Europe: Self drive in Europe

[Aaronlkl]

40

[Kiadaw]

I intend to rent a Beemer or a Merc. Is Switzerland and Germany safe? Car theft?

Drive better, but be on the safe side. Do not be presured by the locals on mountain roads. If cannot keep up, just moved one corner, or where possible on Mountain roads. Many of these people have local knowledge so they may drive faster. No need to try to go as fast as them for ego, as you may end up bottom of cliff.

 

Also, best have a GPS with speed camera alert.

 

Switzerland & Germany are quite safe in teh cities, & near crime free in the smaller towns.

[Aaronlkl]

Drive better, but be on the safe side. Do not be presured by the locals on mountain roads. If cannot keep up, just moved one corner, or where possible on Mountain roads. Many of these people have local knowledge so they may drive faster. No need to try to go as fast as them for ego, as you may end up bottom of cliff.

 

Also, best have a GPS with speed camera alert.

 

Switzerland & Germany are quite safe in teh cities, & near crime free in the smaller towns.

 

Thanks. Just compared car rental rate in Switzerland and Germany. Found that cars in Germany much cheaper. Since I arrive at Zurich, might hv to rent from Zurich airport. Do u know where I could rent high performance machine? Wanna break my speed record of 251Km/h done in an Evo9 back on NSHW.

Edited June 17, 2013 by Aaronlkl

[Aaronlkl]

Drive better, but be on the safe side. Do not be presured by the locals on mountain roads. If cannot keep up, just moved one corner, or where possible on Mountain roads. Many of these people have local knowledge so they may drive faster. No need to try to go as fast as them for ego, as you may end up bottom of cliff.

 

Also, best have a GPS with speed camera alert.

 

Switzerland & Germany are quite safe in teh cities, & near crime free in the smaller towns.

 

U worked in Germany? Where is worth visiting in Germany?

[Kiadaw]

U worked in Germany? Where is worth visiting in Germany?

Munich, Berlin, Potsdam (near Berlin) Heidelberg. Lake Constance (Bodensee) can be reach via Swiss or german side, but german side better, as you get to see the Swiss Alps. neuschwanstein castle, Nurburgring. Merscedes & Porsche Museum are worth a vist also if you are in Stuggart.

 

Rheinfall (Switzerland), Santis (Switzerland), & there is a Pub in Zurich my swiss friend describe as 'you find the most beautiful girls in the world on daily basis', but I need to check my email.

[Tyongchi]

I plan to go public in Switzerland and drive in Germany. Do u know if I could rent in Germany and return at Zurich airport? From Munich to Zurich airport, do I need the 40CHF sticker?

 

Normally, if you rent the car at this time of the year, someone would have bought the yearly sticker (toll for Swiss highway). So check before you buy. Most likely, you don't need to.

 

It is expensive to return cross border. Return different places within the same country is ok. I rent from Berlin and return in Munich. The one way fee is only 15 Euro if I remember correctly.

[Tyongchi]

Try Holiday Autos site.

 

They will give choice of most car hirers.

 

Some rental companies won't let you cross border in car.

 

But at the moment I'm driving a Spanish registered, VW Polo in south of France.

 

If you rent from Germany, my experience with AVIS is so far very good. And among the cheapest too. Cross border country is ok within the Western Europe (except Italy). To be sure, check with the rental company.

[Tyongchi]

Which car rental company has the most reasonable rate? I intend to pick up at Zurich airport. Drive in Switzerland and Germany.

 

Don't pick up your car from the Airport or train station. There will be a 20% tax over the rental cost. Pick up from down town office. No tax will be levied for pick up from these locations and return at the Airport or train station.

[Aaronlkl]

Don't pick up your car from the Airport or train station. There will be a 20% tax over the rental cost. Pick up from down town office. No tax will be levied for pick up from these locations and return at the Airport or train station.

 

Thks for the tip.

[Aaronlkl]

Don't pick up your car from the Airport or train station. There will be a 20% tax over the rental cost. Pick up from down town office. No tax will be levied for pick up from these locations and return at the Airport or train station.

 

What car did u rent and for how long? Mind sharing the damage too?

[Kiadaw]

In my opinion, there is not need to drive fast to enjoy driving in Europe. A converible is a good choice. Also black forest is also nice, for driving. Nurburgring area is also surprising scenic, in a hilly area with coniferous trees (Christmas tree). Conivferous trees tends to grow on higher latitude, hence the area also pretty high I guess. Its not the Alps for sure, but its a nice drive there to & from the racetrack, with evalation on the roads.

 

I was there during the 24 Hours race a few weeks ago, & the mood is carnival. Along the fence, canavan, tentage, BBQ, beers. People laterally camp there to see the race.

[Meanmachine]

Which car rental company has the most reasonable rate? I intend to pick up at Zurich airport. Drive in Switzerland and Germany.

 

 

When I was in Switzerland, I took Avis car rental, there are others car rental , but Avis was reputable plus a GPS for few more dollars, we drive up to swiss alps resort, stay & cooked western meals for couples of days, it was snow'g all the way till calf-length, quite tiring climbing up resort every evening. Going to their supermart was another challenges, you need fresh foods, eggs, meat, bread and groceries for 5 days stay

 

I also drove down the snowy alps to Italy, Milan took couples of hours, one need to stay alert at all times coz the drivers all driving ard 180-200kph.

 

Kopi-O kept me going . . . I drove a VW Passat Station wagon, Auto ( left hand drive )

 

[Porche]

I thought manual give better fc?

 

Now using right hand at the gearbox need sometime to get used. Auto is damn ex to rent, even my company car is manual. Autobahn is heaven for us, I plan for a drive trip next year with my whole family

[Aaronlkl]

Dunno about Germany or Switzerland but my experience in France and Spain is no difference.

I just booked with hertz online. Yes picking up from downtown do save abt 10-20% in Switzerland.

[Aaronlkl]

In my opinion, there is not need to drive fast to enjoy driving in Europe. A converible is a good choice. Also black forest is also nice, for driving. Nurburgring area is also surprising scenic, in a hilly area with coniferous trees (Christmas tree). Conivferous trees tends to grow on higher latitude, hence the area also pretty high I guess. Its not the Alps for sure, but its a nice drive there to & from the racetrack, with evalation on the roads.

 

I was there during the 24 Hours race a few weeks ago, & the mood is carnival. Along the fence, canavan, tentage, BBQ, beers. People laterally camp there to see the race.

:wub:

[Aaronlkl]

When I was in Switzerland, I took Avis car rental, there are others car rental , but Avis was reputable plus a GPS for few more dollars, we drive up to swiss alps resort, stay & cooked western meals for couples of days, it was snow'g all the way till calf-length, quite tiring climbing up resort every evening. Going to their supermart was another challenges, you need fresh foods, eggs, meat, bread and groceries for 5 days stay

 

I also drove down the snowy alps to Italy, Milan took couples of hours, one need to stay alert at all times coz the drivers all driving ard 180-200kph.

 

Kopi-O kept me going . . . I drove a VW Passat Station wagon, Auto ( left hand drive )

The Passat u rented is petrol or diesel driven?

[Ooosh]

Once did a road trip in NZ...drove for 6-7 hours to Mt Cook and have to stop in between for coffee/smoking to keep awake....almost fell asleep on some mountain roads....

If you are not accustomed to long drives (E.g to KL, Genting etc), better get someone to switch with you and drive slowly - keep your eyes peeled...

[BlueOldMan]

The Passat u rented is petrol or diesel driven?

 

I ALSo took passat 6 sp MT turbo diesel in London

First second third gear all can spin wheel

Woohoo