Car rental on Lake Garda is one of the central arguments when organizing the trip that will allow you to circumnavigate the largest stretch of fresh water in Italy. The distances between the various towns that line the Garda are not so “important” but the traffic (especially in summer) will mean that travel can be very slow, be patient and enjoy the view, perhaps by choosing a convertible car, the car perfect for enjoying this holiday to the fullest. The solution can also be represented by the motorbike but you won’t want to risk it (talk about the weather that is dancing near the mountains).
To rent a car on Lake Garda you must therefore understand exactly what your need is: the length of the itinerary, the people who will participate in the trip, the chosen holiday period. Precisely for this reason we have compiled a series of tips that will be right for you, precisely in line with your needs.
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Car rental Lake Garda: the necessary documents to rent a car
To rent a car on Lake Garda you need to have the necessary documents:
- Valid Document: the identity card must not be expired and will be requested at the time of booking.
- Credit card: the payment method par excellence that will allow you to rent a car is the credit card. Better if done online, with the possibility of booking in advance and very often at much more advantageous rates than those that will be offered to you during the day.
- Driving licence: obligatory document (obviously) and which must be valid, without it it will not be possible to rent any car. It is better to specify it and, above all, it is better to always keep an eye on the “expiry” date of your license before finding yourself in an unpleasant situation.
- Security Deposit: a sum of money may be requested which will be returned upon return of the car or, in other cases, only the authorization to withdraw the money from the guarantee card will be requested. In any case it is the usual practice to proceed with the car rental.
Car rental on Lake Garda: the companies active in the area
The itinerary has been developed, the documents are valid and ready to be used: all you need to do is choose the right company to book the car that will allow you to enjoy a wonderful holiday (or weekend) on Lake Garda . There are several alternatives although they are limited compared to those that we can find in big cities. Below we point out the best ones, starting from the cheapest ones to the most used ones:
- Avis: one of the biggest players for renting a car.
- Hertz: In the rental world it is one of the points of reference and also in the Garda area you will find points where you can collect and deliver the car.
- Rentalcars: famous and efficient, part of the corporate group at the head of Booking.com, rentalcars offers you real bargains by comparing the rates of the different portals. In a word: security.
- Autonoleggio Online.it: compare prices quickly and efficiently thanks to its rich database that contains more than 7 million offers.
- Expedia:Security in the world of travel, from hotels to flights up to the world of car rental. With Expedia you always play it safe and you can therefore be sure to find the most suitable solution for you, whether it is on Lake Garda, or whether you start or finish the rental in the large cities nearby: Brescia or Verona.
Car rental cost on Lake Garda: what to know
Estimating the cost of car rental on Lake Garda becomes too complicated if you don’t have a clear idea of your itinerary, its duration and the comfort you want. The kilometers, the environments, the car are a determining factor in the forecast of expenditure that you will have to develop.
Lake Garda is circumnavigated by state roads that are not subject to tolls. To the south, on the other hand, if you want to move quickly between Desenzano and Peschiera del Garda, you can take the A4 motorway, as long as you don’t want to take the state road, which is also present and free of tolls.
Car rental on Lake Garda: my advice
If you have never rented a car before, you should know that there are several rules to keep in mind before renting a car. Here they are listed below:
Additional driver
The “additional driver” is a service that you must expressly request (unless it is included in a chosen promotional package) in order to be able to swap driving the rented car, while continuing to be covered by the insurance. Have you decided not to activate this service? DO NOT let anyone else drive.
Driver under 25yo
If you are under 25, as in any car rental, you may encounter a slightly higher tariff than normal. The cause? Always for insurance purposes.
What to do in case of an accident
The first rule is always not to panic because the procedures for dealing with the consequences of an accident will already have been listed when booking. Obviously you will have to immediately ascertain the type of insurance activated on the car in question. For more information, always ask before picking up the car how to act in these particular situations, hoping that they will never be needed.
Pick up and drop off
Let’s start with the general rule: returning the car later than booked will trigger some penalties. To avoid this, it is essential to have drawn up a precise and accurate itinerary, having in mind where to collect and deliver the car.
Fuel
The general rule provides for the “Full/Full” rule: you will find the car with a full tank of petrol already present and you will have to return it with a full tank or you will have to pay the difference upon return.
Free cancellation
Almost all of the car rental companies on Lake Garda provide the possibility of canceling the reservation free of charge without any charge on the credit card used. This is usually possible up to 24-48 hours before the pick-up.
