One-Way vs Round-Trip Campervan Rental: What Each One Really Costs (Plus a Third Way Almost Nobody Uses)
Picking up a campervan in one city and dropping it off in another sounds simple — until you see the one-way fee. Most travellers end up choosing round-trip instead, driving back the way they came just to avoid it. But that "free" choice has its own hidden cost: wasted days and extra fuel. Here's the real cost of each option — and a third, almost never-advertised route that quietly undercuts them both.
Option 1: One-way rental (with the fee)
A standard one-way rental lets you pick up in city A and drop off in city B, no driving back required. Convenient — but rental companies charge for it, because someone has to move that vehicle back afterwards.
Typical one-way fees: €500–1500, depending on distance and how far the drop-off city is from the company's nearest depot. A short hop (Munich to Salzburg) might be a few hundred euros. A long cross-border route (Munich to Lisbon) can hit the top of that range, sometimes more.
Which raises a question: what if you could be the "another renter" the company pays to do it — instead of the one who gets charged? More on that below.
Option 2: Round-trip rental (no fee, but you drive twice)
Round-trip avoids the fee entirely — you pick up and drop off in the same city. The catch: you have to drive back the way you came, which means every route becomes a there-and-back, not a one-way adventure.
What that actually costs you:
Time: If your outbound drive is 2 days, your return drive is another 2 days. On a 10-day trip, that's 4 days spent driving the same roads twice — 40% of your trip gone to retracing your route.
Fuel and tolls: Doubling the distance roughly doubles fuel and toll costs for that leg. On a longer route (say, 1,200km each way), that can easily add €150–300 in fuel alone compared to a one-way trip covering the same ground once.
Route flexibility: You can't really do an open-ended "start in Munich, end wherever" trip — you always have to plan your return leg, which limits spontaneity.
So neither option is great: pay a steep fee, or pay in days and diesel. There's a third way that sidesteps both problems — and it's the one rental companies rarely advertise.
| Option | Upfront Fee | Extra Driving Days | Extra Fuel/Tolls | Route Flexibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-way rental | €500–1500 | None | None | High |
| Round-trip rental | €0 | 2–4 days | €150–300+ | Low |
| Relocation deal | €1–5/day (rental) | None | None | Medium (fixed routes) |
Option 3: the one most people never hear about — relocation deals
Here's the thing both of the above options miss: rental companies already have to move vehicles one-way, constantly. A camper dropped off in Lisbon by one renter needs to get back to Munich for the next one. Someone has to drive that leg regardless.
Instead of paying a transport company or absorbing the cost themselves, providers offer that exact drive to travellers at a fraction of the price — often €1–5 per day instead of the €500-1500 one-way fee. You get a genuine one-way trip, no drive-back required, and the price undercuts round-trip rental too once you factor in the extra fuel and days round-trip costs you.
The trade-off: relocation deals only exist on routes and dates the company actually needs done. You can't request "Munich to Lisbon on the 14th" and expect it to exist — you search what's available and build your trip around it. That's the flexibility you give up in exchange for the price. See when deals are most available by season to plan around this.
See which relocation routes are live right now.
Check today's deals →Which option makes sense for you
Choose one-way rental if you need a specific route on specific dates and no relocation deal covers it. You'll pay the full fee, but you get exactly the trip you want.
Choose round-trip rental if you genuinely want to explore one region and don't mind retracing your steps — a round-trip through the Alps, for example, might make sense because the return drive is scenic in its own right, not wasted time.
Choose a relocation deal if you're flexible on exact dates and open to letting the available routes shape your trip. This is the cheapest option by far, and works especially well if you're doing a longer, more open-ended trip rather than a fixed A-to-B itinerary — see our guide on the best relocation routes across Europe for inspiration.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a one-way campervan rental fee cost?
One-way fees typically range from €500 to €1500 depending on the distance and how far the drop-off city is from the company's nearest depot. Long cross-border routes sit at the high end of that range.
Is round-trip campervan rental actually cheaper?
Round-trip avoids the one-way fee, but you pay for it in time and fuel: you have to drive back to your starting city, which can eat 2-4 days of your trip and add hundreds of euros in extra fuel and tolls.
What is a campervan relocation and how is it different?
A relocation deal is a one-way trip a rental company needs done anyway. Because the company benefits from the move, they charge €1-5/day instead of the full one-way fee.
When does a one-way rental make more sense than a relocation deal?
When you need a specific route on specific dates that no relocation deal covers. Relocations only exist on routes and dates companies actually need moved.
Skip the one-way fee. See live relocation deals across 5 providers.
Search deals on Movacamper →Related articles
🚠 What is Campervan Relocation? — New to relocation? Start here to understand how it works, what it costs, and where to find deals.
📅 Best Time for Campervan Relocation Deals — A month-by-month guide to when the most deals appear.
🗺️ Top 5 Campervan Relocation Routes in Europe — The best routes with distances, drive times, and scenic highlights.