Behind the European Wheel
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Horror stories about European traffic abound. They're fun to tell, but driving in Europe is really only a problem for those who make it one. Any good American driver can cope with European traffic.
Europe is a continent of frustrated race-car drivers. The most dangerous creature on the road is the timid American. Be assertive, observe, fit in, avoid big-city driving when you can, and wear your seat belt. For more tips, see www.ideamerge.com/motoeuropa.
Drive European. After a few minutes on the autobahn, you'll learn that you don't cruise in the passing lane. Cruise in the right-hand lane on the Continent and the left-hand lane in Britain and Ireland.
And drive defensively. Be warned that some Europeans, particularly Italians, make up their own rules of the road. In Rome, my cabbie went through three red lights. White-knuckled, I asked, "Scusi, do you see red lights?" He said, "When I come to light, I look. If no cars come, red light stupido, I go through. If policeman sees no cars — no problema. He agree — red light stupido."
Learn the signs. All of Europe uses the same simple set of road symbols. Just take a few minutes to learn them. Many major rest stops have free local driving almanacs (or cheap maps) that explain such signs, roadside facilities, and exits.
You can drive in and out of strange towns fairly smoothly by following a few basic signs. Most European towns have signs directing you to the "old town" or the center (such as centrum, centro, centar, centre-ville, Zentrum, Stadtmitte). The tourist office, normally right downtown, will usually be clearly signposted (i, turismo, VVV, or various abbreviations that you'll learn in each country). The tallest spire often marks the center of the old town. Park in its shadow and look for the tourist information office. Avoid heavy traffic times. Big cities are great fun and nearly traffic-free for Sunday drives. Mediterranean resort areas are extremely congested on summer weekends.
Use the Internet for route-planning. Do some homework before getting behind the wheel. Various mapping websites — including Via Michelin and Google Maps — suggest the fastest route between Point A and Point B, and offer fairly accurate estimates of how long the drive will take (barring traffic delays). A GPS device can also be helpful.
Navigate intelligently. Study the roads and major interchanges you'll be using before you set out. If you're headed for a small or mid-size town, know which big city is nearby to keep you headed in the right direction. In some countries, road numbers can help you find your way: For example, take road A-1 to London, then B-23 to Bristol, then C-456 to Bath. (But be warned that some roads can have more than one "number" — for example, the A-1 expressway can also be considered part of the B-23 highway.) In other countries, locals (and local signs) ignore the road numbers, so you'll navigate by town name. Signs can be color-coded: yellow for most roads, green or blue for expressways, and brown for sightseeing attractions. When leaving a city, look for "all directions" (toutes directions) signs.
To save time, use the expressway. The shortest distance between any two European points is found on the autobahn/strada/route/cesta. Most international European expressways are designated with an "E" (similar to the "I" designation on American freeways), but they can also be named using national letters (for example, the main route between Paris and Lyon is known as both the A6 and the E15). Some prefer the more scenic and free national highway systems (route nationale in France). These small roads can be a breeze, or they can be dreadfully jammed up.
Better roads often come with tolls. It's free to drive on expressways in some countries — such as most roads in Great Britain, or Germany's famous Autobahn. In other countries, you'll pay for the privilege. Sometimes you'll have to buy a toll sticker (usually called a "Vignette") to display in your window: You'll pay about $34 for the highway permit decal as you enter Switzerland; $10 apiece for Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary; and $6 for Slovakia; and $50 for Slovenia (cheaper option likely available soon). You can usually buy the toll sticker at border crossings, gas stations, and post offices (but in some cases, your rental car might already have one that hasn't yet expired). If you don't have one, you'll soon meet your first local — in uniform. In most Mediterranean countries — including Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Croatia — you'll periodically encounter toll booths on major expressways ($4–6 per hour). Although tolls can be high in Italy and France ($6/hour in Italy, about $90 to get from Paris to the French Riviera — priciest around Monaco), the gas and time saved on European expressways justifies the expense. Note that in all these cases, if you're simply dipping into the country on secondary roads (such as around the town of Reutte, Austria, near Germany's Bavaria), you don't need to buy a toll sticker or otherwise pay for road use.
You'll pay to drive in some big cities. For example, to drive in downtown London, you'll pay a $13 "congestion charge" (might increase in the near future; check www.cclondon.com). Milan, Copenhagen, and Oslo have similar charges or tolls for drivers.
Big Brother is watching. In some countries, including Great Britain, traffic is monitored by automatic cameras that check your speed, click a photo, and send speeders tickets by mail. It’s smart to know — and follow — the local speed limit. In Britain, these "camera cops" are clearly marked with a camera sign, but you can get caught by surprise, particularly in Italy.
Car traffic is banned in many Italian city centers, including Rome, Naples, Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano, Orvieto, and Verona. Don't drive or park anywhere you see signs reading Zona Traffico Limitato (ZTL, often shown above a red circle). If you do, even briefly by accident, your license plate will be photographed (usually without your knowledge) and a hefty $150-plus ticket will be waiting for you at home. It can be an unpleasant ending to your trip. If your hotel is within a restricted area, ask your hotelier to register your car or direct you to legal parking.
Don't use a car for city sightseeing. Park it and use public transportation (or taxis). City parking is a pain. Find a spot as close to the center as possible, grab it, and keep it. For overnight stops, it's crucial to choose a safe, well-traveled, and well-lit spot. A tourist's car parked overnight in a bad urban neighborhood will almost certainly be vandalized. In cities where traffic is worst, look for huge government-sponsored (cheap) parking lots on the outskirts, where a bus or subway will zip you easily into the center. It's often worth parking in a garage ($10–30 a day). Ask your hotelier for advice.
