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I've been driving over 20 years, but never outside the US. European driving is quite different, I hear, both rule of the road and other drivers' habits. If I was to drive in Europe what should I learn and how? Is it possible to take a "European Driving" course while still in US, so that I would arrive to Europe ready to rent a car on the 1st day? By "Europe" I mean continental EU, Germany and neighbors, not the left-side-of-the-road UK.

In some European countries there some things that are compulsory to carry in the car.
Check for each country you're visiting what's required.

Confirm what's provided by the hire co. and what you need to source.

Such things as first aid kits, fire extinguishers, Hi_vis jackets (one per person or driver only), disposable breathalyzer kits, spare bulbs, warning triangles (2 in Spain), snow chains (seasonal I guess).

I've driven for many years in the US and also gone through the process of getting my driver's license (again!) in the Netherlands. The below is based on my experience and there are some subtle differences between countries so beware.

First, to get it out of the way, almost all cars in Europe are manual transmissions, although some rental cars are automatics. In fact, if you take your driving test with an automatic, you are not allowed to drive a manual transmission until you take the exam again (after a mandatory 2 year waiting period!) with a manual transmission.

The other answers touch on some common things, but the single most important difference is in right-of-way. In Europe, they rely much less on stop signs and stoplights to regulate traffic. Instead, they rely more on traffic circles, "shark's teeth" and right-of-way rules.

There are two major forms of traffic circles: standard ones and "turbo" ones. Standard ones are the usual ones where one could potentially drive around them indefinitely. Turbo traffic circles may have one or two lanes for traffic entering from each side and do not permit making a full trip around the circle. Instead, one lane typically allows exiting to the right or straight across the circle, while the other permits exiting straight cross or 3/4 of the way around.

Shark's teeth are just yield signs painted on the road in a "teeth" pattern. Much like there is a white line painted on the road where there is a stop sign in the US, these shark's teeth indicate you are to yield to traffic at the intersection.

The right-of-way rules take the most time and practice to get used to. There are two important aspects to this:

1. In the absence of other indications on right-of-way, you must yield to the person coming from the right.


2. Yellow diamonds are used to indicate when your road has right-of-way and you do not need to do this.

When there are no stop signs, yield signs or yellow diamond "right-of-way" signs at an intersection, then you must yield to the person on your right. These types of intersections are most common in residential areas. It is often difficult to know if someone is coming from the right unless you actively slow down and look carefully to your right before entering the intersection. It is important to do this though as cars coming from the right WILL expect you to yield.

There are a few more subtle aspects to this. You must yield right-of-way to a bus that is leaving a bus stop within city limits, but you do not have to do this outside city limits. Also, the yellow diamonds that regulate right-of-way are posted before the intersections they govern within city limits, but outside city limits the "right-of-way" starts after the intersection (and the sign is posted after the intersection) and continues through the next intersection, at which point it ends unless the signage repeats.

I'm not aware of any course in the US that teaches you all this. In practice, I think the most important thing to be aware of will be yielding to those on the right in residential areas. You can comfortably practice this around your own neighborhood in the US.

1. If is best to have an International Drives License (which is basically just a translation to several languages) available from AAA. Many do not bother with this and is generally not required by car rental companies.




2. Some cities have "ZTL" (limited traffic) areas where traffic is limited to vehicle with proper stickers/registration) and the fine can be large.




3. If there may be snow some countries (Italy is one) and it does snow you must have snow chains at least in the car. We got caught in a sudden/unexpected snow and had to buy snow chains which are often provided free for the asking when renting.

Se the answer by @canonacer for more information.

I've been living in Austria and driving in Europe for 15+ years now and have some experience with driving in the US.

The only practical differences I can think of are:

• left turns on highways are not as common here, you mostly leave highways by moving to the right lane and taking an exit from there


• when turning, people really keep to their lane (e.g. when three lanes in one direction turn left all at once, a truck in the middle lane doesn't take half of the innermost left lane too...)


• no passing on the right


• you can pass school buses on bus stops no problem


• lanes, parking lots outside as well as underground parks tend to be narrower here than in the US

Do not pass on the right.

Learn the right of way rules.

Here is the US military driving manual for Germany. It comes the major rules and if followed will work for almost everywhere in Europe.
http://www.usareurpracticetest.com/germany/documents/manual.pdf

You have to get used to narrow roads, narrow parking places, narrow parking garages
and almost no street parking space anywhere in cities. Not even in suburbs.

Biking is a thing in Europe and bikers are outlaws.

But the most important thing you have to learn is the odd road signs you will encounter. Almost no texts, which may come in handy as if you don't speak multiple languages, but lots of pictograms which slightly differ from country to country.

As you specifically asked about Germany, as an example which may come surprising to you, take this sign:

A friendly place, isn't it? So, could anything bad happen here? Yes, because this sign indicates a living street and speed is restricted to 5 km/h. Parking is also restricted, and you have to yield to traffic when you leave it again. Failure to do any of this will lead to a fine or even worse, an accident.