Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

The Seattle Times

Travel / Outdoors


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced

Originally published Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 12:00 AM

E-mail article     Print view

Ask Travel

Hiring a driver in foreign country relatively easy

Q: Last year, one of your writers did a great series in the Sunday travel section on her travels in Eastern Europe. She mentioned hiring a...

Q: Last year, one of your writers did a great series in the Sunday travel section on her travels in Eastern Europe. She mentioned hiring a driver for a very low price. I am traveling this summer to some remote parts of northern Hungary and Slovakia and want to hire a driver. Can you tell me the best way to go about hiring someone?

Beth, Seattle

A: Hi. I wrote a series about traveling in Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania and I mentioned that I hired a local guide with a car for a few days in rural Romania. Frankly, I wouldn't hesitate to drive a rental car myself in the areas you mention — in my case, it was the guide I was after. He happened to come with a car.

I found his name mentioned in a Lonely Planet guidebook and e-mailed him, but I think it's possible to find people like this most everywhere in the former Communist bloc countries — entrepreneurial men and women who are trying to make a living in the growing business of tourism.

You might check in with the local tourist office once you arrive to see who might be available and the cost. I was in Penang, Malaysia, recently inquiring about hiring a driver. Someone overheard me and offered his services. This sort of thing is very common in Asia and in Eastern Europe.

Bottom line: Play it by ear and see what develops once you get there. You'll be in a better position to negotiate the price, and scope out the idea of driving yourself.

Carol Pucci, Seattle Times Travel writer

If you have a question about travel, ask us. Go to www.seattletimes.com/travel (scroll down to the middle of the page to "Ask Travel") to submit a question. We'll answer as many as we can, but are unable to answer all due to the volume of submissions.

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

More Travel headlines...

E-mail article Print view      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

advertising

How to save money, energy on Thanksgiving road trip

Southwest's "bags fly free" policy is landing new customers

Snow globes? TSA will likely just say 'no'

Finding youthful spirits on elder-filled cruise

Unions urge Obama to fix ailing airlines

Advertising

Video

Opening day at Crystal Mountain
Skiers crowded the slopes at Crystal Mountain for one of the resort's earliest openings.

Video shows violent arrest by SPD
Fort Lewis Memorial
Highlights: Ken Auletta talks about "Googled"
Seattle International Cabaret Festival
Ken Auletta talks about "Googled"
Medal of Honor
Pelosi answers questions at Swedish Medical Center
Pelosi speaks at Swedish Medical Center
"Pistol" Pete Ryan

Marketplace

nwautos

2009's most fuel-efficient sedansnew
Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment

Open Houses

Find this weekend's open house listings.
Or search by location:

 
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
 
 
Advertising