Shipping your RV from USA to Europe

Europe is one of the few holiday destinations with as much fun, excitement, and sightseeing options. However, visiting some of the most well-known locations sometimes involves unfavorable tour times and dates. In addition to this, your holiday budget can be swiftly depleted by hotel and dining costs. This kind of inconvenience may rapidly spoil a wonderful trip. Therefore, you can opt for shipping your RV from USA to Europe in order to avoid these problems. Now the question is, can you do this alone or with help from overseas removalists? Here is everything you should consider before making your final decision.

The difference between American and European RVs

Let’s begin by pointing out the differences between RVs from America and Europe before considering international car transportation. First of all, Europe has a very different infrastructure than North America, with smaller streets and lower bridges. For this reason, European RVs are built for basic camping and aren’t as grand as American RVs, which are residences that can sustain full-time RV living. The weight limitations for RVs in North America and Europe are another significant distinction. A driver’s license (Class 5) in North America permits us to operate essentially any type of vehicle. Therefore, motorhomes are frequently large 34 feet or more, and weigh 5,000 kg/11,000 lbs or more. Europe only allows cars under 3.5 tons and the normal driver’s license (Class B). As a result, motorhomes in Europe are often lighter and shorter (21 feet/6.5 meters). Larger RVs are available, but they require a separate license (Class C).

More things to consider before shipping your RV from USA to Europe

When RVing around Europe, dumping the black tank can be problematic in most circumstances. The dump stations are not made for the same RV sewage systems utilized in the US. The waste hose is not hooked to a ground outlet. Instead, they use cassette toilets. You must pour your black water into a container and empty it at a grate-lined community dump site. In addition, campsites are frequently rated at 16A or 10A, and sometimes even as low as 5A. The wiring of a separate 220/240v system is an additional choice. Headlights and headlamp adaptations may also be necessary to meet European requirements. Therefore, you should not travel with a 40-foot RV to Europe due to the smaller roads and campgrounds, which restrict where you can drive and park. If you don’t have any other RV but still need to move, consider hiring international furniture movers.

Consider all the options

The duration of your stay is a crucial factor while traveling internationally. Generally speaking, the cost of shipping is around $3,400 or more. You will need to budget close to $7,000 at least. The trouble of dropping off and picking up your RV is another factor and any damage it may sustain during transport. Additionally, you’ll need a 120v to 240v converter as well. Furthermore, you can stay ninety days out of every 180 days in the Schengen region under the six-month norm. Therefore, if you want to stay in Europe longer, you can, but your RV can’t do the same. In this case, you spend the remaining six months traveling outside of the Schengen region. Consider all the options. Is it going to be worth shipping your RV all the way to Europe or not? You can always find international household movers if you can’t ship your RV.

Important steps to take before shipping your RV

Here are all the important steps to take when preparing your RV for shipping. Make sure to give yourself enough time to gather all the documents and prepare everything on time.

• Documents –  Get in touch with the American Embassy of the nation you wish to visit. A passport, bill of shipment, evidence of insurance, and any other paperwork necessary by the nation are required.
• Taxes – Depending on the nation where you want to travel by RV, import taxes might vary greatly.
• Fuel –  Prices in Europe range from $6 to $10 per gallon for diesel.
• Insurance – Except for Eastern Europe and North Africa, most nations will accept European coverage. The cost increases as the RV gets more pricey.
• International Driving Permit – You should think about getting an IDP before you go. The permit is a valid version of your American driver’s license that most nations accept.

What is the best way to transport your RV internationally?

Due to the size of the vehicle, the RoRo technique is your only choice. Roll-on, roll-off ships, or RoRos, are designed to transport goods on wheels. When you hire a shipping company, they will securely fasten down your RV in its place. This approach is both very economical and quite successful. RoRo shipping has dependable departure and arrival dates and a schedule that resembles that of an airline. For the best defense against the weather, a shipping company secures all RVs below deck.  You can transport your RV to the shipping port for departure or have a shipping company take care of everything. However, this will be more expensive, and not every shipping company offers it. For this reason, when hiring a shipping company, see what they offer first. Then, check their prices. Afterward, you can make your decision.

What to do remember?

When shipping your RV from USA to Europe, the origin place and final destination affect time and cost. A car will typically take a week to 10 days to go from the east coast of the USA to Europe. If port-to-port shipping were replaced with door-to-door service, this may change slightly. When accepting the RV when it arrives, be sure that you or your shipping company has the appropriate identity and necessary original paperwork. It is not difficult to move your RV to Europe if you hire a good shipping company. For this reason, make sure to find one that can help you safely ship your RV to your next destination.