When you are travelling, especially by car, it is very important to know the local requirements in order not to get into problems and find solutions in time.
In addition, it is useful to know how to read advertisements - about renting an apartment, for example, about excursions, visit plans, a program of activities and much more related to travel schedule and accommodation.
It's also helpful to read blogs from seasoned travellers, where they give advice about the place you intend to go to and just travel ideas. Such eyewitness accounts can be difficult to listen to, and reading helps greatly to understand the description when you need to grasp the details. For example, the name of the square, the price of a purchase, the name of a place or service - it is much better to read it to know for sure because the map and signs about the place are more likely to be read than heard from locals.
While there are different situations, it is important to help yourself navigate the location as efficiently as possible when you travel.
Therefore, this lesson offers bits of reading on requirements commentaries, advice from experienced travellers, and some helpful ideas.
Requirements commentaries
I am Danish. Can I use my Danish driving license as an ID document to travel to Germany?
In principle no. To establish that you are an EU citizen when crossing internal borders of the EU, you will need a valid travel document, i.e. either your national ID card or a passport. A driving license is not a national ID card which can be used as a travel document, regardless whether it can be used as such in your country for identification purposes and even if your country does not deliver official ID cards. On exceptional basis, border guards may grant you entry on the basis of your driving license but it would be unsafe to rely on that.
I am taking my baby child to present him to my parents back in Poland. Does he need to have a travel document of his own?
Yes, even your baby needs a travel document. In principle, up to a certain age, your child may be included in your passport instead of having a travel document of his own. However, you should in any case seek confirmation from the local authorities in your country of residence and/or destination whether the inclusion of a child in the mother's or father's passport is sufficient, since some countries do require a separate travel document.
My fifteen-year-old son, an EU citizen, is going to travel with a friend’s family to their summer house in Italy. Will it be sufficient for him to carry his passport or ID card, or does he need something else?
It will depend on your place of residence. Some national legislations require the parents to sign an authorisation for their children to leave the country of residence without them. You are advised to enquire with the local authorities of your place of residence, but also with the consular services of the country of destination.
My spouse is a non EU national and he has joined me, an EU citizen, in the UK. His passport is being withheld by the UK authorities in the process of his application for a residence permit and this has been going on for months now. Is it normal that in the meantime we cannot travel together to other EU countries?
Yes, he needs his passport to travel. However, an undue delay in withholding the passport may represent an obstacle to the right of the EU citizen and family members to move and reside freely so you should invite the UK authorities to return the passport as soon as possible.
Advice from experienced travellers
Plan For Problems
By far the biggest expense for us was our car. Aside from actually buying and preparing it, we had to shell out for quite a few mishaps.
· Car (£800)
· Insurance (£800)
· Breakdown cover (£100)
· Full service, new tyres, new door lock, internal fittings
· Gas
· New tyre in Austria/Germany
· Air con fix in Slovenia
Reducing Costs
You could avoid and reduce a lot of these costs by buying a smaller and newer car than ours (ours was a 1999 car) and by planning ahead.
A great way to save money is by staying in the same place for longer, since it’s mostly the actual travel (the gas) that costs you once you’ve got your car.
Keep your food costs down by finding the items and brands with the lowest cost per 100g and by buying from supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl.
Besides keeping the car going, our biggest unforeseen expense was water. Take lots of empty bottles with you and fill up on free water whenever you can find it, whether that’s at a gym, from a water fountain, at a friend’s house, or from a bathroom sink with drinkable water.
It goes without saying that if you’re really tight on money, you should try not to spend money on attractions and in tourist areas. Aim to get a feel for the places you’re visiting by wandering around them rather than by going to museums, etc.
If you’re there more for the experience than to see particular places, visit towns and the countryside rather than cities.
We’d only been to Berlin, Prague, and Vienna when we decided to stop visiting tourist hotspots and to just see what we came across. It’s amazing the events and places you come across when you’re not looking for anything in particular.
Final Tips
Be Flexible
Your trip is about having a good time and seeing Europe. If you find yourself getting stressed, remind yourself why you’re there. There’s no point cutting your expenses right down if doing so is making you miserable.
