For many New Zealanders and Australians, a motorhome trip through Europe is the ultimate ‘Big Trip’. However, once you start planning, you hit a major roadblock: the Schengen Area’s 90/180-day rule. If you are a non-EU citizen, you are typically restricted to spending just 90 days out of every 180 within the Schengen zone.
But don’t sell the van just yet. With strategic planning, bilateral agreements, and a venture into North Africa, you can extend your European road trip indefinitely.
We have bought two motorhomes in Europe (as New Zealanders) AND spent two years driving to every single country in mainland Europe – by motorhome. It is absolutely doable. You just need to get your head around it and add a few (very cool) loophole destinations to make it happen.
Here is how to navigate the legalities and logistics of a long-term motorhome adventure.
1. Understanding the Schengen Shuffle
The Schengen Area comprises 29 European countries that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders. As a Kiwi or Aussie, you enter this zone “visa-free,” but that clock starts ticking the moment you land.
The 90/180 Day Rule
The standard rule is that you can stay for 90 days in any 180-day period. Once you hit day 90, you must leave the entire Schengen zone for at least 90 days before you can return. This is the biggest hurdle for long-term travellers.
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2. Bilateral Visa Waiver Agreements
This is somewhat of a ‘Secret Weapon’ for non-EU travellers from Down Under.
New Zealand and Australia have a unique advantage that many other nationalities do not: pre-existing Bilateral Visa Waiver Agreements with specific European countries. These agreements were made before the Schengen Treaty and, in many cases, still technically stand.
Essentially, prior to the Schengen plan, New Zealanders and Australians had unlimited time restrictions with certain countries. Which with the entry of the Schengen Agreement couldn’t legally be completely rubbed out.
- The New Zealand Advantage: New Zealand has bilateral agreements with countries like Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and several others. These often allow Kiwis to spend up to 90 days in that specific country, regardless of time spent elsewhere in the Schengen zone.
- The Australian Advantage: Australia has similar, though slightly more restricted, agreements with a list of countries including Germany, Denmark, and Norway.
About Bilateral Waiver Agreements
Crucial Advice: These agreements are “Grey Areas.” You must carry printed copies of the official government documents (in the local language) explaining these bilateral treaties to show border guards. Always consult the specific embassy of the country you intend to stay in to confirm current standing.
But this is doable if you do your research. We met a New Zealand guy who had done exactly that. He was returning to the Netherlands to sell his motorhome back at the same time we were arriving and picking our first van up.
We were naïve and newbies at that point. But he gave us his pile of printed out Bilateral Waiver Agreements for all the countries that New Zealand had treaties with. Albeit we didn’t end up using that method (did I mention Morocco yet?!). But it was a comforting back-up to know that we had that option to extend our Schengen travel by more than 90-days if we needed it.
Contact EuropeRoadtrip.com and use our code: AWAYWITHTHESTEINERS to receive a €100 discount on the Essentials Package for buying a motorhome in Europe.
3. Venturing Out: The Non-Schengen Circuit
The easiest way to reset your Schengen clock or simply keep traveling while your 180-day window resets is to move into non-Schengen countries.
- The United Kingdom & Ireland: Great for a mid-trip break, though expensive and requires a ferry crossing.
- The Balkans: Countries like Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia & Herzegovina offer stunning mountain scenery, incredibly low costs, and a much slower pace of life.
- Türkiye: Massive, diverse, and very motorhome-friendly. It’s a great place to spend a few months while waiting for your Schengen days to renew.
- Morocco: Read Below – but this is THE BEST part of extending your Schengen zone Visa.
4. The Morocco Escape: Adding Africa to the Mix
One of the best ways to spend your “90 days out” is to take the ferry from Spain (Algeciras or Tarifa) to Morocco. This adds a completely different cultural dimension to your trip.
We have done this twice spending two European winters and a total of 8 months in Morocco with our motorhome. We quite literally fell in love with travel in Morocco and highly recommend it. Though it also worked to extend our Schengen time allowance enough for us to drive all the way to Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Northern Europe and to every country in mainland Europe by motorhome!
Motorhoming in Morocco
Crossing into Morocco with a motorhome is surprisingly straightforward. You will receive a temporary importation document for the vehicle (valid for 6 months) and a 90-day tourist visa for yourselves.
- The Vibe: Morocco is a sensory explosion. You’ll go from the blue streets of Chefchaouen to the towering dunes of the Sahara.
- Wild Camping: While Morocco has many formal campsites, “wild” camping is doable too out of town. But you will find campsites in Morocco that cost just a few Euro per night and make the time affordably much more exciting.
- Logistics: Diesel is cheaper than in Europe, and the road network between major cities is excellent. However, expect narrow, winding roads in the Atlas Mountains.
- Culture: Embrace the “Insha’Allah” pace of life. Morocco requires patience and a sense of adventure, but the hospitality (and the tajines!) are unparalleled.
Morocco by Motorhome
Morocco by motorhome is one of the coolest van adventures we’ve shared to date.
It is so contrastingly different to vanlife in Europe. But the chance to experience a whole new culture, the varied and beautiful changing landscape of the country from north to south and the affordable fuel, food and parking make Morocco a motorhomers paradise.
5. Schengen Newest & Future Members
For future motorhome travellers, there is one more – VERY IMPORTANT – factor to consider for your Schengen Shuffle. That is to be keeping an eye on the “newest” and “future” members of the Schengen Zone. This is vital for planning your route through non-Schengen buffers.
