Rental Car help needed for Monte Carlo

[farbster]

We are finishing our cruise next August in Monte Carlo. Our plan is to pick up a rental car and drive it to Lake Como and then return it to the Milan Airport prior to our flight home. We will likely fly out of the LIN airport.

 

Does anyone know or have experience with a car rental agency that will not charge an arm and a leg for a one-way rental? I have seen fees for both 600EU and $2,000.

 

We could go to Nice to get the car, but that wouldn't be quite as convenient obviously.

 

Thanks!

Edited November 4, 2015 by farbster
added info

[Lutèce]

........ a car rental agency that will not charge an arm and a leg for a one-way rental?

 

Thanks!

 

The reason it is so expensive is not just the one way hire, but you are also renting in one country, Monaco and returning it in another country, Italy. The same charges will apply if you pick up in Nice.

However, if you get the train - direct line Monte Carlo to Milan - and taxi to the airport of departure, you could then hire a car for your Italian stay and not have any one way/ different country charges. The best train booking website is Capitaine Train, it's in English and you print your own tickets before departure. You can't actually book that far ahead yet, but their website says there are 3 trains daily and it takes about 4 hours.

Hope this helps

[Hlitner]

Once upon a time we used to get good rental deals without huge drop fees. But times have changed and nearly all the agencies are charging an "arm and a leg" to drop in a different county. But things are always changing. So we do have a few suggestions. Check Sixt Rental Car (they have a location at the Meridian Hotel in Monte Carlo) and see if they are offering a good deal. Unlike most of the rental agencies, all the Sixt sites are company owned.

 

Another option is to call AutoEurope and/or its sister company Kemwel. These are co-located in New England and they are discounters (called consolidators in the industry) for both Europcar and Hertz! You can Google them and call their toll free number to speak to their experts. They will be able to give you some options with the majors they represent and we have had very good experience with both of these companies.

 

And your third option is to do a somewhat circular driving trip and drop your car somewhere in France (this should avoid any drop fees if using Autoeurope).

 

If you can get a very good deal from Nice (and the other options are not as good) you might consider it! You can take the train from Monte Carlo to Nice (or the Nice Cote d'Azure Airport) for a relatively small amount of Euros.

 

Hank