 Poster: A snowHead
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| bar shaker wrote: |
I think this problem only exists 'on the internet'. |
Yes and no. There doesn't seem to be any reports of rental cars being stopped (although that doesn't mean that it hasn't happened), but the rental companies have changed their practice to a certain extent. I'm driving a German registered car this week. That wouldn't have happened before this law change / reminder of existing rules.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hiring with Sixt tonight. Let's see what they give me. If you see a Swiss registered car surrounded by Gendarmes on the road to Chatel that'll be me!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Probably unrelated, but I was stopped by French Customs officers in December at a peace station near Albertville in my UK car. Had a few bits from Ikea which I was driving out to my apartment after I'd bought them in the UK. They were trying to work out if I'd bought them in Switzerland - they were only happy when I showed them that days Eurotunnel ticket. Post-Brexit signs of things to come?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| bar shaker wrote: |
I think this problem only exists 'on the internet'. |
Yes and no. There doesn't seem to be any reports of rental cars being stopped (although that doesn't mean that it hasn't happened), but the rental companies have changed their practice to a certain extent. I'm driving a German registered car this week. That wouldn't have happened before this law change / reminder of existing rules. |
With Rob on this one: Christmas, I emailed ahead to Europcar, saying I was going to France ( I was arrriving late, and thought that if I 'needed' an Euro registered car, then better that they know in advance, since at 10:30 at night, I thought it less likely they'd have them lying around).
They asked me again at the desk to sign a form saying I was going to France, then delivered me to a German registered car (with only 50km on the clock, now that was nervous: driving a brand new car! In the dark. In the fog. On the wrong side of the road. Going to a hotel that I didn't know... )
No worries, no hassles, no problem. But could have been?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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This all seems really good news, we hired from the french side at Christmas and there was no snow so it was fine but my main concern was hiring from the Swiss side was all well and good and them saying that it was fine, but what would happen in an accident? Would they try and wriggle out of it by saying you shouldn't have been in France with the car in the first place?
Anyway it seems like its sorting itself out so that's good!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I've just rung the Europcar GVA airport rental station (Swiss side) as I will be out again mid March. They say that it still isn't a problem taking a Swiss rental car into France.
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I rented on the Swiss side a couple of weeks ago and the receptionist asked where I was taking the car. I replied France and they gave me a German registered car.
No problems with it at all.
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| bar shaker wrote: |
| I've just rung the Europcar GVA airport rental station (Swiss side) as I will be out again mid March. They say that it still isn't a problem taking a Swiss rental car into France. |
Are you an EU citizen? If you are then you absolutely can not lawfully take a non-EU registered hire vehicle into the EU. Non-EU citizens can.
Of course like with so many things the risk of getting caught is quite low. Even if you are stopped by the police there is a reasonable chance they are not thinking of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446. But (a) generally I'd rather comply; and (b) if you do get caught you are bang to rights. I am picking up a car at Geneva (Swiss side) next Tuesday and heading into Austria a few days later. I have made them swear in blood in triplicate that they will have an EU registered car for me.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@JohnMo, it really is NOT A PROBLEM!!!
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I hired a car from Avis at GVA Swiss side last week and spoke to the receptionist about a) taking a Swiss Registered car to France as an EU citizen and b) the need for a Drivers Licence form thing from the DVLA.
Her response was;
a) yes the law has changed but there is no one checking it and no penalty if you break the law, just like breathalisers.
b) we don't bother, we just take the details from your drivers licence.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @JohnMo, it really is NOT A PROBLEM!!! |
I appreciate it is not a practical problem at present. I guess we will only find out what the consequences really are if an EU national takes a Swiss hire car into the EU and has an accident and insurance companies get involved. The rule is still very new (last May) so has probably not been tested. Post Brexit we Brits will be in the clear again.
