Top tips on taking your caravan overseas

After the enforced staycations during the pandemic, European borders have opened up once again. Touring caravan owners have exciting access to mile after mile of the open road as overseas adventures beckon.

Whether you are looking forward to your first-ever overseas caravan trip, or are a seasoned tourer returning to the prospect of taking your caravan to Europe, the following points and tips might be useful by way of preparation. That way you can fully enjoy your holiday and be ready for the unexpected!

So, read on and enjoy our top tips for taking your caravan on the continent!

Driving in Europe after Brexit

  • although towing your caravan abroad requires few additional skills to those you will already have acquired by driving in the UK, it is important to prepare for those differences you will inevitably encounter when driving in another country;
  • that preparation is likely to be key to a smooth and incident-free holiday;

Be prepared!

  • preparation will include making sure that both your caravan and the vehicle that will be towing it are mechanically and electrically sound and recently serviced;
  • forget any of those myths you might have heard about continental police forces being softer on the enforcement of speed restrictions or clamping down on the roadworthiness of vehicles – bald tyres, faulty light panels, and the like are not only dangerous but also likely to get you pulled over quickly and possibly fined on the spot;
  • if you are going to be towing your caravan abroad, you don’t want to start having trouble with aspects of your caravan shortly after arrival, unless you enjoy the thought of spending days in the local garage trying out your linguistic skills;
  • check that you have the relevant “kit” needed in your vehicle for when driving overseas on holiday – this may vary from one country to another and might include things such as a warning triangle, reflective jackets, or spare bulbs (check out the RAC website for the latest – 29th of March 2023 – list of both required and desirable equipment to keep onboard);

Know the route

  • know where you are going – not only so you don’t get lost but also so that you thoroughly understand the rules of the road in any of the countries in which you’ll be driving;
  • particular attention needs to be paid to any local laws or by-laws on towing a caravan, together with the speed limits that apply;
  • avoid following signs for city centres when towing a caravan – traffic systems in continental cities may be significantly different to those you are familiar with within the UK and they may also be both busy and narrow, so you’ll do well to avoid them when you are towing a caravan – unless, of course, you have no alternative route;
  • set yourself a modest itinerary – Europe is a big place and being overconfident about the number of kilometres you can clock up each day may only end badly and, at the very least, leave you and everyone else becoming exhausted;

Insurance and other documentation

  • some people predicted all manner of chaos when driving in Europe after Brexit – in the event, however, precious little has changed;
  • perhaps one of the most obvious changes is that you will need a UK sticker on the rear of both your caravan and the towing vehicle – and if you have the older GB sticker this must be replaced;
  • otherwise, the requirements now are very much the same as before Brexit;
  • the documents you require typically include passports for all members of your party (and it is useful also to have made a note of your National Insurance number), a valid full driving licence, the logbook (the V5C certificate) for the vehicle towing your caravan, up to date road tax and MOT (if necessary), your travel insurance documents, your European Breakdown Cover documents, and, if you are driving in France, a “crit’air vignette” (it certifies the pollution rating of your vehicle and will be needed if you enter specific towns or cities with low-emission zones);

Do I need a green card for my caravan?

  • a further vitally important document is proof of motor insurance – the minimum cover required by laws throughout Europe is third-party insurance (but, just as in the UK, a more prudent choice is for comprehensive insurance that covers damage or loss to both your vehicle and your caravan;
  • since 2021, the European authorities have waived any requirement for drivers from the UK to have a “green card” as proof of adequate motor insurance (that is, a minimum of third-party cover) – the UK government confirms that no green card is required for driving throughout the EU, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia, and Switzerland;
  • if your adventures take you beyond these countries, you will need to ask your insurer to issue you a green card;
  • provided your driving licence – of the relevant category for the caravan you are towing – is a photocard licence, you will not need an international driving permit (IDP) when driving in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein;
  • if you have a paper driving licence, an international driving permit might be required in some European countries and Norway – you can check whether you will need one and apply for the necessary IDP at the Post Office;

Please visit the Government website for the most up to date information.

Money matters

  • tell your credit card or banking providers that you are going overseas and make sure they have that registered on the system – some may spot what they see as an out-of-character profile transaction if your card suddenly pops up and starts being used abroad;
  • having your card rejected at a petrol station or motorway toll booth while you argue with your card provider on the phone, is not a good way to start your holiday
  • factor in motorway tolls – many if not most motorways in continental Europe are toll roads and those fees can mount up seriously on a longer journey, so make sure you have enough cash or credit cards available to pay for them;
  • be careful to note that some motorway exits across Europe are entirely automatic or are available only at unusual hours – at those exits, the machines may not even accept cash automatically and will presume that you have a valid credit card of some sort, so making another reason to make sure your providers understand where you are going and that you have sufficient available credit!

Destination ideas

Finally, for some destination inspiration, check out our guides including our Guide to caravanning in France, Guide to caravanning in the Channel Islands, Guide to caravanning on the Isle of Wight and, our Guide to caravanning in Germany.

Enjoy your holiday!

Disclaimer: Please note the information contained within this article is based on our understanding of current law, which is liable to change. Please always do further research if you are unsure of any driving abroad requirements.