Travel with Kids

Europe Trip by Car: 10 Things You Need to Know

Europe Road Trip by Car With Kids: 10 Practical Lessons

Road trips have given our family plenty of stories: sleepy children in the van, scenic stops, fuel-payment surprises, and lessons about planning the next leg. Here are ten takeaways from our travels by car.

Portugal at the start of our eight-country European road trip · Full film (8 min 4 sec)

▶Watch full film 8 min 4 sec

This film introduces our eight-country, ten-day road trip through its Portugal beginning, including Lisbon and Nazaré. The article also draws on other family road trips; films from different legs and outings are linked separately.

Planning a Europe trip by car with your family? Here are some tips to keep in mind!

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Watch our original related video on YouTube

Driving worked well for our family on many legs. Here are places we traveled through by car across Europe and on a nearby Morocco visit:

Portugal

Andorra

Spain

Gibraltar

Morocco

France

Italy

Bosnia

Serbia

Croatia

Luxembourg

Belgium

Germany

Switzerland

Different Video Legs From Our Family Road Trips

The full film above introduces our eight-country, ten-day journey through its Portugal beginning. Our other linked films cover particular legs and separate outings: the French Riviera, Gibraltar, Croatia, and Roman ruins at Solin. They provide place-specific context without implying that every leg happened in one continuous journey.

Our Aquashow Water Park film is a separate Portugal outing.

Things to Know

The Beginning of a Family Road Trip

Our film introduces the next journey from Portugal toward Croatia. It is one example behind our love of traveling by car, while the practical lessons below come from more than one trip.

Introducing our family’s next European road trip · Scene from our film (20 sec)

▶Watch scene from our film 20 sec

1. Driving side. On our route, we drove on the right in the countries listed. Driving rules vary by country, so check current local road rules and rental-car guidance for each leg.

2. Road signs are fairly logical.   That being said, it’s always a good idea to look up basic road signs before entering a country.  When we rented an RV in New Zealand, they made us watch a video about road signs, which was really helpful!  However, we were not as prepared in our European road-tripping and it was all OK.  It helps that newer cars are quite smart and often display the speed limit near your speedometer.  I know at one point driving in Germany we hit an autobahn as the speed limit sign disappeared and would re-appear as we neared a freeway exit.  Plus, some people were going really fast!  

3. Speeding.  For the most part, you will probably feel so new to a place you won’t speed.  We tend to be more cautious when looking for directions or driving on a new road.  Chris and I are both have lead feet when driving a lot, so take comfort in us.  As far as I know, we didn’t get any speeding tickets in Europe (we haven’t been as lucky in New Zealand!).  Keep in mind, however, that most speed traps are electronic now and you’ll simply get a bill in the mail from your rental car company.  My mother got one in Italy and it took several months, so we may find a surprise in our domestic mail soon.

4. Fuel and rest stops. On routes we took, we usually found fuel and rest stops every hour or two. Availability varies by road and opening hours; plan fuel stops on rural or late-night legs.

5. Credit Cards. On our Europe trip, we used our cards most of the time, but fuel payments sometimes caused problems. In France, one machine required a local debit card or cash prepayment, then a ticket for the pump. We spent a few weeks in a remote Alsace village and had frustrating experiences when stations were closed. That is our trip experience, not a rule about all European cards or stations. Check payment options and opening hours for your planned stops, and carry a backup payment method.

6. Plan around opening hours. Many stations on our routes closed overnight, but hours vary by location and have changed since our trip. Check ahead when driving late or through rural areas.

Being night owls, we found early closing times frustrating at some stops on our trip. Plan ahead for groceries, pharmacies, meals, and fuel, especially outside major towns; hours vary by business, location, and season.

Tolls added noticeably to our trip budget: I estimated that we spent $500–$1,000 over six months of driving in Europe. That is a historical estimate, not a current cost guide. Payment methods and lane rules vary by country, road, and operator. One of our rental cars included an electronic pass, while our long-term leases did not. Ask your rental company what is included, how tolls are charged, and whether there are additional service fees; check official road-operator information for each route.

8. Road Courtesy

Driving felt calmer to us on many of our European routes. I don’t remember seeing road rage on that trip, although we occasionally saw flashing lights when someone forgot to turn off their brights or was being passed. That is our memory, rather than a promise about every road or driver; follow the current local road rules for your route.

A City Stop in Lisbon

The film’s Portugal beginning includes time in Lisbon, a different setting from the open-road portions of a journey. It is a reminder to think about what happens after arriving in a city as well as the driving between stops.

Lisbon at the beginning of our road-trip film · Scene from our film (20 sec)

▶Watch scene from our film 20 sec

9. Parking Garages

1. Pay attention to the closing time.  I was actually stranded in Switzerland overnight because my parking garage closed and Had absolutely no way to get to my car.
2. Take your ticket with you. Almost always, you need to pay for your parking before entering your car again. There will be pay machines (most take your CC) and they will give you a few more minutes to exit. If you drive up to pay at the exit, you’ll face an embarrassing situation (one we are sadly familiar with).

10. Remember the Train

Perhaps an odd tip for a post about driving, but compare the train too. Italy was the country where we had the most train experience, and we enjoyed those adventures without the parking worries. Compare current fares, timetables, luggage arrangements, station locations, and any service interruptions before choosing how to travel.

Time Outside the Car in Nazaré

Our film also includes a beach stop in Nazaré. Those pauses are part of the family travel story alongside the miles in the van; the film shows one visit rather than a current beach-condition guide.

Beach time in Nazaré during our Portugal beginning · Scene from our film (20 sec)

▶Watch scene from our film 20 sec

Questions or comments? Please leave them below! Enjoy your Europe trip!!

XOXO,

Leslie

Additional Reading

Taking a Greek Cruise as a Family

Relishing The Snowy French Pyrenees With Kids At Tourmalet Pic du Midi

Tourist Car Lease in Europe