 Poster: A snowHead
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Planning on renting a small SUV (Fiat 500x. Nissan Juke or Subaru XV of similar) at Geneva airport at the end of March.
I am coming across conflicting info regarding taking car to Italy (Courmayeur). If anybody knows if it is possible to drive rental cars form CH to Italy ?
We would like to have car for 10 days and move between Chamonix, Courmayeur and Martigny/Verbier and back to Geneva passing through Evian-les-Bains.
I also requested ski rack, anybody has any experience with this add on equipment (are they always available ?)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Officially it is illegal for an EU citizen to take a non-EU car into an EU country. Nobody has ever heard of anyone being done in a hire car.
The various car hire companies have reacted in different ways. If you read their small print when you are booking some say your insurance will not be valid, others get you to sign a disclaimer and sometimes they give you an EU registered car.
I always make sure that I mention that I am going to France when I book on the basis that they can’t argue about insurance if there ever was a problem. My bet is that the majority of GVA hire cars go over the border, so there is safety in numbers.
Whenever I have booked a ski rack they have been available.
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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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Thanks Matt1959
I am actually US citizen (does it make difference in this case, again I am finding conflicting answers) and every call to Dollar Customer Service here in the US ends up with: "I am not sure - we can only answer questions regarding renting a vehicle in the US ..."
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Cheapski, you could call dollar (actually hertz which operates for dollar at Gva) at Geneva rather than the us number if you want their info direct.
As @Matt1959, says, the import duty/legality thing is, in practice a non issue. I’ve rented from Gva 4 times so far this year, with 4 more coming up, and I don't remotely worry about it. I take cars to courmayeur a fair bit and it’s never an issue.
At present the col de forclaz between Martigny and chamonix is blocked by a landslide and may not reopen for weeks (?months?) which may affect your planning. The alternate route is probably 2hrs longer.
The small SUVs aren’t always 4x4 so besides the higher price they may have no advantage. The ski racks only hold 2 pairs of skis which is useless because if there’s only 2 of you the skis fit inside the car anyway!
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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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Going cross border should be fine. Geneva practically on the French/Italian border.
The Col de la Forclaz road is supposed to reopen today according to the earlier indications. Fingers crossed as Cham has got some amazing conditions at the moment and skiing off the midi will probably be good until June with all this snow!
@Cheapski, great selection of places for your trip!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thank you all,
actually, "small" SUV is supposed to be either Subaru XV, Nissan Juke or Fiat 500X. I know that "small" is in the eye of the beholder but it should be OK for our family of four - two young kids. How difficult/expensive it would be to "upgrade" at the airport ? We do have 2 pairs of adult skis. I will try calling GVA facility itself but often times that is not very helpful. One year I had experienced unpleasant situation in Munich where Hertz refused to give me the car unless I purchase their insurance policy (despite my insurance actually providing comprehensive coverage to any car I rent worldwide - I made sure to include that in my policy and carry printed policy with me). It would had been about $60 daily and I ended up taking train to Selva/Ponte Gardena (2-3 chages bus/train and 6 hrs.) Basically, rental car agencies are useless when asking any question - just like the airlines (one of them claims "of course you can bring your skis" just to inform you at the airport that skis must be under 40"/100cm and that I have to pay $125 each way - while at the airport ready to check in !?). Figured it takes less time and probably would get better answers asking here and having real consumers tell me what the situation is. I should call them anyway ...
Regarding routing, I was thinking taking the "longer" route from Courmayeur through Great St. Bernard tunnel - but now that BobinCH mentioned that Col Forclaz might be open ... we'll see ...
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Geneva airport has a French sector. You can choose to rent from there. It's simple to get to the French sector from the Swiss side - just follow the signs.
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@Cheapski, upgrading at the airport is a massive lottery. If you think you might want to, the key things are: a) sign up for hertz #1 gold (I know you're with dollar, but its the Hertz desk that deals with it), and b) after the initial query a bout upgrade prices, show NO interest whatsoever in upgrading. I paid CHF20/day to go from a compact to an intermediate estate at Xmas, but the rack rate for that upgrade is CHF60/day. Their prices will often fall as they talk to you!Other times there are absolutely no upgrades available, or sometimes I get them free.
Hertz and Avis at GVA are, in my experience, very helpful both on the phone and in person.
Those small SUVs are very small. Less boot space than e.g. a VW golf. I will decline them if offered as an "upgrade".
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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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My understanding is that cars in French sector do not have Swiss "vignette" and car will be going to Switzerland. Is it worth the hassle and savings to purchase vignette ? I will check ...
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@Cheapski, 40 Swiss Francs to buy a Vignette, but more importantly there is no guarantee that French side cars will have winter tyres.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Cheapski, The route you describe in the first post can be done without a vignette.
