 Poster: A snowHead
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We're flying into Milan and hiring a car to travel through to France. Just found out that the car rental companies seem to charge extra for going 'cross border'. Does anyone know of rental companies that don't charge this? It doesn't seem to be an add on when booking but tends to say you pay when you pick the car up and gives vague estimates around 100 euros. Does anyone have any experience with keeping this cost down?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think it's mainly with Europcar. Have you tried Herz or Avis?
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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've worked my way through a few, but then I thought I'd ask all you Snowheads 
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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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I had a vague feeling it was only if you were going outside EU e.g. Croatia?
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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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@under a new name, no, sometimes you get a cross border fee for any border crossing. I remember paying it to Europcar at Munich Airport going to Austria
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We use Europcar because they don't charge, or they didn't the last couple of times we hired to go cross-border from both Munich and Venice.
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I have paid with a number of companies from Munich to Ausrtia. You might find going direct rather than through a broker means you don't pay but look at the overall cost. it's usually about €30 per week
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Also whether you book direct or if you use a broker like Holiday Autos (and I do, regularly) then you'll typically find in the small print from the rental company that the cross-border fee is €20 if you turn up at the desk and tell them that you are leaving the country, or €10 if you notify them in advance. You can do this via the Holiday Autos online chat, and save €10 on every trip. Two more beers on arrival
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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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slightly off point but worth checking about winter tyres on the car - they don't seem bothered in Italy but in Austria they are mandatory in winter - again may be OK in France but worth checking as I heard of a chap who drove from italy into Austria and then the car was impounded in Austria and he had to fit full winter wheels to get it back!
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@oz If you've chosen to fly into Milan because it's cheaper than, say Geneva, then this is when you start to discover why. You really want 1.Winter tyres and 2.Snow chains included. If you're travelling via Switzerland (e.g. via the St.Bernard tunnel) you need a Swiss Autoroute vignette. You also need to be certain that you're covered taking the car outside Italy (probably, but not always) with no surcharges. Had you considered taking the train to your destination, or is there no easy rail route? The winter tyres thing is a matter of safety - you'll find plenty of people who take a punt (of summer tyres - "Chains in the boot - I'll be fine.") and are OK but even more who would never for a moment contemplate driving across the Alps in winter on summer tyres.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Wed 18-12-19 15:33; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
outside EU e.g. Croatia?
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erm???
Europcar seems to vary, possibly country? I've rented cars locally in Germany, and the guy has upgraded me from a Golf to a 4WD and told me that cos the snow's so good I should just take it to Austria for the weekend!
But then the website says it's €14 cross border fee.
The thing about taking out of certain countries seems to be mainly Merc/Porsche, which are restricted to the Germanic countries. Most "normal" cars are (quite rightly IHMO) free to be taken into any EEA country IME now (possibly for a one-off fee).
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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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We used Locauto at Venice Airport in the summer and they were very good. Brand new Audi A4 and no charges for going to Slovenia or Croatia (which is part of the EU but not in the Schengen zone which caused large queues at the border on Saturday mornings.....)
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| LaForet wrote: |
| @oz If you've chosen to fly into Milan because it's cheaper than, say Geneva, then this is when may start to discover why. |
Think they may be flying in from Oz but you are spot on with the costs you raised.
@Oz strongly recommend you take out excess insurance from a 3rd party as it’s much cheaper than the car company rip-off daily fee and there are many cases where renters receive invoices for unknown damage. We rented twice in Italy and both times the have exaggerated the damages we caused (my bad) on an already damaged car.
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You know it makes sense.
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@andy, @Hurdy, I was under the impression that Croatia was not completely a EU member.
Every day a schoolday.
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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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Hiring a car in Geneva (Swiss) is there a charge to drive it into France? Are covered if you breakdown in France?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks everyone. Cheapest I could get was going direct with a rental company called Centauron with 83 euros for the 11 day rental for the car and 90 euros extra for the cross border charge. Not great but there doesn't seem to be any way to avoid being slugged with the (made up) border fee. But that's car rental the world over. No doubt there will be a few more hidden extras to pay.
Well, all paid up and I can look forward to the skiing now it's sorted.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@oz, a few things to notice (you might be aware of them)
1. the Lancia Ipsylon is a tiny tiny car (Fiat 500, Suzuki Alto, VW Up size,it costs more because it's supposed to be "fancier"). Even for 2 people, with skis, driving on highways, I'd like something a bit bigger
2. the rental company is not in the terminal (you''ll need to take a bus, don't know if the hire company has a shuttle or you'll have to use an Airport bus)
3. Make sure that when you return the car you stay and get the final invoice (make sure you have enough time before your flight)
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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 haven’t heard of a problem crossing borders in a hire car, but if you want to leave your car in France and fly back from there they really bump the price up.
Someone made a comment about the Italians not being fussy about snow tyres/chains. Well, they are, and driving from Milan to France it is compulsory to be equipped from 15 November to 15 April.
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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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| oz wrote: |
Thanks everyone. Cheapest I could get was going direct with a rental company called Centauron with 83 euros for the 11 day rental for the car and 90 euros extra for the cross border charge. Not great but there doesn't seem to be any way to avoid being slugged with the (made up) border fee. But that's car rental the world over. No doubt there will be a few more hidden extras to pay.
Well, all paid up and I can look forward to the skiing now it's sorted. |
Are you returning the car to where it came from? Sounds like a lot of money just to take the car into France and back
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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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Just renting to get to the resort then dumping it for a week in the resort before driving back. It'll be useful to get around the Milan area for a couple of days at the end (going to the Inter/AC Milan derby ). It still works out cheaper and less hassle than the train even with fuel and tolls.
Snow chains seem to come with all rentals in the winter free of charge so that part was sorted. I thought about a bigger car but there's only two of us so a small car will be ok for the five hour drive. We won't be using it after that. I once drove from the Midlands to Plymouth in a 2CV with my partner and two touring bikes so hopefully it won't be as tight as that. Thanks again everyone. Good info and especially about using an independent company for the extra insurance.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Germany - MUC airport - into Austria with Buchbinder and £20 for a long w/e rental end Nov. Came with snow tyres but no chains.
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@oz, if getting a diesel make sure you add additive to stop diesel freezing.
The alpine stations have that in the diesel as standard but when people are driving back to dump the car they always fill up with normal diesel.
If you are not aware, drops of diesel freeze (I think about -17) into a globular gel that has to get to about 4 celcius to disolve. If this happens you are stuffed.
2-3 years ago in Italy we had this but fortunately a friend's dad has the local garage.
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@oz, do not count on snow chains being in the car, nor that they are the right size, nor even that they are intact. Check before you leave and if any issues, raise hell (they'll ignore anything else).
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FAQ
