Rent in One Country, Return in Another
On paper it's a great idea: fly into Berlin, rent a car, meander through Europe for two or three weeks, then return the car in Rome and fly home from there. But be prepared to pay about $500 to $800 for the convenience of dropping the car in Rome...and that's in addition to the cost of the rental car.
There are two issues with one-way rentals between European countries: they can be expensive and sometimes are simply not possible. Remember, the one-way charge is always in addition to the rental cost itself and can range from around $125 to $4,000. At the lower end of the cost spectrum are one-ways between such cities as Munich and Zürich, Paris and Frankfurt. Figure anything involving Italy, Spain, former eastern-bloc countries, and Scandinavian countries will be expensive. And you can forget about renting a car in London and dropping it on the Continent, and vice versa.
Some car categories cannot be dropped in a different country and there is usually a minimum rental period of from three to 10 days, so forget about those one-day international rentals. You'll have to pay for three-days and, when the one-way fee is added, the train is usually cheaper one or two travelers.
Picking up or dropping in smaller towns is often not possible and usually raises the cost of the one-way fee. Recently a customer slated to drop a Frankfurt car in Paris decided to instead leave it in Tours. The one-way fee rose from $125 to $350. If you decide to do an international one-way, stick to major cities. One-ways involving small cities are frequently not possible or much more expensive. One-way rentals within the same country, however, are usually free.
Book your rental car in Europe with Gemütlichkeit's travel department and get the best rates, personalized, knowledgeable service and our unique at-the-rental-counter safety net that ensures our customers get what they are promised. We book with all the major companies in more than 35 countries. If you have questions about rentals in Europe, or simply prefer to deal in-person, phone us at 800-521-6722 or click for a written quote.
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