Research shows varied cost of hire car ‘winterisation’
Holidaymakers hiring cars for winter sports trips are paying hugely varied prices for ‘winterisation’, according to research by iCarhireinsurance.com.
The ‘winterisation’ charge, which includes the price of winter tyres and/or snow chains, can normally only be paid for at the rental desk and varies widely according to the resort.
The average fee across the six destinations was £43, but travellers could pay up to £95 in Barcelona with Avis, £49 if hiring from Europcar in Grenoble and £19 in Sofia hiring from Sixt.
The prices quoted were for a week’s car hire from 27 December 2016 to 3 January 2017.
In all the destinations, apart from Turin, the winterisation charge is optional.
Hiring from Turin, however, travellers should expect to pay a compulsory fee of £33 when hiring from Hertz and Avis and £38 with Europcar.
It is the driver’s responsibility, not the rental company, to ensure that the hire car is equipped for the wintery conditions.
Winter tyres, for instance, are mandatory in Germany and Austria in wintery conditions, while they are ‘recommended’ in Switzerland, Andorra, Bulgaria, and Italy.
But cars which are not equipped to travel through snow, and which impede traffic, may be fined.
In France, winter tyres are not mandatory but in snowy conditions special signs can indicate that they should be used.
"Many travellers do not realise that the onus is on the driver, not the hire company, to know the rules and regulations of the country they’re hiring in," said Ernesto Suarez, CEO and founder of iCarhireinsurance.com.
"Police roadblocks near to ski resorts are common in the Alps, for instance, and police will refuse entry to a car without chains if it’s a designated ‘snow chain’ area. The driver may also have to pay a fine."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt