I will be arriving in Sweden in August and I will have a Eurail Pass when I get there. I am from the U. S. and we will be exploring with our rail passes. However when we get to Vasteras we would like to explore some small towns and the country side where our ancestors used to live, so we hope to rent a car. The problem is we do not know which day we will arrive there. I have never rented a car in Europe before. I was wondering if it is going to be difficult, or do I need to rent the car before I leave The U. S. ?
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
You don't have to book from home but booking earlier gives you a better shot at the type of car, price, and availability that you want (I'm assuming smaller and cheaper), instead of taking pot luck. Most car rental reservations can be changed on short notice, but confirm those rules when booking. Auto Europe is a US broker that takes pre-payment for the rental, but allows "free cancellation up to 48 hours before scheduled pickup." Other reservations/agents don't necessarily require pre-payment.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thank you for the information .
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
I don't have personal experience, but have repeatedly read that booking in advance, either on line or on the phone, is much cheaper than just walking in to the car rental office, and that "advance" can be five minutes before you need the car - it's still cheaper than the walk-in rate.
Find out the car rental offices in Vasteras now and get their phone numbers and websites. Then when you know your arrival date, you can start calling them, or go online, to see the best rates for your needs.