Sleeping in the car

Sleeping in the car – tips for a cosy overnight stay in the car

Camping in a car is becoming increasingly popular. The purchase of a motorhome or campervan is usually associated with high costs. This is why many travellers use their own car as an overnight accommodation option on holiday. This not only saves you money, but also gives you great flexibility when travelling. Sleeping in your car has many advantages, especially on spontaneous road trips. You don’t have to organise accommodation in advance and can spend the night wherever you like best. In our guide, you can find out what you need to bear in mind when sleeping in your car and what equipment you should definitely have with you.

Is it allowed to sleep in the car?

In Germany, it is generally permitted to sleep in the car. If you are too tired to continue driving, you may even be asked to stop to rest. However, sleeping in the car is only permitted under certain conditions. Firstly, you should be able to give the reason for your stopover as being unfit to drive, for example due to exhaustion. In pedestrian zones or tourist hotspots, this excuse is unlikely to be taken away from you so quickly. Even if you are travelling in a proper camping vehicle and not a normal car, you should expect to have to vacate your sleeping area. Also make sure that you do not park your vehicle on private land or in nature reserves. Secluded side streets or public car parks, for example, are ideal places to park your car.

If you want to sleep in your car abroad, you should find out about the respective country’s rules beforehand. Sleeping in your car is generally prohibited in the Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia, Greece and Portugal, for example. In some countries, you also have to obtain authorisation from a local authority before you are allowed to sleep in your car overnight.

Sleeping comfortably in the car – the right sleeping position

To find a comfortable sleeping position in your car, it is best to fold down the rear seat completely. To do this, you often have to remove the headrests from your rear seats first. You can then make a cosy bed for the night from the resulting sleeping area. In some cars, you also have the option of folding the backrest of the front seats so far back that you can simply spend the night on the seat. This saves you a lot of time, especially on a short stopover, as you don’t have to make any complicated conversions and can simply stow your luggage in the boot. For more legroom, it is best to push your seat back as far as possible and fill any gaps or other unevenness with towels or clothing.

Staying overnight in a car – tips for the right equipment

Schlafen im Auto muss nicht gleich unbequem sein. Ganz im Gegenteil – Wer die richtige Ausrüstung dabei hat, kann sich auch im PKW ein gemütliches Nachtquartier bauen. Hier erfahren Sie fünf Tipps, mit denen Sie Ihre Übernachtung im Fahrzeug ganz einfach aufwerten können.  

Mobile air bed

Even if you can fold down the seats in your car to create an entire lying surface, this is usually still very hard and far from a comfortable place to sleep. You can achieve better cushioning with a mobile air bed, for example. The inflatable mattresses are available in various sizes and are often even customised for different car models.

Correct ventilation

To prevent moisture from building up in the car overnight, you should also attach great importance to sufficient air circulation. It is often enough to open a window a crack overnight. The use of a mesh mattress base is also recommended. The spacer fabric creates an air space between your sleeping surface and the ground, preventing moisture from collecting on your seats. The mesh fabric can also be easily rolled up and stowed away in the car during the journey.

Car tarp

To escape the prying eyes of passers-by, you can cover your windows with a tarpaulin, for example. Towels or T-shirts are also suitable for the doors, which can simply be tucked into the gap between the open windows. This will also darken your bedroom a little and prevent you from being woken up by the morning sun.

Sleep mask and earplugs

If you park your vehicle in a service area or public car park, you should expect an intense background noise the next morning. Earplugs can help you to enjoy a good night’s sleep despite the volume of passing cars. If a car tarpaulin is not enough to darken your vehicle, we recommend a sleep mask.

Roof box

Wer die Rückbank und den Kofferraum seines PKWs als Liegefläche nutzt, hat nur noch wenig Platz, um sein Gepäck im Fahrzeug unterzubringen. Für zusätzlichen Stauraum bietet sich eine Dachbox an. Beachten Sie, dass diese nur am Auto montiert werden kann, wenn es auch über eine Dachreling verfügt. Wenn Sie also noch kurz vor Ihrem Autokauf stehen, sollten Sie diesen Zusatz vielleicht mit in Ihre Entscheidung einfließen lassen. 

Sleeping in the car in winter – what to consider?

On cold days, your overnight stay in the car poses further challenges. Firstly, you should know that it doesn’t stay much warmer in the car at night than outside. So make sure you have a good sleeping bag, thermal underwear and warm socks. A hat or headband can also be useful to keep your ears warm overnight. You should also leave the windows in your car open a crack in winter to prevent the windows from misting up too much and, in the worst case, freezing. We also reveal other useful gadgets that make sleeping in the car in winter easier in our guide to winter camping in a motorhome.