Europe By Road: A Beginner's Guide.

EUROPE BY ROAD - A BEGINNER’S GUIDE

By Voyager Europe

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2014 Voyager Europe

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Our number one aim is to help you get out on the open road, travelling, and enjoying a better kind of life. However, this document is intended as a guide only. It is not any form of legal advice, and it is not a substitute for your own research. The publisher and author accept no responsibility for any actions, claims or events resulting directly or indirectly from the content of this guide.

1 - INTRODUCTION

2 - PLANNING YOUR TRIP

2.1 - YOUR BUDGET & TRAVEL HABITS

CHEAP & CHEERFUL

COMFORTABLE

ALL-OUT

FAQ’s - BUDGETING

2.2 - YOUR ROUTE

2.3 - TIMING

SUMMER

AUTUMN

WINTER

SPRING

2.4 - YOUR VISA

FAQ’S - EU & EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP

FAQ’S - SCHENGEN VISA

FAQ’S - WORKING HOLIDAY VISA

FAQ’S - RELATION & SPOUSE VISA

RESOURCES

3 - CHOOSING A VEHICLE

3.1 - OVERVIEW

MOTORBIKES

CARS

CARAVANS

5TH WHEELERS

SLIDE-ONS

CAMPERS

MOTORHOMES

RVs

3.2 - WHAT TO LOOK FOR

SIZE & LENGTH

WEIGHT

INTERIOR LAYOUT

AMENITIES & EXTRAS

AGE & ODOMETER

ENGINE, POWER & FUEL

FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VS REAR WHEEL DRIVE

LEFT HAND DRIVE VS RIGHT HAND DRIVE

CONVERTING A VEHICLE

4 - GETTING A VEHICLE IN EUROPE

4.1 - RENTING

4.2 - SWAPPING

4.3 - BUYING

NON-EU CITIZENS BUYING IN EUROPE

NON-EU CITIZEN FAQ’s

EU CITIZENS BUYING IN EUROPE

EU CITIZEN FAQ’s

WHERE TO LOOK

DEALER VS PRIVATE SELLER

OUR SUGGESTION TO BUYERS

4.4 - BYO

SHIPPING A LARGE RV

RESOURCES

5 - PUTTING YOUR VEHICLE ON THE ROAD

5.1 - ROADWORTHY INSPECTION / CERTIFICATE

5.2 - COMPULSORY / 3RD PARTY INSURANCE (GREEN CARD)

5.3 - REGISTRATION

IMPORTING

5.4 - ENVIRONMENTAL TAXES

5.5 - ADDITIONAL INSURANCE

ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE

BREAKDOWN INSURANCE

FIRE & THEFT / COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE

CONTENTS INSURANCE

5.6 - CASE STUDY (GERMANY)