As of 2024, Croatia has fully integrated into the Schengen Zone, meaning it no longer offers a “reset” period for your visa. Then similarly, Bulgaria and Romania joined in early 2024 both becoming a full member of the Schengen Area on January 1, 2025. This shift significantly shrinks the “safe zones” in Eastern Europe where you could previously park up to wait out your 180-day window.
So, for those wanting to stay longer, the shrinking map of non-Schengen Europe makes the Bilateral Visa Waiver Agreements for Kiwis and Aussies (mentioned above) more important than ever, as traditional ‘Visa-Run’ countries like the Balkans, Türkiye and Morocco become the final remaining frontiers for long-term road trips.
6. Logistics of Buying and Registering a Van
As a non-resident, you cannot easily buy and register a vehicle in most EU countries. You have three main options:
Option A: The Buy-Back Scheme
Companies like EuropeRoadTrip in the Netherlands allow you to “buy” a van with a guaranteed buy-back price at the end of your trip. They handle the registration and insurance, which is the biggest hurdle for non-residents.
This is what we did (TWICE) and can recommend.
Contact EuropeRoadtrip.com and use our code: AWAYWITHTHESTEINERS to receive a €100 discount on the Essentials Package for buying a motorhome in Europe.
Option B: The Dutch/German Route
Historically, it has been easier for non-residents to register vehicles in the Netherlands or Germany using a “care of” address or a specialized registration service. This allows you to own the vehicle outright, which is usually the most cost-effective method for trips longer than 6 months.
However, it is becoming (and has become) much more strict unless you have a work visa and address in the country. (Which in itself kind of cancels the need to be worrying about a Schengen visa as a New Zealander or Australian anyway!).
Option C: UK Registration
Buying a van in the UK is easy, but insurance for non-residents is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive. Plus you will also have to deal with a right-hand drive vehicle on left-hand drive European roads.
7. Essential Gear for Long-Term Life
There are a few things to know about planning for longterm motorhome travel in Europe.
- LPG/Gas: Europe does not have a unified gas bottle system. You will need a “Gaslow” or “Alugas” refillable system so you can top up your gas at petrol stations across the continent without needing to swap bottles.
- Data/Internet: Don’t rely on roaming. Get a local SIM, eSIM or a Starlink Mini for the roof. Connectivity is essential for navigating the complex web of European motorhome stopovers (Aires).
- Park4Night: This app is the bible of European motorhoming. It lists everything from paid campsites to free rural spots and farm stays.
8. The Financials: Budgeting for the Long Haul
A long-term trip is cheaper per day than a short holiday, but the initial layout is high. Coming from New Zealand or Australia to motorhome life in Europe there are some obvious cost-shocks to start with.
- Fuel: Your biggest expense. Plan routes that minimize unnecessary backtracking.
- Tolls: France and Italy are expensive. Use the “Avoid Tolls” setting on GPS to save hundreds of Euros, though it will double your travel time.
- Food: Shop at local markets and supermarkets (Lidl and Aldi are your friends). Eating out in Europe is a treat; cooking in the van is the reality.
But overall, buying a motorhome in Europe and managing the Schengen Shuffle makes for a much more affordable trip than hiring a campervan for the short term.
9. Managing the “Travel Burnout”
Traveling for 6, 12, or 18 months sounds like a dream, but travel burnout is real.
Although managing the Schengen Shuffle by motorhome does mean you need to travel faster and to a time frame at some points. There are plenty of times (hello, Morocco) where you can slow it down and drive less, arrive earlier and stay longer.
- The 3-3-3 Rule: Spend at least 3 nights in one spot, drive no more than 3 hours a day, and be in a ‘permanent’ camp by 3 PM.
- Stay Human: Factor in ‘off-days’ where you do nothing but watch Netflix or read. You don’t have to see a cathedral every single day 🙂
10. The Schengen Conclusion: Just Go
The paperwork for a 90+ day trip by motorhome in Europe can feel daunting. Between Schengen calculators, Bilateral Treaty print-outs, and vehicle registration hurdles, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
However, once you are parked up beachside in Spain or drinking mint tea in the High Atlas mountains of Morocco, the bureaucracy fades away. For Kiwis and Aussies, the tyranny of distance makes these trips rare and precious.
If you have the time, the North Island of your home country will still be there when you get back—Europe is waiting 🙂
Kia Ora and happy travels!
Arriving to Amsterdam to buy your motorhome? Check Ibis Schiphol, Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport and Radisson Blu Hotel Schiphol to start your trip.
Read More About Travel in Europe by Motorhome
- The Brutal, Beautiful Truth: What One Year of Motorhoming in Europe Taught Us.
- Buying a Motorhome in Europe: The Kiwi & Aussie Checklist.
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- Things To Do In Podgorica, Montenegro.
- Things To Do In Belgrade, Serbia.
- Border Crossing: Serbia to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Border Crossing: Bosnia to Montenegro.
- Things To Do In Chisinau, Moldova.
More Useful Links for Your Travels in Europe and Beyond
These are the companies we use and can recommend for planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. It is easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- 12GoAsia – Book trains anywhere online.
- Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world. Everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Make sure you have insurance before buying a motorhome and planning van life in Europe!
