Travel Skills in Europe: Transportation
Main Check Travel for car rental age limits in Europe.
March 24, 2010 by Ed Perkins Senior Travel Travel.
Before you commit to a road trip in Europe, make sure that all drivers in your party conform to local requirements Although these requirements are generally similar to what you find at home, some - age limits particularly the maximum in some cases - may surprise you.
Young drivers The minimum age to rent a car or drive a car rental is 18 in Austria, Croatia, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden; 19 Estonia and Norway; 20 Bulgaria, Finland and Switzerland; 21 Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, but 18 for the purchase of rental program, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom; and 23 in Luxembourg In any case, whatever the minimum age, drivers must have a valid driving license issued at least one year before the two rental years in Ireland and Sweden also, in all cases, agencies rental say that drivers under 25 under 23 in Ireland may be required to pay - which can be quite heavy in Germany also requires drivers age 18-22 purchase collision damage waiver of CDW society hire, even if they have replacement coverage for a credit card.
Elderly travelers of all ages on the minimum can rent cars in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
In several countries, however, some providers impose maximum age to rent limits in general or lease some car models.
- Denmark Some rental agencies impose a maximum age of 80.
- Slovenia Some rental agencies impose a maximum age limit of 73 and the elderly tenants of 70 to 73 may face surcharges.
- Czech Republic, Greece, Poland and Slovakia Some rental agencies impose a maximum age of 70.
-- UK Some rental agencies apply additional fees for travelers 70 years or more; some rental agencies apply a maximum age limit of 69 for certain categories of cars.
Rental agencies in Republic of Ireland nominally bar anyone over 75 to rent a car and agencies in Romania anyone bar 70 However, some rental agencies can seemingly circumvent these requirements Hertz UK, for example, said that he accepted the age drivers 75 to 79, provided they have good driving records and a statement from a physician that they are able to drive competently.
Whatever your age, each rental agencies may refuse to rent to you if your driving record is poor or if you seem to be incapable of driving safely.
As far as I can tell, age restrictions for the lease, do not drive if you rent in a country with no age limit, you can drive in a neighboring country which has a limit - if your contract leasing allows such cross-border travel sure.
International driving license IDP Austria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland and Romania require that you have a PCI to rent a car, however, I recommend IDP for anyone planning to drive everywhere Europe outside the United Kingdom, France and Switzerland IDP is not a license itself; instead, it verifies that you have a valid license U S They're issued by most AAA offices - 15, valid for one year; have two passport photographs when you apply.
When you book online, it's easy to miss the small print on the age - Hertz, for example, the site doesn t ask your age and you must click on policy and rental rules for catch limits If you are age 25 or over a certain age, or book by telephone or double check book online before you commit Otherwise, seniors should consider renting through Auto Europe wholesaler having contracts with many suppliers spokesmen say he can usually arrange transactions with organizations that rent to more seniors.
Obviously, it is essential that you make sure you are eligible to rent a car before making final travel arrangements Nothing would be worse than arriving at the rental counter, planning to start a trip by car to to be told; Sorry, you can rent t.
Send e-mail to Ed Perkins Perkins new book for small business and independent professionals, business travel when it's your money, is now available through or.
Check main travel for the car rental age restrictions in Europe, senior, travel, check, rent.