Renting a car in another country has become a common practice for tourists. The rental rules in different countries are very similar - after all, international companies operate in this market. However, there is also some specificity. This article covers the specifics of car rental in Finland.
1. What you need to rent a car
- international driver's license - you can get them at the district traffic police department;
- passport with a valid visa;
- means of payment: credit card (MasterCard, Visa, etc.) or cash; if you plan to pay with a card, then a certain amount should remain on it after paying the rent (check with the lessor for what value); if you pay in cash, you will have to leave a deposit of 300 to 600 euros).
2. Who can rent a car
A car can be rented by a citizen aged 18-25 years with a driving experience of 1-3 years (each company has its own age bracket, sometimes it depends on the class of the car).
3. Where to rent a car
The most convenient option is to book a car online. But if for some reason you could not do this, then you can arrange a rental at the airport, at the railway station, at the hotel. The following car rental companies operate in Finland:
- Hertz (https://www.hertz-finland.ru/). The most famous car rental company with a representative office in many countries, including Finland.
- Sixt (site sixt.com). German international company. Sixt has offices in Finland at the airports of Helsinki, Oulu, Vaasa, Kemi, Kuusamo, Pori, Rovaniemi.
- Europcar (europcar.com). Also an international company with offices in 150 countries.
- Alamo (alamo.com). American company with offices in 18 countries in Europe and Asia.
- CarTrawler (cartrawler.com). British international car rental company, one of the oldest and most reputable.
4. Car rental cost
The rental car fleet in Finland is over 50,000 vehicles, a wide range of cars from hatchbacks and minivans to premium cars. The rental price depends, firstly, on the type of car, and secondly, on the season; the price can range from 400 to 2000 euros per week, subject to unlimited mileage. As additional options, the companies provide navigation devices and equipment, child seats and seats, wheel chains and winter tires, and a hinged trunk.
As a rule, the rental price includes:
- local VAT;
- mileage without limitation;
- insurance against damages with a deductible;
- insurance against theft with a deductible;
- civil liability insurance.
5. What you need to pay attention to
- upon receipt of the car, it is necessary to carefully inspect all possible damage (cracks, scratches, dents, etc.) and be sure to record them in the acceptance certificate;
- it is better to sign a contract with unlimited mileage; if the contract specifies the permissible mileage of the car, then after exceeding it, you will have to pay additionally for each kilometer covered in excess of the norm;
- an additional fee is charged for the second driver;
- the car is rented with a full tank, and it must also be returned with a full refueling, otherwise you will have to pay extra at the company's tariff, which, as a rule, is greatly overestimated;
- if you want to visit more than one country, find out - where you can go with a rented car, and where you can not, each company has its own restrictions.
Enjoy your road trip around the country of Suomi!
