Finland
Credit card required - yes
On airport collection - yes
Road network - very well managed
Driving side - right, left hand-drive cars
Speed cameras - occasional
Police presence - rarely seen in rural areas
Driving behaviour - usually considerate
Look out for - tailgating from local drivers with multiple bright headlights if you drive slowly!
We were a bit cautious about driving in Finland for the first time but shouldn't have been.
The way the roads are maintained is exceptional
and bearing in mind Rovaniemi is a city with a population of 60,000, it doesn't feel like a particularly busy place to drive, especially from the airport and into the more rural areas of the Rovaniemi region and beyond.
In all the years we've driven Finland, our cars have been reliable and new, with hybrids being quite a common option, particularly for estate cars. Cars are 'winterised' with either stuffed or deep-tread winter tyres that respond well on snow roads. Most vehicles have a plug in cable to attach the vehicle to mains electricity to keep the engine warm overnight.
Renting a 4x4 is not a necessity in Finland. Look at estate options if you have children and bear in mind that if you are self-catering, supermarkets can be miles away from where you are staying so make sure you have enough room for your family, luggage and a lot of shopping. Watch out for suppliers pushing smaller 4-seat estate cars, especially if you are travelling with or loaning car seats.
Speed limits in built up areas are usually 40-50 kph and 60-80kph on open roads in the country. Low-traffic roads have 80kph limits in the winter and motorways have limits of 100kph in winter.
Top tips for Finland
Drive steadily and enjoy the stunning landscapes. There are plenty of places to stop along the way. Plan ahead if you need fuel as there aren't many filling stations in rural areas.
Try Skycanner car hire search first - they are regularly our best source for the cheapest cars.
Booking 4-6 months prior is suggested as being the optimum time for the best price.
Check regularly - and -weekly - if you can as prices vary - most rentals have free cancellation (just watch out for low deposit options as you may not get your deposit back if you cancel). Refunds can take up to a week.
Avoid expensive excess insurance sales from the booking agent or at the rental desk. Explore an excess insurance policy from a UK supplier such as Questor.
Take your own car seats if you can manage the extra luggage - these are usually free with most airlines. Take a ratchet strap if you want to Tie down car seats to a trolley.
Book your rental car on your credit card for additional peace of mind.
Expect that you won't get a walk around the car on pickup or drop-off. Take photos as soon as you can and look for any damage not included on the documentation.
Iceland
Credit card required - yes
On airport collection - available, but cheaper cars are likely to be off-site
Road network - well managed around Keflavik airport and Rekjavik, slightly less so rurally
Driving side - right, left hand-drive cars
Speed cameras - occasional
Police presence - often seen near the airport
Driving behaviour - usually considerate, lots of large buses, coaches and super jeeps will be seen in the south of Iceland
Look out for - narrow, one vehicle bridges on rural roads where it pays to be cautious and give way (many of these are currently being re-built/widened)
Driving in Iceland can be fun and a bit daunting due to the swiftly changing weather conditions. Don't scrimp on your rental - get a good 4x4 for a winter trip.
Iceland is a different beast when it comes to driving, but with preparation, will be an enjoyable experience allowing you to have the freedom on the south of the island.
Roads around Keflavik and Reykjavik are well managed. Rural roads can be closed on a whim - you'll get a feel for these areas quite quickly as you'll see large gates and signs in the south of Iceland where the roads are simply closed when weather conditions change.
The south of Iceland is a spectacular place to drive. Just choose your car wisely - a Suzuki Jimny is not a winter car and not a good option for the challenging conditions. Get yourself a good 4x4 if you plan to be on the move. Don't be surprised to find that rental cars are not always particularly new in Iceland - expect to find cars up to 10 years old and with up to 100,000 kilometres on the clock.
We've seen and experienced some challenges driving in Iceland in the depths of winter - road closures, detours, cars going off road, frozen locks, icy roads, swiftly changing weather conditions with quickly reducing levels of visibility making driving more of a challenge.
Cars are 'winterised' with either studded or deep-tread winter tyres that respond well on snowy roads. 4x4s are the best option for winter, although we had a lot of fun with a 9 seater minibus for our most recently visit with extended family - albeit with no snow or ice in October.
Top tips for IIceland
Drive steadily and enjoy the stunning landscapes. There are plenty of places to stop along the way with regular fuel stops (of which many are self service).
Save the website Road.IS - a very helpful resource for planning your journey. You can also see how many people have accessed roads in the last hour.
Visit in September or October if you want to see the aurora but don't fancy driving in icy or snowy conditions. It's a great time for a road trip to the south or south east.
Try Skycanner car hire search first - they are regularly our best source for the cheapest cars.
Booking 4-6 months prior is suggested as being the optimum time for the best price.
Check regularly - and -weekly - if you can as prices vary - most rentals have free cancellation (just watch out for low deposit options as you may not get your deposit back if you cancel). Refunds can take up to a week.
Avoid expensive excess insurance sales from the booking agent or at the rental desk. Explore an excess insurance policy from a UK supplier such as Questor.
Take your own car seats if you can manage the extra luggage - these are usually free with most airlines. Take a ratchet strap if you want to tie down car seats to a trolley.
Book your rental car on your credit card for additional peace of mind.
Expect some delays when picking up and dropping off your car - it's not always the most efficient of experiences and there can be multiple customers waiting. Some offices have a ticket queueing system that you can easily miss when walking in.
Expect a walk around of the vehicle. Take photos as soon as you can and look for any damage not included on the documentation.
Summary
With the right preparation, driving in these wonderful places is fun, comfortable and gives you great independence, allowing you to visit so many wonderful places. Just let us know if you have any questions we can help with.
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