The road atlas

Plan the drive before choosing the car.

Use our practical route and rental guides to make the decisions that change the trip: pickup, luggage fit, deposits, tolls, ferries, borders and return timing.

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Road trips worth slowing down for

Each route is a planning framework, not a race through pins. Check current roads and the selected supplier conditions.

Rental car on the Algarve coast in Portugal

Road-trip planner

Portugal coast road trip

Plan a Porto, Lisbon and Algarve drive around airport pickup, city parking and electronic tolls. Compare an approved Faro one-way return.

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Rental car on the Mediterranean coast near Barcelona

Road-trip planner

Spanish Mediterranean road trip

Plan a Barcelona to Alicante coast drive with Valencia stops, city access and an exact return branch. Choose pickup days around parking.

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Rental car on a road beneath Mount Etna in Sicily

Road-trip planner

Sicily road trip

Plan a Sicily road trip between Catania and Palermo with vehicle, parking, toll and one-way rental guidance.

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Rental car on the Pacific coast in California

Road-trip planner

California coast road trip

Plan a Los Angeles to San Francisco car rental with a coastal detour, current road access, parking and an approved one-way return.

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Rental car on a palm-lined Florida road

Road-trip planner

Florida fly-drive

Plan a Florida fly-drive around Orlando, Miami and the Keys. Check rental toll billing, island road timing and your exact airport return.

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Rental car on a green North Island road in New Zealand

Road-trip planner

New Zealand North Island road trip

Plan Auckland, Rotorua and Wellington by hire car. Check left-side driving, New Zealand tolls, the exact return and ferry policy.

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Rental car beside an alpine lake in New Zealand's South Island

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New Zealand South Island road trip

Plan Christchurch, Queenstown and Te Anau by hire car. Check alpine road conditions, luggage fit and an eligible one-way return.

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Car parked beside Kotor Bay with stone buildings and mountains behind it

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Croatia and Montenegro road trip

Plan a Dubrovnik to Kotor and Budva drive with the right pickup and return. Check border approval, bay traffic, ferry permission and full hire cost.

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Car descending a hillside road above the Brisbane River and city skyline

Road-trip planner

Australia east coast road trip

Choose a Sydney to Brisbane or Brisbane to Cairns drive before booking. Compare airport pickup, long distances and an eligible one-way return.

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Illustration of a burgundy compact hire car travelling along a Cretan coastal road beside olive groves and mountains

Road-trip planner

Heraklion to Chania one-way car hire

Plan Heraklion to Chania or the reverse by hire car. Compare HER and CHQ pickups, Rethymno stops, exact one-way return, fees, parking and ferry limits.

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Illustration of a silver touring hire car on a sunny Spain and Portugal border-region motorway approaching a river bridge

Road-trip planner

Spain to Portugal one-way car hire

Plan Spain to Portugal or the reverse by hire car. Separate border permission from foreign return approval, then compare branches, tolls and alternatives.

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Iceland Ring Road illustration showing a burgundy SUV parked at a gravel turnout beside dark lava rock and green plains, with snow-capped mountains behind.

Road-trip planner

Iceland Ring Road by hire car

Plan a hire car for Iceland's Route 1 loop: choose KEF or Reykjavík collection, allow for road closures, and compare fuel, usage charges and returns.

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Illustration: A blue compact car is parked by the curb as a traveller walks along a sunny coastal promenade toward the Rock of Gibraltar.

Road-trip planner

Taking a Spanish hire car into Gibraltar

Can a Spanish hire car enter Gibraltar? Check supplier permission, cover, documents and the return to Spain, or park in La Línea and cross on foot.

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Make the rental decision clearly

Separate the headline price from the card, deposit, pickup, route and return conditions that control the real booking.

Rental car on a mountain road while travelling abroad

Decision guide

Driving abroad with a rental car

Check the licence, local rules and rental agreement before an overseas drive. Match border, road and return permission to the car you book.

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Blue car parked at a mountain overlook above a winding road

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International driving permits and rental cars

Check whether your licence needs an international driving permit or translation for car hire abroad. Bring the original licence and check supplier terms.

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Coastal road winding past white houses above the sea

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Rental car deposits and payment cards

Check the lead driver's accepted card, security hold and excess before booking a rental car. Plan available funds and the release process.

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Car on a winding road above a bay and green hills

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Airport shuttle vs terminal car hire

Compare terminal and shuttle car hire using your arrival, luggage and return flight. Check the meeting point, operating hours and whole trip cost.

