Question 1

What's the best day to leave for car holidays in 2026?

Accepted Answer

To avoid traffic in France, leave on a Sunday morning early (before 5am) or a Tuesday mid-afternoon. Avoid Saturdays classified red or black by Bison Futé (August 1st and 8th especially). Evening departures (after 8pm) also work well if your children can sleep in the car.

Question 2

What's the average cost of a car holiday trip?

Accepted Answer

For a 1,200 km trip (national average), count €130-180 in fuel for diesel/petrol, plus €60-120 in tolls depending on route, so €200-300 round trip. In electric, fuel drops to €50-80 with mixed home/motorway charging, so €110-180 round trip with tolls. Our trip comparator calculates the exact cost for your vehicle.

Question 3

Which vignettes to buy to cross Europe by car?

Accepted Answer

Four countries require a motorway vignette: Switzerland (CHF 40 annual), Austria (€12.40 for 10 days), Slovenia (€16 for 7 days), Czech Republic. Croatia and Hungary use classic tolls. Buy vignettes online before departure — the fine without a vignette is €200-800 depending on country.

Question 4

Can you take a long holiday trip by electric car without issues?

Accepted Answer

Yes, without difficulty in 2026 on the main European routes. A modern electric car (Tesla, Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, VW ID.4) with a 60-80 kWh battery allows 250-280 km at 130 km/h, then 25-30 minutes of fast DC charging. On Paris-Nice (930 km), count 2-3 stops i.e. 1h30 of charging breaks — often similar to what a family would do anyway.

Question 5

How to avoid tolls in France for holidays?

Accepted Answer

Enable the « avoid tolls » option in Waze or Google Maps. Savings: €60-150 on a long trip. Cost: 1-2 hours additional and less comfort (national roads, town crossings, roundabouts). Smart mixed strategy: motorway in the morning for long stretches, national roads in the afternoon for scenery and breaks.

Question 6

Do you need a specific European insurance claim form?

Accepted Answer

The European insurance claim form is multilingual and valid in all EU countries. You can download it for free, fill it out in advance with your details, and slide it into the glove box. Our claim tool offers a guided wizard in 8 steps, with PDF export and email sending — you save 20 minutes in case of accident.

Question 7

What mandatory equipment in the car to cross Europe?

Accepted Answer

The minimum everywhere: warning triangle, fluorescent vest (1 per person in France, otherwise 1 minimum), first-aid kit (mandatory in Germany and Austria), driving licence, registration certificate, insurance certificate. In mountains (Mountain law France, Italy, Austria): snow chains or winter tyres are mandatory from October/November to April depending on country.

Holidays by car: routes, costs, tolls & legal

1. Plan your route

Trip comparator

15 decoded routes

Holiday assistant

Featured trips

2. Before departure

Complete checklist

European insurance claim form

EV charging

3. During the trip

Trip weather

Vehicle warning light scan

In case of breakdown

4. Legal: vignettes and LEZ by country

Car holidays: frequently asked questions

See also in our guides

Continue your preparation