Car Rentals
There are many different car rental providers Down Under so we’ve compiled a list and giving you some tips on renting vehicles below.
If you’d like advice on how to make your way around this big country when you’re on the ground, get in touch with our team of Australian migration experts through our dedicated 24/7 helpline.
avis
- Australia-wide (including remote)
- Economy and premium cars, vans
- Eco-friendly options
- Offers a mini lease program for extended stays (between 30 days and 11 months)
budget
- Australia-wide (including remote)
- Economy and premium cars, trucks, buses, 4WDs
- Can collect Qantas frequent flyer points
- Winner of ‘Favourite Rental Car’ 2014 and 2015
drive my car
- An Air BnB approach to car rental – privately owned vehicles that are leased out as a cheaper alternative to car rental companies
- Cars, caravans, motorhomes and more are available
europcar
- Australia-wide (including remote)
- Economy and premium cars, trucks, vans, buses, SUVs
- Mystery car option (kind of like a lucky dip)
- Mini lease option (for stays longer than 30 days)
hertz
- Australia-wide (including remote)
- Economy and premium cars, vans, trucks, buses, SUVs
- Mystery car option
no birds
- Perth and Sydney only
- Economy cars, SUVs, 8-seaters
redspot
- Australia-wide
- Economy and premium cars, SUVs, utes, 4x4s
thrifty
- Australia-wide (including remote)
- Economy and premium cars, people movers, SUVs and 4WDs
things you need to know
There are some things you need to consider when you’re renting a car and driving around Australia, including:
insurance
Make sure you have the right insurance to cover you in case things don’t go to plan, and check what’s covered by the car provider’s inbuilt insurance.
Also, if you use your credit card to book occasionally your credit card company will have added cover.
check where you can go
Are you going to be sticking to the well known roads or do you have an adventurous spirit that’s going to want to go a bit further afield?
Be careful because some companies won’t let you take a vehicle to remote or off-road areas, or sometimes even across state boundaries.
remote areas
If you do decide to go off the beaten track be sure to:
- Stock up on all supplies (e.g. water, food, spare tires) because it can be quite a long way between towns
- Let someone know your plans and check in when you reach your destination because mobile phone coverage can be spotty (or non-existent!)
relocation bonuses
Car rental companies often need a car to be in a different capital city to meet their demand or return it to its home depot so you can nab yourself a great deal by being the one to drive it there.
Of course, you want to make sure the car’s also going to where you want to go!
road tolls
Some Australian roads have tolls that you’ll either need to cover or come to an arrangement with the company.
thinking australia? we can help!
If you’d like to make Australia your next destination or home then we can help you.
In fact, we’d love to, through our dedicated 24/7 helpline that puts you in touch with experts who really know their stuff.
