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Europe car hire
Hire a ride starting from under $40 a day and tick off sights like the Eiffel Tower and the Colosseum.
Europe has rich pickings when it comes to road trips. With just a single set of wheels, you can explore everywhere from the mountains to the coast.
The best bit? You don’t have to spend more than $40 a day to get around. Read on to compare prices for your trip, itinerary inspiration and general road rules to help keep you safe.
Find your car for your Europe road trip
Compare hire cars and prices in Europe
Depending on your car size and type, prices can vary widely. To give you an idea of how much you can expect to spend on your rental excluding petrol, we’ve outlined options based on a search through our car hire tool. To get these prices, we searched on a four-day hire from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport, booked a month in advance and located the cheapest hire based on car size.
It’s important to note here that prices across the rest of Europe are likely to differ slightly. Expect to pay more in expensive cities like Amsterdam and less in slightly cheaper destinations like Bucharest.
Small economy car
- Car: Ford KA
- Seats: 4
- Luggage: 2x small bags
- Rental company: Dollar
- Cost: $157.79 or $39.45 per day
Medium car
- Car: Ford Fiesta
- Seats: 5
- Luggage: 1x large bag and 1x small bag
- Rental company: Dollar
- Cost: $166.68 or $41.67 per day
Large car
- Car: Ford Focus GPS
- Seats: 5
- Luggage: 2x large bag and 1x small bag
- Rental company: Budget
- Cost: $226.55 or $56.64 per day
Estate car
- Car: Nissan Qashqai
- Seats: 5
- Luggage: 3x large bags
- Rental company: Alamo
- Cost: $273.07 or $68.27
Prices mentioned above were retrieved on 19 October 2018 and change constantly. Get the latest prices for your car hire today.
Top 7 sites to book car rental in Europe
- Skyscanner
- Rentalcars.com
- Enterprise
- Europcar
Skyscanner
More than just flights, Skyscanner allows you to compare and book European car hire with all major car rental providers.
- Features rentals from Europcar, Sixt, Enterprise, Hertz and more.
- Narrow your searches based on your budget.
- No hidden charges when you make your booking.
Rentalcars.com
This specialised car rental comparison site pulls cars, prices and availability from over 900 dealers across 53,000 locations worldwide. Car rental companies it features include Avis, Hertz and Europcar.
- Price match guarantee.
- Filter your choice down to damage excess, deposit and shuttle service.
- Features rentals from Avis, Hertz, Europcar and more.
Enterprise
Enterprise is a great choice for shorter daily rentals and offers an excellent rewards program which is popular in North America.
- Car share option allows you to rent a car by the hour, day or overnight.
- Rewards program benefits include discounts and free car upgrades.
- Free pick up service available at non-airport locations.
Europcar
Europcar operates in over 140 countries worldwide with daily deals to help you stretch your dollar. It’s available in over 40 European countries.
- Online check-in feature makes pick-up a breeze.
- Best price guarantee.
- Has been hailed as the world’s leading green transport solution company for its commitment to sustainability worldwide.
Qeeq
This car hire aggregator has offices in over 100 locations across Europe and the UK. It often features car hire company-wide discounts.
- Features rentals from Alamo, Thrifty, Hertz, Budget, Dollar Rent A Car and more.
- Free cancellation and price drop protector.
- Best price guarantee.
Fox
Fox customers can enjoy terrific deals and low prices on car rentals at over 37 locations across Europe.
- Many offices are based at major airports.
- Pay upfront for bigger discounts.
- Price match guarantee.
Sixt
Well-loved in Germany and now in over 2,000 locations worldwide, you can find a wide variety of vehicles through Sixt from hatchbacks and sedans to more luxurious convertibles and coupes.
- Wide variety of cars from luxury to family size.
- All cars are on average 4-22 months old.
- 24/7 customer service.
Car hire locations in Europe
Major car hire companies such as Europcar, Budget, Global Rent A Car, Enterprise, Hertz and Thrifty can be found at most airports. This includes:
- London Heathrow airport
- Amsterdam Schiphol airport
- Paris Charles de Gaulle airport
- Munich Airport
- Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci airport
- Berlin’s Schönefeld and Tegel airports
- Barcelona–El Prat airport
3 popular driving routes in Europe
The Troll’s Road, Norway
- How long is the drive? 18km
- How long do I need? 20 minutes
- Must-sees along the way: Waterfalls and sheer mountainsides.
This iconic route may be short but with 11 hairpin bends and a 9% slope, it’s only for the brave.
Romantische Strasse, Germany (Wurzburg to Fussen)
- How long is the drive? 460 kilometres
- How long do I need? Three to four days.
- Must-sees along the way: Würzburg, Augsburg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen.
Snaking through the southern German provinces of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, the Romantic Road wheels you past castles and Medieval walled towns.
Amalfi Coast, Italy (Punta Campanella to Vietri sul Mare)
- How long is the drive? 60 km
- How long do I need? Two days
- Must-sees along the way: Stop for limoncello in picture book-pretty Amalfi and take a break in Positano to see the houses that look like they’re trickling down the hillside.
This tendril of road hugs the sheer cliff sides of the Amalfi Coast with sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea on one side.
I’m ready to book my car hire!
Tips for driving
- Drive on the right-hand side of the road. This applies in every European country except Cyprus, Malta, Ireland and the UK, where you must drive on the left.
- Do not use your phone while driving. Unless you have a hands-free system, it is illegal to use a phone while driving a vehicle.
- Keep your daytime lights on. Many countries require you to use your daytime running lights whenever your vehicle is on, but it is not the law in every European country. Better to err on the side of caution than risk a hefty fine.
- Do not turn right at a red light. While there are exceptions, in most countries it is illegal to turn right at a red light unless a road sign or signal specifically allows it.
- Don’t drink and drive. The blood-alcohol limit for driving in Europe tends to be between 0.5 and 0.0, so take precautions and plan your time and transport accordingly.
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