RV
The short answer
An RV is a self-propelled motorhome or a towable caravan. Weight, height and licence class decide which roads you can take, which pitches you can book and whether the combination is safe — so always work from measured numbers, not brochures.
Pick the smallest category that covers how many people travel and how often you move, confirm your licence class covers the loaded weight, and check the route's lowest height limit before you book anything.
RV types
Sixteen categories, from a 900 kg tiny trailer to a 12-metre coach, each with its real trade-offs.
Class A motorhome
Maximum interior space, maximum footprint.
TypeClass B motorhome (campervan)
Van-based, go-anywhere, small footprint.
TypeClass C motorhome
The over-cab bed: mid-size with two sleeping levels.
TypeTravel trailer
The tow-behind workhorse.
TypeFifth-wheel trailer
A big-rig-style trailer that sits over the pickup bed.
TypePop-up / folding camper
A soft-sided tent that tows behind almost anything.
TypeToy hauler
A garage on wheels for motorbikes, quads and e-bikes.
TypeTruck camper (slide-in)
A pop-top cabin that slides into a pickup bed.
TypeStreamlined / aluminium trailer
The aluminium egg: low drag, high resale.
TypeOff-road / expedition RV
Suspension, ground clearance and 400 litres of water.
TypeEuropean campervan (Womo / Kastenwagen)
Compact, bus-legal, park almost anywhere.
TypeTiny / lightweight RV
Under 1,000 kg and towed by a petrol car.
TypeStatic caravan / lodge
Not for towing: a holiday home that sits on a pitch.
TypeBus / van conversion (skoolie)
A bus interior, rebuilt from scratch.
TypeAccessible / wheelchair RV
Step-free entry, roll-in showers, ramps and restraints.
Guides
Buying, licensing, weight, power, water, heat, maintenance, packing and route planning — the nine guides people come back to.
Driving licence and towing rules around the world
What you may drive and tow, category by category, in the US, the EU, Australia, China and Japan.
GuideThe RV weight budget: how to load without breaking anything
Kerb weight, GVWR, payload, tongue weight and axle load — the arithmetic that decides whether your rig is safe.
GuideRV electrical systems: shore power, batteries, inverter and solar
Twelve volts, 120 or 230 volts, watts and amp-hours — how to size a power system that matches how you travel.
GuideWater systems and winterisation
Fresh, grey and black tanks, how much water a trip really uses, and how to drain an RV properly before freezing weather.
GuideHeating and cooling: furnace, boiler, diesel heater and air conditioning
How an RV stays warm off-grid and cool on a hot pitch, and what each system costs you in fuel, power and noise.
GuideRoute planning for tall, wide and heavy vehicles
Height limits, width, length, gradients, altitude power loss and fuel — the numbers that decide which roads you can take.
GuideThe RV maintenance checklist that prevents most breakdowns
Tyres, bearings, seals, roof, awning, battery and gas — what to check, and how often, before a trip rather than after.
GuideCampsite types and how booking works
Dry, electric and full hookup pitches, wild camping rules, membership networks and how not to arrive to a full site.
GuideWhat to pack, and what to leave at home
A working list of equipment that earns its weight, and the things that are usually regrets.
GuideHow to choose your first rig without wasting money
Budget, who travels, how often you move, and where you go — the four questions that decide the type.
Destinations
Regions and routes, with the limits that actually decide whether your rig can get there.
American West: BLM land, national parks and the Pacific Coast
May to October; high-altitude roads close in winter
North AmericaAlaska: the last frontier road
June to early September
North AmericaCanadian Rockies: parks, glaciers and alpine passes
Late June to September
North AmericaBaja California and the Mexican Pacific
November to April; summer is extremely hot
EuropeThe Alpine route: Austria, Switzerland and the Dolomites
June to September
EuropeAtlantic Europe: France, Spain and Portugal
May to September
EuropeNordics and Iceland: fjords, ring road and midnight sun
June to August
OceaniaNew Zealand: South Island loop and the North Island coast
November to March (summer)
OceaniaAustralia: the Outback and the Great Ocean Road
April to October; winter is the safe travel season
AsiaJapan: compact rigs on a dense island network
March to May and September to November
AsiaWestern China: the Sichuan-Tibet and Qinghai-Tibet routes
May to October
AfricaMorocco and the Atlas: North Africa in a campervan
March to May and September to November
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Common questions
Direct answers, in the order people usually ask them.
Do I need a separate licence to drive a motorhome in Europe?
If the vehicle's real operating weight stays at or below 3,500 kg and it carries no more than 8 passengers, a normal category B licence is normally enough. Above that you need a heavier category.
Can I tow a caravan on a normal car licence in the US?
It depends on the state and on the combined weight. Most states allow normal passenger-car towing up to a state limit, and require an endorsement above roughly 5 to 6 tonnes of gross combination weight. Confirm with your state DMV.
What is the auto-combination in the EU?
A category B holder towing a braked trailer where the car and the trailer each weigh up to 3.5 tonnes and the combined weight is up to 4.25 tonnes, subject to conditions and a short theoretical course.
Is the licence the limit when towing?
No. The hitch rating, the tow vehicle's kerb and tongue weight, and the trailer's brakes limit you before the licence does.
What is payload on an RV?
GVWR minus the real kerb weight. It is the mass of everything you add: people, cargo, water, battery and gas.
How much tongue weight should a trailer have?
Typically 5 to 15 percent of the trailer's total weight, and it must stay within both the hitch rating and the vehicle's tongue-weight limit.