Why I Choose Sixt Car Rentals for My Ski Trips to the Alps
/Planning a ski trip to the Alps requires a lot of logistics, and transportation is an important factor to consider. If you intend to drive to your destination in the Alps and explore multiple regions and ski stations while you’re there, having a car is necessary.
My rental car from Sixt parked at Tignes, France. A Winter-capable car is necessary for driving in the Alps.
There are plenty of options out there for choosing a vehicle for your trip, but in my experience and extensive research, I’ve found that Sixt has made the most sense for me and the way I like to travel and experience the Alps. I’ve skied dozens of stations across the Alps in the last few years, and have had great experiences driving Sixt rental cars through France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and Austria (and while not in the Alps, it’s worth noting I had a great experience driving a Sixt rental car through Spain and Andorra to ski the Pyrenees as well!).
Continue reading to learn why Sixt is my preferred rental car company for my ski trips to the Alps, and discover what I find most important when considering a rental car for your trip.
1. Winter tires are guaranteed
My absolute most important tip when driving to the mountains for a ski trip is to choose a winter-capable car with winter tires. In all of my experience researching various companies and services for renting a car, Sixt has been the only option I’ve found that will guarantee winter tires if you make the selection when booking your reservation.
I typically advise against using snow chains or snow socks because they are inconvenient, they are difficult to put on correctly, they are not suitable for driving long distances, and they can be very dangerous for yourself and others around you if the installation isn’t perfect. Choose a car with winter tires.
If your car rental is originating in Germany or Austria, by law all vehicles must be equipped with winter tires during the snowy months (At the time of writing, these dates fall within November 1st to March 31st in Germany, and November 1st to April 15th in Austria). If you are renting a car from Sixt in France, Switzerland, Italy, or Spain during the winter months, you will have to specify or select the option for winter tires when making your reservation. I’ve been able to rent cars with winter tires from Sixt locations in Paris for trips to the French Alps, and also from a Sixt location in Barcelona for a trip to the Pyrenees.
2. Convenience and number of locations
It’s convenient to rent from Sixt because they have locations all over Europe, and are continuing to expand considerably all over the world. Whether you are arriving by plane or by train to begin your ski trip, it’s very likely that your arrival airport or station will have a Sixt location inside or nearby. Their bright orange signage is easy to spot upon arrival, and every branch that I’ve visited has been easy to locate and very welcoming.
Renting a car for a ski trip is often more convenient than taking a train, especially if you travel with a lot of equipment, like I do.
3. Discounted rates for monthly rentals
A great benefit of renting your car from Sixt is that they offer discounts on monthly rentals, which is especially helpful if you travel for longer periods of time. If you input dates for a reservation longer than 28 days when booking directly on Sixt’s website or app, the monthly discount should reflect automatically.
In fact, when doing the price comparisons for vehicle options each time I research a car rental, I’ve found that the discounted price for a 28-day rental is often similar to the normal price of a 14-day rental. For example, if a weekly price for a car is 700€, two weeks will be 1400€, and three weeks will be 2100€, but the price for four weeks (usually 28-days qualifies for a monthly discount) will be 1400€. Sometimes it pays to ski longer!
4. Discounted rates for paying upfront
When making a car rental reservation on Sixt’s app or website, it will usually show you two prices: one that allows you to pay at the counter upon pick-up, with no cancellation fee; and another price that is slightly discounted but requires that you pay at the time of booking. The second rate is usually subject to a nominal cancellation fee. Depending on what makes more sense for you and your situation, you could benefit from a discounted rate by paying upfront.
The Sixt rental car I reserved in Paris, France was equipped with winter tires, and was perfect for my ski trip exploring the Haute Savoie region of France.
5. The app is easy to use
I’ve found Sixt’s app to be very easy to navigate and straightforward. In addition to making car reservations through the app, you can also use it to manage reservations, contact support, and locate car chargers (if your rental is electric). My favorite app feature is the ability to make changes to current reservations— for example if you wanted to extend your rental or return your car earlier than planned, you can update the dates in the app and it will automatically show you the new total or the amount you would be refunded.
My rental car I picked up from a Sixt Location in Munich, Germany, parked at Kitzbuhel, Austria.
6. You can book early or last minute
Whether you are planning far in advance for your trip, or decided at the last minute to reserve a rental car, or simply procrastinated, there are always solutions through Sixt. Though pricing may fluctuate depending on the season and amount of availability, there are usually options for every type of traveler, and every type of travel planner.
I’ve also noticed on the Sixt app (and this may be dependent on the city or country where you are located), there are options for booking on demand or pre-scheduling a ride with a driver, as well as options for 1-, 6-, or 12-month subscriptions for flexible car “leases”. So depending on your situation, you may find that any one of these solutions may work well for you.
7. Loyalty program for discounts and upgrades
If you continue booking through Sixt for multiple rentals, over time you can benefit from their loyalty programs that offer a number of perks including discounts, upgrades, faster processing at pick-up, exclusive counters and parking, additional drivers at no charge, and more, depending on the program tier. You can access the first tier of Sixt’s loyalty program simply by signing up for an account, and can reach the next tier just by completing three rentals (for US residents). You can read more about the program terms here: Sixt Status
8. Service and quality are premium
I’ve always found the staff at Sixt to be helpful, friendly, and accommodating across the many locations I’ve rented from in Europe. Each branch I've visited has been clean, professional, and inviting. And not only are all of their vehicles in great, like-new condition, but Sixt also seems to offer more premium options than other car rental companies I’ve come across. In some instances, I’ve rented cars from Sixt and discovered at pick-up that the car is actually brand new. I’ve been delighted more times by my experiences with Sixt than I have by any other car rental company.
9. Pick up and drop off are easy
Due to their large number of convenient locations, pick-up and drop-off are always well-managed, straightforward, and uncomplicated, and in most cases you can drop-off outside a branch’s hours of operation. Customer service is easy to reach for any reason, and in my experience the staff has always provided clear instructions for finding and accessing the exact location for returning the vehicle, if it happens to be different than the location where it was picked up.
I’ve found that having a car is necessary for a ski trip to the Alps if you intend on exploring multiple stations, or wish to have more flexibility to respond to changing conditions throughout the ski season. For all these reasons I’ve listed, Sixt is my preferred service for renting a vehicle every time I need one in the Alps.
Are you planning a ski trip to the Alps and have any questions about my personal experience booking a car rental? Let me know in the comments below, or discover more of my tips and advice in my other articles.
About the author
Meet Carina Otero, avid skier and the creator of She is Not Lost, an online community for celebrating female travelers and a blog providing helpful tips, useful information, and inspiration for your future travels. Carina’s passion for skiing and love of writing and photography have inspired a new blog to share her experiences and personal favorites relating to the sport:
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