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Empty coastal road curving around Kotor Bay beneath mountains

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One-way car hire guide

Plan a worldwide one-way rental around the exact return branch, vehicle and border rules. Compare its fee with the drive back to pickup.

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Rental car approaching a ferry port on the Adriatic

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Taking a rental car on a ferry

Taking a hire car on a ferry? Confirm the vehicle, crossing, cover and island return in the rental terms before buying a vehicle ticket.

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Car on a winding road through hills and cypress trees

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Rental car tolls by country

Plan tolls for a rental car in Portugal, Spain, Florida or New Zealand. Check the road system, vehicle device and supplier billing before driving.

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Car on a coastal road beside vineyards and fields

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Automatic vs manual rental car

Choose automatic or manual car hire for the driver's licence, confidence and route. Check that transmission is a booked condition, not a desk request.

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Car descending a hillside road above the Brisbane River and city skyline

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Child seats and additional drivers

Plan a rental car with child seats and extra drivers. Check each traveller's legal restraint, the car's fit and the supplier's named-driver rules.

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Car driving on a forest road beside a lake and mountains

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Rental car pickup and return photos

Take useful rental-car condition photos at collection and return. Record existing marks, fuel, mileage and the handover evidence.

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Car on a waterfront road beneath an aircraft above a marina

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Tivat Airport or Podgorica Airport for Kotor?

Choose Tivat or Podgorica Airport for Kotor around the first night, bay traffic and final flight. Check the branch and return terms.

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Silver car on a road overlooking the Acropolis in Athens

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Rental car deposits and payment cards in Greece

Check Greek airport and island rental deposits, the lead driver's accepted card and the security hold before choosing an offer.

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Car parked beside Kotor Bay with stone buildings and mountains behind it

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Croatia and Montenegro car hire border permissions

Plan Croatia to Montenegro car hire with written vehicle approval, insurance evidence and return terms. Treat ferry and one-way plans separately.

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Grey car parked on a stone street beside a coastal harbour

Decision guide

Best car type for a Balkan road trip

Choose a Balkan rental car for full luggage, old-town parking and longer road days. Check transmission and permitted roads in the offer.

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Silver car on a road overlooking the Acropolis in Athens

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Athens Airport vs Piraeus Port car hire

Choose Athens Airport or Piraeus Port pickup around your flight, ferry and first mainland drive. Check the booked handover and ferry conditions.

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Rental car on a coastal road near Tivat with the Bay of Kotor beyond

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Dubrovnik or Tivat Airport car hire for Kotor and Budva

Compare Dubrovnik and Tivat Airport car hire for Kotor and Budva using border planning, arrival timing, vehicle fit, parking and return conditions.

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Silver car on a waterfront road beside a Dalmatian harbour

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Dubrovnik or Split Airport car hire for Dalmatia

Choose Dubrovnik or Split Airport car hire around the first Dalmatian stay, ferry plans and the exact return branch and road route.

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Car on a winding road beside a river through a rocky gorge

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Skopje Airport vs Pristina Airport car hire

Choose Skopje or Pristina Airport pickup around the first country and final flight. Check cross-border approval and exact return terms.

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Dark car on a coastal road with an aircraft overhead

Decision guide

Croatia and Montenegro one-way car hire

Check whether a Dubrovnik or Split pickup can end at Tivat or Podgorica. Compare border approval, exact return branches, fees and time saved.

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Illustration of a blue estate hire car approaching an electronic motorway gantry in Portuguese countryside

Decision guide

Portugal tolls in a hire car

Plan Portugal hire-car tolls by road and payment method. The Algarve A22 toll ended in 2025, but other motorways and rental-device charges still matter.

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Canary Islands ferry illustration showing an orange compact car waiting in a marked vehicle lane beside a white ferry with a loading ramp and volcanic hills.

Decision guide

Canary Islands ferries with a hire car

Plan Tenerife to Gran Canaria or Lanzarote to Fuerteventura with a hire car. Check the vessel, written rental permission, cover and island return.

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Balearic ferry illustration showing a navy crossover beside a traveller with a suitcase on a sunlit quay, with a white ferry and turquoise water behind.

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Balearic ferries with a hire car

Plan a mainland to Mallorca, Menorca or Ibiza ferry, then compare island hops. Separate car carriage from rental permission, cover and the booked return.

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Illustration: A burgundy compact car is parked on a sunlit Corfu quay while a traveller with a rolling suitcase walks toward a white passenger ferry, with the old waterfront and blue water behind.

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Corfu and Saranda hire car ferry decisions

Plan Corfu to Saranda or the reverse with a hire car. Check car ferry space, border documents, supplier permission and separate port rentals.

