Europe: by train or by car?

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.

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