We were hoping to rent a car in Barcelona then leave it in Lyon but it's super expensive bc of the drop off fee. Like nearly a thousand dollars.
Does anyone know of a car rental agency in Spain that doesn't charge a one way fee to take a car to France?
Or, what would you suggest as a way to rent a car in Spain then pick up another rental in France? What two cities would you then use the train to link between?
Thanks!
I don’t know of any agency that does not charge a significant fee for a cross border drop off. After all, they do have to get the car back to the country of registry. People I know who have done this from Barcelona picked up the French car in Perpignan and dropped the Spanis car in Figueroa. But there might be better spots depending on what you plan for your driving route.
Part of your answer depends on where you plan on visiting in Spain in relation to Barcelona. If nearby, drop it off in Barcelona then take a train into France to pick up the next vehicle.
As above— there’s always a one-way dropoff charge. International one-way dropoff charges often add €1,000 to the cost of the rental. You can check www.AutoEurope.com or www.AutoEurope.eu which brokers car rentals for all the large agencies and see what the lowest cost is for an international one-way dropoff.
You’ll save money renting first in Barcelona and dropping off in Figueres, Spain. Take the 30-minute train from Figueres, Spain to Perpignan, France. Then pick up another car in Perpignan and drop it off in Lyon.
You will need a legally-required International Drivers Permit ( IDP) which can be obtained for about $30 at your local AAA Office.
Cheers!
It is not like crossing a state line in the US. You are in a different country with different rules for operating a rental vehicle. They will have to have driver return the vehicle to Spain before it can be rented again. One -- do you absolutely need the car. If you do drive close to the border, drop the car, and take a train to a city in France and pick up another car. I know it is a hassle but that is about the only choice you have.
So, any ideas of the Spanish city to leave the car in and the french city to pick it up in?
See my edited post above.
Cheers!
If you are not visiting anyplace NE of Barcelona, leave the car in the city and take the train into France.
As said, above, depends on where you are headed after Barcelona.
We faced this situation years ago. We flew into Barcelona and enjoyed our time there without a car. We then took the train to Perpignan, picked up our rental car there, then drove into Spain to spend a night in Figueres. Then we continued our trip by driving back into France and the remainder of our vacation, then dropping the car in France. Easy peasy!
