Today, more and more of our compatriots decidesindependently go to Europe by car. At first glance it seems that it is quite simple: I took a vacation, loaded the trunk - and off we go, towards the adventures. In fact, such a journey requires serious preparation. So, it is necessary not only to take care of the availability of documents that you may need abroad, but also to check the serviceability of your car, as well as carefully develop the route. So, today we offer a more detailed understanding of how to go on an independent journey through Europe on your own car. To do this, we consider the main points that should be given special attention when planning a trip.
First of all, you need to think about the approximatetrip plan, and then carefully develop all its details. Of course, in this case, everyone is free to be guided by their preferences, as well as financial capabilities. However, we will give basic recommendations. First of all, you should not lay too long trips to your route: by car across Europe, although pleasant, but very tiring. As a result, wanting to cover as many cities and countries as you can during your vacation, you will get very tired, as a result of which you will have to spend more time on rest than on walks and sightseeing. In addition, planning time that you spend on the road, be sure to consider stopping for snacks, etc.
Planning a trip by car to Europe,It is desirable to use the Google Maps service or a navigator with which you can pave the route in accordance with one or other entered parameters (for example, by excluding toll roads). If your car is not equipped with a regular GPS, then we recommend to purchase it, especially since the price of these devices today is generally available. And when you find yourself in a completely unfamiliar country, where people speak a language that you don’t understand, this small device can become a real lifesaver for you. After all, he will not only show you the way, warn you about the acceptable speed limit, but also inform you about the nearest gas stations, ATMs and cafes. It’s better not to count on paper cards, although you can throw a couple into the glove box just in case.
Собираясь в Европу на машине, следует заранее take care of reserving hotel rooms where you will be staying on your trip. For the selection and booking of suitable hotels is very convenient to use popular sites. Pay attention to whether the hotel you like pre-paid. After all, when submitting documents for a Schengen visa, the embassy will most likely require you to confirm 100% prepayment of hotel rooms for the entire period of your trip. Also try to find out if the hotels where you plan to stay have your own parking. Do not be discouraged, even if it is paid. Upon arrival, it is advisable to park the car near the hotel and go for sightseeing on foot, by public transport or taxi. It makes sense to drive to the city center on your own car only if you are sure that you can find parking for it. The fact is that the situation with parkings in all European cities, more or less large and popular with tourists, is rather bad. Moreover, this pleasure is far from cheap. If you can’t find a parking and leave the car in the wrong place, then you can be sure that you will be subject to a considerable fine, and perhaps even take an iron horse to the car park.
After you have developed a travel plan,booked hotels and got the appropriate visas for all participants of the trip, it is worth remembering about other necessary documents. So, going to Europe by car, be sure to take a passport with a valid visa, medical insurance (it is inexpensive, but in case of an emergency it will save you a tidy sum, because medical services in European countries are by no means cheap), international car insurance ( Green Card), documents for the vehicle (technical certificate and, if necessary, certified power of attorney), driver's license.
In addition, it is desirable to have with youprinted hotel booking confirmations, copies of the pages of your passport with visas affixed, international driver's license. Next, we offer more details on car insurance and an international driver's license, as these questions often cause many questions to people planning to travel to Europe by car.
Most of this insurance is known for itsEnglish name - Green Card. The “Green Card” is a kind of analogue to our usual CTP, operating in the territory of all European states (with rare exceptions). This policy insures the civil liability of the driver. Thus, the payment is received by the affected party in a traffic accident in accordance with the laws of the state where the accident occurred.
As for the cost of the Green Card, it’sis the same in all insurance companies and is regulated by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation. The cost of the policy is influenced by three factors: its validity period (minimum - 15 days, maximum - 12 months), type of vehicle and territory of use. On average, a Green Card for 15 days will cost you one and a half thousand rubles.
Many travelers are assured that they needinternational law to travel to Europe. This term refers to an international driver's license (or IDP), which is a translation of a national driver's license and confirming your right to drive a car of a particular category. In Russia, the IDP has the right to issue only the traffic police. Keep in mind that an international driver's license is valid only in conjunction with national rights.
In fairness it should be noted thattraveling by car to Europe in most cases does not require the driver to have an IDP. It is enough to have a national driver's license with you. However, in countries that have signed only the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, adopted in 1949, international rights may still require you today. In Europe such countries are Albania, Ireland, Andorra, Iceland, Malta, Cyprus, Turkey and the Netherlands. Of course, the requirement for an IDP is in most cases purely formal, and local police rarely punish foreign drivers for not having this document. However, in order not to worry once again and protect yourself from possible problems, it is better to spend a little time and get international rights. Moreover, this procedure takes only 20 minutes (in Moscow) and will cost an average of one thousand rubles.
