Are you visiting Australia but confused about renting a car? Don’t worry! We’ve got you with the best car rental service guide featuring everything you need to know.
Australia is one of the most famous destinations among tourists. Every year millions of tourists visit the place to enjoy their holidays. The country is renowned for its endless beaches, extraordinary natural life, funky lifestyle, profound culture, and beautiful cities.
If you are planning to visit Australia, then there is no chance you will be disappointed in any way. But you might not like the idea of catching taxis and cabs from here and there. It is tiring and costly too.
To sort out this problem, there comes outstanding car rental services for your convenience. You can book a car for your overall vacation period from any car rental service in Australia.
Renting a car in a foreign country or even in your own region – you need some serious guidance beforehand. For this, we bring you this car rental service guide.
To know everything about renting a car in Australia, don’t stop scrolling.
Car Rental Companies Australia
The first thing you have to identify is the companies in Australia that provide rental services. There are too many great options to choose from in Australia. The companies have their franchises and pickup location in major cities.
Some of the best car rental services in Australia are listed here:
Avis Car Rental Service – Best Prices
Avis is the most popular rental company in Australia. They are available in not only major but small cities too. Avis car rental prices are also affordable, and you can use Avis coupon codes too to get a discount on your rental.
Hertz – Best Hygiene
Hertz needs no introduction, of course. However, if you are too conscious about hygiene, then you must pick them because they have a high hygiene rating, with excellent service to provide.
Budget – Best Customer Service
Budget is the best car rental company in Australia. The company is famous for its excellent desk service and highly professional staff. They will guide you with anything you want to know.
Thrifty – Best Pickup & Drop-Off
Thrifty car rentals must be your choice if you want a quick pick-up and drop-off process. Of course, the super-fast service will leave you astonished and flabbergasted, but you are going to love this vehicle rental for their swift responses.
Alamo Rent A Car – Best Cars Range
Alamo is considered one of the largest rental companies and is quite famous among the tourists visiting Australia. And it provides the best range of vehicle to them. The popularity tells itself that the car rental company is best in providing the best to its customers.
Airport Rental
If you want to book your car just after landing, then you can head to the desk of these car rental companies. You can easily book your car from the airport car rental desk and get your vehicle within minutes and leave the car at the airport on the drop-off time and board your flight.
You can read reviews on these car rental companies to get better exposure to these companies. There are many reviews available for them, such as Avis car rental service review.
Car Rental Sydney International Airport
Sydney is the busiest airport in Australia. So it might be hard for you to get on the car rental companies’ desks very easily. So to avoid these hassles at the airport, book your car beforehand though online, or visit the in city outlet.
Apart from Sydney, the car rental company’s desks are available in other cities’ airports too.
Now you have an idea about the companies and the airport car rental desk.
What are the requirements for renting a car in Australia?
If you are going to rent a car in Australia, then there are some requirements. Without any one of them, there is no way you are getting a car for rent. The requirements are;
• You must be 21 years old to rent a car in Australia.
• You must have a valid driving license to rent a car.
• It is compulsory to have auto insurance to rent a car in Australia.
• You can’t take your rental vehicles on ferries.
These are some of the basic requirements for car hire in Australia.
What should you know before renting a car?
Before going to rent a car, there are some things that you should keep in mind. And then choose your renting plans according to these factors.
Rates Are High For Young Drivers
It might seem unreal or unfair, but if you are above 21 and below 25, then there is a high chance that you will be charged higher than the ones who are above 25. This is common in Australia, but you can get a discount with some of the promotional codes and other offers.
Photocopies Are Not Valid
The first thing the agent will ask you is for your driving license and credit cards. Don’t bother to put the photocopy of your driving license on the desk. They will not accept it. Not only this, but photocopy any kind of legal document is not valid.
Prepaid Credit Cards Not Allowed
Car hire company in Australia doesn’t allow any prepaid credit cards.
The most important thing is the credit card. Unfortunately, the Australian car rental companies don’t allow prepaid cards. However, there is an option to rent a car with your debit card, but there might be chances that you face some disturbances.
Make Sure Your Car Rental Insurance Covers Everything
The car rental companies focus on who will be responsible for any accident that damages the car. So before renting, you must know that if your auto insurance covers the rental cars or not. Or if your credit cards include coverage for hired cars or not.
Is car rental companies provide insurance in Australia?
The car rental companies in Australia provide the basic level of coverage. This includes standard liability or Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). However, to car hire insurance Australia, you must involve a third party to cover heavier damages.
The additional car insurance will help you to survive some biggest disasters. These are called excess covers. This is used to reduce the expense in case you have to make a claim.
