YOU’D think hiring a car or, better still, taking your own vehicle abroad would be a sure-fire way of cutting holiday costs, particularly in European hotspots.
Not any more, perhaps.
GettyResearch found that the cost of filling up in Europe can vary by as much as £100[/caption]
A third of Brits visiting Europe this year plan to drive, either in their own car or in a rental, according to Post Office Travel Money’s new Motoring On The Continent report.
But it turns out this could set them back a fair bit of dosh, especially in France and Italy.
Of the 17 countries in the report, those two are set to be popular choices for holiday motoring this year.
In fact, 21 per cent of all those surveyed said they were planning a driving trip to France.
But the cost of fuel in both countries has rocketed.
Figures show that petrol prices have risen by 14.9 per cent in France since 2019.
And it now costs an average £1.62 per litre, making it one of the most expensive countries for fuel.
It will set you back the same amount in Italy, although prices have only risen by eight per cent since 2019.
It’s bad news for anyone driving in Switzerland, too.
The popular ski destination has seen the biggest hike in fuel costs, with the price of diesel shooting up by 42p per litre (31 per cent) since 2019.
It will now set you back £1.76 per litre on average.
There are some positives, though.
Anyone visiting ever-popular Spain this summer will be pleased to learn that the country is the second cheapest for diesel.
Its prices are coming in at £1.25 per litre, while petrol is an average £1.40.
Andorra was the cheapest for both petrol (£1.23 per litre) and diesel (£1.10 per litre). Portugal and the Netherlands were the only countries that saw price drops over the past few years.
The cost of petrol has decreased by 1p in both countries since 2019, although Portugal is still marginally cheaper at £1.48 per litre compared to £1.59 in the Netherlands.
When it comes to driving abroad, it’s not just soaring petrol prices that Brits need to be aware of, either.
Many European hotspots have introduced low emission zones and drivers could face costly fines if they enter them.
Hidden costs
On-the-spot speeding tickets are big in Europe too, so holidaymakers should remain aware of speed limits to avoid racking up the holiday costs.
Another unexpected bit of spending to consider is entry fees for cities.
According to the Post Office research, over half of those surveyed were unaware of daily entry fees and permits required for many cities in Europe, as well as the requirement to display a windscreen sticker showing the emission levels of their vehicle.
Laura Plunkett, head of Travel Money at Post Office, said: “With flight costs reported to be soaring, it is understandable that so many Britons have decided to drive to Europe this summer.
“Our pump price research found that the cost of filling up in Europe can vary by as much as £100, so we advise planning driving routes carefully before setting out to keep costs down.
“Supermarket prices will be cheaper than on the roadside, just as they are here in the UK.”