That's fairly easy in Europe, with its generally excellent airport to downtown train connections like the Heathrow Express to Paddington and the Frankfurt Airport Train to Central Station. Happily for renters, the Big Four have been lowering exorbitant European drop-off fees, which kick in when you pick up and return at different locations. Other Budget drop-off fees vary by country. Often, however, there are no drop-off charges for vehicles picked up and returned in the same country. But if you're in an accident involving local police and insurance matters, it's helpful to have an International Driving Permit obtainable at AAA offices.
Some police insist that drivers be able to produce a permit to pay a fine.
I phoned the Avis number and they found the bag and trucked it to my villa within 18 hours of my distress call. Contact your local AAA office for details. Reprinted with permission from Frequent Flyer Magazine. There you'll find insurance regulations and rental restrictions for that country, as well as lots of background information on traffic rules, road signs, parking tolls, gas stations and more. You can get detailed information on European rentals at Web sites and, in some cases, book cars with on-screen confirmations.