Know the rules of the road. Many European countries require you to have your headlights on anytime the car is running, even in broad daylight. Some forbid talking on a cell phone without a hands-free headset. Most countries require safety seats for children under age four, but a few - Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland - require boosters for six- and seven-year-olds. Some laws are more obscure: Austria and France require each driver to carry a reflective safety vest or kit with a reflecting triangle. Your car-rental company should be aware of these rules — just ask.
Get directions. When you call ahead to confirm your room, ask your hotelier for detailed directions on how to reach their place. If possible, figure out your arrival route on a map before you enter the city limits. (Many national or regional maps include basic city maps on the back.) While some cities helpfully post signs directing you to individual hotels, in many cases you're on your own.
Consider hiring cabbies. Even if you have a rental car, cabbies can be handy when you're driving lost in a big city. Many times I've hired a cab, showed him an elusive address, and followed him in my car to my hotel.
Go metric. Outside of Britain, you'll be dealing with kilometers. To convert kilometers to miles, cut in half and add 10 percent (90 km/hr = 45 + 9 miles = 54 miles — not very fast in Europe). Do the math yourself: 140 km = 84 mph. Or 360 km = 216 miles. Some people prefer to multiply by 6 and drop the last digit (80 km/hr x 6 = 48 miles), though this can be challenging with large numbers (340 miles x 6 = ?). Choose whichever formula works for you.
Passing is essential. Americans are timid about passing. Be bold but careful. On winding, narrow roads, the slower car ahead of you may use turn-signal sign language to indicate when it's OK to pass. This is used inconsistently. Don't rely on it blindly.
Explore the roundabouts. In addition to intersections with stoplights, you'll encounter roundabouts, where traffic continually flows in a circle around a center island. While you'll see them sporadically throughout continental Europe (where vehicles move counterclockwise), roundabouts are everywhere in the British Isles (where traffic flows clockwise). These work wonderfully if you follow the golden rule: Traffic in roundabouts always has the right-of-way, while entering vehicles yield. For many, roundabouts are high-pressure circles that require a snap decision about something you don't completely understand: your exit. To replace the stress with giggles, make it standard operating procedure to take a 360-degree case-out-your-options exploratory circuit. Discuss the exits with your navigator, go around again if necessary, and then confidently wing off on the exit of your choice. When approaching an especially complex roundabout, you'll first pass a diagram showing the layout and the various exits. And in many cases, the pavement is painted with which lane to use if you're heading for a particular road or town.
Gas
The cost of gas in Europe ($5–7 a gallon) sounds worse than it is. Distances are short, the petite cars get great mileage, and, when compared to costly train tickets (for the price of a two-hour train ride, you can fill your tank), expensive gas is less of a factor. You'll be impressed by how few miles you need to travel to enjoy Europe's diversity. To minimize gas costs, consider renting a car that takes diesel, which costs the same per liter but gets better mileage.
Pumping gas in Europe is as easy as finding a gas station (the word "self-service" is universal), sticking the nozzle in, and pulling the big trigger. Gas prices are listed by the liter (about a quart, four to a gallon). Gas is called petrol or benzine, while diesel is known as gasoil. Super is super, and normal is normal (or essence) and increasingly rare. In many countries, the pumps are color-coded to help you find the right kind of gas. When you pick up your rental car, be sure you know what kind of gas (and what color pumps) you need to use - this is often printed on or near the gas cap — and have them show you how to open the gas cap. Unleaded gas is called petrol or benzine, while diesel is known as gasoil or gasol (ask about the proper local term when you rent your car). Super is super, and normal is normal (or essence) and increasingly rare.
Freeway gas stations are more expensive than those in towns, but during siesta only freeway stations are open. Giant suburban supermarkets often offer the cheapest gas. Some pay-at-the-pump machines may not accept American credit cards (especially in the UK and Scandinavia) — be prepared to pay inside.
GPS Devices
A GPS unit can be a helpful tool for navigating unfamiliar European roads...though I still prefer a good map and/or a trusted navigator. GPS devices (such as those by Garmin, Magellan, and TomTom) use satellite technology to track your precise location, and determine the best route for your journey using pre-loaded maps. A GPS unit leads you, turn-by-turn, from Point A to Point B with a small LCD map and (on better models) voice instructions.
You have two options for using GPS in Europe: You can sometimes get a GPS unit with your rental car or leased vehicle for an additional fee (around $15/day; be sure it's set to English and has all the maps you need before you drive off). Or, if you have a portable GPS device at home, you can take it with you to Europe.
Many American GPS devices come loaded with only American maps. If you want to bring yours along, buy and upload European maps before your trip. (Check with your GPS device's manufacturer to find maps compatible with your unit, and for details on how to load them.) Note that some GPS mapping packages are designed for regional driving, and might not have detailed street-by-street maps for a specific city; before you buy, be sure the maps will fit your travel needs.
Joyriding
The British Isles are good for driving — reasonable rentals, no language barrier, exciting rural areas, and fine roads...and after one near head-on collision scares the bloody heck out of you, you'll have no trouble remembering which side of the road to drive on.
Other good driving areas are Scandinavia (hug the lip of a majestic fjord as you zip from village to village); Belgium and the Netherlands (yield to bikes — you're outnumbered); Spain and Portugal (explore out-of-the-way villages and hill towns); Germany (enjoy wonderfully engineered freeways much loved by wannabe race-car drivers); Switzerland and Austria (drive down sunny alpine valleys with yodeling on the stereo for auto ecstasy); and Slovenia (a tiny, picturesque country with many diverse sights hard to reach by public transit). The whirlwind, see-Europe-from-top-to-bottom type of trip is best by train.
Updated for 2009. For lots more tips, check out our best-selling Europe Through the Back Door travel skills guidebook.