The trade fair calendar decides what a hire car costs here, not the season.

Driving licence

An EU or EEA licence is accepted as it stands. Licences from outside that area are generally accepted for a limited period after arrival, often alongside a translation or an International Driving Permit, and rental desks apply their own stricter rules on top. Bring the physical card.

The fair calendar, not the season

Everything rentable here is priced against the exhibition calendar. During a major fair, cars, vans, apartments and formalwear all move to a different price level and the fleet empties. Fair dates are published far in advance — the practical rule is to book the week the dates appear, not the month before the fair.

Deposits

Standard car deposits are modest and held on a card. Exhibition equipment is different: stand furniture, truss and AV are usually contracted with a deposit or a corporate account, delivery and collection slots are fixed by the hall, and late returns are charged against the hall schedule rather than an hourly rate.

Boats on the Rhine

The Rhine here is a working shipping route with strong current and heavy commercial traffic, which is why small-boat hire is far more limited than on the Berlin or Brandenburg waterways. Most private hire is a crewed boat rather than something you take out yourself. Licence-free options are limited and situational.

The low-emission zone

The city operates an environmental zone requiring a windscreen sticker. German-registered rental vehicles normally carry one; confirm it if the vehicle came from outside the country.

Age limits

Car hire generally opens at 21 with a young-driver surcharge, and premium categories commonly set 25 or higher with a minimum years-held requirement. Van categories often carry their own minimum age above the car one.

Licence categories, age limits and what may be taken out without a certificate change, and operators set stricter terms than the law requires. Treat everything above as orientation and confirm it with the operator and the local authority before you book.