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Choices of transportation for trip!

Posted by (Poland) on

Hi there,

I've been reading many Romania trip topics here, and they've been incredibly helpful. I'm currently planning a trip through Romania(maybe in August, I have asked in my last topic about Transylvania), and I still don't decided whether should I renting a car. I try to find out my answer through whole forum, Either it dates back too far, or the information is too fragmented. So it's hard for me to totally know all the details and I decide to start a new topic about this to address my concerns .

From what I've read, renting a car seems to offer much more flexibility, especially for some places that are harder to reach by train or bus. On the other hand, I'm also aware that driving in a new country comes with much challenges. So there are two voices and I don't know how to choose.

If you recommend renting a car, I want to ask: Is it better to book through a comparison platform(like Auto Europe, DiscoverCars, QEEQ...), book with a rental supplier directly(like Hertz, Avis, Europcar...), or simply book at the hotel? These really confuse me for a long time. And I also want to know your experience about them.

Additionally, Are there any age restrictions or extra fees for younger drivers? Because I am only 25 years old. Is one-way rental(returning the car in a different city)common, and are the additional charges usually reasonable? Are there any common extra charges or situations that first-time visitors should watch out for?

And if you not recommend renting a car(maybe taking public transportation), please tell me your not-rent-a-car trip experience and advice! THX!

I'm not looking for the cheapest way. However, I'd rather avoid unnecessary surprises and have a smooth trip experience. THX in advance for sharing your experiences and advice!

Posted by
545 posts

Your first small problem, this forum is mainly for Americans and advice you read could be about useful agents etc in USA. If you really are in Poland they may not available. There is no single "better" method. Obviously if visiting a country where you don't know the language a local website may be difficult, and car rental can get complicated in any language so finding a booking system in you own language would be better. But small local companies might be cheaper. I would suggest you either book direct with the supplier or use a site based in Poland (Discovercars is Latvian). The middle of that is international rental companies operating in different companies allow you use your home country operator to book in another, such as Sixt.

One thing that really affects americans is insurance because it's different there than in Europe and they would like to use their insurance from their credit cards, which results in long threads because that's not easy in Europe -and presumably doesn't affect you anyway.

Age 25 is not normally considered to be young, except for very expensive/powerful models Extra charge for one way rental is very common - and don't even think about international one way rental, the fees for that are huge!. Local rules probably won't affect anyone with a standard EU driving licence - but americans often need their licence translated or they have to get an IDP, which also creates threads on this forum. Local driving rules affect everyone, especially tolls on fast roads - and how you pay them.

All I know about public transport in Romania is that it is cheap - but not as good as in Poland.

Posted by
29 posts

THX for your great advice! I’ve decided to go with a car hire and will probably book through a comparison platform because I just found that there are a few good coupon for car renting at some platforms which make them way cheaper than some rental suppliers.

Since I'm planning a one-way rental, I have two quick questions:

  • Third-party insurance: If I buy the "Full Coverage" on a platform, do local desks in Romania usually push their own insurance aggressively or hold crazy high deposits?
  • Hidden fees: Are one-way fees usually fully included in the platform's price, or should I expect surprises at the counter?

Thx in advance!

Posted by
545 posts

if you buy full insurance through the comparison site they shouldn't need to ask for more at pick up. If you don't buy it they will. And even the phrase full insurance isnlt clear becasue they may say that is collision insurance but doesn't include tyres. Or windscreens, They may both be extra.

Hidden fees? Almost certainly! Comparsion websites work by comparing basic prices. One way rental has to be specifically requested and agreed and if they won't give you a price don't use them.

Posted by
29 posts

Totally agree with you on that. Insurance is definitely something to be careful with, and reading the whole rules closely is a must since nobody wants to waste money. Regarding hidden fees, I feel like I can encounter them whether using a comparison site or booking directly, so choosing reputable and reliable platforms or rental companies is super important. And I found that there is a third-party scores like Trustpilot give a reference—I've noticed QEEQ has them—though I still keep a neutral attitude towards them since individual experiences vary a lot. What do you think about Trustpilot? And I wonder is it a reliable third-party score I could trust? THX in advance!

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