VAN-COMPARATOR Guide
Renting an RV by the week: handover, mileage and what is included
The week is still the ruling format of motorhome rental: real pick-up and return times, mileage packages, what comes included and what does not — everything to check before you book.
Try to find a motorhome for three days in mid-August: almost nothing, or eye-watering daily rates. Search by the week: hundreds of vehicles. The weekly format still structures most of the market — understanding what it really covers is how you avoid surprises at pick-up and at return.
A “week” is rarely seven full days
Handover usually happens in the afternoon (2-5 pm): condition report, walk-around, a full briefing on water, gas and electrics — allow a good hour, especially your first time. Return is in the morning (9-11 am), vehicle clean and tanks emptied. A week billed as seven days therefore buys you roughly six and a half days on the road. Plan your first night within an hour of the pick-up point: you settle in calmly instead of burning kilometres.
Mileage, the number that skews every comparison
This is THE line that distorts price comparisons. On peer-to-peer platforms (Yescapa, Goboony), the norm is an allowance of 100 to 200 km per day, with extra kilometres billed at €0.20-0.40. Professional fleets such as Roadsurfer or Indie Campers often include unlimited mileage, sometimes as a paid option. On a 1,500 km road trip the difference can exceed €150: always compare the total price for your actual itinerary, never the headline daily rate.
What is included — and what is not
- Almost always included: basic insurance, roadside assistance, kitchen kit.
- Frequently an extra: bedding and linen (€20-60), end-of-rental cleaning (€50-100), bike rack, camping table and chairs, additional driver.
- Always check: the insurance excess and the deposit amount — our guide to deposits and insurance gives the real ranges.
Off season, the week becomes negotiable
From October to March many owners accept free-form durations, long weekends and sliding discounts from the second week. A campervan listed at €120 a day in July goes for €75-90 in November. For full budget ranges by vehicle type, see how much an RV rental costs — and compare several platforms: they carry different fleets and very different mileage policies.