Driving in the Balkans and along the Adriatic Coast is one of the most beautiful routes in Europe. If you come well prepared, you’ll have a blast on this journey. However, there are a few things you need to consider before starting your Balkan road trip itinerary.
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Renting a Car in the Balkans
If you are renting a car in the Balkans, (or anywhere else in Europe by this token) there are some things you should know:
- Don’t expect the same standard of service as in the USA.
- The cars are much smaller and the prices are much higher in Europe
- There are several car-rental agencies in Europe (like Autoeurope, Europcar, Sixt, etc.) Unfortunately, they compete very little against each other. What will make you choose one over the other is type of cars they have available. If you want is an economy car, that’s easy because they all have it. But if you are looking for an SUV, only one or two of these agencies may have them.
- Insurance for a rental car is paid separately, through a third party
- Checking out the car at one point and dropping it at another outside the country is not possible.
- If you are planning to take the car outside the country you will have to specify it when you reserve the car. Taking the car outside the border comes at a high price. You’ll be charged 45 Euro at the time of the reservation AND another 45 Europayable at the register! Also, not all the countries on your itinerary may be covered by your insurance. For example, Slovenia and Croatia are covered, but Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro are not!
- Renting the car in downtown is more expensive than renting it at the airport.
- Renting a manual car is cheaper than renting an automatic one.
- When you check out car take a very good look at every little dent or scratch that it may have and document it in the contract. Also, I suggest taking pictures of the car when you take it and when you return it to avoid the unpleasant surprise of being charged for somebody else’s scratches.
If want want to compare prices on car rentals in Europe, I recommend using Auto Europe for access to exclusive offers and vehicles in high demand. Also, for more tips on renting a car in Europe, read this post.
What you will need in your rental car
• If you are planning to drive, you should get a GPS. Renting a car that has one can be expensive. We discovered however that our iPhones work great for directions, so after a few days we began using them for directions.
• Back yourself up with a physical map of the region, in case the GPS stops working or doesn’t give you the right directions.
• I would strongly encourage you to rent a bigger car. Especially if there are more than two people in your party. Keep in mind that what European cars are much smaller in size than the American ones, so an Economy or a Standard car will be very uncomfortable and with very little space for luggage.
Why We Chose to Drive in the Balkans
Many people fear that driving in the Balkans is chaotic, so they opt for public transportation instead. Although more stressful, driving has its own advantages. Besides allowing you to reach more remote areas, being able to start your day whenever you want, stopping wherever you want and not having to worry about missing the train or the bus, are big pluses.
We decided to rent a car mainly for convenience, but also because my husband likes to drive. We rented our car in Budapest, but for some great tips on renting a car in Slovenia read this post.
Driving in the Balkans
Driving in the Balkans may not be as easy and convenient as driving in the USA, but without a car our 14-day Balkans itinerary would not have been possible. For the most part the roads in the Balkans are good. You’ll find a lot of rest areas and places where you can pull over if you want to take picture or enjoy the view.
The highway system (toll roads) in Slovenia and Croatia is a pleasure to drive. There are plenty of road signs, gas stations and food stops along the way.
In Slovenia it is mandatory to have a vignette for driving on motorways. The vignette can be purchased at the border, but you’ll have to be very careful not to miss the border. You may find it hard to believe, but the Slovenian border with Hungary was some little hut next to a gas station. We missed it and 5 miles later we have been stopped by the highway patrol who gave us a very pricey fine.
In Croatia there are toll roads and that’s a little easier. You pick up a ticket as you get on the motorway and pay it as you exit it.
Montenegro as well as Bosnia & Herzegovina on the other hand are decades away from a modern European highway system. The roads leading to the coastal areas are in better condition, but they can be very crowded during the summer months. Couple of that with the aggressive local drivers and you’ll understand why your rental contract doesn’t include insurance for Bosnia and Montenegro.
Driving a rental car through these two countries requires also requires an International Driving Permit that can be easily obtained from any AAA branch in the USA ($20 plus the cost of two passport-type photos).
Border Crossing in the Balkans
Border crossing is relatively easy. As far as I can tell, the border patrols in these countries are not in the business of making your life miserable. How much time you’ll spend at the border varies by the season.
We’ve been here in April and it took us only a few minutes to cross. I’m sure however that during the summer months it will take much longer.
Parking
Parking in Europe in a nightmare almost everywhere and the Balkans are no exception. The few street spots that you’ll see are always taken and outrageously expensive. Your best bet is to find a garage or a parking lot as close as possible to your hotel.
Unfortunately, most old town hotels don’t even have a spot where you can unload your luggage because the area is pedestrian. So if you don’t want to drag your luggage for 2 miles, don’t choose a hotel in the old town. Parkin (or the lack of it) will definitely be your biggest inconvenience when driving in the Balkans.
Driving in the Balkans is not as simple as in other parts of Western Europe. Therefore, if you don’t feel confident to drive, you may be better off using public transportation.