Хочется сказать, что если на повестке дня стоит a trip by car to Europe, the question of preparing your iron horse should be one of the most important. Be sure to remember that you wanted to repair in your car and put everything off until later. Also see when the plan is to do the following maintenance. And if there is very little time left for him, then it is better to make it in advance. Anyway, the diagnosis will not be superfluous, because not all the problems of the car can be identified by an external examination.
Once you have verified that your ironthe horse is fully technically sound, and that a trip to Europe by car will not end at one of the service stations, you can begin to slowly equip it with everything you need. So, for entry into the territory of the European Union in your car must have a first-aid kit of the European sample, an emergency stop sign, a fire extinguisher, and a reflective vest. Moreover, these items are not only necessary in emergency situations. Police officers at the border can also check their presence.
We figured out the necessary items.Now let's talk about the optional, but highly desirable things that you need to have with you, going on a long journey by car. So, it does not hurt to put in the trunk of a compressor for tire inflation. Also check the condition of your reserve or “dokatka”. If you are planning a trip in the autumn-winter time, then keep in mind that the use of studded tires in Europe is prohibited.
Не упустите из вида и буксировочный трос.Of course, in which case you can use a tow truck, but more often it is much easier to tow a stalled car, especially if you are traveling by company on several cars. It is advisable to capture all the vital for your car fluid topping up. After all, in case of anything, it can help you get to the nearest service, and maybe to Russia, which will seriously save on repair costs. Also, bring along a set of basic tools: pliers, wrenches, and screwdrivers. Also useful are plastic clips, tape and electrical tape. All these items will not take up much space in the trunk, but in some situations may be literally irreplaceable.
Итак, любая поездка в Европу начинается с border crossing. Since the price of gasoline abroad is quite high, we recommend filling a full tank even in the CIS. On the border with the European Union, you can write the number of liters in the tank, but worry about it is not worth it, and no one will take money in the form of a fee for it.
When communicating with border guards and customs officersbehave correctly and politely. Follow all requests coming from their side. So, they may ask you to open the trunk, hood or show the contents of the bags. Surely the border guard will ask about the purpose of your trip. Do not invent any fables, answer as is.
If your car is toned frontglass, then keep in mind that this may cause problems at the border. The fact is that in Europe such tinting is prohibited. It may even go so far as to be asked to remove the film, which can be quite difficult, especially in winter. However, even if you safely enter the territory of the European Union with tinted windows, you should not delude yourself and think that all problems are behind. After all, you can easily stop the first policeman. And in this case, you will not only be forced to get rid of toning, but also pay a pretty decent fine.
So, you have successfully overcome all the formalities, andYour iron horse briskly winds the first kilometers along the roads of the European Union. But relax and here is not worth it. First of all, it is recommended to immediately pay the fare on the autobahn. In Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria, you need to purchase a sticker that should be attached to the windshield. It will mean that you paid the fare on the autobahn. The cost of a sticker may vary depending on the country, but on average it will cost about 15 euros.
Теперь для того, чтобы поездка на авто в Европу brought you only positive emotions, it remains only to carefully observe all the rules of the road. Before entering each country that is part of the European Union, you will see an information board indicating the speed limits for the city, country roads and highways. It is very important to remember these numbers and not exceed them. After all, speeding even a few kilometers per hour can result in a minimum fine of 30 euros. For more serious violations, the fine may amount to several hundreds, or even thousands of euros! And to avoid punishment is unlikely, as on all roads there is modern video recording equipment. If a policeman stops you, do not even try to bribe him. Not only will he not take the money, he can also hold you accountable for trying to bribe an official.
However, traveling by car in Europe andConcentrating on speeding on European roads, we should not forget about other traffic rules. So, very carefully follow the signs, traffic lights and markings. By the way, the latter, in most cases, is very intelligent and can not only confuse, but, on the contrary, help the driver to correctly cross a junction or intersection. Of course, as a rule, the first kilometers along the roads of Europe are accompanied by a slight stress from our drivers. However, gradually you will get a taste and be very surprised at the driving style of our compatriots after returning home.
It would be naive to believe that tourist trips toEurope on a private car is much cheaper than traveling by plane. Therefore, the expenditure is an important point in planning your vacation. We suggest briefly finding out how much a trip to Europe can cost on your own "iron horse" and which expense items your budget should include.
