Renting A Car In A Foreign Destination: Everything You Should Know: Part 1

Now that the warmer days are settling in and that the summer holidays or the spring break are not that far away in the calendar, many families start talking about and planning their next trip together. And if the plans include catching a plane and landing in a foreign destination, the whole idea of enjoying a break from the daily routine immediately becomes an adventure.

Those travelling with kids know that a family trip involves tons of fun but also tons of planning. There are plenty of things and “what ifs” to consider in order to make sure that everybody has a great time and that nothing affects your experience.

If your holiday plans abroad include visiting multiple places or your final destination offers various sightseeing spots, renting a car seems to be the best way to go. Everybody will travel comfortably, you can make as many stops as you need, you can accommodate your traveling schedule to your family routines independently of bus and train timetables and you can easily avoid the busiest roads or the busiest hours.

Yes, renting a car adds to that feeling of freedom that every traveler needs but doing it abroad can have some complications. In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to rent a car in a foreign destination.

Choose The Right Vehicle

Driving during the holidays, especially with children, implies carrying a lot of gear. That said, make sure you choose a vehicle that is large enough so that the passengers travelling in the back seat do so comfortably. A large sedan or SUV are almost always the right options to go. If you are renting a car in Europe, bare in mind that European cars are usually smaller than the ones you may regularly find in the States. 

Make sure you are allowed to rent a car as well. Drivers under the age of 25 or over 70 may face surcharges or may not be allowed at all to rent.

Book Your Car

As it is the norm with anything related to travelling (especially to  foreign destination) planning is essential. Book the vehicle of your choice as much in advance as possible. Rental rates are almost always higher at the counter than they will be online or over the phone. Take your time to do some comparison shopping. Visit the websites of different rental car agencies and search for identical cars on your travel dates.

If possible, make all car rental arrangements from booking to payment before you leave your home country. This way, the whole process will be less expensive, safer, much easier and, less likely to include hidden clauses.

Before you hand over your credit card to book your car, make sure you ask about weekend specials, gas charges and late penalties. Ask about any hidden cost that is not openly explained or mentioned during the conversation.

Last but not least search in Google for promo codes or special discounts that you may be able to enjoy. In some cases they are not well advertised on the car rental company’s own site!

Part 2 of Renting A Car In A Foreign Destination: Everything You Should Know