Renting a car abroad without stress. Plan your holiday in advance
More and more people today travel abroad by plane. Yes, it is fast, and when everything goes smoothly, it can also be comfortable. But when you fly, you are completely dependent on the stability — or instability — of the flight schedule.
Travelling abroad by car, on the other hand, gives you complete independence. It does not matter if your business meeting runs late or if you decide to have one more coffee at a petrol station. Whatever the purpose of your trip across Europe, a car lets you stop at a hidden viewpoint, adjust your plans according to the weather, or simply take a detour for the best ice cream in the area.
Not sure whether your own car could handle the trip? Or do you live in the city and not own a car at all? No problem. Renting a car for travel abroad is more accessible today than ever before. If you choose the right partner, you can be confident that the rental car will be reliable. A quality car rental company should always provide you with a nearly new vehicle.
However, if you want your trip abroad with a rental car to go smoothly, a little basic planning is essential.
Let’s take a look at what you should think about before your trip — and especially before renting the car itself. With the right preparation, you can simply enjoy the journey without unnecessary stress.
Planning your route starts before choosing the car
Although we may be repeating ourselves, we have to start with the basics: the first thing you should do is plan your route. This does not mean simply entering your destination into the navigation system. You should also have a basic idea of which way you will drive and what you would like to see along the way.
Only then can you choose the ideal car model and the right car rental company.
Where exactly you are going — and which countries you will pass through — is essential information when choosing a rental company. Most car rental companies have clearly defined rules about where their vehicles are allowed to go. For example, at Taggart you can travel across practically the entire European Union, except Romania, Bulgaria and Greece. This restriction is based on the insurance terms of the vehicles. In addition, you can also drive to Switzerland, Monaco and the United Kingdom.
The route itself is then important mainly for you. Are you planning to cross mountain passes, or will you be driving mainly on motorways to seaside towns in the south? In each case, the requirements for the car may be different, and we will be happy to help you choose the right one.
If you decide to travel on motorways, you should check in advance how tolls and motorway charges work in each country. Our cars include a Czech motorway vignette, but foreign motorway vignettes and tolls must be arranged by you. Of course, we will gladly advise you on what can be arranged online before you leave the Czech Republic.
You can use the calculator below to see how much you will pay for a car from Taggart.
Watch out for mileage limits — not only in the Czech Republic
Mileage limits are one of the most common causes of post-holiday stress. Many online offers you come across may show an attractive price. However, most of them hide strict limits, often only 50 to 100 km per day. Sure, that might be enough for short trips around the Czech Republic.
But if you are heading on holiday to Croatia, for example, it is completely insufficient. If you drive 1,000 kilometres there and 1,000 kilometres back — which, by the way, only gets you to the northern Adriatic — you would need to rent the car for at least 10 days. At the same time, you cannot take any detours, go on spontaneous trips, or even drive out for ice cream. Every extra kilometre is heavily charged.
To avoid unexpected costs when returning the car, look from the very beginning for a car rental company that offers car rental abroad as well as a tariff with unlimited mileage.
At Taggart, we offer this tariff for rentals from six days. And when you check our price lists, you always know in advance how much you will pay, so you can enjoy maximum freedom even on holiday. You can comfortably go away for the standard seven nights and rent a car for a week without constantly watching the kilometres.
Hidden fees for driving outside the Czech Republic
In addition to mileage restrictions, watch out for the fact that some car rental companies charge an extra fee for crossing the border. At first, you get a great-looking price, but the border-crossing fee can then amount to hundreds of crowns per day.
Often, you only find out about this fee when signing the contract and collecting the car. At that moment, you are already under pressure, because finding another car at the last minute — especially during the holiday season — is often almost impossible. And car rental companies know this.
To avoid dealing with anything more stressful before your holiday than packing your bags, read the rental company’s terms and conditions in advance. Yes, all that small print can be tiring. But fortunately, today you can use tools such as ChatGPT to help you read through the conditions. If you ask the right question, it can also point you directly to the text that concerns this area.
Do not forget insurance and assistance — check the limits and excess
Even today, we still hear stories of people who rented a car, had a minor insured event, and then never saw their deposit worth tens of thousands of crowns again. That is why it is important to look at these conditions in detail and not rely on verbal assurances from a rental employee that the insurance coverage is more than sufficient, or that the excess is negligible.
