Car rental vs train in Europe?

I'm a big fan of renting a car and driving around places. As mentioned, it's the only way to really get more off the beaten path and see some places.

I don't know that I'd call them cons, but there are some challenges to having a car. However, they are mostly limited to cities. A couple thoughts:

-One way rentals within a country (or at least starting and ending in the same country) aren't too bad. You will get absolutely hammered - $500 and much higher - if you do a one way from one country to another.

-Parking can be a challenge in bigger cities - not to mention expensive. I like to pick up my car when leaving a big city and drop it off when arriving to one if I'm not going to need it after that.

-Cell phones have made navigating in foreign countries pretty easy. Driving into/out of some of the bigger cities can be a challenge, but it's manageable if you're a decent driver. Once you get on the interstate/country highways, there's nothing to it.

-Car size can be a challenge if you're a family. For two people, it's not a big deal...but throw in a car seat, an umbrella stroller, luggage for multiple people and that space goes quickly in most rental cars. And believe me when I tell you we are not heavy packers.

-The sites mentioned above are good. I've had luck with autoeurope.com. It is an aggregator site that includes many of the rental sites. I last rented from Europcar and actually got a significantly better deal on autoeurope compared to direct with Europcar. Also, check nearby cities if you'll be renting a car for a while. I saved $300 by picking up my car in Bilbao (as opposed to San Sebastian) by taking the hour and a half bus ride over there - and saw a new city/the Guggenheim, etc.

-Trains have one main advantage: high speed rail can be a good bit quicker between cities that have direct connections. Potentially cheaper too.

I have done both, relatively recently, and enjoyed both. The car was great to pull over at all kinds of random places on a whim. I like having a rental if I can get it cheaply and I’m not in a rush. Only real cons of the car are sometimes cost and parking. Also, if they drive on the left side!
The train was also great. It’s nice to sit back with a coffee or a beer and watch the scenery out the window. The last train I did was also super cheap, even for first class tickets on a 6hr trip.

Getting out of big cities can be quite tough. We trained to Dijon out of Paris just to have an easier go of it.

Got mailed a bunch of tickets when we got home. Apparently they don't like you speeding between tolls.

I hope you can drive a manual.

Where are you going? That depends a lot.

I much prefer getting away from the big tourist areas and experience the actual culture. I prefer a countryside pub than a big city pub.

If you are going from say downtown London to Paris, train is faster.

But if you are going from almost any small to medium city or a suburb to a similar city, car is usually much faster. You have to keep in mind travel from your hotel to the station, waiting on the train to leave, and then travel from the train station to your destination. You also have only certain times you can go. Rental cars give you infinite options on time, you wake up and go at your pleasure. You can be headed out and arrive by car before your train would have even left the station. Time is worth a lot of money in Europe, and often times cars will save you time.

The other nice thing about a car, is that you have a place to store your bags. No need to worry.

I love trains, but I still much prefer doing trips in a circle in Europe with a car. Starting and stopping in the same city.

I will never recommend someone renting a car on their arrival day to England. I did that this summer, its one thing to drive on the left, its another to do it without sleep and jet lagged. It was miserable and frankly dangerous.

Sixt is my Euro go to. If you book in advance, getting an automatic won’t be a problem at a major airport rental desk.

Two things to consider: 1) France especially has hugely strict DWI laws. So you can’t taste wine at a vineyard and then motor to the next one...the limit is 0.05%. Depending on your size, this limit is very very easy to exceed. Either have a DD in your party, or don’t drink.
2)consider your itinerary—different countries/areas have widely varying rail access, and not all rural areas poorly served by trains are scenic or interesting. Esp on a first visit to an area, you may find plenty to see/do without a car. So pick your destination and research before deciding a car is necessary.