Skiers warned of cost of car hire extras this winter
Skiers who plan to hire cars abroad are being warned that charges for essential items such as winter tyres and ski racks could add up to £179 to their bill.
Insurance firm iCarhireinsurance.com, which provides stand-alone car hire excess cover, surveyed the charges of six rental firms for a week’s hire from December 27 to January 3 in six popular destinations with skiers: Barcelona, Geneva, Grenoble, Innsbruck, Sofia and Turin.
It found that they charge an average of £37 for winter tyres and/or snow chains, but at Hertz in Grenoble the cost is £69. It charged a further £110 for a ski rack, adding a total of £179 to the bill. In Barcelona, winter tyres cost £74 with Budget.
The insurance firm warned that these extras can usually only be paid for at the rental desk, and while the charges are optional in most destinations, in Turin they’re compulsory. Here holidaymakers are charged an average of £40, rising to £71 with Sixt.
The cost of ski racks also vary considerably, with the average price in Sofia only £23 but in Grenoble Hertz charges £110.
It is the driver’s responsibility, not the rental company, to ensure that the hire car is equipped for the wintery conditions they are driving in, said iCarhireinsurance.com, but it warned that rules vary from country to country. For example, winter tyres are only recommended in Switzerland, Andorra, Bulgaria and Italy but they’re mandatory in Germany and Austria in wintery conditions. In fact, in Austria driving without winter tyres from November to mid-April can lead to a fine of around €5,000 as well as the risk of the car being impounded.
Ernesto Suarez, CEO and founder of iCarhireinsurance.com, said: "Drivers should check the local laws and regulations as fines can be steep and the laws are enforced. In the Alps there are often police roadblocks outside ski resorts in designated ‘snow chain’ areas, and the police can refuse entry and fine drivers of cars which don’t have chains."
iCarhireinsurance.com has produced a winter driving infographic giving tips and rules of the road in different European countries
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive