Campervan, RV & Vanlife News
The Czech Ministry of Transport proposes extending the validity of AM, A1, A2, A, B and B+E driving licences from 10 to 15 years and raising the speed limit for motorhomes weighing 3.5 to 7.5 tonnes from 80 to 100 km/h.
SvětKaravanů.cz has opened a specialised store for caravanning and camping equipment in Bavoryně, which it calls the largest showroom of its kind in Central Europe. The showroom displays a caravan, a motorhome and a camper van, along with tents, awnings and camping furniture. The opening follows the relocation of the central warehouse from Bavoryně to Příbram; the warehouse holds over 15,000 products and can dispatch about 65% of orders on the day they are received. In 2025 the company reported turnover of 300 million Czech korunas and handled approximately 80,000 orders; abroad it operates under the Padabo brand in Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Germany and Austria.
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Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles presented nine vehicles with different conversion types to journalists, including camping modules, bike and dog transport solutions. The company works with several specialist firms to keep the vehicle serviceable as a whole. Among the solutions shown are three child seats side by side in a Caddy, a suspension lift of several centimetres (conversion price around 70,000–80,000 CZK) and a portable battery station instead of a fixed solar panel. Renting a camping module from Egoé costs about 550 CZK per day; according to the dealer, roughly six out of ten customers who rent it once or twice eventually buy it.
Turkish manufacturer Başkent Karavan offers the Panzer 250 caravan at 264,990 CZK including VAT (219,000 CZK excluding VAT), significantly cheaper than competitors such as the Caretta 1500 (from 399,300 CZK incl. VAT) and Hero Camper Armstrong 2025 (579,000 CZK excl. VAT). The caravan offers off-road capability through raised suspension, rough-terrain tires and a weight of up to 750 kg, but lacks all-wheel drive and differential lock. The basic model does not include a battery, heating or shower; adding these brings the total to around 330,000–354,000 CZK incl. VAT. According to TownOut, the Panzer 250 is now listed from 225,000 CZK with a 60Ah battery and diesel heater.
About 15 campers were still present in the first week of September 2026 at the GCU campsite in Grandcamp-Maisy (Calvados). The site operates without salaried staff: campers handle cleaning, reception and treasury tasks themselves. Annual membership costs €29, and the site has 44 pitches and two rentals. In summer 2026, pitch occupancy reached 80%, with reservations doubling over the year. One camper paid just over €1,300 to keep a caravan on site from 20 May to 22 August.
At Lake Lipno, Volkswagen Užitkové vozy presented two camper conversions based on the Caravelle. The first, Caravelle Life with long wheelbase, 2.0 TDI (125 kW) and 4Motion all-wheel drive, features a removable Egoé Nestbox M module (CZK 84,990) with kitchen and bed, a Dometic fridge (CZK 18,499), an iKamper Skycamp 4.0 Quad roof tent (CZK 125,000) and an EcoFlow Delta 3 portable power station (1024 Wh). The second, Caravelle PanAmericana with short wheelbase, includes BFGoodrich all-terrain tires, Seikel suspension lift, Eberspächer 2 kW auxiliary heater, GFC V2 Pro roof tent and a custom VISU interior with Coolinary Box kitchen module (49 L fridge, gas stove) and EcoFlow Delta 2 Max (2048 Wh). Both offer flexible solutions for those who reject the new Multivan T7-based California.
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José Manuel Jurado, president of the Spanish Association of the Caravanning Industry and Commerce (ASEICAR), stated that buying motorhomes for permanent residence is an isolated case. According to him, in a year only one client purchased a motorhome to use as a home. Jurado attributes the sector's growth to the desire to travel, not the housing crisis. He also noted that Spain lacks about 2,000 motorhome areas, especially along the coast.
On Monday around 6 p.m., a parked caravan was broken into in front of a heating plant building in Pilsen. According to police, a 38-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman damaged the lower part of the entrance door, entered the caravan and stole a guitar in a case, a speaker, binoculars, a carbon monoxide detector, an electric pump, a shaver and other items. Damage to the door was estimated at 8,000 korunas, while the stolen items were valued at 4,500 korunas. The suspects were detained the following day at a bus stop; the woman was carrying two chainsaws of unknown origin.
