 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
Sorry for the question but wondering if anyone has recent experience of renting a hire car in Geneva (swiss side) and then driving into France? I have seen it was a bit of an issue in 2017/18 with driving a swiss car into an EU country on an EU driving license but hard to find a defiant answer now. We are renting with Hertz and no one there seems to have heard of it
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Non issue
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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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I asked this when hiring from Enterprise last month. The UK help desk said I was right to inform them that I would be driving into France from Switzerland, and that they would put a note on my reservation to ensure we were given a car with EU plates (free of charge).
When arriving in Geneva, the lady at the desk said it didn't matter and just gave us a Swiss registered car.
I suspect the latter is correct as Geneva will have had more experience dealing with it than the UK. It may have been an issue briefly a few years ago, but probably not any more.
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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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Not an issue whatsoever. Do it lots and rented from hertz on the weekend.
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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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Not an issue whatsoever. Do it lots and rented from hertz on the weekend.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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They'll give you a car with German plates so you'll be fine.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Thu 7-02-19 10:25; edited 1 time in total
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Officially EU citizens can only drive an EU registered car in EU countries. This does not apply if you are a citizen of a non-EU country such as Switzerland (or potentially the UK in a few months).
In practice I doubt the police have a habit of stopping Swiss cars just to see if there is EU citizens driving them but it could be a problem if you had an accident. Best to follow the official EU advice below and get the hire car company to provide an EU registered car - that won't be a problem in Geneva, but might be more tricky if you were renting in Zurich.
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/driving-abroad/car-rental-abroad/index_en.htm
"If you live in the EU and you rent a car in a non-EU country, such as Switzerland, special rules apply when driving it in EU countries.
If you plan to travel with your rental car both in EU and non-EU countries – for example from Switzerland to France, Germany, Austria or Italy – you need to tell the rental company in advance. They can provide you with an EU-registered car in order to comply with EU customs laws. Most car rental companies in Switzerland provide cars with EU number plates for EU residents in order to comply with EU customs rules, but you should check with your car rental company.
The car rental company must also ensure that the car complies with the customs and traffic rules of the country where you will travel. For example, in many countries winter tyres are compulsory during certain months of the year."
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Thanks for the info. Will give Hertz a ring and see if they are planning on giving me a EU reg'ed car
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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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Not again.
This law is to avoid a VAT fraud on very expensive cars. People were leasing their Lambos and Wraiths in Switzerland and then keeping them in their garages in Grenoble, avoiding French VAT. If your rental is a hire car, for a short trip to France and the car will be returned to Switzerland, you are not breaking any EU tax laws.
I do 12-15 trips a year, all on AI plated Swiss cars. Europcar have always said that there is no need to inform them that you are going into France but the simplest thing, if you are still worried, is to call the GVA rental desk of your hire company and ask them if you can take the car into France (or Germany/Austria). You will get a much more definitive answer than Googling this!
This has only ever an issue 'on the internet'.
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The link I provided is that of the official EU commission website. I'd trust that more than the word of someone who works on the rental desk of a hire company. I agree that 99.9% of the time it's unlikely to be a problem, but if you were unfortunate to be involved in an accident where a 3rd party was seriously injured you can be sure the lawyers involved will be pointing out that EU citizens are not officially supposed to be driving non-EU vehicles in the EU. Better safe than sorry, just ask for an EU registered car.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@springer222, They'll give you an AI (Swiss) registered car.
It is truly not an issue. There's a exemption for hire cars from customs rules. The problem was that everyone had forgotten it even existed and then when the customs rules changed a few years ago everyone noticed there was this law that had been totally forgotten about and they'd also forgotten to keep the exception in place.
Big fuss about nothing.
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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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ok cool thanks, sounds like an eu reg'ed solves it all!
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We do it fortnightly and given a Swiss car every time even after mentioning to the desk we are going yo France to ensure breakdown assistance out of territory is included. (Some companies charge extra for this option). We have been stopped without issue numerous times are the border in Morgins in the summer to check what we are carrying (ie if taking purchases from CH into EU).
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You know it makes sense.
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yip complete non-issue......rented on the swiss side last winter( because they give you winter tyres) from Sixt...told them we were staying to Chamonix and then going between France / Italy / Switzerland all the time as we had the big ski pass. guy behind the desk seemed more interested in telling us where the good off piste was than telling us not to drive I France!
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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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| jw83113 wrote: |
| The link I provided is that of the official EU commission website. I'd trust that more than the word of someone who works on the rental desk of a hire company. I agree that 99.9% of the time it's unlikely to be a problem, but if you were unfortunate to be involved in an accident where a 3rd party was seriously injured you can be sure the lawyers involved will be pointing out that EU citizens are not officially supposed to be driving non-EU vehicles in the EU. Better safe than sorry, just ask for an EU registered car. |
If you are really worried, you can save yourself a lot of hand wringing by renting your car from the French side of GVA. Just be aware that it is very unlikely to come with winter tyres as there is no legal requirement to fit them in France.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi thanks again guy and girls. Winters tyres and chains are what i am after (plus a good company discount through Swiss Hertz) means the swiss side is the way to go. I had an email from them today stating there is no issue with Hertz cars so I asked them to guarantee any fines or customs issues (to do with the eu/ch issue) would be their responsibility and they agreed to that so I am happy now! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@springer222, FYI - Hertz only give chains with 2wd but not 4wd (both have winters). Avis now charge CHF30 for the rental for chains on 2wd, eventhough chains are already in the car, zip tied, if you decline. Jertz gave us a Alfa Romeo Stelvio 4WD on Saturday which was fine driving through very heavy snow covered roads up Pas su Motjins and up our 800m @ 10pct gradient access road.
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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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| Ozboy wrote: |
| @springer222, FYI - Hertz only give chains with 2wd but not 4wd (both have winters). Avis now charge CHF30 for the rental for chains on 2wd, eventhough chains are already in the car, zip tied, if you decline. Jertz gave us a Alfa Romeo Stelvio 4WD on Saturday which was fine driving through very heavy snow covered roads up Pas su Motjins and up our 800m @ 10pct gradient access road. |
Nice car! Same as the Maserati Levant.
I agree about not paying for chains. They have to supply them by Swiss law for a 2WD car, whether you pay for them or not.
I also rent 4x4s every time and these don't need them and don't come with them.
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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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@bar shaker, the plastic wheel arch trim was loose and coming off when we returned the car. The herts attendant let us off when we pointed out it was an Alfa Romeo with 30,000kms.
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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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