A few friends are considering an alps trip and I was thinking that if there's a load of us (6 or so) hiring a van from here (or Calais) and driving down might be cheaper and also less prone to ash cancellations. Anyone done this and if so, any idea of costs etc?

we looked at this back in 2006 for two weeks in Morzine. All the companies we tried said that they did not hire vans for abroad as lots of people did booze runs to Calais in them and the vans ended up getting impounded etc.

We did get one quote (from a local firm who just had two or three vans) and it was nearly a grand for two weeks hire for a mini bus with some seats removed.

Not sure if tolls and ferry are more expensive for a van, but probably cheaper than two cars

Never had a problem hiring a van for a trip to the Alps.

It'll be hard to get one for 6 though, we've usually only had 3 in. Great for carrying loads of bikes and kit and for day trips a bit further afield than the local lift/trail network allows or an early start somewhere different like Morgins.

For a small van (e.g. SWB low-top transit) the ferry and tolls aren't much (if any) different to a car.

From my poor memory it cost approx
£500 van hire
£250 diesel
£100 tolls

That was a couple of years back though.

I saw a double cab for hire in some locations but that's looking less possible. Even up for the idea of getting the train to dover and riding to the port with kit bag on back to hire in France.

Even up for the idea of getting the train to dover and riding to the port with kit bag on back to hire in France.

having ridden with big kit bags before, i can guarantee that it is a total pain in the ass…!!!

why not lok at hiring a big estate and a small car, fill the estate and put most people in the small car? or, try and hire a pick-up double cab?

Sixt let you take vans abroad – or at least they do for account customers

Salford van hire may well have double cabs, they seem to have most configurations of vans
worth talking to direct though as the website won't list everything

£100 tolls

Eh?!!!!!!! How come soo much?

Class 2 toll rate, commercial vehicles (more than 2 metres high)pay more than cars.

That with the fuel and hire (excess for any probable) dents makes it a rip off to take a hirevan IMO.

I'd rather take two largish diesel cars if it was me.

You should get six people, plus kit, plus bikes in and on a people carrier. Three bikes on the roof, three on the back. We've done it skiing. A van is better, having someone in the group who owns one is handy 🙂

A van doesnt fit under the barrier for the card only toll, so you would have to queue up with the great unwashed.

Hmmmm van acoustics on a long trip.

Last year three of us went down in a van and two more of us flew.

All the bikes went in the van, along with a lot of luggage.

Me and another guy got the tram/train/bus from Geneva to Chatel, where we all met up.

Just an idea. I'd probably just take two cars if I was you though.

Van acoustics…you just turn the radio up a tad. I and all the other van drivers manage fine, plus you get a better view 🙂

Could be worth trying to get a minibus instead of a van, just make sure its not got too many seats (I think 8 or 9 including the driver is the max before a D1 license is needed)

We spent ages looking into it last year, but ended up going in 2 cars it was just working out as really expensive for just a week.

We toyed with the idea of buying an older van and then selling it on after the holiday. It would be unlikely to lose much, just the hassle