One way car hire in France

GUYd

Has anyone got any advice on how to obtain a reasonable price for one-way car hire in France? I want to pick up at Marseille airport and drop off in Chamonix, 2 weeks later but the quotes are HUGE!

sammyjammy

One way hire car is always very expensive

DullGreyGuy

How much different from dropping it back to the airport?

Ultimately the car has to be gotten back to its base and hire companies don't often have transporters regularly moving between depots and so it can be the cost of a member of staff driving it there and getting a train back etc or 2 staff and extra car to bring them both back. Given its a 5 hour drive each way or 7.5 hours on public transport it's going to have to involve at least overtime if not an overnight stay too. 

GUYd

DullGreyGuy said:

How much different from dropping it back to the airport?

Ultimately the car has to be gotten back to its base and hire companies don't often have transporters regularly moving between depots and so it can be the cost of a member of staff driving it there and getting a train back etc or 2 staff and extra car to bring them both back. Given its a 5 hour drive each way or 7.5 hours on public transport it's going to have to involve at least overtime if not an overnight stay too. 

I accept that there will be a charge to return the car back to their base station but surely their networks are large enough to navigate this to some degree. I have been quoted over £1620 by Europcar for example for a CITROEN C5 AIRCROSS HDI 130 EAT8 (ISAR) or similar. Quotes are generally £2-300 more than returning the car back to the original pick-up station.

Hoenir

From the company's business perspective there's a lot be factored in when determining the charges. £300 doesn't seem unreasonable. Having vehicles in the wrong location to hire out will be a major consideration. 

DullGreyGuy

GUYd said:

DullGreyGuy said:

How much different from dropping it back to the airport?

Ultimately the car has to be gotten back to its base and hire companies don't often have transporters regularly moving between depots and so it can be the cost of a member of staff driving it there and getting a train back etc or 2 staff and extra car to bring them both back. Given its a 5 hour drive each way or 7.5 hours on public transport it's going to have to involve at least overtime if not an overnight stay too. 

I accept that there will be a charge to return the car back to their base station but surely their networks are large enough to navigate this to some degree. I have been quoted over £1620 by Europcar for example for a CITROEN C5 AIRCROSS HDI 130 EAT8 (ISAR) or similar. Quotes are generally £2-300 more than returning the car back to the original pick-up station.

I don't know how common one way trips are? I know its never seemed economical when I've looked at it so always booked a return. The only place I've known it to be common was for "route 66" where people helpfully do it in both directions so somewhat take the cars back for them (and would potentially justify a transporter).

Given the distances involved £200-£300 doesn't seem that unreasonable. If it is too much you could always deal with returning it yourself and the challenge of then getting back to Chamonix 

martindow

I agree that 2-300 pounds seems very reasonable.  The train fare to send someone out, fuel and motorway tolls to drive it back and paying someone for a very long day (assuming it is feasible without an overnight stop) is going to tot up.  I would take up their offer before they recalculate it!