Behind the Wheel Behind the Wall--A Few Driving Tips

Renting a car to tour in Eastern Europe is almost as easy as renting one in the United States. The procedures are reasonably uncomplicated, but travelers may have to do a bit of homework to get the best deal.

Avis, Hertz and National (with Europcar) are among the international rental firms with offices in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania.

Reservations can be made via the firms’ toll-free numbers to pick up cars in major cities for either short- or long-term rentals. Some airlines--including Lot, the Polish airline--offer fly-drive packages at reduced rental rates.

Tour companies specializing in Eastern Europe also offer such packages. A travel agent can provide more information.

In the Soviet Union, auto travel by foreigners is restricted to specified corridors, but this is not the case in the six former Soviet satellites. Motorists are free to plan itineraries within countries or to cross borders by car, going from one to another. However, if your plans take you from one country into another and then back again, make sure you have obtained a visa that permits multiple entries.

Before you leave the United States, consider obtaining an international driver’s permit, issued at offices of the American Automobile Assn.

They are not absolutely required in most East European nations, but they are useful to have. The permit reproduces the information on your U.S. driver’s license in several European languages. This helps smooth language problems if you are stopped. Motorists should be aware that speed traps are prevalent, and that driving while intoxicated is a major violation.

Most travel agents recommend making car-rental reservations in advance, especially during the busy summer months. East Europeans are orderly and bureaucratic, say the agents, and don’t like to be surprised by unexpected customers.

Among the considerations when renting:

--East or West? One of the first decisions to be made is whether to rent in Eastern Europe or Western Europe. Jonathan Chase of Travel Advisors of America (202) 371-1440, a Washington, D.C., travel agency specializing in Eastern Europe, recommends picking up a car in the West--in West Berlin or Vienna, for example.

Rates tend to be lower, he said, and you can expect better availability of cars--an important consideration during peak summer weeks. Also, the car almost certainly will be a West European model.

If you rent in an East European city, you may get an unfamiliar model built in the East.

--The cost: Wherever you rent, be as specific in your questions about what’s included in the rental rate as you would be at home. Additional charges may be added to the basic rental fee. These extra charges vary by country and rental firm.

What insurance is included in the price? In most West European countries the Collision Damage Waiver is, or will be soon, included as a part of the rental fee.

Do you get unlimited mileage? Cars rented in Western Europe generally come with no mileage restrictions. Extra mileage charges can be high at some East European rental firms.

Is there a drop-off fee when you return a rental car to a different city? Drop-offs generally are permitted anywhere in Europe, but fees can be high if you plan to leave the car across a border. So far Romania prohibits drop-offs outside its borders.

How much are the taxes? The tax on rentals varies widely. A tax of 14% is added in West Germany. In Austria it is 21%, a difference to keep in mind when matching rates in these gateway countries to those in Eastern Europe.

For a comparison, Hertz is offering these summer rates for a one-week rental of the smallest available car (taxes not included): Austria, $262; Bulgaria, $294; Czechoslovakia, $290; Hungary, $168, and West Germany, $199. In Hungary there is a rental tax of 25%. Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia have no tax on rentals. If you rented a Hertz car in West Berlin, drove it to Prague and then to Vienna, the drop-off fee would be $70.

U.S. International Travel & Tours, an Indiana company specializing in tours of Romania, offers seven-day car-rental and lodging packages. During the summer high season the rate is $369 per person (double) for a car, seven nights’ lodging in first-class hotels, two meals daily, unlimited mileage and insurance. For details: U.S. International Travel & Tours, 117 S. Main St., Mishawaka, Ind. 46544, (219) 255-7272.

--Buying gas: Many American motorists are surprised to discover the limited availability of unleaded fuel in Eastern Europe. Most West European rental cars use unleaded fuel. Unfortunately, stations selling unleaded fuel in Eastern Europe are sometimes few and far between, particularly in the countryside.

It is wise to fill up any time your gas gauge indicates the tank is half empty. The rental office where you pick up your car should be able to tell you where unleaded gas is available in the country you are visiting.

Some border posts also provide that information. You may be asked to buy gas coupons when you pick up a car in Eastern Europe or when you cross a national border. Coupons can be handy on extended driving tours, saving you from currency hassles in countryside service stations. On the other hand, don’t buy too many because they are not refundable.

--Repairs: When reserving, determine what breakdown services the rental firm provides. Avis and Hertz maintain 24-hour hot lines in Eastern Europe for on-the-road repairs.

Other international firms, such as Kemwell, do not, and you may have to pay for a long tow to a repair shop.

However, one frequent traveler to Eastern Europe notes that local mechanics are excellent. Over the years they have learned out of necessity to repair most auto parts rather than replace them.