I'm about to confirm a car rental beginning in April. I note that some rental agencies suggest that there would be an additional charge for winter driving which included snow tires &/or chains. I will pickup/return car to Amsterdam and the first 10 days of driving will be in Netherlands, Belgium & France before driving in Germany & Austria.
Has anyone had a car rental experience in April that required snow tires and/or chains? Advice/Suggestion?
Thanks & Happy Holiday
dwe
It is only in the Alps you might need Winter tyres, the far south of Bavaria (Germany) and Austria and Switzerland. I would be surprised if a rental agency in the Netherlands stocks them. Snow chains never unless you are going very high into the Alps on minor roads.
In Switzerland they say you need Winter Tyres "O - O" (=Oktober bis Ostern = October to Easter). On that basis, you don't need them in April.
For Germany ignore advice written in #1. Also in lower northern parts of Germany we had sometimes winter conditions in April. Just check climate tables.
"When roads are slippery due to freezing rain, packed snow, slush, black ice or hoar frost, a motor vehicle may not be operated unless it is fitted with tyres that have the characteristics described in ... (winter tyres)"
Official German Road Traffic Regulations in German.
Rule of thumb. If you expect temperatures lower than 5 - 7 C your car shall have winter tyres.
In my opinion just book them and check if they have a M+S signature on the side. In case of accident you will lose parts of liability without the right tyres under needed conditions.
At this occasion: Make sure that you have valid driving permission with you, this can differ from having a driver's license only. This is not for rental car company but for official checks. In Germany it means this: https://www.bmvi.de/SharedDocs/EN/Articles/StV/validity-foreign-driving-licences-in-germany.html?nn=187598
For other countries better ask different forum.
You may already be aware of these, but a few more points to note.....
With regard to the snow tires / chains, you might have to wait a few months to make a decision on that. I'm not sure anyone knows yet how severe winter might be this year. If it's a mild year you may not need snow tires in April.
I forget to tell that in Germany your rental car needs an emission class badge. Without you are not allowed entering emission zones by car in cities such as Cologne. You can buy these stickers with the registration papers of the rented vehicle at several places in and around these cities. Best is to Internet search the name of first German town you want to enter with "emission zone" or German "Umweltzone".
In Austria winter tyres are enforced by law between Nov 1 and April 15 - as far as I am informed.
Good luck!
The umweltplakette (the environment sticker mentioned above) is only needed within the signed areas in and near the centres of the cities. If you stay out in the suburbs you will likely not need it.
I don't like to be restricted in where I can go, especially in Munich and Stuttgart, so I spent the money to get one. About half an hour in a Tüv garage and something like €15. I have a similar one for France, and am registered in Antwerpen. Too bad that there isn't one Europe-wide sticker. Oh well....
But I wouldn't see a need for doing that with a rental - just don't go into the Zone.
