Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

TRAVEL INFORMATION 19

countries. This pass covers
30 countries across Europe,
including most of the coun-
tries covered in this guide;
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and
Russia are the exceptions.
The pass comes in two
ver sions – one for adults,
and a less expensive one
for travellers under the age

It covers periods ranging
from five days to one month.
It is not valid for the coun try
in which it is purchased,
where full-price individual rail
tickets must be bought.

DRIVING PERMITS

Visitors planning to drive in
Eastern and Central Europe
are advised to acquire an
International Driving Permit
(IDP) before they travel.
The IDP is not compulsory
everywhere in the region,
but regulations differ from
one country to the next, and
many of the region’s car-hire
companies require an IDP in
addition to a national driving
permit issued in the visitor’s
home country. The IDP is
valid for one year and can
be obtained from the national
motoring organization in a
traveller’s home country.

DRIVING IN EASTERN
AND CENTRAL EUROPE

In Eastern and Central
Europe, people drive on the
right-hand side of the road
and overtaking is from the
left. Visitors should note that
they are not allowed to over-
take more than one car at a
time. Distances are measured
in kilometres. Speed limits
are usually 120–130 kmph
(75–80 mph) on motorways,
80–100 kmph (50–60 mph) on
second ary roads, and 50 kmph
(30 mph) in built-up areas,
although there are differences
from one coun try to the next.
Some countries charge toll
fees on particular motorways,
while others such as Austria
and Slovenia charge a one-
time fee which must be paid
on entering the country.
Elsewhere, the vast majority
of roads are free. Filling
stations are common on
motorways and main roads
but are less frequent in rural

areas. Unleaded fuel is avail able everywhere in most destinations. Driving at night can be dangerous in rural areas, where roads might be narrow and winding.

CAR RENTAL

Car rental is a competitive business in the region, so prices are generally afford- able. The biggest car rental com panies are Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt, all of which offer excel- lent services.

TRAVELLING BY BUS

Domestic bus services offer an alternative to trains through out Eastern and Central Europe, and provide the only means of getting to those places that are not served by the rail network. Buses running between major cities are often fast and comfort able, and may also have air condi tioning. How ever, rural services frequently make use of slow, ageing vehicles. Most towns and cities have a central bus station where visitors can check information and purchase tickets. Advance reser vations are advisable when travelling on major inter city routes at weekends or during the summer holiday period. There is a wide network of international buses, especially in the Baltic States and in South Eastern Europe, where international trains are slow or infrequent. International bus services are run by sev- eral local companies, but the international operator Eurolines runs an extensive network of routes across the continent.

TRAVELLING BY FERRY

Ferries constitute a lifeline in countries such as Estonia and Croatia, where they provide the only access to many of the offshore islands. A ride on the ferry which runs along the Croatian coast from Rijeka to Dubrovnik is one of South Eastern Europe’s classic journeys. For visitors travelling from Western Europe,

one of the quickest ways to get there is to catch a ferry from Italy to Croatia. Jadrolinija and SNAV are the two biggest operators. Most ferries depart from the Italian port of Ancona, although there are services from Bari as well.

Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

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