Driving alone means no compromises on the route, the stops or the music. It also means no one to share the driving, watch the car or help if something goes wrong.
This guide covers safety before and during the trip, staying in touch, meeting people, the costs of travelling alone, managing tiredness when you're the only driver, and routes that suit a first solo trip.
Safety
Solo travel by car is generally safe. You are in control of your environment in a way that is not possible with other forms of transport. But being alone means there is no one to share the driving, no one to watch your things, and no one to help if something goes wrong. A few precautions make all the difference.
Before You Leave
- Share your itinerary: Give a trusted friend or family member your full route, including planned stops, accommodation details, and estimated arrival times. Update them if plans change
- Service your vehicle: A breakdown is inconvenient with company. Alone, it can be miserable. Get a full service before any long trip. Check tyres (including the spare), fluids, brakes, and battery
- Pack an emergency kit: Jump leads, a torch with spare batteries, a blanket, water, non-perishable snacks, a basic tool kit, a first aid kit, and a portable phone charger. If you are driving in winter or through mountains, add de-icer, a scraper, and warm layers
- Download offline maps: Do not rely entirely on mobile data for navigation. Download maps of your entire route in Google Maps or a dedicated offline app like Maps.me
- Ensure your breakdown cover is comprehensive: Solo travellers need cover that includes onward travel and accommodation if your car needs to stay overnight at a garage
On the Road
- Lock your doors while driving: Most modern cars do this automatically, but check
- Park in well-lit, busy areas: Especially overnight. Pay for a hotel with secure parking rather than sleeping in a dark lay-by (our security tips have more)
- Trust your instincts: If a situation or place feels wrong, leave. You do not owe anyone an explanation. Get in your car and drive to somewhere you feel comfortable
- Keep valuables hidden: A laptop bag or camera on the passenger seat is an invitation. Put everything out of sight in the boot before you arrive at your destination, not after you have parked (when someone might be watching)
- Carry physical cash and a backup card: If your main card is lost or blocked, you need alternatives. Split your money between different locations in the car and on your person
Set up live location sharing on your phone with someone you trust. On iPhone, this is in the Find My app. On Android, use Google Maps location sharing. It runs silently in the background and means someone always knows where you are without you needing to send updates.
Staying Connected Without Staying Glued to Your Phone
One of the joys of solo travel is disconnecting. But complete digital isolation is neither safe nor practical. Find the balance:
- Daily check-in: Send a quick message to your contact person each evening. A simple "Arrived safely in [place], heading to [next place] tomorrow" takes ten seconds and gives everyone peace of mind
- Social media on your terms: Some solo travellers love sharing their journey in real time. Others prefer to disconnect and post afterwards. Both are valid. Just be aware that posting your exact location in real time tells the world exactly where you are and, crucially, that your home is empty
- Podcasts and audiobooks: These are the solo road tripper's best friend. Queue up hours of content before you leave. True crime, comedy, history, fiction, language learning, whatever keeps you engaged. Many people find them better than music for staying engaged, though they don't cure tiredness
- Hands-free calling: Long drives are perfect for catching up with friends and family by phone. Just make sure you use a proper hands-free system, not a phone balanced on your lap
Meeting People on the Road
Solo does not have to mean lonely. Road trips offer natural opportunities to connect with others:
- Stay in social accommodation: Hostels with private rooms give you the best of both worlds: your own space when you want it, and a common room or kitchen when you want company. Guesthouses and B&Bs also tend to be more sociable than hotels
- Eat at the bar: In restaurants, sitting at the bar or counter rather than a table for one puts you next to other people. Conversations start naturally
- Join local activities: A cooking class, a walking tour, a wine tasting, or even a local pub quiz. These are designed for interaction and are perfect for solo travellers
- Campsites: If you are camping, the campsite community is inherently social. Neighbours chat, people share tips, and the atmosphere is usually friendly
- Use apps thoughtfully: Apps like Meetup, Couchsurfing hangouts, or even Bumble BFF can help you find people to share a meal or an activity with. Use common sense and meet in public places
Travelling solo does not mean you have to eat alone every meal if you do not want to. But equally, there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating alone. Bring a book, sit somewhere with a view, and enjoy the experience. The discomfort of eating alone usually disappears completely after the first time.
Budgeting for One: The Financial Reality
Solo travel has one significant financial disadvantage: you cannot split costs. Accommodation, fuel, tolls, and ferry crossings all fall on one person. Here is how to manage it:
Where You Save
- Food: You eat exactly what you want, when you want. No expensive group dinners. You can have a supermarket picnic for lunch and save your budget for one good restaurant meal
- Flexibility: You can chase last-minute deals because you only need to please yourself. A cheap room just popped up in an interesting town? Take it. The weather is bad? Change plans instantly
- Activities: You only pay for things you actually want to do. No compromise visits to attractions that do not interest you
Where You Spend More
- Accommodation: This is the big one. A 100 EUR hotel room costs 100 EUR whether one person or two uses it. To manage this, mix accommodation types: a hostel private room one night, a budget hotel the next, and maybe one special splurge
- Fuel: Same cost whether the car is carrying one person or four
- Crossings and tolls: Ferries and tunnels charge per vehicle, not per person
Budget Tips
- Book accommodation with a kitchen or kitchenette. Cooking some of your own meals saves substantially over two weeks
- Use loyalty cards and fuel discount schemes where they exist (several UK supermarkets offer fuel discounts with shopping)
- Travel in shoulder season (May to June or September to October) when everything is cheaper and less crowded
- Consider wild camping where legal (Scotland, Scandinavia, much of Eastern Europe) if you have the equipment
Managing Fatigue: The Solo Driver's Biggest Risk
When you're the only driver, there's no one to take over when you get tired, and driving drowsy can be as dangerous as driving drunk. Our driver fatigue guide goes into more detail.
