We are planning a 21 day trip to France in September, arriving Geneva, departing Lyon. We're thinking about a short-term lease through AutoEurope, have the pricing from the website and have talked with them about the various terms. AutoEurope told me that I would need to contact them 5 days ahead of picking the car up to schedule the pickup, and the same for dropoff, 5 days ahead for appointments. I'd hate to have an appointment for noon pickup (Geneva) but sit there for several hours, and more concerned if I have a 8:30 a.m. dropoff appointment at Lyon airport for a flight at noon.
We're curious as to whether they are typically on time for the appointments, and would like to hear from the Rick Steves community about their pickup and dropoff experience for leases in France.
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
1518 posts
I don't know if you are aware, but to pick up a car in one country and return it in another will likely involve a very expensive drop-off fee, somewhere in the 500-1000 euro range. If you lease (which we have done when in France for a month) perhaps the drop-off fee doesn't apply. But definitely check this out. And as for a scheduled pick-up/drop-off time, I wish you luck!
Posted by
OP
St. Paul, Mn
18 posts
We would be picking it up in the French Sector of the Geneva airport and dropping it in Lyon (both in France) so there's no dropoff fee. Thanks.
Posted by
Chicago
704 posts
Pursuant to Judy's comments, if you would be picking up a car at Geneva Airport, note
that the airport is situated in both France and Switzerland. You can rent a car on either the
Swiss or French side. Pricing may differ, but the item that may be of relevance is that if the
lease option has a dropoff fee (since you imply you'd pick it up in Switzerland), renting a car
for 21 days in France (from the French side of the airport) and dropping it off in France (Lyon),
would probably not incur that fee (although a lesser fee for a dropoff in a different location
than rental might apply).
There is a kicker that if you drop the car off on the French side, you cannot cross through the
airport border crossing into Switzerland unless you have travel documents showing departure
that day or the next. But if you are dropping the car in Lyon, that would not apply.