Budget Car Hire in Australia

Traveling in Australia with a rental car

Australia is a country created for traveling by car. Beautiful landscapes, long distances between settlements and sights, excellent quality of roads. There are many establishments near busy slopes where you can have a bite to eat, drink a cup of coffee, and relax. Moving from one city to another, you can meet kangaroos along the way, admire waterfalls and lighthouses, look into national parks. Great Ocean Road is considered the most scenic road in the world, according to experienced hikers. This iconic 243-kilometer route stretches from Torquay to Allansford. There are many cool observation platforms, beaches for surfers, souvenir shops. The road is located in the state of Victoria and starts near Melbourne.

The official designation of the track is B100. The journey will take several days. It is better to start early in the morning. You can leave from Torquay, which is located 95 kilometers from Melbourne. This is the favorite city of surfers. The famous Bells Beach is located here. The next on the way will be the city of Anglesey. And the first attraction is the memorial arch dedicated to the victims of the First World War.

A two-hour drive from Melbourne is the resort town of Lorne with wildlife and beautiful walking paths along the ocean. A huge number of natural wonders are concentrated near Lorne: waterfalls, fern forests, viewing platforms in the mountains. Erskine Falls deserves special attention. It is also recommended to visit the observation deck Teddy's Lookout, which offers stunning views of the St. George River and the ocean. Those who want to see koalas should visit Kennett River. Next on the way will be the city of Apollo Bay. In this town there is a center for helping tourists. For more information about the route, you can go to the official website visitgreatoceanroad.org.au, which contains answers to all frequently asked questions by travelers.

Well, you can finish your route in the city of Port Campbell. To return to Melbourne, it is recommended not to use the Great Road, but the usual route. But in this case, it will be something to look at. For example, you can stop by a volcanic lake called Kolak. This lake is over 8000 years old. You can admire the surrounding beauties from the Scenic Lookout, which is located right in a dormant volcano.

How to rent a car in Australia without a franchise

Everyone drives in Australia. Car rental here is considered a very common and popular service. You can rent a car from companies such as Thrifty, Avis, Hertz, Jucy, Redspot and so on. Many car rental organizations have offices directly at Australian airports.

Car rental in Australia is available for drivers aged 21 to 75 years. At the conclusion of the contract, the client will be asked to present a passport and driver's license. You will also need a bank card. You can pick up a vehicle in one city and return it in another.

The average cost of renting a car per day ranges from 45 to 70 Australian dollars. This includes the price of insurance and local taxes. As for the deductible for vehicle damage, it is quite large. And can range from 2000 to 5000 Australian dollars. It can be reduced or completely removed (depending on the company) if you take out full insurance for the car. Some companies offer car rental without a franchise, but the cost of such services increases several times.

So, in order to rent a vehicle in Australia, you need:

• be over 21 and under 75;
• have at least two years of driving experience;
• have a driver's license;
• prepare the route and specify it in the signed contract;
• clarify whether it is necessary to pay extra for a second driver;
• have driving skills on left-hand traffic roads.
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Special rental conditions apply to holders of Gold or Platinum bank cards. Most often, the cost of such a card also includes insurance for car rental in other countries. If such conditions are specified in the contract, then car rental can be paid by card without leaving any deposit.

The minimum car rental period in Australia is 1 day. The countdown starts from the moment when the driver took the vehicle from the parking lot. Some companies include a deposit for gasoline in the rental price. This amount will be returned to the account if the client brings the car back with a full tank of gasoline. It is not possible to drive a rented car throughout Australia. It is forbidden to visit Kangaroo Island, as well as travel from the mainland to Tasmania. The contract specifies the route in advance and cars cannot turn off it. Many tourist towns and state capitals have no mileage restrictions. In the rest of the territory, the calculation of excess kilometers is activated if more than 200 kilometers were covered in a day.

At Australian airports, tourists are charged a tax when renting a car. Its size ranges from 9 to 14% of the total rental amount. It is paid directly to the rental company at the conclusion of the contract, that is, it is included in the cost of the service. As for insurance, its size depends on the cost of the vehicle, the age of the driver and the type of car.