If you are running on a budget and hit a car, then it might be a costly holiday for you, and of course, you don’t want it. Because if you are at fault, you must pay for everything, including medical expenses sometimes.
And even if you are not at fault, you have to pay for the damage to the car until the third party accepts to pay on your behalf.
So make sure to get to know everything related to auto rental insurance and then make your decision wisely.
Ensure to read the policies carefully before signing them.
Can you rent a car in Australia with a US license?
The car rental companies in Australia usually accepts English driving license. You must have a full driving license if you want to rent a car with a US license.
On the other hand, if your driving license is in another language, you must require an international driving permit to rent a car in Australia.
Is the GPS system comes with the rental car or not?
Car rental services mostly don’t offer this service included when renting a car. But you can add it up with some additional charges of an average of $10.
To this money, you can use GPS on your phone, iPad or any other device. Or, on car rental services like Avis, you can use Avis coupon code to save money and enjoy some discounts.
Look For Deals And Discounts For Car Rental Services In Australia
Finding car rental deals and discounts are the best way to save money on your hire car. You can find different offers hanging on the online websites of these car rental sites. More to that, the physical outlets of car rental service companies also have too much to give. There are special discounts on outlets that let the customers get the best price.
Besides this, if you are looking for your rental ride online, you can use coupon codes and vouchers to save money on your booking. There are many couponing websites available that let you shop with ease and give multiple options for savy options.
And some car rental companies, such as Avis, offer loyalty programs that help the buyer to shop at low prices.
Renting A Car And Driving Rules
If you are renting a car in Australia, you must know and follow the basic driving rules of the country. This knowledge will save you from any kind of misshapen in the form of an accident or getting a ticket.
So let’s head to the basic driving rules in Australia;
• Don’t ever think of drinking and drive. Random breathing test is common in the country, but the penalties are harsh. You must know the legal limit of blood alcohol concentration; it is 0.05 all over Australia, but in New South Wales, it is 0.02.
• Don’t forget your driving license anywhere. It might cause you some problems and also if you don’t own an English driving license, then you must carry an international permit along with you every time.
• Realize the changing speed limits on the roads. In Australia, different roads have different speed limits. The basic limit for the roads is 50km per hour in all the residential areas. The speed limits decrease from 25km to 40km per hour in the areas that surround schools. Make sure to read the signage to know the speed limits of the area.
• Beeping the horn continuously might be unethical and also not allowed in Australia until you are indicating any danger.
• You must not park your car facing oncoming traffic. It is illegal and costs you a heavy fine.
• You can pick the calls or play mp3 on your mobile phone if there is a mobile holder in the car other you can’t use your phone while driving. It is illegal.
• In some states, taking a U-turn at a traffic signal is also illegal, so make sure to know the traffic rules of the state you are visiting.
• In Australia, you must drive on the left side if there is more than one lane to choose from. Moreover, stick to it unless you are overtaking.
Whenever you are driving through Australia, read the road and other aspects that can damage your rental car Australia.
Check out the road condition you are going to drive as well as the weather to tackle the situation you might face on your journey. Knows about your route and destination and the distances.
Study Australian road signs and marking for a better driving experience. These all factors will assist you and ensure your safety.
Tips To Save Money On Car Rental Services In Australia
Private car rental prices fluctuate continuously. So get the best price and save money on your booking with the following money-saving tips.
• Using a comparison site for car rental can save you money. Go to any website and check out the prices, services, pros and cons of different car rentals at a single site. This will help you to get a cheap car rental Australia.
• Use Google Maps to get the best services near you in a cost-friendly style. After you land at any Australian airport or even in the center of any city, search for cheap car hire near me or rental cars near me. You will immediately see a list of rental services that provide cheap deals, offers and discounts on services.
• Every additional driver costs you a surplus fee. So it is better if you pick only one person as a driver to save your money on car rental. Even though if it is necessary, add only one plus driver.
• If you are traveling in a group, then it is good if a person who is above 25 books a car rental service. As we mentioned before, car rents are higher for a person below 25.
• Some car rental companies don’t allow them to drive their car on unpaved roads. So stick to the paved road if you don’t want to pay extra for your off-road adventures.
• Fill up the tank before returning the car to the rental service company. If you return the car with empty fuel, it will charge you extra cost.
• Bring extra accessories such as a GPS system, radio, or any other equipment you want in your car. Because these car accessories are available with extra fees on every Australian car rental.
Wrap Up
This is the complete guide about what aspects you must follow and consider while booking a car rental in Australia. Car rental services can be your vacation savior if you go through this guide and understand what you have to keep in mind before booking a car rental and after getting a car. So we are hoping this guide provides you best exposure to car rental services in Australia.