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You face various challenges when traveling in a different country. For me, one of the biggest concerns is how you will get around. What mode of transport will you use? Some people opt for the public transport system, while others choose to hire a car. Clearly, the title of this post reveals which option we’re looking at today! What are the pros and cons of hiring a car while abroad?

Pro: More time-efficient

Having a car is a massive advantage concerning time. You don’t have to wait for buses or trains to arrive, there’s no schedule to adhere to; just go whenever you want. It allows you to make the most out of your time and spend less of your days waiting for transport to pick you up.  

Con: More effort required

Naturally, you have to physically drive the car to get around. This can be a slight disadvantage as you might be tired after a long day. Plus, when you’re on vacation, you don’t want to think about anything. It’s much easier to just sit on a train and let someone else do the driving. You’ve also got to learn the different routes to wherever you want to go, and perhaps get to grips with driving on the opposite side of the road. 

Pro: Could be cheaper for groups

If you’re traveling in a group, it is almost always cheaper to hire a car. This way, you split the price between your group, rather than each paying for expensive public transport tickets. The same is true if you’re with your family – you only have one payment to make instead of four or five every time you go somewhere. If you’re traveling on your own, it’s often more expensive to rent a car. Having said all of this, it depends on where you hire the car and what the public transport system is like. In some countries it is far cheaper to move around via buses or trains. 

Con: More risks involved

You might have zero experience driving a car in a foreign country. You know nothing of the roads or how the other people drive. Plus, you could drive a car that you’ve never driven before. All of this adds up to put you at more of a risk than if you were using public transport. It’s far easier to crash a car than it is for your train to crash. You’re then dealing with a very tricky situation trying to work out the car accident protocols in a foreign country. You might have to hire a car accident lawyer to claim compensation, but even this can be a challenge if they don’t speak your language. It’s all very stressful, and it could be avoided if you didn’t hire a car. There’s no guarantee that accidents will happen, but there are more risks involved when driving. 

Overall, it’s a tough decision. I will say that some people are better suited to hiring a car, while others would prefer public transport. Weigh up the pros and cons before coming to your decision.