We planned to spend three to five months road tripping around Europe. By the end of our first month abroad, when it was time to pop home because of our 30-day insurance policy quirk, we were running low on both money and energy. We liked the idea of continuing our trip but we also couldn’t really be bothered anymore.
Rather than pushing on, we decided to road trip around the UK instead. After a few weeks of that, we suddenly decided we wanted to settle down somewhere. That same day, we went home.
Don’t let yourself feel restricted by your plans. Do what you want to do.
Take Your Shoes Off
Take your shoes off whenever you get into your car. If possible, keep them in a particular place too. That way, you’ll keep all your stuff clean and you’ll feel comfier in your portable home.
Plan Your Escape
Know what you’d do if someone tried to get in during the night.
We decided that we’d stay quiet and try to peer out if we weren’t sure what was going on, and hope whoever was bothering us went away. If we thought someone was trying to break in and we had time, I’d jump into the front and start driving. If it were too late, we’d grab our rucksacks and run away.
I kept the car keys in the pocket of the door I slept next to, so that, if someone were to try and break into the car while we were sleeping, I’d be able to grab them, hop into the front, and drive away.
It probably won’t happen but it’s good to have a plan.
Know Yourself
Know what you need to function properly. If you’re grouchy when you eat poorly, prioritize your nutrition. If being spontaneous freaks you out, plan a little. If you can’t stand the idea of being a little smelly, book into a hotel every couple of days.
My girlfriend and I are both introverts, and we both found it hard to feel like we could properly relax in our car, because we were always in public. Reading was a nice escape, but we could have done with more sheets to cover the windows with at times.
If you’re travelling with someone else, do your best to understand them and their needs. My girlfriend and I don’t argue much but we definitely argued a fair bit on our road trip! Try to see their point of view, compromise, and talk.
Appreciate It
A day or two after we moved back into our parents’ houses, my girlfriend and I set off again. Being back in a house felt like too much. There was too much time, too much space, too much food to eat, too many options. It was boring and we hated it!
We stayed in the car again while we looked for somewhere to live and then moved into a shared house. After the freedom of living out of our car, living with other people and with so much of their stuff everywhere was really stressful.
We only lasted three months in that house before we left again and moved into a small, unfurnished apartment. Finally, we’ve got very little in the way of belongings, furniture, and space again!
Living in a car has changed the way I live in a house or apartment, and I’m glad for that.
But every now and then I long for the days when we’d wake up, hop into the front seats, and just drive. Whenever I look out of the window and see our car sitting there, I miss the simplicity and freedom of our road trip.
It’s a cliché, but road tripping around Europe in your car probably will change you.
Useful information
DRIVING ON THE AUTOBAHN IN GERMANY
WHAT IS THE AUTOBAHN?
The Autobahn in Germany is shrouded in mystique. Outsiders rarely understand the many Autobahn rules and regulations surrounding this famous expressway, due in large part to fables of vehicles travelling in excess of 200mph on what is incorrectly understood as a "lawless" highway system. If you've ever asked the question "What is the Autobahn?" we'll answer that question (and many others) here - read on!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE DRIVING ON THE AUTOBAHN
Driving on the Autobahn in Germany
Driving on the Autobahn is thrilling, but unbeknownst to many travellers, the Autobahn expressway does in fact have speed limits in place on much of the territory it covers, as well as a police presence to maintain the expertly crafted roadway infrastructure. Conversely, there are portions of the Autobahn - mostly outside of major population centres - which post suggested speed limits where drivers can legally take their vehicles to v-max and approach light-speed.
In an attempt to shine some light on the mysterious Autobahn road system, Auto Europe has compiled a short list of Germany driving tips, to ensure your experience driving the Autobahn in a rental car in Germany goes off without a hitch.
AUTOBAHN SPEED LIMITS: THE NEED FOR SPEED
When entering the Autobahn near larger cities, a la Munich, Frankfurt, and Berlin, speed limits do apply. Depending on the urban area in which you're driving the Autobahn, the speed limits range from 80 k/ph to 130 k/ph (50mph-80mph), these regulatory speeds are in place to prevent an excess of potentially fatal car-accidents in portions of the Autobahn characterized by dangerous curves, heavy traffic, and major interchanges.
