of the decision factors on which car to rent is the estimated fuel cost. I don't mind paying some extra $ for a more luxury ride, but it has to stay within ...
8
votes
2answers
177 views
Hiring a car in Berlin and dropping it off in Barcelona for a road trip
I am planning on a road-trip from Berlin to Barcelona. I am most interested in knowing if I can hire a car in Berlin and drop it off in Barcelona.
(also, if anyone has tips on routes to take that is ...
8
votes
1answer
531 views
Hiring a Ferrari in Italy
I am planning a trip to Italy, and would like to hire a Ferrari for a day. I am aware that this will be expensive.
What should I watch out for? When the deductible is 80,000 Euros, I'd assume it's ...
8
votes
1answer
205 views
Car rental in Japan
Is it possible to rent a car in Japan with a Swedish drivers license? What is the traffic like? I figure that there is not much use in driving in the Tokyo or Osaka areas. What are the options for ...
8
votes
2answers
159 views
Rent a car in United States (Las Vegas) paying cash
I was wondering how difficult it is to rent a car in United States (Las Vegas airport) without having a credit card or a debit card belonging to Visa or Mastercard circuits.
I googled for some ...
7
votes
3answers
207 views
How can I visit areas with unpaved roads in a rental car?
In the southwestern United States, many interesting spots are only reachable via off road trails.
Rental car contracts seem always to include a clause that disallows driving on such roads (even when ...
7
votes
1answer
2k views
Rent a rental car without a valid driving license?
A friend plans to go to USA in June. There he wants to rent a car to travel through the country. Unfortunately, he got a speeding ticket during the last weeks now his driving license is suspended for ...
7
votes
1answer
125 views
How to get from Prague to Punkva caves and Macocha abyss?
On my next trip to Prague I would like to visit the Punkva caves and Macocha abyss. Can I get there by public transport or is it better to rent a car from Prague?
7
votes
2answers
252 views
Paying French parking ticket from abroad
I got a parking ticket for apparently parking my rental car in the wrong place in front of my hotel. But as I had to leave quickly to get my flight back home, I was unable to pay it in France.
I ...
7
votes
1answer
199 views
European traveler driving a rental car across Canada/US border and back
I'm a citizen of an EU member state traveling to a small city in Vermont. Looking at flight data, it seems that it would be quite a bit quicker to fly into Montreal (Canada) and then drive a rental ...
7
votes
1answer
107 views
Car rental in Cuba
What prices can one expect for car rental in Cuba? On the Internet it seems ridiculously expensive, are there better deals locally? Is it possible to rent child car seats (and how much would it cost)? ...
7
votes
2answers
139 views
Recommendations on Car Hire and Train Travel for a UK trip in March 2013?
We are flying into London in early March and after a few days wish to catch a train out of London and hire a car for about 2.5 weeks - drive around England / Scotland / Wales / Ireland. There will be ...
7
votes
1answer
66 views
Ski road trip from San Francisco to New York
I'm planning a road trip starting out in SF and heading across country via a few ski resorts ending up in Binghamton area, New York.
The route so far looks like:
SF --> South Lake Tahoe (ski ...
7
votes
1answer
188 views
What is the minimum age to drive and to rent a car for a trip between Los Angeles and Las Vegas?
I want to travel from SF to Las Vegas and spend 4 days in LA in the middle. Well I want to rent a car to do all the path, but the following question came to my mind:
What is the minimum age to rent ...
6
votes
2answers
149 views
What tips or tricks can you use to get an upgraded/better hire car?
(In a similar vein to this question on hotel room upgrades and this question on flight upgrades...)
Most regular car rentals agencies have various categories of car - Budget/Economy, Compact, ...
6
votes
2answers
88 views
+50
Is it better to book a car rental in advance, or once I'm in Azores?
We will be traveling to the Azores, but we haven't decided yet on which islands to combine in our trip of three weeks. How does it work on a multi-island trip to the Azores and renting cars? Should I ...
6
votes
2answers
56 views
What do I need if I want to travel from USA to Mexico with a rental car?
During the summer, I plan to rent a car in Calfornia, USA and do some roadtripping in the south-western part of the USA. I would also like a day trip to Mexico. Can I just drive through the border or ...
6
votes
1answer
123 views
Grand Canyon Skywalk - details on access
So oddly, the official site of the Grand Canyon Skywalk (as far as I can tell) has nothing on it. The Wikipedia page has info on it, but there are a few issues:
the access road is apparently ...
6
votes
1answer
85 views
Insurance and car rental in US
I'm going to rent a car in California for a week soon and was wondering whether to purchase insurance along with the rental. Some sources, eg Rental Car Insurance – should I purchase it? What ...
6
votes
1answer
466 views
Do any rental car companies provide pickup at the Amtrak Union Station in LA?
Do any rental car companies provide pickup at the Amtrak Union Station in LA? I'll be arriving at 9:00 PM with my 5-year-old son, so I'd rather not have to then take the subway to LAX or walk ...
6
votes
3answers
126 views
Inter-country one-way car rental in Europe?
I'd like to rent a car in Germany, drive to Hungary, and return the car there. Do any car rental agencies allow such a thing (without an enormous fee)?
I'd consider a fee less than 1-2 days ...
6
votes
1answer
66 views
Georgetown MD to Cape Charles VA without a car
I would like to go from Georgetown, MD (near Galena, not near Washington) to Cape Charles, VA next week, without a car. What's the best way to get there? What are the possibilities?
6
votes
1answer
202 views
Rent a car in Poland without a credit card
This summer I tried to rent a car in Warsaw without a credit card. It wasn't an easy task and it took my hours of talking until I could convince them that it is possible. However, I had to pay the ...
5
votes
3answers
872 views
Any special requirements in driving from Spain to France?
I'm renting a car in Barcelona. And i would like to make a trip at the Pyrenees, both spain and French sides. Are there any special requirments needed for the rented car?
