Europe: by train or by car?

Back in the days of free love and VW buses, the Eurailpass was the only way to travel through Europe. It was the bargain to end all bargains — especially if you slept on the trains.

But today, it’s almost always cheaper to rent a car. Eurailpass prices have increased a lot in the last 30 years, and rental car rates have come down. Solo travelers will usually spend more for a car than a rail pass, but for two or more people traveling together, a rental car is almost always the better deal.

Back in the heyday of the rail passes, auto travel through Europe was an arduous affair. True, there was a small network of superhighways in France, Italy and Germany, but for the most part, the roads in Europe a quarter-century ago were almost exclusively two-lane affairs — and that goes for Great Britain and Ireland, too.

Today, high-speed roadways link all corners of Europe. Trips that once took two days can now be driven in less than 10 hours, and daylong journeys are now four-hour jaunts. Sometimes you have to look hard to find a less-traveled byway.

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The rail-pass world

This year, the venerable Eurailpass costs $605 for 15 days of travel anywhere in Europe except the United Kingdom. Discounted Eurailpasses are available for $513, but two people must travel together. Train passes are also available for various country combinations; for example, a France/Spain combination pass sells for $522 (first class) or $459 (second class).

There are also some 10-day in-country passes available; generally, these must be used within one or two months. A 10-day pass for Germany costs $464 (first class) and $324 (second class); a pass for Spain costs $470 (first class) and $385 (second class); and France has similar pricing. The BritRail pass, good for 15 days, costs $702 (first class) and $469 (second class).

This means that two people traveling together for 10 or 15 days will spend between $648 and $1,404 on a rail pass, depending on where they purchase their pass and whether they purchase a first- or second-class ticket.

The car rental world

American drivers can rent cars throughout Europe with their valid state driver’s license and a credit card. However, an International Driving Permit is recommended.

AutoEurope is the best one-stop source for rental cars, and it has the best rates bookable from the United States. (You can also rent cars from AutoEurope while you are traveling by calling toll-free numbers available on their Web site or by making the reservations online.)

AutoEurope has a lowest-price guarantee and it guarantees that your price will not increase after booking. In many cases, you will pay less for a car by renting through AutoEurope (even with their three-day minimum) than you would by renting a car for a single day directly through an agency in Europe.

Renting a compact car for 15 days in most of Europe costs between $400 and $525. In Italy, the cost is higher, around $700, because collision and liability insurance are included by law. In Germany, expect to pay $512 for 15 days; in France, $417; in Spain, $475; and in the Netherlands, $450.

So, let’s do the math. Two 10- or 15-day rail passes cost between $648 and $1,402. The lower-priced pass covers train travel in only one country (in this case, Germany).

Mind you, gasoline costs around $6 per gallon throughout Europe. Assuming that travelers drive 125 miles a day for 15 days, the cost of gasoline will come to around $500. Add in tolls (which are quite high in Italy, France and Spain) and the bottom line is still good: the cost for a 15-day compact rental car from AutoEurope including gas for two weeks ranges between about $900 and $1000-no matter how many people are in the car. Plus, your travel is not restricted to any one country or group of countries.

More than euros and cents

The economic case for renting a car in Europe is surprisingly easy to make. Of course, the ability to sleep on trains while covering long distances is still a money-saving bonus for those who want to board in Paris in the evening and wake up in Rome the next morning, and train travelers don’t have to worry about drop-off charges. Many people also swear by train travel as a wonderful way to meet other travelers and to get tips from locals.

But there are more important reasons than simple economics for intrepid travelers to choose a rental car over a train pass.

• Wider sightseeing. Train travelers too often spend their vacations within a mile radius of the train station. With a car, you can head out to explore a castle that appears on the horizon, search for a famous country pub or visit towns that are off the tourist route.
• Savings on hotels and shopping. A car allows travelers to stay in small towns on the fringes of major cities, where room rates are lower. A car can also take you to shops at commercial centers on the edge of town, where the pricing is not so much driven by tourist dollars.
• Easy parking. If you travel by car, you can park at your hotel, where the charge is often included in your room rate. Excellent public transportation throughout Europe will take visitors to almost any city center.
• Less lugging of luggage. A car makes it easy to move from town to town without having to drag your suitcases down platforms, onto buses and trams and up hotel stairs.
• Master of your own fate. A car puts travelers in control of their own itineraries. Eat, stop, start and shop according to your schedule, not the railroad timetable.

My advice for travelers planning to visit the European countryside or several different European cities over a couple of weeks: Rent a car. You’ll get more for your money and better memories, too.

Miscellaneous notes

• There are age limits in Britain, Ireland, Greece and Cyprus due to local insurance laws. The limit is 74 years of age.
• The least expensive rental cars in Europe usually have manual transmissions. Cars with automatic transmissions are more expensive.
• For longer rentals — from 17 to 175 days — travelers can consider the AutoEurope/Peugeot Buy-Back Program which a brand-new Peugeot direct from the factory. The lead-in rate for a Peugeot 206, gasoline engine, manual transmission for $900 for a 17-day rental.

Charles Leocha is nationally-recognized expert on saving money and the publisher of Tripso. He is also the Boston-based author of "SkiSnowboard America & Canada." E-mail him or visit his Web site. Want to sound off about one of his columns? Try visiting Leocha's forum.