Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Questions!
Why take a 'driving holiday'?
Is it cheaper to pre-book my car rental or should I book when I arrive?
Are there any hidden extras?
Do I need to take out Travel Insurance?
Why do I need Travel Insurance when the car is already insured?
What if I did not take out Travel Insurance?
I've made my booking - What happens next?
What is included in the Rental?
Who supplies the car?
How do I cancel my booking?
I need to extend my rental.
Can I do a one way rental?
Can anyone other than myself drive the car?
Is there a cost for Amendment Fees / Service Fees / Cancellation Fees?
How much is Petrol & Diesel in Europe UK & Americas?
I've lost my Voucher.
What happens if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
I need a child seat - are these guaranteed?
Can I rent a car if I don't have a credit card?
I returned my vehicle early - can I have a refund?
Can I book a car for today?
I need to speak urgently with someone from DriveTravel outside of Australian Business hours.
How are car hire 'days' calculated?
Can I drive my vehicle off road?
I have been charged extras by the supplier - Can you help please?
Answers!
Why take a 'driving holiday'?
A driving holiday gives you the freedom and flexibility to decide on where you travel and what you see and do. A driving holiday is for independent travellers seeking a better holiday experience. You are in charge of how much time you wish to spend at a particular attraction. A driving holiday allows you to discover so much more as a car will allow you to drive through the little villages in out of the way places.
Is it cheaper to pre-book my car rental or should I book when I arrive?
By pre-booking with DriveTravel, you receive the benefit of our purchasing power. Our prices with the major car rental operators are considerably lower than walking in off the street in a foreign country to rent a car. In addition you are pre-paying in Australian dollars so the risk of fluctuations in the currency are reduced.
Are there any hidden extras?
DriveTravel will in most cases include all mandatory charges, like Road taxes or Airport surcharges. Many optional charges are applicable such as Young or additional drivers, Insurance Excess Reduction or Child Seats and you will find on each page a full breakdown of any of these supplementary costs. Be sure to check out our list of inclusions, including our Bonus inclusions, as you will find our prices generally include more features than our competitors. Please note all Supplementary fees are correct at time of printing but are subject to change and should be used as a guide.
Do I need to take out Travel Insurance?
Yes, this is strongly recommended and your travel agent is the best person to advise on the right policy.
Why do I need Travel Insurance when the car is already insured?
In most countries an Excess will apply in the event of an accident or theft of vehicle. This is the Renters responsibility. However many Travel Insurance Policies now have provision to cover you for Car rental excess up to a specified amount. Therefore if the excess was applied you have the option to claim it back on your Travel Insurance policy.
What if I did not take out Travel Insurance?
Then we recommend you consider taking the optional Insurance Excess Reduction at the time of collection.
I've made my booking - What happens next?
Upon receipt of your reservation and your vehicle is confirmed payment is made we will send you your vouchers by return eMail.
What is included in the Rental?
Inclusions will differ between suppliers and from country to country but as a rule will normally include the following: Unlimited kilometers, third party liability insurance, collision damage waiver, theft protection, premium location fees & local taxes. The inclusions for your particular rental will be clearly shown when booking and also on your rental documentation.
Who supplies the car?
All cars are provided by major car rental companies.
How do I cancel my booking?
To cancel your booking, please either call a member of our team within Australia on 1300 880 035 or send email to advise: drivebookings@drivetravel.com. Please have your Booking Number ready.
I need to extend my rental.
If you have not yet collected the vehicle - please contact a member of our team to assist. If you have already collected the vehicle - It is possible to do this with the supplier locally, although this will be chargd at the local rate which can be higher than that you have already paid.
Can I do a one way rental?
Yes. All of our partners offer convenient one way rentals at attractive rates. The customer starts the rental in one location and returns the vehicle to another. RIH/LIT (Rent it Here / Leave it There) International one way rentals are usually possible. Call for a costing. This fee will normally be paid to the supplier directly when collecting the vehicle.
Can anyone other than myself drive the car?
Most suppliers allow free additional driver. But this does vary country by country. Please check the Additional Drivers policy with each supplier. Only drivers recorded on the rental agreement are covered by our insurances.
Is there a cost for Amendment Fees / Service Fees / Cancellation Fees?
Amendment Fees are not charged unless documents have been issued. Amendments after departure are subject to supplier confirmation. No Service Fees will be applied to land only bookings or car hire bookings. Cancellations are subject to a fee payable to DriveTravel to compensate for costs and charges incurred in the handling of the booking. This fee is the deposit paid to us for the service. Cancellations will also be subject to cancellation fees levied by each operator according to their respective Booking Terms and Conditions. The payment of your deposit constitutes an acceptance of DriveTravel terms and conditions.
How much is Petrol & Diesel in Europe UK & Americas?
We acknowledge the information and help from The AA United Kingdom theaa.com For the information of clients of globalCARS. Click here for the latest Fuel Costs.
I've lost my Voucher.
Please call one of our team on 1300 880 035 who can assist you in locating your booking reference. If you a need a copy of your voucher or Invoice just call us.
What happens if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
In the event of a delay, if you have already provided us with your flight details then the supplier will be able to track this. In the event of a long delay, you can also contact our team who can advise the location of your situation. In the event of a cancellation, please advise our team as soon as possible, as we will need to cancel the vehicle with the supplier and failure to notify us will result in charges.
I need a child seat - are these guaranteed?
We will do all possible to confirm a child seat for your needs. As child seats are mandatory in most countries, by requesting them in advance they are almost always available. Please note that you may be required to fit child seats yourself.
Can I rent a car if I don't have a credit card?
Most rental companies require a credit card in the lead driver's name for the security deposit. If you do not possess a credit card in your own name, please call our Reservation Consultant on 1300 880 035 who can check with the suppliers in the location you are renting at to see whether any can accept a cash deposit.
I returned my vehicle early - can I have a refund?
Unfortunately due to our contracts we are unable to refund any unused days or make refunds on vehicles returned early.
Can I book a car for today?
Unfortunately no, we require bookings to be made at least 5 days in advance so that we can ensure your vehicle is confirmed and paid for before travel.
I need to speak urgently with someone from DriveTravel outside of Australian Business hours.
Try to call us first on our main phone number: +61 3 8781 1120. Failing that please email to enquiries@drivetravel.com which gets checked regularly outside of business hours.
How are car hire 'days' calculated?
Car Hire works on a 24 hour clock, so if you rent from 10am Monday to 10am Tuesday this is considered 1 day. If you rent from 10am Monday to 1pm Tuesday you have then passed 24 hours and have therefore entered a second day of rental and will therefore be charged for 2 days rental. Please therefore check your times carefully when booking as times can have a big impact on price. Car leasing & Motorhome rentals work on a calander day
Can I drive my vehicle off road?
Insurance does not usually cover taking vehicles, including four wheel drives off road or onto untarmacked tracks, so we strongly recommend that you do not do this as it may invalidate your insurance.
I have been charged extras by the supplier - Can you help please?
There can be a number of reasons for local charges, including but not limited to: - refuelling charges, additional extras, damage to the vehicle. When you collected your vehicle you may have purchased and signed for some of these. Your documentation from the supplier should list the charges made. Should you be unable to understand the documentation, please contact our customer service team who will be happy to assist you.
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