Car Rental in Eastern Europe

Melissa asks:

Hi, I am wanting to drive through some parts of eastern Europe, I have no set itinerary yet, but I have about 10-15 days, and am keen to see many south eastern countries such as Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, etc.

Will I be able to hire a car from a car rental company in one of these countries that will allow me to drive the car between them all? Which country should I hire from? Any suggestions? Thanks!

My Response:

I'm not very familiar with car rentals in eastern Europe; most of my car rental experience is based on rentals in North America, but I can hopefully point you in the right direction.

It may be difficult to find a car rental that will accomodate your wishes. I did some research through AutoEurope, which gives great driving guides, that are harder to find with companies like Avis, Budget, Hertz, etc

I checked for some of the countries that you mentioned: (nothing was shown for Albania, at all). Information from AutoEurope stated:

Cars rented in Hungary are not allowed into:
Albania, Bosnia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Yugoslavia.
NOTE: For an additional fee, travel into some of the countries may be arranged for specific car categories with advance notice.

Cars rented in Bulgaria are not allowed to be taken outside of the country, exceptions may be granted for an additional fee. Additional insurance may also be required when traveling outside of Bulgaria.

Cars rented in Romania are not allowed into the following countries: Albania, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia.

I would suggest starting with AutoEurope.com or AutoEurope.ca (for Canadian) residents) , check into the driving guides,and what exceptions they mention that can be made for travel into all the countries you wish to visit.

*Note: Car rental companies can modify policy at any time; I make every attempt to maintain up-to-date info, but always check with an individual company to verify any policy. See: Disclaimer

Pages from this site related to this topic:

International Car Rentals

Find the Best Car Rental Rates in Top Destinations

Have a Car Rental Question? ... Ask Here!

See what others are asking about International Car Rentals

Is cross border travel allowed for a rental car from Milan??

Can I drive a Zurich rent a car into Eastern European countries?

What is the required rental deposit for a car rental in Germany?

Is an International License needed here?

See All International Car Rental Questions

Return to Car Rental FAQs

Return from Eastern Europe Cross Border Travel to Best Car Rental Tips home

New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.