There is a similar problem with many UK hire companies restricting how many miles you can drive on the continent with a UK vehicle (even when they allow unlimited UK mileage). I was trying to hire a car to drive to Berlin last year. The best continental mileage deal I could get would get me to within about 100 miles of Berlin! Of course if I had driven to Berlin how would anyone know that the mileage included more on the continent (as opposed to the UK) than allowed. Still i backed out and used my own car. Maybe, like with my EU registered vehicle next week, I am just anal!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Actually,
| Quote: |
| The rule is still very new |
No, it's not. It was in place under the "old" customs union rules as well, dating back to I am guessing 1974. I don't imagine that there were NO accidents of Swiss registered hire cars in the EU in that period?
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| under a new name wrote: |
Actually,
| Quote: |
| The rule is still very new |
No, it's not. It was in place under the "old" customs union rules as well, dating back to I am guessing 1974. I don't imagine that there were NO accidents of Swiss registered hire cars in the EU in that period? |
As I understand it the old rule had an 8 day "grace period". So as long as you had your Swiss registered vehicle back in Switzerland within 8 days you were OK. The new rule (or amendment to old rule) does not have such a grace period (whether by design or mistake I have no idea). The Swiss Finance Minister said last June they were trying to sort it but nothing seems to have happened. It is a bit of a mess with different car hire companies giving different messages.
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You know it makes sense.
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@JohnMo, ah. Ok, I could believe that. Certainly no shortage of AI plated cars kicking around the Haute Savoie.
I wouldn't be worrying about it.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Would be interested to know how everyone get on with driving their swiss-side hire cars into France/EU in general. I've arranged a car with Enterprise for next trip, but as I arrive late their office on the French side is closed, so I have no choice but to rent from Swiss side.
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Poster: A snowHead
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You won't have any problems. This 'problem' only exists on internet forums.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@johndiamond, email the Swiss side rental office and ask them to supply an EU plated car. I've done that several times in the last year, and there's been no problem. The last time I tried, they gave me a German Merc instead of a Golf!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Chamcham wrote: |
| The last time I tried, they gave me a German Merc instead of a Golf! |
That happened to me this winter, although I didn't request an EU-registered car they just gave me one. Whole thing was a bit of a pain though, as the big Merc with an automatic gearbox was completely hopeless in the snow. Would have much preferred the compact grade can I'd booked in the first place!
Had a few cars rented from GVA this winter for driving to France, a couple of which had EU registrations, but more of them had Swiss plates. Not a single problem crossing the border, just drove through as usual on each occasion.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@rob@rar, I had the same thoughts about the Merc - I would have felt safer in our usual front wheel drive car. On the other hand, Mrs C came home saying we should buy a Merc, it's so much nicer than our battered seven year old Vauxhall Naff-ira 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| Chamcham wrote: |
| The last time I tried, they gave me a German Merc instead of a Golf! |
That happened to me this winter, although I didn't request an EU-registered car they just gave me one. Whole thing was a bit of a pain though, as the big Merc with an automatic gearbox was completely hopeless in the snow. Would have much preferred the compact grade can I'd booked in the first place!
Had a few cars rented from GVA this winter for driving to France, a couple of which had EU registrations, but more of them had Swiss plates. Not a single problem crossing the border, just drove through as usual on each occasion. |
Are you sure it is Merc and automatic combo that was the problem and not the tyres? I used mostly RWD and all wheel drive both manual and automatic on snow for the last 25 years and never had issues if tyres were good winter tyres.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@mooney058, no, it was definitely the car. It had good quality winter tyres but still struggled in the conditions. I was driving to my place in Les Arcs so know the route extremely well and have driven it in all sorts of cars, with and without winter tyres, 2WD, 4WD, chains, etc. The Merc (a C Class) was so bad that I will refuse a similar car again if the rental company offers to 'upgrade' me.
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@rob@rar, then must be the car - boo Merc! I drove 5 series rwd bmw to Austria to a location where a hotel had a specific warning on their website about access complications and the need of a proper equipment because of the steep incline. Drove the road every day as I had to get to slopes with my family and never had a single issue. But indeed saw a few cars struggling going both up and down the same road.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@boredsurfin, 
It's normally only the final mile which can be tricky, with a couple of steeper sections of road at 1800m being the difference between driving straight in to my garage or having to fit chains. It was very snowy on arrival and departure days and the C class just didn't Cut the Senf. As there was only me plus some hand luggage it all seemed a bit unnecessary.