Driving in Australia

There are over 90,000 kilometers of roads in Australia. And 350 thousand kilometers of them are asphalted. The tracks are in almost perfect condition. Even dirt roads are smooth and fairly smooth. There are a large number of paid sites. Trying to drive for free on such roads is not worth it. Everywhere there is automatic video surveillance. But paid sections of roads are located mainly in large cities. All routes connecting neighboring settlements are free. It is worth noting that the roads in Australia are so good that Formula 1 constantly holds its competitions here.

The key to the absence of trouble during the trip is the impeccable observance of traffic rules. Fines in Australia are high. You cannot pay on the spot. You have to go to the bank. Speeding can be fined between A$200 and A$2,000. And for an unfastened seat belt - about 100 Australian dollars. Please note that in Australia it is mandatory for all passengers to wear a seat belt, even in rear vision.

As for speed limits, in built-up areas you can move at a speed not exceeding 60 km / h. Outside the city, driving at a speed of no more than 100 km / h is permissible. There are motorways on which you can travel at speeds up to 130 km / h. There are many video cameras and automatic radars installed on the roads. All violations are recorded. Huge fines are provided in Australia for downed animals.

Gas stations can be located at a distance of 100 kilometers from each other. It is better to refuel for the future. Otherwise, gasoline may end at the most inopportune moment. It's hard to fill up without a credit card. Almost all gas stations operate in automatic mode.

As for parking rules, you can leave your vehicle wherever there are no additional restrictions. Paid car parking in special parking meters. Modern models can accept credit cards, outdated - no, only cash. Often owners of multi-storey car parks hold promotions with discounts. You should carefully study their offers if you plan to leave the car for several hours or more.

Renting an Electric Car in Australia

The Australian Government is fully encouraging electric car owners by offering them tax incentives, additional payments, free parking spaces, easy access to chargers. Most of these cars are used in metropolitan areas, for example, in Sydney or Melbourne.

The total number of electric vehicles is increasing every year. Often on the streets of Australian cities and tourist towns you can see parking lots with vehicles connected by wires to charging stations. Electric cars without recharging can travel for several hours. This time is enough to get from one locality to another or see nearby attractions without spending extra money on gasoline or diesel. As for speed, drivers easily squeeze 100 km/h out of electric vehicles.

Approximately 3,000 electric vehicles are rented in Sydney every day, according to analytical agencies. Not only visiting tourists rent cars, but also local residents, as well as representatives of small businesses. On average, the cost of one hour of renting an electric car in Australia is about 5 Australian dollars. The most popular models are Tesla Model 3, Porsche Taycan, Hyundai Kona, BMW i3, Nissan Leaf and so on. You can rent an electric car from companies such as Sixt, Firefly, East-coast, Alamo, Red-spot, National, Ace, Aucar and so on. Their offices are located in airports and major Australian cities.

Good to know

Monthly price chart. Approximate prices for 7 days rental

The most popular cars in Australia

Fiat 500

Fiat 500

4x

2x

€13 / Day

Citroen C1

Citroen C1

4x

2x

€14 / Day

Ford Fiesta

Ford Fiesta

4x

2x

€18 / Day

Ford Focus

Ford Focus

5x

3x

€23 / Day

Opel Astra Estate

Opel Astra Estate

5x

4x

€28 / Day

Audi A4

Audi A4

5x

3x

€32 / Day

BMW X1

BMW X1

4x

3x

€33 / Day

Ford Foxus Estate

Ford Foxus Estate

5x

4x

€33 / Day

Mercedes C Class

Mercedes C Class

5x

3x

€43 / Day

BMW 5 series

BMW 5 series

4x

3x

€45 / Day

Ford Tourneo

Ford Tourneo

8x

4x

€55 / Day

BMW 4 Cabrio

BMW 4 Cabrio

4x

2x

€65 / Day

Audi A6

Audi A6

5x

3x

€70 / Day

Audi A5 Cabrio

Audi A5 Cabrio

4x

3x

€75 / Day

Mercedes Vito

Mercedes Vito

9x

4x

€80 / Day

Documents required for car rental

Driving license

Credit card

Voucher

Passport

Your guide to rent a car in Australia