Choosing a driving school: what to look for

The shortest checklist: take a trial lesson somewhere before you buy a package, ask what a complete trajectory including the practical exam costs, check whether a school offers manual and automatic, ask how soon you can start and whether you drive with one dedicated instructor, and judge whether you click. What improves every choice: driving with a school that knows the exam routes in your region day by day.

Ask for transparent package prices

Don't just ask for the price per lesson hour; ask what a complete trajectory costs: how many lessons, whether the practical exam is included and what else is offered, such as a mid-term evaluation. Also count the CBR exam fees — you pay theory and practical separately to the CBR. The clearer a school is about this, the better you can compare and the smaller the chance of surprises later.

Automatic or manual — choose deliberately

Not every school has both options available. Ask explicitly what's on offer and think about what you want to drive later. An exam in an automatic gives you a licence with code 78, which lets you drive automatics only; taking your exam in a manual car lets you drive all passenger cars. Both are perfectly good choices — as long as you make them on purpose.

Waiting times, continuity and the personal click

A good click helps little if your first lesson is three weeks away or if weeks sit between two lessons. Ask how soon you can start, how often you can take lessons each week and whether you drive with the same instructor every time. Weekly continuity with a familiar face beside you is usually faster and more comfortable than lessons in changing rotations.

And about that click: you spend months next to someone who corrects you and has you try things again. It works best when you feel at ease, dare to ask questions and don't experience feedback as criticism. If the trial lesson leaves you tense or unclear, take that seriously — a school that is excellent elsewhere is not automatically the right school for you.

Exam routes in the region

The CBR only decides the exact exam route on the day itself, so memorising it is pointless. What does count: a school that drives daily where you'll take your exam prepares you for the real situations — roundabouts, merging, busy traffic and cyclists in the area where you'll be assessed. Feel free to ask where a school takes its learners to practise and whether that matches your exam location.

• What does a complete package cost, including the practical exam?
• How soon can I start, and how often can I take lessons each week?
• Do I drive with one dedicated instructor?
• Do you offer both manual and automatic?
• Where do you practise, and do you also drive in my region?