STEP ONE - REGISTER AS A RESIDENT

STEP TWO - TUV

STEP THREE - GET REGISTRATION DOCUMENTS / VEHICLE PAPERS

STEP FOUR - COMPULSORY INSURANCE

STEP FIVE - REGISTRATION

6 - PREPARING TO HIT THE ROAD

6.1 - ESSENTIAL ADMIN

BANKING

DOCUMENTS

PRESCRIPTIONS & PERSONAL CARE

6.2 - ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT

LEGALLY REQUIRED

TOOLS & ACCESSORIES

GAS

ELECTRONICS & INTERNET

VEHICLE SECURITY

PERSONAL SAFETY

ELECTRONICS

BATTERIES

SOLAR

ADDITIONAL TRANSPORT

6.3 - MUST KNOW SAFETY

TOXIC GAS BUILD UP

REFUELING

FIRE SAFETY

HANDLING & HIGH WINDS

DRIVERS LICENCE

TOWING

7 - DRIVING IN EUROPE

7.1 - SPEED LIMITS

7.2 - HEIGHT & WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS

7.3 - TOLLS & VIGNETTES

7.4 - LOW EMISSION ZONES

7.5 - ALCOHOL LIMITS

7.6 - DRIVING ETIQUETTE

7.7 - BORDER CROSSINGS

7.8 - FAQ’s

8 - LIVING ON THE ROAD

8.1 - WHERE TO PARK / PITCH

8.2 - FINDING PARKING & PITCHES

8.3 - TERMS & ETIQUETTE

8.4 - GETTING AROUND

USEFUL APPS / BOOKS

8.5 - SECURITY & STAYING SAFE

LEAVING YOUR VEHICLE

PARKING IN PUBLIC

PERSONAL SAFETY

COMMON EUROPEAN SCAMS

FAQ’s

8.6 - KEEPING IN TOUCH

GETTING INTERNET ACCESS

PHONE CALLS & SMS

BLOGGING

8.7 - WORK

WORKING ONLINE

WORKING IN EUROPE

RESOURCES

8.8 - EXERCISE

8.9 - MAINTENANCE

8.10 - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

9 - PARTING WITH YOUR VEHICLE

9.1 - STORAGE

WHEN & WHERE

COSTS

PREPARING FOR STORAGE

RESOURCES

9.2 - SELLING YOUR VEHICLE

CONVERTED & MODIFIED VEHICLES

10 - THREE EPIC ROUTES ACROSS EUROPE

10.1 - THE FRENCH & ITALIAN RIVIERA

10.2 - THE BALKAN COAST

10.3 - GREEK IONIAN COAST

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

1 - INTRODUCTION

There is no better way to see Europe than by open road. Whether you're planning a short-but-sweet road trip, a seasonal vacation, or a complete change of lifestyle for a year or more, this guide has you covered.

We will take you through the entire process from start to finish, drawing from a huge range of online resources, forum posts, paperbacks, and years of first-hand experience. Campers, caravans, motorhomes & RV's are the focus, but a lot of advice applies to motorcycles and regular cars too. A huge bonus is the all the additional information made available on www.Voyager-Europe.com, which ties in directly to this guide. Instead of overloading you with every single detail, we will refer to that website regularly; you can choose what to learn in depth, depending on what matters to you most.

Your European tour begins with the planning, budgeting and visa phase, followed by a detailed analysis of all the different vehicle options available, and how to buy / rent / swap or ship them from overseas. For those wanting to buy a vehicle in Europe / EU, we run through registering, insuring and putting them on the road legally (EU & non-EU citizens included) - there's even a step-by-step how-to case study. This guide finishes with day-to-day living advice on finding campsites, staying connected online, road rules, security, safety, and a 3-part Epic European Road Trips chapter to get you off in the right direction.

The information in this guide will literally save you days, even weeks of research, especially If it's your first time being on the road in Europe (or anywhere for that matter). The authors have done it the hard way so you don't have to. Unique, cheap, rewarding and ever-changing experiences await those willing to take on the challenge - or to put it a little more eloquently:

The road is not a line between places; it is a place between places, a place of its own.. If departure is the past and arrival is the future, then the road is the present.. - Leon Wieseltier

2 - PLANNING YOUR TRIP

No matter your vision of the perfect European trip by road, the basics are the same, and it all starts with good planning. This is a process you need to start months in advance - aim for a 6 month buffer at a minimum if you plan to travel for more than 3 months, or you plan to buy a vehicle in Europe, or you plan to ship your own vehicle to Europe.

If you’ve missed this window, all is not lost; there are still plenty of options open to you, but you better get planning ASAP. Luckily you can always arrange a rental vehicle in less than a few days, and there’s no need to book ahead with most campsites or hostels, so even if you’re only weeks out from your trip, it’s still worth reading on.

2.1 - YOUR BUDGET & TRAVEL HABITS

Europe can be toured by anybody - from those looking to experience the nitty-gritty charm of a low-budget road trip, right up to somebody wanting a luxury yacht on wheels with all the trimmings of 5 star holiday. That being said, it’s important to define what type of traveller you are, and what kind of experience you’d love to have. After all, budgeting properly means spending less on the mundane, and more on what matters.

Here we’ll give you a sense of how much you're up for while travelling Europe by road, depending on the type of travel you plan to do. Note that these figures are based on the combined costs for 2 adults. If you’d like more info on the source data - which will allow you to really hone in on your particular costs or account for more travellers, then just visit www.Voyager-Europe.com and search for the Budgeting On The Road post.

So, here’s a look at 3 different types of traveller - which one are you?

CHEAP & CHEERFUL

We assume you’re willing to do just about anything to keep costs down, so that you can make your trip longer or more action-packed. Here’s what you can expect to spend:

It costs a minimum of about €26.00 per day for 2 adults to live on the road in Europe (plus upfront costs), regardless of how you choose to get around.

