We would appreciate your suggestions, cautions, and comments about your Czech Republic car renting experiences. You did you use? Problems with the agency or car? Any "gotcha's" when you returned the car? Any surprises on your credit card statement after you returned home?
We plan to rent from the Prague airport and explore Bohemia for about 7 - 9 days. Thanks very much.
Posted by
dallas, tx, usa
1358 posts
Check the rental fees for sixt.com, a German auto rental agency, which I have used. They rented a car to me and let me drive it in E Europe all the way to Budapest and Krakow. Check their rates. Then call the toll free phone number and rent your car and tell them where you want to drive it.
Posted by
Marion
177 posts
Budget had a "gotcha" for us when we returned car to Prague airport. They charged us for some scratches on the car which I think were on the car when we picked it up.. Take pictures on your car when you pick it up. Amex paid the charges.
Posted by
Nottingham, UK
658 posts
I use Sixt.
No 'gotchas' just a good car and a fair rate.
Posted by
Sunnyvale, CA, USA
290 posts
My Czech husband and I go back to his home every year to visit relatives, so I can say we have quite a bit of experience in renting cars there.
Book online and get all the insurance offered. Car theft is a huge problem & accidents occur more often with unfamiliar territory. Get the smallest car that would cover your needs with unlimited mileage at the cheapest company's pricing. Request an automatic transmission. We usually use a credit card to put the deposit for the car on(which will be voided out upon the car return) & my credit union ATM for the actual car rental cost(no foreign conversion fee). We have used just about every rental car company over the years. I can say it doesn't matter whether its a company like Hertz, Budget, Alimex, CS Rent a Car, etc - they all can be prone to problems of gotcha's. My advice is to go over the car with the agent inside & out like you are actually buying the car to have them note on the paperwork any scratches, dings, missing parts, gas gadge reading, etc at time of pickup and drop off. If there is anything unacceptable with the car at pickup, then have them give you another car. Make sure you have your reservation print out with you at pickup. Take a quick look at the owner's manual of the car before driving away if you have never used that make & model of car before. It is always nice to know how everything works before you get on the freeway. Keep your gas receipt from your prereturn petrol fill up.
Here are two cheap but good agencies we use.
Alimex
http://www.alimex.eu/?content=L2HomepageClass&language=EN
CS Rent a Car (Czechocar)
http://www.czechocar.cz/en/
Happy Travels!
Posted by
Shoreline, WA
216 posts
I can highly recommend renting via the American consolidator on www.gemut.com. We got a Budget car for a week at lower prices than even Budget had offered locally. Gemut.com works with another consolidator, EuropCar, and searches for good deals from a number of companies.
Some companies charged extra if going to CZ, because of the reputation of "Eastern" European states and their legal system in handling collisions.
Sixt is another good alternative.
Posted by
dallas, tx, usa
1358 posts
Debbie's advice is excellent. Only things I would add is to be sure to check the spare tire. Learn how to work the windshield wipers and turn signal and the radio if you will use it.
Set the driver's seat and all rear view mirrors before you move. Also practice locking and unlocking all doors, including the tail gate.
Posted by
Milwaukee, WI, USA
1 posts
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