Any suggestions about transportation in Vienna? My family of 5 will be traveling to Vienna over Thanksgiving for 10 days. Our visit will be in Austria excep for 2 days in the Czech Republic--Prague. We think that renting a car would be more affordable than buying Eurorail passes. Any suggestions? Any ideas on car rental agencies? We heard that the big US companiew are much more expensive than local agencies?
Posted by
Pearland, TX, USA
852 posts
Hi again, Venona...
We go on vacation to get away from autos... the trains in Austria go just about everywhere and have schedule frequency ... if a train doesn't go there then a PostBus does. If you must drive, you may find this Michelin web site useful (it serves all auto drivers, train riders, PostBus and pedestrians equally well). Here it is: ...
http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/int/tpl/hme/MaHomePage.htm
Gute Reise ... P.
Posted by
OP
Seven Valleys, PA, USA
6 posts
Vielen Dank,Perry. We'll check it out!
Posted by
OP
Seven Valleys, PA, USA
6 posts
Perry, We're thinking that it would be more expensive for us to buy 5 rail or bus tickdts for where ever we go than to rent a car. Is this false thinking? I've been to Europe and know how efficient the transportation system is.
Posted by
gaston, oregon, usa
842 posts
Venona, go to the autoeurope.com web site and check out all the different types of cars/vans that your family can rent. Autoeurope came recc. from a friend who is a travel agent, and we have used them for our last 4 trips to Europe. They are a consolidator/broker that uses all of the major vendors (Hertz/ Avis/EuropecAr, etc.), and they are 20 to 40% less costly!
Go to their website and nose around. It is very easy to use. Rent your car here in the states, then pick it up at your preferred location. Rent a GPS with your car, or take advantage of one of their specials where they throw the GPS in for free. They are great to work with......you can even reach them on the phone, and they are always more than willing to help you with any concern you may have.
In general, you will find that if you pick up a car at an airport you will pay 10 to 30% more for your rental.
Driving in Austria is a cinch and you will find it less costly for a group to rent rather than take the train.
Posted by
Salt Lake City
1528 posts
Could a car rented in Austria be taken into the Czech Republic? I thought that I read that most western European rental companies will not allow their cars to be driven in to the Czech Republic.
Regards, Gary
Posted by
OP
Seven Valleys, PA, USA
6 posts
Has anyone else heard this about Austrian rental cars not allowed in the Czech Republic? Venona
Posted by
White Bear Lake, MN, USA
479 posts
MANY car companies either restrict you from taking a rental car into the Czech Republic or charge a large fee to do so. This is one thing that the almighty EU hasn't seemed to fix yet. (by the way, in general I like the EU as a tourist).
Make sure to read the fine print of any rental car company. One pseudo travel agency I have used to book rental cars is extremely helpful in this area (and often significantly cheaper than searching on your own). The website is www.gemut.com. About half way down the page on the right is a link: "Rent a car in Europe". You fill out the online form and they send you a quote. It's a legitimate service that does not spam you. Although they will send you an occasional newsletter that is a fantastic resource for anyone who loves to travel.
After filling out the form you can contact them directly. They will give you multiple quotes for different scenarios (i.e. Czech Republic vs. not Czech Republic).
Good luck!
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
Personally I hate being saddled with a rental car in Europe. If everything goes smoothly then it could be enjoyable. However, there's traffic, parking, high petrol costs, vehicle body damage, speeding tickets, toll roads, theft, maps, getting lost - to deal with. I just think trains can remove a whole layer of stress...especially if you're the one driving.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Thanks to Tim (previous post) for taking the time to list some of the disadvantages of renting cars in Europe. In your case your group is large and renting a car may make sense from a cost viewpoint; but the wise traveler would do well to consider Tim's points before making a decision: know before you go!
Posted by
Saratoga, California, USA
4 posts
I have rented a car in Italy and had a blast driving -- even in the city, but it wasn't cheap. We never took the car out of the country, so I don't have any experience with crossing borders in a rental.
Because we had a "home base" situation, in addition to the rental car, we bought individual train tickets for specific trips in advance online. We even made the first class reservations in advance. It's amazing what you can do from the comfort of your home!
Renting can be expensive because of the hidden taxes and fees AND with 5 people you will need two cars. European cars are very small. Don't forget, you will need room for your luggage -- it may not all fit in the trunk. Unless you can find a van?
And don't forget parking, and fuel. We think gas is pricey in America! We have a way to go to catch up with Europe.
Being one of the "drivers" in my goup (we actually had 3 rental cars), I loved being able to relax on the train occasionally. For only a few days of travel, why buy Eurorail passes? Look into individual tickets for the specific trips you need to take.
My two cents...