Camping is becoming increasingly popular in Austria and Germany, but Austrians are increasingly choosing compact solutions over caravans, which fit in a garage and cost 200,000 CZK less. This trend reflects a shift in preferences towards more convenient and cost-effective options for outdoor recreation.
Prague, 7 September 2026. After the summer holidays, some caravanning enthusiasts are deciding whether to buy a motorhome. The average price of a motorhome in Czechia is 1.77 million korunas. According to the source, a summer rental experience leads some people to purchase.
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A new trend in camping is micro-caravans based on city cars like Mitsubishi. They feature a pop-up roof, kitchenette, and sleeping area, while easily fitting in a garage and supermarket parking. These vehicles allow solo travel without the need to drive a large motorhome.
A former fire service Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer, converted into a motorhome, is listed on a British auction site. The off-road camper features two berths, a pop-up roof, solar panels, and a kitchenette, but lacks a toilet. It is powered by a 2.4-liter Volkswagen diesel engine with an automatic transmission.
Autumn is a suitable time for stargazing from a motorhome or caravan in Czechia. The country has several certified dark sky areas, including the largest Manětín area (346 km²) and the Beskydy area (308 km²), where overnight spots are available. The Jizera Mountains host the oldest international dark sky reserve, and a fourth zone is planned in Podyjí. Campgrounds and designated parking spots can be found via Park4Night and Bezkempu.cz.
Police in Nový Jičín detained two men suspected of attempting to break into a motorhome. The incident occurred at night in a parking lot, where the men tried to enter the vehicle through a window but were spotted by a resident of a nearby apartment, who alerted emergency line 158. Officers from the special order unit and the local department arrived and detained the suspects shortly after the act, as they were hiding under a van. The men are relatives. A 49-year-old suspect has been charged with attempted burglary and faces up to two years in prison.
German startup Urbanoid has started taking orders for the Booba One, a 280 kg trailer that combines a tent and a caravan. It inflates in under two minutes and features a double bed, a 45-liter water tank, and an EcoFlow River 3 power station. Priced at €15,900, deliveries are expected to begin in November 2026.
EU Directive 2025/2205, which entered into force in October 2025, introduces a special regime for motorhomes weighing between 3.5 and 4.25 tonnes. To drive such vehicles with a category B licence, drivers will need to complete training or a test, with a minimum of seven hours of practical instruction. Member states must adopt national laws by the end of November 2028 and implement them by the end of November 2029. For current owners of motorhomes up to 3.5 tonnes, nothing changes. In Germany, according to BASt, there were 1,139 injury accidents involving motorhomes in 2023, with 64% occurring between May and October. Drivers over 75 are responsible for three-quarters of such accidents.
The South Bohemian region offers caravan and motorhome tourists a combination of nature, historical towns and developed infrastructure. The director of the regional tourism board, Petr Soukup, highlights the region's diversity as an advantage for this type of travel. Options include classic campsites and designated motorhome parking areas, such as those near Trhové Sviny or Bechyně. The area is popular for its Lipno reservoir and Třeboňsko with its cycling routes.
At the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf, campers range from 999 euros to 2.2 million euros. The first days attracted over 85,000 visitors, with 834 exhibitors from 41 countries. In Germany, from January to July 2026, 63,329 new motorhomes and caravans were registered, a 3% decrease year-on-year. Luxury motorhome manufacturer VARIOmobil offers the Vario Perfect 1200 QS Platinum for 2.2 million euros, while Australian brand BruderRV sells the off-road caravan EXP-8 from 275,000 euros.
In 2025, motorhome and caravan tourism in Germany reached record levels: around 56 million overnight stays at campsites, up 13% from the previous year, plus about 20 million on pitches outside campsites. Revenue reached nearly 23 billion euros, with 7.8 billion flowing directly into holiday regions. Germany has over 1.8 million registered leisure vehicles, but new registrations in the first half of the year fell by 3%.
FullVans in Terešov, Rokycany district, converts standard Fiat Ducato vans into fully equipped motorhomes. The process includes insulation, electrical wiring, plumbing, furniture, and testing. Production started in 2022, now about 25 vehicles are completed per month.