Should You Rent a Car or Rely on Public Transport Abroad?

A rental car makes the most sense for multi-city itineraries, rural destinations, or trips where public transport is limited or unreliable, giving you control over timing and route. For dense city-only trips, public transport, walking, and rideshares often work out cheaper and less stressful than dealing with parking and traffic.

Many travelers find a hybrid approach works best: public transport within a city, paired with a rental car for the portions of the trip that head out to more remote or rural areas.