At Taggart, we focus on transparency. The amount of the excess in the event of damage or windscreen damage depends on the specific situation and vehicle type. You can find a complete and up-to-date overview of all fees on our separate insurance and risk coverage page for car rentals.
Also check the scope of the insurance
A car that breaks down and refuses to start in the middle of an Alpine pass? That is probably every driver’s nightmare. Even worse is finding out that some low-cost rental companies only have basic coverage without foreign roadside assistance.
So what do we consider standard when travelling abroad with a rental car?
At Taggart, we follow a simple principle: we rent cars and provide services in the way we would want them for our own family. Every one of our vehicles therefore has comprehensive accident insurance valid in all permitted countries.
You also have access to a Czech-speaking assistance service 24/7. Having to call a towing service at three in the morning in a foreign language is something we consider highly stressful.
Another common problem is how the rental company behaves when you cannot continue your journey, even though you did nothing wrong and the car simply broke down. At Taggart, we will not leave you on your own. We will make sure you can continue your holiday.
At the same time, we focus on prevention. Our cars have an average age of just 11 months, so the risk of a breakdown is kept as low as possible.
Sharing the driving saves lives — and relationships
Long journeys on monotonous motorways can be exhausting. Driving for ten or more hours in one stretch? We consider that mainly dangerous, and we recommend sharing the driving with another passenger whenever possible.
However, many rental companies charge additional daily fees for an extra driver.
At Taggart, adding another driver to the contract is completely free. To do this, we only need you to present the second driver’s driving licence when signing the rental agreement.
Do not leave your reservation until the last minute
As mentioned above, summer is the peak season for car rental companies. In Prague, for example, more than 90% of vehicles are often already rented or reserved.
To avoid having to compromise on your requirements, it is advisable to book your car in advance with a reliable partner who guarantees a specific vehicle with clearly defined equipment — not just a “similar vehicle” or a “vehicle from the same category”.
Tell us where you are going so we can advise you
If you are planning to travel abroad, let us know. We will not only issue you a vehicle rental confirmation in English for possible traffic or border checks, but we can also advise you on mandatory equipment, differences in traffic rules, and motorway or other toll charges.
We want you to enjoy your trip with our cars to the fullest — just like thousands of customers before you.
Checklist for stress-free car rental abroad
Planning a trip? Go through this summary, which also works as a quick checklist. It will help you make sure you have not forgotten anything and that no hidden catches surprise you on holiday.
- [ ] Verified route and destination country: Have you checked that your rental company allows entry into all the countries you will drive through? At Taggart, you can travel across the entire EU except Romania, Bulgaria and Greece, plus Switzerland, Monaco and the United Kingdom.
- [ ] Foreign motorway vignettes arranged: The Czech motorway vignette is included in the price of the car, but motorway charges for transit countries, such as Austria or Slovenia, should be arranged online in advance.
- [ ] Tariff with unlimited mileage: If you are travelling further than just across the border, for example to Croatia, make sure you have a tariff without mileage limits so you do not pay extra for every detour or trip. Taggart offers unlimited mileage for rentals from six days.
- [ ] Contract without hidden fees: Have you read the terms and conditions and checked that the rental company does not charge an additional daily fee simply for crossing the border?
- [ ] Transparent insurance and excess: Do you know the exact amount of your excess in the event of an accident? Do not rely on verbal promises. Ask for clear figures in the contract.
- [ ] Comprehensive Czech-speaking assistance 24/7: Are you sure that in the event of a breakdown in a mountain pass, you will not have to arrange towing at three in the morning in a foreign language — and that the rental company will help you with a replacement solution?
- [ ] Second driver listed in the contract: Sharing the driving saves lives. Do you have the second driver added to the contract free of charge, and is their driving licence ready for signing?
- [ ] Timely reservation of a specific vehicle: Are you sure you will get exactly the car you selected, and not just an unspecified “vehicle from the motorway category”? In summer, more than 90% of rental capacity in Prague may already be booked, so reserve in advance.
- [ ] Documents in English: Do you have a rental confirmation in English from the rental company in case of a police check abroad?