Should You Hire a Car in Europe? This can be broken down into two similar questions - do you need a car in Europe (in other words, will your holiday be ruined without one), and is it worth hiring a car in Europe - in other words, is car rental better value than using public transport? We'll weigh up both questions and give you a response generated by Chat GPT, together with our own curated opinion before finally giving a yes or no verdict at the end.
Below is a friendly and practical guide to help you choose wisely.
🟢 Countries Where You Should Definitely Rent a Car
These are the places where driving gives you maximum freedom and access to breathtaking landscapes that public transport simply cannot reach easily.
🇮🇸 Iceland
Iceland is practically built for road trips. The famous Ring Road encircles the island, passing glaciers, volcanoes, hot springs, and waterfalls. Furthermore, a car gives you ultimate independence to pull over whenever the scenery amazes you — which is every five minutes.
🇳🇴 Norway
From dramatic fjords to remote mountain villages, Norway’s beauty unfolds on the road. Although trains and ferries exist, a car allows you to combine them into a seamless scenic journey.
🇪🇸 Spain (outside major cities)
Cities like Madrid and Barcelona are best without a car. However, once you head into Andalusia, the Basque Country, or the Canary Islands, a car opens up coastal drives, vineyards, and whitewashed hill towns.
🇵🇹 Portugal
Public transport connects Lisbon and Porto, but the Algarve coast, the Douro Valley, and inland villages are far better explored by car. Driving allows you to stop at viewpoints and vineyards at your own pace.
🟠 Countries Where You Might Rent a Car (But Only Outside Major Cities)
These destinations combine excellent train systems with dreamy road trip regions. A blended approach is best.
🇫🇷 France
The French countryside is a road trip dream, with castles, lavender fields, and wine regions. Nevertheless, cities like Paris are notorious for strict low-emission zones and expensive parking. The ideal strategy is to use trains for cities and rent a car for rural regions.
🇮🇹 Italy
Although Rome, Venice, and Florence are walking cities, regions like Tuscany, Umbria, and the Dolomites are perfect for scenic drives. Renting a car after leaving the city is the golden rule.
🇩🇪 Germany & 🇨🇭 Switzerland
These countries have some of the best public transport systems in the world. However, if you want to explore the Romantic Road, the Alps, or small lakeside villages, a car adds flexibility and convenience.
🔵 Countries Where a Car Is Optional or Unnecessary
In these destinations, public transport is so good that a car is often slower, more expensive, and harder to park.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
London has one of the world’s most efficient transport networks, and cities like Edinburgh, Manchester, and Glasgow are well connected. However, if you want to explore the Lake District or Scottish Highlands, you may want to rent a car.
🇮🇪 Ireland
Dublin and Galway are walkable and well served by buses and trains. Yet the rugged coastlines and rural peninsulas are best accessed by car, particularly on the Wild Atlantic Way.
🇧🇪 Belgium & 🇳🇱 Netherlands
These countries are compact, flat, and designed around rail, tram, and cycling networks. Parking in historic cities is limited, and trains connect major destinations easily.
🔴 Countries Where You Should Not Drive in Major Cities
Here, traffic congestion, pedestrian zones, and limited parking make driving impractical.
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Athens, Greece
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Istanbul, Turkey
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Prague Old Town, Czech Republic
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Budapest city centre, Hungary
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Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City (park outside and walk in)
While rural Greece or Cappadocia (Turkey) can be great for self-drive, cities are not.
Do you need a car in Europe?
✅ Top Self-Drive Experiences in Europe
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Iceland’s Ring Road
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Norway’s Atlantic Ocean Road
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Italy’s Tuscany and Dolomites
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Portugal’s Algarve Coast
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Spain’s Andalusian Villages
🚫 Top Places to Avoid Driving
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London
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Paris
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Amsterdam
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Venice (no roads!)
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Athens & Istanbul
✨ Final Travel Tip
If your European trip centres around historic cities with strong train connections, skip the car.
If you dream of rural landscapes, wine routes, coastlines, or mountain passes, renting a car transforms your journey into an adventure.
Should You Hire a Car in Europe — or Not? Advice on this page has been written using Chat GPT, backed up by 20 years experience in the travel industry. This site is planned for full launch on 1st January 2026. Full terms, advice, FAQs, disclaimer etc to follow. UN flag is a placeholder
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