Vehicle rental will be an extra daily cost (unless you buy a vehicle upfront of course) – expect a minimum of an additional €50.00 rent per day for a vehicle you can live in (like a small camper van), or about €20.00 per day for a very basic small car or hatchback.

At a minimum, a vehicle that you can live in costs about €4000.00 to buy upfront, including kitting it out & getting it on the road legally. This is likely to be a very basic sedan or empty van - nothing fancy, but it’ll do the job.

Motorcycling, cycling or hitchhiking are progressively cheaper ways to get into travelling by road, but will cost the same daily amount once upfront costs are accounted for.

COMFORTABLE

You want to keep costs to a minimum without roughing it. If an opportunity arises, you’re not going to let budgeting get in the way.

An ideal budget would be about €70.00 per day for 2 adults on a short vacation of a month or two, or about €48.00 per day if living longer term (3 months or more).

Expect a minimum of an additional €80.00 rent per day for a vehicle that is purpose built for living in (like a medium sized camper van or an older model motorhome).

At a minimum, a vehicle that you can live in comfortably costs about €10,000.00 to buy upfront, including kitting it out & getting it on the road legally. You could expect a late model (15 years or older) motorhome in good condition, or a newer (but not new) camper van in respectable condition for this kind of money.

ALL-OUT

You want to do things right – see all the sights, take all the tours, buy what you want, eat-out anywhere that looks good and have a proper vacation.

The maximum you can expect to spend is about €150.00 per day. If you are the type of person to spend that whole amount on a typical meal each day, then money probably won’t be a concern for you at all while on a trip around Europe by road.

Expect a minimum of an additional €110.00 rent per day for a vehicle you can easily live in (like a large, purpose built camper van, or a newer model motorhome).

At a minimum, a vehicle that would be considered base-level luxury costs about €50,000 to buy upfront, including kitting it out & getting it on the road legally. This would be a new model motorhome big enough for 2-4 people, or a larger but second hand RV. Top-of-the-line and brand new vehicles in the RV bus sized class would cost no less than €150,000 new.

It’s is difficult to find big RV’s to rent in Europe, so factor in a premium for a vehicle like this. To import your own RV/motorhome, expect to pay at least €2000.00 in one way shipping alone (from the US).

Overall the numbers are fairly surprising - regardless of how you choose to travel the open road, the daily costs are almost identical, and they are less than you might think. Of course, upfront costs vary based on the price of vehicles, insurance, registration and equipment. Remember that if you buy outright, you’ll always recoup a percentage of these upfront costs if you choose to sell up. The good news is that if you’re on a tight budget, no matter your method of transport, you’ll be able travel the open road, permanently or for vacation, for less than you’d be able to live in most parts of Europe – pretty impressive.

At the other end of the spectrum, you’d struggle to get a hotel room in some places for the entire amount you’ll spend going all-out travelling, shopping and eating for a day on the road (in style might we add).

Living and travelling by road might not be for everybody, or perhaps you still don’t not know where your spending habits will lie. A short term rental in your native country is a great way to get a feel for your ideal budget before committing to a serious overseas trip.

FAQ’s - BUDGETING

Cheap & Cheerful still seems expensive; couldn’t you spend less?.. Of course you could, but you’d be missing out on a lot of sights, regional food and attractions. We’ve tried to incorporate the real overall costs in this budget; things you might not have considered like travel insurance, internet access, souvenirs, fuel, road tolls, maintenance, etc. What you will find is that the longer you are on the road, the more you’ll learn to be able to reduce your living expenses. That does take months though, so plan for our minimum suggested amount, and if you can manage to do better then that’s a bonus.

I’m used to spending far more while on holiday; why is All-Out still quite cheap?.. One of the biggest benefits of living in a vehicle is avoiding hotel bills. A nice twin share hotel will cost anywhere from €120.00 p/n to €1500.00 p/n, whereas a luxury motorhome parked in the most high-end campground might cost €60.00 p/n max. You can’t really spend more than that on a campsite, even if you had an extra guest, children and pets with you. The difference in price is in the reduced services & overheads; no room service, no room cleaners, no porters, no valet, no in-room TV, no furniture etc. If that concerns you, then simply park your vehicle at a campground