Driving in Europe

Taking your car on a driving holiday to Europe has many advantages. First of all, there’s no need to worry about the weight of your bags as you can pack as much as you can carry with no luggage restrictions on any of our ferries.

Driving in Europe also offers the freedom of travelling at your own pace and creating your own schedule. Pass through a city you’ve always wanted to see, or stop off for a photo at a famous landmark.

Some people are daunted by driving abroad, but don’t worry as it’s like driving in the UK in many ways. Many of the road signs are the same and the speed limits are similar although, they’re given in kilometres per hour instead of miles per hour. The only real difference is that you have to drive on the right but this soon becomes second nature.

To make all your driving holidays in Europe hitch-free we’ve put together some guides for each country you might visit.

You may need an international driving permit to drive abroad from 1 January 2021. Find out more about driving abroad after Brexit here.

Holland is a flat and open country, making it very easy to explore by car. It’s also fairly small, so you can hop between cities in a matter of hours. Motor down the North Sea coast, passing sand dunes and pine forests, and meander past miles of colourful bulb fields. Or head into canal-lined cities like Utrecht, Haarlem or Amsterdam. Read our guide for full information on Dutch driving rules and regulations.

Driving in Germany is an absolute joy. Not only are there around 150 spectacular driving routes through gorgeous areas such as the Black Forest, the romantic Rhine and the Moselle valley vineyards, you also have the freedom of the famous autobahns which connect you to Germany’s top tourist destinations. Read our guide for full information on German driving rules and regulations.