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Illustration: An olive-green estate car waits in a marked lane on a Greek island quay beside a large white vehicle ferry with its ramp lowered, with blue Aegean water and low hills behind.

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Greek island hopping with a hire car

Plan car hire across Greek islands using real port pickups. Compare separate rentals with an approved vehicle ferry, then protect each return and sailing.

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Illustration: A dark green 4x4 is parked at a gravel turnout as an Icelandic highland road winds away through rugged, mossy hills.

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Iceland F roads in a hire car

Plan an Iceland F-road hire car by checking live access, the exact 4x4 agreement and river risk. Roads 35 and 550 can also have rental restrictions.

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Illustration: A traveller checks an ochre SUV with a phone in a paved collection bay beside Icelandic lava terrain.

Decision guide

Iceland hire car cover and excess

Compare Iceland hire-car cover for gravel, sand and ash, wind, doors and water. Check each product's excess, exclusions and deposit before collection.

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Illustration: A burgundy estate car is parked in a snowy turnout beside a clear asphalt road, with Icelandic winter hills in low daylight.

Decision guide

Iceland winter driving with a hire car

Plan an Iceland winter hire car around shorter daylight, fitted tyres and live road alerts. Compare KEF and Reykjavík pickup and protect your return.

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Illustration of a white compact hire car parked beside a Kos harbour with a separate ferry ramp and island hills

Decision guide

Kos hire car and ferries

Decide whether to take a Kos hire car on a ferry or travel on foot. Check the exact ship, supplier permission, cover, island return and border rules.

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Illustration of a small hire car on a paved Crete road above a rough track leading towards a lagoon

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Crete unpaved roads in a hire car

Planning Balos or Elafonisi with a Crete hire car? Check the road surface, rental restrictions and boat option before driving onto a rough approach.

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Illustration of an unbranded rental car at a Spanish petrol station as its driver plans the return fuel level

Decision guide

Spain car hire fuel policies

Compare full-to-full, prepaid fuel and refund rules on Spain car hire offers. Check collection charges, service costs and the return fuel level before booking.

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Illustration of a compact hire car on a winding paved Madeira hillside road above the Atlantic

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Madeira roads in a hire car

Choose a Madeira hire car for steep, narrow roads. Compare manual and automatic control, passenger load, Funchal parking and the airport return.

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Illustration of a teal rental car approaching a generic Florida electronic toll road beneath palms

Decision guide

Florida rental car tolls and toll programmes

Plan Florida rental car tolls before pickup. Compare the supplier toll programme with a portable SunPass and check Orlando or Miami route costs.

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Illustration of a terracotta rental crossover with California coast and Nevada desert route alternatives

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California one-way car rental decisions

Compare LA, San Francisco and Las Vegas one-way car rentals in both directions. Check the exact return branch, drop charge, mileage and route.

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Illustration of a rental key and driver documents with three adult age groups and an ivory compact car

Decision guide

Car hire age limits by country and supplier

Compare car hire age limits across 17 countries with named supplier examples, minimum and maximum ages, young-driver fees and vehicle-class restrictions.

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Illustration of an unbranded debit card, car key and blank deposit checklist beside a navy hire car

Decision guide

Debit card car hire by country and company

Compare debit card car hire in 17 countries. Check named suppliers, security deposit rules, physical-card requirements and vehicle or branch restrictions.

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Thessaloniki to Halkidiki illustration showing a turquoise hatchback at a pine-shaded pull-in above a winding coastal road and blue sea

Decision guide

Thessaloniki to Halkidiki by rental car

Choose SKG or city pickup for a Halkidiki drive, then plan Kassandra, Sithonia or the eastern coast and a workable return before booking.

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Italy ZTL illustration showing a coral hire car outside a stone town entrance with a restriction sign, camera and an alternative road

Decision guide

Italy ZTL rules for rental cars

Avoid an unplanned Italy ZTL entry. Check the local signs, accommodation access and rental plate process before driving into a historic centre.

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Conceptual Ireland driving illustration showing an olive rental crossover parked beside a rural road, stone walls, green fields and a lake.

Decision guide

Ireland and Northern Ireland cross border car hire

Plan a Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland hire car trip in either direction. Check driver entry, supplier approval, cover and return branch.

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Santorini transport illustration showing a parked coral compact car, an unoccupied quad bike and a bus above a blue caldera and white village.

Decision guide

Santorini car vs ATV vs bus

Choose Santorini transport by arrival, luggage, route and return. Compare a hire car with KTEL buses and check ATV licence, helmet and cover.

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