Driving in Europe

Filed in archive European insider on April 6, 2006

A vacation in Europe almost always means visiting more than one country. After all, the distances between countries is comparable to the distance from one state to the next back in the USA.

Travellers can either go from country to country by plane, train or car.

To go by plane would be a lot faster. To have a Eurailpass would be perfect for backpackers and those whose schedules are flexible. Cars, imho, are the best way to go. You see more, you can go wherever without having to worry about connections, your destination is not limited to areas with public transportation and if there are more than 2 of you, it could also be the cheaper option.

Should you be going on a Eurotrip and have decided to wander around in your rented car, it is best to keep the following information in mind:

Diesel is...
25% cheaper than gasoline in most countries
in Ireland, it's only 15% cheaper than gasoline
in Spain and UK, however, it's just about the same
and in Switzerland and Slovenia, it's more expensive than gasoline

The price of fuel...
cheapest in Andorra and Luxembourg
cheaper in Spain than in France
more expensive in Switzerland
cheaper in Ireland than in the UK
gets progressively more expensive from Germany to Denmark to Sweden to Norway

It is more expensive to gas up at stations along the autobahns. Fill 'er up at Supermarkets along the main roads at the edges of towns in France, Belgium Germany and the Netherlands. In France the main supermarket chains are Mammoth and Intermarche; In Germany, the main chain is Spar; in the Netherlands it's Mamoet.

Note that the governments of Italy and Spain and Eastern Europe regulate fuel prices so all stations have the same price

source: IdeaMerge