It might surprise you to learn that prior to this trip, I had never driven a car in Europe. In fact, prior to living in Costa Rica, I don’t think I had ever driven a car outside the USA. 😱

Why had I never driven a car in Europe?

1. Fear of roundabouts after seeing Chevy Chase in European Vacation. 😅
2. No real need. Most of Europe has great public transportation like trains, buses, trams, and now ride-sharing services like Uber.

Why did I decide to rent a car this time? As most of you who are reading this know, I love to hike and explore. Having a car allows me to get off the beaten path.

Stay in the right lane! In the USA, the right lane is considered the “slow” lane. In Europe, the right lane is considered the “only lane you should be in.” The left lanes are only for passing. Once you pass a car, you get back in the right lane. If you don’t, you’re bound to have someone flashing their lights and driving dangerously close behind you.

Beware of speed limit changes and hidden speed traps! I have been driving down the freeway and I’ve had the speed limit change 3-4 times in a 5 minute period. You need to constantly keep your eyes on the road (and off your phone) so you don’t miss the speed limit change. You will almost never see a highway patrol car or police, because your speed is being tracked by hidden cameras. If you get caught going over the speed limit, an electronic ticket will be sent to you or your rental car company. In my case, I received a bill from my rental car company (#sixt) informing me of a $20 charge. I was okay with that, until I realized that this was a fee from the rental car company — not the fee for the ticket. In my case, I was going the equivalent of 4 mph over the speed limit. 🤬 My advice — rent a car with cruise control and use it. Don’t speed!

Did I overcome my fear of roundabouts? I can proudly say that while I’m not an expert, I’ve gotten much better at roundabouts. The main point is to listen to your GPS as it tells you which exit in the roundabout to take. For example, your GPS should say, “Now take the 2nd exit.” Then you just need to count the number of exits you’ve passed. If you miss the exit, just keep going around till you reach it again. Yes — just like Chevy Chase in European Vacation. 😂

Gas stations – Gas stations in Europe are great — but not just for getting gas. The toilets are usually super clean — nothing like American gas stations. They sell all kinds of snacks and drinks. Many even sell entire meals like grilled meat or fresh pizza — again, nothing like food in American gas stations. I’ve noticed that gas stations in most of Europe are self-service. You pump the gas and then pay inside. In Serbia it was full service — so you just pay the attendant and they pump the gas for you.

Toll booths – Some countries, like the Netherlands, have no toll booths. Other countries, like France and Italy, have them all over. Most operate by the driver pulling up and taking a ticket. When you exit the highway, you insert that ticket (or hand it to an attendant), and you pay. Many have contactless payment (e.g. Apple Pay), but others take a card, or cash.

I’ll update this post as I experience more of the quirks of driving in Europe. I hope you find this information useful, or at the very least have a bit of a laugh at my learnings. Feel free to comment if you have questions, if you think I forgot something, or to share your awkward or funny moments driving in Europe.