As you leave the more congested areas of the Autobahn, the German government has implemented a system described as a zone of "dynamic speed limits." Here electronic signs display the speed limits and can be adjusted to reflect changes in weather, road conditions, or heavy traffic. Once you venture even further outside of these dynamic zones the Autobahn really opens up and drivers are allowed to travel at their own pace, with speed limits being a mere suggestion. A handful of different signs are used to mark the variety of speed limit regulations, and further information can be found on Auto Europe's German road signs page.
AUTOBAHN TRAFFIC LAWS AND REGULATIONS
Like many other highway, freeway, and expressway systems around the world, the Autobahn in Germany has a series of regulations to facilitate the flow of heavy and potentially high-speed traffic. Most rules and regulations are fairly straightforward, though some may seem strange or foreign to an outsider travelling along the Autobahn for the first time.
Bicycles, Mopeds, and Pedestrians are prohibited from entering or using the Autobahn in any capacity, this also includes vehicles with a v-max of less than 60 k/ph (36mph).
Stopping, parking, u-turns, and backing up on the Autobahn is prohibited.
Passing on the right is strictly prohibited, and if caught engaging in such actions, heavy fines will apply.
Entering or exiting the Autobahn is only allowed on marked interchanges, and pulling off into the shoulder is prohibited unless your vehicle has broken down.
Running out of fuel on the Autobahn is illegal, as it as seen as a preventable circumstance, and leads to stopping on the Autobahn, which, as stated in rule 2, is prohibited.
During heavily congested traffic, drivers in the right and left lanes are required to move as far as possible to their designated side, creating an open channel through the middle of the expressway in case emergency vehicles need to pass through.
Passenger vehicles will be assessed no toll fees.
AUTOBAHN RULES: KEEP ON KEEPING RIGHT
Autobahn Rules - Driving on the Autobahn Though it isn't a required Autobahn rule, under most circumstances, it is advisable to stay in the right lane as much as possible when travelling on the Autobahn, especially if it is your first time driving this legendary roadway. The left lane is used primarily for passing and for vehicles that are travelling exceedingly fast. In the off chance that you do get caught poking along in the left lane, drivers behind you will probably flash their lights as a signal for you to move back to the right, and let them through. Though it's not mandatory for you to keep right all the time, driving the Autobahn can be a daunting task to undertake, and the mellower pace of the right lane will help guarantee a stress-free travel experience.
AUTOBAHN DRIVING: RESTING YOUR EYES
The Autobahn expressway system covers the majority of Germany, and therefore has been equipped with rest stops every 40-60km. These service areas are usually outfitted with a fuel station, restaurant, small convenience store, bathrooms, and telephones, though some even have hotels available. Because driving on the Autobahn can be a mentally engaging, and tiring task, it is advisable to stop and rest for a short time every 100km or so, to cultivate your awareness and to help prevent accidents.
AUTOBAHN ROAD: YOUR MAXIMUM VELOCITY DESTINATION
Germany is known for its vehicle engineering prowess, and being the home to BMW, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, and Audi, has solidified its role as a premier car manufacturing country. While driving along the Autobahn it is fairly commonplace to be passed by someone driving hundreds of miles per hour, in a sports car that most of us only dream about owning. Some travellers will want to drive fast and push the limits like some of the local, experienced drivers - that's part of the allure of driving the Autobahn after all. In spite of the appeal of pushing the limits on the world's most famous motorway, Auto Europe recommends that you don't for safety reasons.
If you must drive fast, it's important that you choose the proper rental car to make the most out of the experience. Fortunately for you, Auto Europe offers a wide selection of luxury and exotic cars, perfect for those with a lead foot.
Want to keep up with the locals in the left lane? Pick up a Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Aventador, or Mercedes Benz SLS, all available from Auto Europe at a variety of locations scattered throughout Germany.
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