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Vinod
Hello Anda
Just chanced upon your blog and found it very interesting.
My wife and I are planning a month long trip to all the countries of the former Yugoslavia plus Romania and Bulgaria. I was wondering if a driving holiday through all these countries with a rental car is feasible and safe.
Any thoughts would be welcome
Thank you.
Anda Galffy
Driving through the Balkans is pretty safe. Your problem is not safety though, but finding a rental company that will allow you to take their car across all these borders. I don’t think you can do that from Romania, but you can surely do it from Hungary. We are originally from Romania, so we didn’t have much interest to include it in our Balkan itinerary. We rented our car in Budapest (Hungary) and drove to Slovenia, Croatia, and Montenegro. We were allowed to take the car to Slovenia and Croatia, but not to Montenegro, so we purchased a separate insurance at the border and were able to go to Montenegro as well. The roads in Romania and Montenegro are not that great. Romania has only one freeway in the entire country. The rest are two-lane highways that pass through villages and towns where the speed is reduced. Slovenia and Croatia on the other hand have excellent roads. Some of them much better than the ones we have here, in the United States. I hope this helps.
Vinod
Thank you Anda. That’s helpful indeed. Robert Kaplan’s ‘Balkan Ghosts’ triggered my interest in this region.
Anda Galffy
It’s a beautiful region of Europe, Vinod. I’m sure you are going to like it. Each of these countries have very different cultures.
Holmsleigh
Hi! I am Lauren a newbie to blogging. I have just stated my blogging career and visiting other bloggers to understand the techniques of successful blogging. You have a wonderful blog travelnotesandbeyond, can you give your technical tips to be a successful blogger like you. Many Thanks.
Anda Galffy
There is no special technique, Lauren, just years of hard work and dedication. If you like what you do, it will just come natural. Just keep blogging.
Ruth | Tanama Tales
Visiting the Balkans has been a dream of mine too. And, I have been contemplating starting the trip in Budapest since I love the city and the fares are accessible. Thanks for all these tips! The rules are very different from the ones in the states. We are renting a car in Europe for the first time next week. Let’s see how that goes.
Anda Galffy
Hope you are going to have a wonderful trip, Ruth. Looking forward to reading about your adventures.
Michele {Malaysian Meanders}
I really need to remember the tip about not booking lodging in the old town if I don’t want to drag my luggage for miles to reach it. My husband is headed to Hungary in a few days for businesss. I still haven’t tagged along. When I do, I think that this road trip you did would be something I’d like to emulate. All the photos of the area that I’ve seen look so inviting.
Anda Galffy
You are going to have a blast visiting the Balkan countries around the Adriatic Sea.
Suze
That’s a shame that you got a fine in Slovenia. Sounds like a great road trip nonetheless and a very useful guide for anyone driving here with a rental car. I’ve only visited Hungary out of these countries but would love to visit the rest
Anda Galffy
Suze, you have no excuse for not visiting the Balkans. You live so close to these countries and they are really beautiful. You should go.
Lyn aka The Travelling Lindfields
You make driving in Europe sound like driving in the third world. Many of the issues you raise apply equally to renting cars in the USA if you are a foreign tourist. I can’t honestly say that we have ever found it either more difficult or more expensive to rent in Europe than we have in the States. Insurance in the USA is a significant extra cost for foreigners and the additional driver surcharges can just about break the bank. Parking is a lot easier in America but that is a reason why you probably want to consider a smaller car in Europe than you would at home. I will remember your tip about the vignette though.
Anda Galffy
My husband and I were born and raised in Romania, so long before we drove in the USA we drove in Europe. It is considerably more difficult to drive in Europe than it is to drive in the USA. The roads are narrower, the motorways/freeways have less lanes, traffic is heavier. As for renting a car in the USA, even with the extra insurance for foreigners, it won’t even get close to Europe. I had friends from Europe who rented cars here and I know what they paid. As far as parking is concerned, the problem is not the size of the car but the lack of parking spots in Europe.
Photo(Geo)grapher
The Balkans are beautiful and worth a visit. Travel through Slovenia and Croatia is very pleasant outside the tourist season. The roads are very good, and the signs are very legible. In the summer, travelling is more difficult. Traffic is very big especially in the Dalmatian part of Croatia. There are often some traffic congestions. There are also big problems with parking spaces.
Anda Galffy
Yea, that was our experience too.
Anisa
I love road trips. Just did one in Portugal and agree it is important to do your research in advance! Would love to do more international ones!
Anda Galffy
It’s been a long time since I haven’t taken a road trip. This was a great one, but driving through so many countries is nerve wrecking.
Rhonda
Thanks for the advice on driving in these countries. It sounds pretty reasonable and somewhat better than driving in Morocco.
Anda Galffy
I’m sure it is easier than driving in Morocco, but it’s still a little nerve wrecking driving through all these countries.