My husband, 12 year old son and I are going to drive from Zurich, through a bit of Austria, Italy, Switzerland and back to Zurich in nine days in July. Which rental car company should we go through? We need a good rate on an automatic car or small SUV.
Posted by
Minneapolis
151 posts
That sounds like a lot of traveling for 9 days. My last two rentals had been a hybrid. The advantage i found was in the mountains both braking and accelerating were better than a standard IC car with an automatic transmission. Also, verify the complete cost as some online rates don't list all the options. I pay extra to get the no out of pocket (if there is any damage) coverage.
Posted by
Moncton NB
1442 posts
We usually use Europcar, sometimes Sixt, and have always had good experiences.
Posted by
Chicagoland
2148 posts
Is there any chance that train travel can work for this trip? I feel sorry for the poor driver missing the views while concentrating on the roads.
Posted by
Nashville, TN
1326 posts
Compare rates at AutoEurope.
If you are going to drive that much, I'd look into an electric car as gas is around $9/gallon and will add up quickly if you're trying to cover that much ground.
As already stated, that's a lot to cover in 9 days, but if you have a plan you love I'm sure you'll have a great time. Just make sure you pay attention to the rules in each of the countries. You need separate vignettes for driving in Switzerland & in Austria and there are a lot of toll roads in Italy.
Also be aware that there are speed cameras EVERYWHERE and you will get tickets in the mail months later for driving just a few miles over the speed limit. The speed limits can be a bit confusing as they have a standard speed limit on certain types of roads that you just have to know, as the only signs you'll see are a circle with a line through it and it's not the same in the different countries. Speed limits change a ton and very quickly all within one road.