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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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Yes, checking it right now ... correct about the tires, rental prices are somewhat cheaper though. Not worth it IMO, having to go to Swiss Customs Office to purchase vignette ... French do offer "winter tires" as an option and then all cost benefit is gone.
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@Cheapski, I said 'EU citizen' above. Actually to be 100% accurate it is EU resident, and if I read your posts correctly you are not an EU citizen and you don't reside in the EU, so you're in the clear.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Cheapski, coming from the states you will need insurance and it’s very expensive to add on from the rental agency so it will save you a fair amount of money to buy a separate hire car policy in advance. Just google that up and enter your dates. Should be 50 dollars or so to cover your duration and then decline all their add ons they will try to sell you.
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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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Thanks for all of your great responses ...
It helps for trip preparation with SO and kids where no last minute surprises is a "must". I will look into separate insurance policy, good point on tires, vignettes, car sizes, ski racks, HERTZ Gold Plus (I am enrolled, did not even think of that - have some vouchers from them in my account) ...
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Cheapski, if you have hertz gold+ already and vouchers then better to rent from them vs dollar, even if it costs a few $ more. Easier pickup process, fewer forms and more (albeit still slim in GVA) chance of upgrade.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Cheapski, Col de la Forclaz road reopening this week. Much faster - 1hr (and cheaper) than St Bernard tunnel!
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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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This thread’s a great example of the knowledge and experience of snowHeads, and other forum users, helping deal with complicated rules and variables.
Good job! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@PeakyB,
exactly right, big thank you to all, sorted out Hertz rental and SIXT reservation (just in case). Lately I do use SIXT here in the US and they do have very nice cars and good prices. For bit more $$$ we can get us in a much nicer car - we'll decide just before our trip commences. Great lead about the additional insurance - ended up with $110 quote for the trip duration - 1/2 of the price of CDW at Hertz. Will try looking for better rate and will call my US insurer, they claim that my comprehensive policy covers any rental car in any country and continent. We'll see ...
And last but not least, information that Col de la Forclaz might be reopen is worth looking into, it can save some money and time.
One last question - what in the world is "magnetic ski rack" ? I googled it and came up with some monstrosity of the thing that sits on top of your car !? 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just a tip re signage: I'd do a bit or research so you're familiar with EU and Swiss signs e.g. CH autoroute (freeway) signs are green while EU ones are blue, which can cause a lot of confusion if you're trying to navigate somewhere unfamiliar. I've also been caught with CH 'no parking' zone signs being fairly small and innocuous compared to the UK, and so on. Your hire car should come with a 5" square cardboard 'clock' for controlled parking areas - you have to set it to your arrival time and display it clearly.
Also worth spending a little time using Google Street View to familiarise yourself with how you escape from and return to GVA car hire. To get to Verbier/4 Vallées, you effectively do a 270º circle clockwise 'round the car hire building, go over the freeway, and take first left to Lausanne.
The car hire exit is at Lat. 46°13'38.53"N (46.22733267392681) / Long. 6° 6'12.07"E (6.103201379356545)
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Tue 6-03-18 10:24; edited 1 time in total
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@Cheapski, just to point out that additional insurance covers the excess and usually damage to wheels and windows . It's not the same as CDW, which is usually included in Europe. I have an annual excess policy for Europe which costs about £40. If you need to claim you gave to pay the bill and claim it back so keep all your paperwork for a few months as it can take ages for a charge to hit your credit card.
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Just curious - I assume a fair proportion of the cars rented in the French side are actually used on the Swiss Autobahns and would therefore have a vignette, presumably paid for by the first customer to take the car across.
Do the rental companies then remove them and fit new ones paid for by the next customer to need one, or do they leave it but charge each additional customer as though it were a new vignette?
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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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@Scamper, French side car rental companies will leave Swiss Vignettes on if they have been purchased by an earlier renter.
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Also, there is no need to go to a customs office to buy a vignette - they are readily available at fuel stations for miles before you reach the Swiss border.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Matt1959,
Cheers! My faith in humanity has been somewhat restored; I cynically expected them to charge each customer for the same vignette.
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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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@Scamper, What they probably do is ask you if you are going to Switzerland.........and then give you the car without a Vignette!
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@Matt1959, I have rented 20+ cars from French side & never once had one with Vignette, the guys who clean them must have found away to remove them & sell them on.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Jonny996, TBH I can't remember if the French side cars I have rented have had Vignettes or not. I go from the airport through Geneva and out on the lake side road towards Thonon, so I don't need one.
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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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@Matt1959, The way the French drive, the vignettes outlast the cars.
And its a case of peeling the car off the vignette normally 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Jonny996 wrote: |
| @Matt1959, I have rented 20+ cars from French side & never once had one with Vignette, the guys who clean them must have found away to remove them & sell them on. |
Aren't they the same as Austrian ones, and crit air/umweltplakettes, in that removal destroys them?
Edit: ooops, missed your "found a way..."
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