Tips for vacation trips in a rental car

The cost of rental cars in holiday regions has fallen slightly compared to previous years - this is mainly due to the better availability of cars.

However, you should book the rental car in good time. Early bookers not only get the best deals, but also benefit from a larger selection. “Particularly popular travel destinations that are explored by rental car are Spain, the USA and Greece. But rental cars are also often booked in Italy, the popular holiday destination for Austrians,” says ÖAMTC travel expert Yvette Polasek.

Compare prices and providers: “A comparison of the different providers, but also of different vehicle classes and offers, can be worthwhile. It is important that you not only look at the price, but above all the overall package - e.g. B. which insurances are included in the price,” says the ÖAMTC expert.

Please also note the obligation to carry with you when renting a car: Obligations to carry things with you sometimes differ greatly from one another and are not uniformly regulated even within Europe. “Nevertheless, ignorance does not protect against punishment. If the mandatory equipment is not complete, you can be punished,” warns the ÖAMTC expert. You should therefore find out in advance what requirements you have to carry. “It is often forgotten that the regulations also apply to rental cars. It is therefore advisable to always check that the equipment is correct when taking delivery of the vehicle.” You can find out which carrying requirements apply in Europe at: www.oeamtc.at/mitfuehrpflichten.

Environmental zones and driving bans: There are now environmental zones, driving bans and access restrictions in numerous European cities. However, there are no uniform regulations for the different zones. If a rental car already has a corresponding environmental sticker, you no longer have to worry about anything. “However, the tenants of the vehicle are responsible for advance registration in an environmental zone with mandatory registration. You also have to pay the city tolls yourself and observe general driving bans such as the ZTL in Italy,” explains Polasek. Further information about the environmental zones in Europe can be found at: www.oeamtc.at/umweltzones.

Return of the rental car: When booking, you should find out about the conditions under which you have to return the rental car. For example, the car usually has to be returned with a full tank