Getting around Europe in your own car: what you need to know to ensure everything goes smoothly

We have compiled a brief guide for those who are going to travel to Europe by private car for the first time.

Freedom, comfort, confidence - these are three words that can characterize a road trip. If, of course, you have learned in advance about all the possible surprises that await drivers on the other side of the border!

What to consider when planning a private car trip to Europe?

1. When making an itinerary, make sure that your car is suitable for its realization. For example, owners of SUVs may find it difficult to find a parking space and move through the narrow streets of European cities. And small cars, indispensable in metropolitan areas, sometimes fail on difficult mountain roads.
2. Judiciously assess your strength, especially if there is no second driver in the company. Don't make marching throws (500-700 kilometers per day - maximum, optimally - about 300), plan stops in advance and think overnight stay places: book a hotel room or find out where you can put a tent.
3. If you're traveling in several cars, make sure the drivers are in constant communication. Experienced travelers say that the best option - walkie-talkies (just do not forget to charge them), because it is quite expensive to communicate by phone in Europe. Agree on the intermediate points where you will meet if someone is delayed on the way.
4. Have your car inspected and equipped with everything you need: spare tire, emergency stop signs, first aid kit and a car seat for your child.
5. Make sure your car is Euro-4 compliant. This is a European environmental standard that regulates the exhaust gas content of harmful substances in a car or other vehicle.
6. If you have a car with registered license plates, you can cross the border only with regular state license plates.
7. If you intend to travel abroad with a loaned car, you must obtain the bank's permission.
8. The owner of the car may drive it abroad. Entry abroad by someone else's car is carried out on the basis of an application of the owner of the vehicle or documents confirming the right to use or dispose of vehicles. If the car is a company car, and you are going on a business trip abroad, then in addition to the standard set of documents, you must have a travel voucher, an order to travel on a business trip on a company car and a travel certificate.

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Driving license and insurance

Driver's licenses issued in Ukraine are valid in all countries of the Vienna Convention (which is most European countries). Just be careful: in the past, Ukraine used to issue a license without expiration date, which is now not a driving license in European countries. In this case, you will just need to replace your license with a new one.

To move by car on the territory of Malta, the Netherlands and other countries that have signed only the Geneva Convention, formally you need an international driver's license (IDL) in addition to the national one. In practice, it is rarely checked, but it is better to get one to avoid trouble.

Be sure to buy an insurance policy for your car. It is valid in all European countries and will come in handy in case of an accident to compensate the injured party. You can buy insurance in most leading companies in Ukraine.

Toll roads

When planning your route, check the map of toll roads in the countries you are interested in. In Austria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Slovenia, Croatia, France, Spain and Switzerland, you will have to pay to use a number of autobahns. In Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Denmark, the toll is charged only for certain road sections, bridges and tunnels.

In Romania, a vignette (Roviniete) is required regardless of the type of road and costs about €3 per week. Some bridges, such as the Giurgiu-Rousse on the border with Bulgaria, are subject to additional tolls.

Those who are not in a hurry and want to enjoy the scenery rather than the license plates of the cars ahead, avoid the autobahns and choose free roads. If you decide to follow their example, keep in mind that you will have to strictly follow the route. A sign warning you that there is a toll road ahead is often visible when you can't turn off the road.

To drive on toll roads in Austria, Germany, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland and Germany, you need a so-called vignette. Most often it is a sticker, which is attached to the windshield on the inside. In some cases, you may need to write your license plate number on it. You can buy a vignette at border crossing points (24 hours a day) or at gas stations. The cost depends on the country (on average €10-15 per week), but the penalty for the absence or incorrect use (for example, if you did not stick it in accordance with the instructions, and put it on the dashboard) is much higher - from €100.

In Hungary and Romania there are "electronic vignettes" - information about payment is entered into the database, and you get a receipt. In this case, you do not have to attach anything to the glass.

The payment is controlled by transport inspection officers and video surveillance cameras installed along the roads.

The system is different in Poland. Before entering a toll road, you must get a ticket and keep it until the end of the trip. Leaving this section of the road, you will pay an amount that depends on the type of vehicle and the distance traveled.

Fines for traffic violations

Suppose you are traveling in the Czech Republic and decide to try the famous beer and then get behind the wheel. If you are stopped, you will be fined €100-750. There is zero tolerance for alcohol in this country - there should be none in the driver's blood. In Hungary, Romania and Slovakia the situation is similar. In Norway, Poland, Sweden and Estonia 0.2 ppm is allowed, in Lithuania - 0.4, in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, Croatia, France, Switzerland and Cyprus - 0.5. The most loyal in this regard are Liechtenstein and Malta with 0.8 ppm. Drivers with less than two years' experience are often subject to stricter requirements.

Another common offense is speeding. On the autobahns of most countries it is allowed to speed up to 120-130 km/h, in populated areas the permissible speed is 50 km/h, outside them - 90 km/h. It is important to remember that sometimes not only the maximum but also the minimum speed is limited - on some highways it is forbidden to drive slower than 60-70 km/h. The amounts of fines vary widely: in the Czech Republic it is €40-400, in Poland - €10-120, in Norway - from €80.

Remember that in most European countries, those who talk on the phone while driving or do not buckle up (this applies to passengers as well), as well as those who transport a child without a special car seat will have to part with a round sum.

It is also worth paying attention to such nuances:

• type of traffic. In most European countries it is right-hand drive, but in Malta, for example, you will have to rearrange and get used to driving in the left lane;
• the presence of dangerous sections on the route, such as mountain "serpentines";
• requirements for transportation of children in cars;
• requirements to have an emergency stop sign, reflective vest, first aid kit and fire extinguisher in the car. As a rule, they apply only to residents, but it does not hurt to stock up on special means - who knows what kind of situation may arise on the road.

Parking lots

Foreign drivers are often caught ignorant of parking rules and have to pay a fine. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to learn about all the options and find suitable parking lots in advance.

The markings are the same in different countries, and it is easy to remember the basic rules: yellow zigzag line indicates the areas where you can not park, white - those where you can park for free from 18:00 to 8:00 and paid during other hours, blue - those where parking is paid from 8:00 to 18:00, the rest of the time it is allowed only to locals with appropriate permits.

You can find all the necessary information (days and times you can park, for example) on the signs. Underground parking lots are common, and the availability of free parking spaces is usually indicated by a sign above the entrance. Free parking lots with limited parking time are often available in the center, near major attractions and large shopping centers.

The fines for incorrect parking are quite high: in the Czech Republic, for example, you will have to pay from €40 to €80 (or €200-400 if you left your car in a handicapped parking space), in the Netherlands - from €40. A strong argument in favor of studying the legislation of the countries you plan to travel through in advance.

Follow the rules and travel with pleasure!