More and more tourists prefer to travel around Europe in rented cars. There are many advantages in such tourism: you are not tied to public transport, regular buses and trains, you can independently choose the route and schedule of visiting attractions, control your spending.
Every tourist who plans a trip to Barcelona gets the opportunity to rent any car from the company's fleet. Do you prefer to travel in comfort? A modern premium car is waiting for you, designed to make your vacation more comfortable. Well, for those who are trying to save in everything, budget economy-class compact cars, which are in no way inferior in comfort and reliability to their more prestigious colleagues, are more suitable.
Car rental conditions in Barcelona
Traveling to different countries, each of us begins to value reliability and stability. These rules also apply when choosing a car rental company. Dozens of well-known companies offer car rental services in Barcelona today. It is very simple to agree on the provision of transport here: just contact one of the company's offices (located near the airport, railway and bus stations, in the city center), or by booking a car for a specific date via the Internet.
From the proposed catalog, everyone will be able to choose a suitable car for traveling, and the key points of using the vehicle will be fixed in the contract. If you book a car in advance, you will receive the keys within a few minutes from the moment you enter the office of the company. It is enough just to comply with the formalities.
The car rental process can be divided into the following stages:
- booking a vehicle for a specific date
- visiting the office of the company and signing the contract
- making a deposit using a bank card
- receipt of the car, its inspection
- compliance with other nuances
What documents will be required
Any tourist who has never previously encountered the need to rent a car abroad is wondering what documents may be needed for this. There is nothing complicated here. If some car rental companies may require a package of additional documents, then Auto Europe requires only three documents from customers:
- foreign passport proving identity;
- driver's license with an open category;
- an international bank card.
Everything is clear with the passport: it must be valid for the entire period of the car rental. Speaking of a driving license, it is worth noting that it is better to have an international driving license with you. Although in some offices the acceptance of a Russian license is practiced (provided that the driver's data is duplicated in Latin letters).
There are other requirements for potential clients. So, only a driver who has reached 23 years of age and has at least one year of driving experience can use the services of a rental company. Of course, sometimes there are exceptions.
A bank card is needed in order to pay a deposit for a car. It must be issued by a bank operating in Barcelona, and the required amount of collateral must be in the account. The amount for the period of using the vehicle is frozen and becomes available again after the vehicle is returned.
Departure to other countries
If you are planning to visit not only Barcelona, but also other cities of Spain, as well as travel to neighboring countries within the same trip, it is worth knowing some of the nuances. In particular, the majority of companies take an additional fee for the opportunity to leave Spain and go to other European countries. Others, in addition to this, limit the possible directions of customers and impose additional conditions for such a service. For example, you may be allowed to travel to Portugal or Andorra, but not allowed to cross the border in a rented car towards Paris.
Auto Europe is pursuing a more loyal policy in this direction. Clients always have the opportunity to leave Spain and go about their business to the neighboring countries of Western Europe. At the same time, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the terms of such a service, as well as negotiate in advance such an opportunity with the office staff in which you plan to lend a vehicle.
Prices
Each rental company adheres to its own pricing policy. Sometimes, in pursuit of cheap offers, a client gets into unpleasant situations. It is better to overpay a little for additional guarantees than later become hostage to the situation and risk a vacation. Therefore, we advise you to carefully study the proposals of firms, analyzing their advantages over competitors and the main disadvantages.
Firms offer their clients to rent any car on the most favorable terms. In addition to the high quality of service, stability and reliability, there are always affordable prices. For example, you can rent an economy class car in one of the offices near Barcelona Airport for only 1600-3500 rubles per day. A roomy family sedan will cost from 4,800 rubles, and you will have to pay only 5,100 rubles for a daily SUV rental.
The most expensive offer today is the rental of seven-seater minivans, the cost of which will be 9 thousand rubles! You will not find such prices anywhere else in Barcelona.
Gasoline: cost and company policy
As in other European countries, higher prices for motor fuel were established in Spain than in Russia. But the quality of gasoline and diesel fuel is much higher than at domestic gas stations. So, as of today, one liter of the most common AI-95 will cost tourists 87.5 rubles. For AI-98 fuel, you will have to pay at least 97 rubles per liter, and diesel fuel is the cheapest here and costs only 78 rubles per liter.
It is worth mentioning the fuel plans of the car rental companies. In particular, today there are several options for renting a car with fuel. Customers can choose from the following options:
- the car is provided with a full tank, which is not paid, but the client after the end of the lease is obliged to return the vehicle with the same amount of fuel
- the client pays for a full tank, but returns the vehicle with an empty tank
- the office provides transport with a small amount of fuel, which is not paid for, but must be in the tank after the end of the lease
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Some traffic rules
In Barcelona, as well as throughout Spain, there are speed limits. So, in settlements it is allowed to move at a speed of up to 50 km / h, outside the city it is allowed to develop a speed of up to 90 km / h, and on expressways the limit is set at 120 km / h.
As in other European countries, you can drive on the right side of the road. Many of the tracks are toll, as evidenced by the sign with the letter "A". But there are also unique features. In particular, you need to pay for toll on highways not at the entrance, but at the exit (as soon as you enter the toll section of the road, you will be given a coupon, and you must pay the amount indicated in it at the exit point).
It should be noted that the road markings form the basis of Spanish road regulation.It is applied not only on the roadway, but also on poles and roadsides. The most dangerous places requiring increased attention are marked in yellow. The second important element of road regulation is special plastic bollards.
Similar requirements, which also apply in Russia, are the obligation of the driver and passengers to wear seat belts, a ban on driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs, compliance with the requirements of road signs and traffic lights. Do not forget about the safety of your children, who must be securely fixed in the child seat. The rented vehicle can be equipped with this and other additional devices at the office of the rental company. Unfortunately, these services are often paid.
Penalties
For traffic violations in Barcelona, they are punished harshly. Recently, law enforcement officers began to fine drivers who use anti-radar equipment. Installing such devices on a car is punished with a fine of 200 euros. Well, if your vehicle is equipped with devices that block radars, get ready to pay a fine of 6 thousand euros!
The penalty for drunk driving or under the influence of drugs is one of the highest in the world and amounts to 5 thousand euros! Several hundred dollars will be debited from your account even if you pass a red light, for ignoring parking bans, or for transporting a child without a special device.
Police officers have the right to demand payment of a fine on the spot. As proof that you have been punished, you must be given a receipt. There are also advantages of such a service. In particular, when paying a fine on the spot, the driver receives a 50 percent discount. But he will be deprived of the opportunity to appeal the fine. For those who disagree with the police or are unable to pay the fine on the spot, there is a 30-day deadline during which the offender must appeal the police officer's decision or pay the full amount of the fine.
Parking
In Barcelona, there are rules that clearly regulate the time and place for temporary leaving the car. It is worth noting that sometimes the rules for staging on different days and weeks of the same month differ dramatically. Only those who have special permits are allowed to leave cars in work areas.
In cities, you need to park vehicles on even days on the side of the street with even houses and vice versa. But in the areas marked in yellow, it is forbidden to leave the car even for a short time. If you need to stop for a while, look for paid parking, which is indicated by blue markings. There are parking meters where you can buy a subscription with an hourly payment. Be careful: the period of stay at such car parks is limited. If you need to leave the transport for the night or day, you should use the underground parking. For violation of the parking rules, you will be fined.
