Car Rental - One-Way
Mar 21, 2023, 12:39 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,203
Car Rental - One-Way
(I was going to put this in the Car Rental forum, but I thought it may have more of an audience here.)
Planned to drive from Slovenia to Spain this fall. Tried a number of car rental options, including AutoSlash. The actual car rental is cheap ($300 for 10 days), but the one-way fee is averaging$1,500 $2,000-2,500. And this is for any type of vehicle...not a specialty/luxury vehicle.
Maybe it is a Slovenia/EU thing, so I considered taking a train to the Slovenia/Italy border and renting the car in Italy. Maybe the price would come down? Nope.
I have rented in Europe several times, as recently as 2021, picked up in one country and dropped off in another, and have had a maybe a few hundred dollar fee at the most.
Any thoughts, tips, tricks, etc. to deal with the one-way fees?
Planned to drive from Slovenia to Spain this fall. Tried a number of car rental options, including AutoSlash. The actual car rental is cheap ($300 for 10 days), but the one-way fee is averaging
Maybe it is a Slovenia/EU thing, so I considered taking a train to the Slovenia/Italy border and renting the car in Italy. Maybe the price would come down? Nope.
I have rented in Europe several times, as recently as 2021, picked up in one country and dropped off in another, and have had a maybe a few hundred dollar fee at the most.
Any thoughts, tips, tricks, etc. to deal with the one-way fees?
Last edited by lamphs; Mar 21, 2023 at 12:53 pm
Mar 21, 2023, 1:17 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: BSL
Programs: AA (EXP); among others :)
Posts: 2,522
Apart from searching the car rental program subforums for CDPs/AWDs/corporate codes with no or minimal one-way fees , unfortunately not. I`d indeed post this question in the car rental forum, to the tune of "anyone know a good corp code for one of the majors that'll let me do cheap multi-country one-ways in Europe?"
It also used to be cheaper to use neighboring countries only (rent in France, drop off in Spain), but this also has seen fees skyrocket.
edit: Slovenia is an EU member since 2004
It also used to be cheaper to use neighboring countries only (rent in France, drop off in Spain), but this also has seen fees skyrocket.
edit: Slovenia is an EU member since 2004
Mar 21, 2023, 1:53 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: IHG Diamond Ambassador, Accor Plat, M&M FTL, BA Blue, QR Gold
Posts: 3,735
If all else fails - one-way rentals w/o crossing a border, dropping off and picking up in cities connected by frequent fast cheap regional trains.
E.g. rent a car from Trieste to Ventimiglia, train to Nice, rent a car in Nice to St.Jean de Luz (or Biarritz), Train to Hendaye then San Sebastian, rent car there and drop off Madrid. Or rent a car from Nice to Perpignan, train to Barcelona (not nearly as frequent as Hendaye-San Sebastian), pick up car in Barcelona.
E.g. rent a car from Trieste to Ventimiglia, train to Nice, rent a car in Nice to St.Jean de Luz (or Biarritz), Train to Hendaye then San Sebastian, rent car there and drop off Madrid. Or rent a car from Nice to Perpignan, train to Barcelona (not nearly as frequent as Hendaye-San Sebastian), pick up car in Barcelona.
Mar 21, 2023, 7:36 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,803
EU is just a group of individual countries and not a single market as far as car rentals go. Any OW that drops off in a different country is usually very expensive as the cars have to be returned to the originating country.
If the trip is long enough (i.e., > 17 days), you might try the various repurchase from Peugeot-Citroen and Renault. They have at least pick up and return centres in Italy and Spain though there may be additional charges for either/both.
If the trip is long enough (i.e., > 17 days), you might try the various repurchase from Peugeot-Citroen and Renault. They have at least pick up and return centres in Italy and Spain though there may be additional charges for either/both.
Mar 22, 2023, 6:30 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,203
Apart from searching the car rental program subforums for CDPs/AWDs/corporate codes with no or minimal one-way fees , unfortunately not. I`d indeed post this question in the car rental forum, to the tune of "anyone know a good corp code for one of the majors that'll let me do cheap multi-country one-ways in Europe?"
It also used to be cheaper to use neighboring countries only (rent in France, drop off in Spain), but this also has seen fees skyrocket.
edit: Slovenia is an EU member since 2004
It also used to be cheaper to use neighboring countries only (rent in France, drop off in Spain), but this also has seen fees skyrocket.
edit: Slovenia is an EU member since 2004
If all else fails - one-way rentals w/o crossing a border, dropping off and picking up in cities connected by frequent fast cheap regional trains.
E.g. rent a car from Trieste to Ventimiglia, train to Nice, rent a car in Nice to St.Jean de Luz (or Biarritz), Train to Hendaye then San Sebastian, rent car there and drop off Madrid. Or rent a car from Nice to Perpignan, train to Barcelona (not nearly as frequent as Hendaye-San Sebastian), pick up car in Barcelona.
E.g. rent a car from Trieste to Ventimiglia, train to Nice, rent a car in Nice to St.Jean de Luz (or Biarritz), Train to Hendaye then San Sebastian, rent car there and drop off Madrid. Or rent a car from Nice to Perpignan, train to Barcelona (not nearly as frequent as Hendaye-San Sebastian), pick up car in Barcelona.
EU is just a group of individual countries and not a single market as far as car rentals go. Any OW that drops off in a different country is usually very expensive as the cars have to be returned to the originating country.
If the trip is long enough (i.e., > 17 days), you might try the various repurchase from Peugeot-Citroen and Renault. They have at least pick up and return centres in Italy and Spain though there may be additional charges for either/both.
If the trip is long enough (i.e., > 17 days), you might try the various repurchase from Peugeot-Citroen and Renault. They have at least pick up and return centres in Italy and Spain though there may be additional charges for either/both.
My trip won't be >17 days, but I will have an upcoming one in spring 2024, that will be, so thanks for the repurchase program info.
I think the advice re: a combination of car rental and trains is best. I played around with some routes last night and a couple of train trips (and I like the European train system) would only add a day or two to my planned route.