Myths about renting cars abroad – we don't make mistakes

Holidays should be planned in advance, considering all the details and nuances, especially with regard to convenient movement and transport.For example, you came to relax on an amazing Greek island Thassos, which is famous for its magical landscapes, snow-white sand and gentle sea. But you are unlikely to be able to live near the sea, since coastal hotels are very expensive. Therefore, as a rule, you will have to get to the nearest beach by transport. The perfect solution, and sometimes the only one, will be a rental car.

It is important that renting a car abroad becomes a pleasant moment during your vacation. To do this, let's look at the basic nuances and dispel some myths.

Kazakh rights comply with international conventions and can be used in all countries

The Kazakh driver's license is not quoted everywhere. There will be no problems in the countries that signed the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic in 1968. With this document, the states have adopted an agreement to accept the driver's licenses of all countries participating in this convention (there are several dozen of them). Kazakhstan's rights will definitely not be accepted in Japan and the USA. In practice, there are often situations when car rental companies in Europe refuse to hire Kazakhstani drivers. In such cases, it is not always possible to prove one's right using the Vienna Convention.

For information. In many European countries, a car is rented to persons over the age of 21, but in Luxembourg even over the age of 23.

Kazakhstanis will not be able to rent a car in Japan

In Japan, Kazakh driver's licenses are not valid, since Japan has signed the Geneva Convention, and Kazakhstan the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. Many small rental companies simply do not know all the intricacies of the convention, so often Kazakhstanis will simply be refused. Also, in most rental offices, employees do not know English or Russian, and documents must be filled out in Japanese. The staff speaks English only in large rental companies, which are usually located at international airports.

If you still managed to rent a car in Japan,remember! The traffic here is on the left, and all the road signs are in Japanese. In addition, there are a lot of toll roads in this country and they are not cheap. For example, to travel 450 km from Tokyo to Kyoto, you should pay about 14,000 yen. Parking is also expensive in Japan, and a Kazakhstani tourist is unlikely to be able to afford it. It is impossible to park for free in Tokyo, you will have to pay for a couple of hours of parking in the center of the capital about 3 000 yen)

Therefore, before renting a car in Japan, you should weigh everything and think very carefully.

About 42% of Kazakhstanis rent a car to travel in European countries. The rental period lasts on average 6-8 days. About half of the traveling drivers rent an economy class vehicle, with mechanics, without air conditioning, in order to reduce the cost of this service.

There is no need to inspect the car, as there is insurance

After renting a vehicle, you should not quickly leave the parking lot of the rental company. Inspect the car carefully, check whether the wipers, headlights, turn signals are working, whether the door locks, power windows, seat belts are in order, whether there is a spare wheel, a fire extinguisher. Be sure to start the cars, see if the breakage indicators are glowing.

You should also check the documents to see if they contain records of minor body damage, such as scratches, dents, etc. If the damage is not recorded, ask them to be included in the acceptance certificate so that you do not get into trouble when handing over the car, unless, of course, you have full insurance. Undoubtedly, having full insurance is very convenient, it saves you from many troubles, but at the same time the rental cost increases significantly.

Full Collision Damage Waiver; full car insurance, for which you will have to pay about 150 euros on average per week.

If you have purchased full insurance, be sure to check the fuel level when renting a car and specify it in the contract. This is necessary so that you are not charged extra money for the fuel consumed by the previous tenant. It is more profitable to fill it up to the required rate before handing over the transport, so as not to pay at an increased rate.

No fear of an accident with little driving experience

When renting a car abroad, it is necessary that your driving experience be at least one year. Some rental companies increase the length of service to two years, and sometimes more.

Even if you have a solid driving experience, you should not exceed your capabilities and strength, you think realistically and sensibly.

It is recommended before traveling, when planning a route, to compare its duration and complexity with your experience. If you have never traveled very long distances before, if you have no experience driving on mountain serpentines, be sure to think carefully before getting behind the wheel. Perhaps in such a situation it is better to give preference to public transport or rent a car with an experienced driver. After all, your life is worth much more.

The reason for the refusal of a visa may be that the driver was previously involved in an accident in this country

A visa to a country where the driver was previously responsible for a serious traffic accident is likely to be refused next time. The police must transmit all information about the accident to the databases. As a rule, for a consular officer, the presence of such negative information about a person can negatively affect the decision to issue a visa. Also, a negative point is that the driver does not pay a fine in his own country. For example, if you do not pay a fine in Finland, you will be refused a visa in other Schengen countries.

Kazakhstanis prefer to relax with children in their homeland

RENTACARS conducted a study according to which 56% of tourists prefer to relax with children in Kazakhstan.

Moreover, it is quite convenient to rent a car in Astana and go on a tourist trip around Kazakhstan. Kazakhstanis noted this direction as a priority and safer one. Often, in 72% of cases, women go on vacation with a child. About 77% of the surveyed people prefer to travel with children on vacation by plane. The average age of children who travel with adults is over 8 years old. As a rule, children's holidays last about a week on average.

For information

The cost of renting a car abroad depends largely on the rental company, the car itself, seasonality, rental restrictions. The most expensive rental vehicles in Iceland and Norway. In Japan, this service is also not cheap.