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@rob@rar, Yep my last 100 yards is up hill and a hairpin bend to the door. However, having been loaned a C a couple of times in the UK, I certainly wouldn't buy one let alone contemplate a long drive in it 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I have a C class. It's awful in snow. However, I'm amused to see it described as a "big merc"; it's the second smallest one they make!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| snowdave wrote: |
| However, I'm amused to see it described as a "big merc"; it's the second smallest one they make! |
I think it's the only Merc I've ever been in.
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@rob@rar,
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I think it's the only Merc I've ever been in.
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I take it you don't use taxis then
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You know it makes sense.
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| johnE wrote: |
@rob@rar,
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I think it's the only Merc I've ever been in.
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I take it you don't use taxis then |
Ah, good spot! I rarely use taxis but did have to request a emergency Uber last year and somehow managed to book one of their executive cars which was a fancy Merc of some kind. The only other time I'll book a taxi it will be an estate car to take me to Heathrow with ski luggage, and I don't think my local minicab company has ever sent me a Merc.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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So, going back to the EU reg issue - am I now fine to hire a car on the Swiss side and drive it into france? I've read stuff about signing waivers - but waivers of what? Waiver of all insurance rights? Waiver of responsibility of the car hire people if I end up in jail somewhere ? Or has the problem just been sorted?
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Poster: A snowHead
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@legalista, yeah, not an issue.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Discovered this (non) issue in my research for a group trip to Austria and hiring a minibus at Zurich yesterday and had the following reply from Sixt this morning "Yes you would be able to cross the border to Austria with a 9 seater."
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Unrelated to can you/can't you, when I hired a car from Hertz on the Swiss side of GVA last month they said that if I broke down in France or needed any assistance they would not be able to help me. Quite what I would have done I don't know.........
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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So what's the latest on this?
Sounds like you are at least (legally) able to cross the border from Geneva into France now, but do you have to inform the car hire company, and is there usually any extra charge payable?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I noticed, I think, last year for the first time having to pay a supplement if crossing a border eg from MUC to Austria. Rented three times and had to pay supplement with range of hire companies no idea if somehow connected or just a new wheeze to rince more Moula from customers...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@denfinella, I think that it is technically illegal, but nobody has ever head of a hire car driver being done.
I always check the small print when booking the hire car as some do say that you can't take into France o I avoid them, and put 'will take car into France' in the special comments field so I'd have a decent argument if they ever told me that the insurance was invalid.
Have never had to pay a charge for this.
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Not this one again
| Chris Mason wrote: |
| Unrelated to can you/can't you, when I hired a car from Hertz on the Swiss side of GVA last month they said that if I broke down in France or needed any assistance they would not be able to help me. Quite what I would have done I don't know......... |
I got the same from Hertz UK when I wanted to rent a van to drive down to my apt. Europcar UK were totally the opposite and supplied all the van docs in French for the trip, with French contact numbers for assistance etc.
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@bar shaker, probably keeps coming up because there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer!
We've booked with Enterprise, so we'll see what happens...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@denfinella, This from the Enterprise small print....(Cross Border Policy)
For EU residents specific restrictions apply when taking a Swiss registered rental car into a country of the European Union unless returning to their place of residence. The renter must advise that the vehicle will be taken across an international border at the time of rental. (Continues...)
My reading of that is that if you tell them you should be covered for all of the insurance, breakdown etc as it doesn't mention any exclusions that would result from a cross-border trip.
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Thanks Matt. That sounds promising (and it doesn't mention an extra charge). There's somewhere else on the website where it says there are no restrictions whatsoever for entering most other European countries (including France). So a bit of conflicting info but either would be fine.
It doesn't mention whether you need to inform them in advance or just at the desk, so I'll drop them a line / email nearer the time.
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FAQ