- Limit driving to 4 hours per day: This might sound conservative, but as a solo driver with no one to share the load, 4 hours of actual driving (not including stops) is a sensible maximum. That still covers 300 to 400km per day
- Take a break every 90 minutes: Get out of the car, walk around, get fresh air. Do not just sit in a service station
- If you feel drowsy, stop immediately: Pull over safely, have a strong coffee, set an alarm for 20 minutes, and nap. A 20-minute power nap combined with caffeine (which takes about 20 minutes to kick in) works well. Do not push through tiredness
- Avoid heavy meals before driving: A large lunch makes afternoon drowsiness much worse. Eat light when you know you have driving ahead
- Get proper sleep: Do not sacrifice sleep to fit in more sightseeing. Seven to eight hours per night is not optional when you are driving every day
- Know the warning signs: Yawning, heavy eyelids, drifting in your lane, missing exits, struggling to remember the last few miles. Any of these means you must stop
Plan your driving for the morning when you are freshest. Do your sightseeing and activities in the afternoon and evening. This way, you are never trying to drive after a long, tiring day of walking around cities or hiking trails.
Choosing Solo-Friendly Routes
Not all road trips are equally suited to solo driving. The best solo routes share a few characteristics:
- Good infrastructure: Regular fuel stations, frequent towns, reliable mobile signal. A remote highland pass is a great drive but more of a risk if you're alone and something goes wrong
- Interesting stops: Routes with plenty to see and do along the way keep the journey engaging when you do not have conversation to pass the time
- Manageable daily distances: Routes where attractions and accommodation are spaced at sensible intervals, not 500km apart
- Safe parking: Routes through areas where you can park securely, not just on the side of a remote road
Some routes that work particularly well for solo drivers:
- The Atlantic coast of France: From Calais down to Biarritz. Excellent roads, beautiful towns every hour or two, great food, and plenty of other travellers
- The Rhine Valley in Germany: Castles, vineyards, charming towns, and motorways that let you cover distance when you want to
- The Amalfi Coast: Dramatic and memorable, though the narrow roads require confidence. Best in shoulder season when traffic is lighter
- Iceland's Ring Road: Popular with solo travellers. The main road is good and the driving straightforward in summer, though fuel stops can be far apart in the east
- Scotland's North Coast 500: Close to home and spectacular, but parts are single-track with weak mobile signal, so plan fuel and overnight stops carefully
The Mental Game: Enjoying Your Own Company
For many people the hardest part of a solo trip isn't practical. Some love the solitude; others find it uncomfortable at first:
- The first day is the hardest. You might feel self-conscious, lonely, or question whether this was a good idea. Push through it. By day two or three, most solo travellers hit a rhythm and wonder why they did not do this sooner
- Meal times can feel awkward. Having something to do (a book, a journal, your phone) takes the edge off until you are comfortable simply sitting and observing
- Take photos and keep a journal. Not for social media, but for yourself. Recording your experiences helps you process and appreciate them
- It is okay to feel lonely sometimes. Loneliness is a normal human emotion, not a sign that you have made a mistake. It usually passes quickly, especially if you make an effort to chat with people
- Most people finish a solo trip more confident than they started it
Frequently asked questions
Is solo road tripping safe for women?
Yes. The same common-sense precautions apply regardless of gender: share your itinerary, park in well-lit areas, keep valuables hidden, and trust your instincts. Some additional considerations that many women solo travellers recommend include staying in well-reviewed accommodation (read reviews from other solo female travellers specifically), carrying a door wedge for extra hotel room security, and being cautious about sharing detailed travel plans with strangers. Most women who road trip solo describe it positively.
What if my car breaks down and I am alone?
This is what comprehensive breakdown cover is for. Put on your high-vis vest before you get out. On a motorway, leave the car by the door away from traffic and wait behind the barrier; on quieter roads, set up your warning triangle if it's safe. Then call your breakdown provider. While you wait, let your emergency contact know what has happened. In the EU, the universal emergency number is 112. If you feel unsafe for any reason, call the police. Waits vary, and can be longer in rural areas. Our guide to breaking down abroad has country numbers.
How do I handle overnight stops safely when travelling alone?
Book accommodation in advance rather than arriving in an unfamiliar town at 10pm hoping to find somewhere. Choose places with good reviews and secure parking. When you check in, avoid advertising that you are travelling alone if it makes you uncomfortable. Lock your car and remove all valuables from it overnight, even in hotel car parks. If you are camping, choose established campsites with other people around rather than isolated wild camping spots, at least until you are experienced and comfortable with solo travel.