When the holiday season arrives, more than one of us has come to mind the question of whether to rent a car or not. What do I do, do I use public transport in the area or do I choose to rent? Will it be cheaper for me? Will I have problems picking it up or delivering it?
Well, the advantages of renting a car when we go on tourism are many, but not under any circumstances. Here are a few tips to know when to opt for renting and, above all, what to do and what not to do when you have finally decided to do so.
You decide when and how
Unlike the bus, train or guided tours, renting a car gives you total freedom over your schedule. If you want to spend more time in one place and less in another, nothing is going to stop you. You can even change plans if you wish.
Tips:
- To make the most of the advantage that having your own means of transport gives you, The first thing you have to take into account is the type of trip you are going to do.. Going on vacation to Paris is not the same as visiting the Costa de la Luz in Cádiz. you will have freedom, but only if you don't have to face the traffic or to be aware of looking for a parking lot. If you can avoid these situations, you will enjoy having a rental car. No need to be aware of train or bus schedules and no queues at an airport.
- As for traffic, a simple and free way to anticipate One possible problem is to use the traffic features of Google Maps or Apple Maps. If you activate it, it not only gives you the current traffic conditions in the area you want, but it can even give you information about the typical traffic conditions at a specific time and day. In a few minutes you will be better informed to make the decision whether to rent or not. And when you use it, you may be surprised to see that the traffic in some city is better than you expected.
Renting a car is easy and comfortable
Renting a car is quite simple. You just have to have your valid driving license, ID or passport and a credit card in which they will retain a deposit. Some companies also accept debit cards. Of course, most companies require a certain age (in Spain 21 years) and some time of experience behind the wheel.
Tips:
- To avoid complications in a process that should be simple, make sure you receive the full deposit and return it the sameIn addition to looking that both the insurance you contract and the price appear detailed in the contract of the rent. Remember that the car can be picked up at an office and returned to a different location.
- Rental companies offer cars with GPS to guide you, but if you have your smartphone You can save yourself a lot of money if you use it correctly. Moving around any country in the European zone and the US is very simple. From June 15, 2017, roaming disappeared for these areas, so you can use your mobile data and GPS to guide you anywhere without paying anything. If you are not going to move around these countries, you can also download the maps on your mobile to use them without an Internet connection. When you are going to use them, you will only have to activate the GPS, which is a free service anywhere in the world. If the car you rent has Android Auto o Apple carplay you can manage it from the touch screen on the dashboard.
Low price
If you spend a few minutes comparing prices, renting a car can be very cheap. Also, sometimes there are special offers that can lend you a car for just a few euros a day.
Tips:
- How is normal, here the type of trip you are going to do matters a lot again. Public transport within a big city is usually very cheap, so you may not want to be tempted by car rental offers, no matter how cheap they may be. The savings will disappear if you later have to pay in regulated parking areas or in a parking lot. On the contrary, if your route requires you to take buses or other means of transportation between several locations, your best option may be to rent again.
- Another thing you should keep in mind is the type of car you are going to rent. When you go on vacation, the car does not have to be the protagonist of the trip, so you do not have to spend money on a premium saloon if you are not going to enjoy it. What you should not forget either, is that if you choose the wrong car, you can end up falling precisely into what you wanted to avoid: that the car ends up being the protagonist of your trip, and for worse. In other words, if you are going to visit a beautiful mountain pass with three other friends, do not choose a 70 hp urban. It might be great for driving around town, but you probably won't enjoy the ride if you use it to drive up a twisty, hilly road. You're better off investing a little more and selecting a car with a little more oomph for those circumstances.
Enjoy the views and why not drive
We leave this advantage for last, because we know that not everyone enjoys the act of driving as much as we do. For color tastes, but It is worth checking if the route you are going to travel is worth doing on the road, not only because of how much fun you have driving, but because of the landscapes that your fellow travelers can see.
For example, if you go to Romania, you should not miss the spectacular Transfăgărășan. A road that crosses the rugged Carpathian mountains from which you can see impressive landscapes, while you enjoy the curves.
If you are one of those who prefers a simpler road, there are thousands of possibilities to enjoy driving. A good example is the Route of Napoleon, in France, much quieter than Transfăgărășan. The path is marked with golden statues of the French imperial eagle and passes through many forests and picturesque villages. He walks the same path that Bonaparte took to recover the throne from him after having spent a year in exile.
You decide, but if you are one of those who prefers to go it alone and mark your own path, You should not overlook the advantages of renting a car. Simply keep these tips in mind and do not forget that you are responsible for your safety and that of the occupants, so drive carefully and, above all, enjoy yourself.