Compare Australia car hire

In the land of long drives and big adventures, if you want to really explore Australia, you need a hire car. Meander through Margaret River wine country, zip up the Queensland Coast, drive the Great Ocean Road – there's an amazing road trip waiting in every corner of this vast nation.

Language: English | Currency: Dollars($) | Avg. Flight time: 22.0 hrs

There is a good range of car hire options at all Australia's major airports, including the popular gateways of Sydney Airport (SYD), Brisbane Airport (BNE) and Melbourne Airport (MEL). Rental firms usually have desks in the arrivals halls, and driving times to the city centres tend to be short – traffic permitting, it is just 20 minutes from SYD to the heart of Sydney, and you can be in the Blue Mountains in just over an hour.

Big car hire firms active in Australia include Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Budget and Thrifty, all of which are represented at Sydney and Melbourne airports. You'll also find them in city centres. Local companies offer good deals too, so compare before you travel to find the cheapest 2024 prices.

Most British drivers settle into Australia quite easily. Drivers travel on the left hand side of the road, and rules for giving way and overtaking are the same as the UK. While cities and towns get congested in commuting hours, they tend to be easy to navigate – particularly if you're used to centuries-old street layouts in European cities.

Road surfaces in urban areas and on main highways are normally in excellent condition, and signposting across the country is generally good, although it inevitably drops off the further you get from the cities and towns. If you're heading into the outback, pack a satnav (or download your route on a smartphone to use offline) and a paper map, and research your journey ahead of time. Take a wrong turn and you could be well off track before you even realise it.

Outback travel also presents unusual hazards, including unpaved roads and local wildlife. If you're planning on going off the beaten track, hire an appropriate vehicle with good ground clearance and four-wheel drive.

Bear in mind, too, that some car hire companies do not permit travel on unpaved roads, and that your insurance might not cover you for it. Read the small print and compare car hire policies carefully before booking.

Gold Coast

If you want to make the most of Australia’s legendary beaches, Queensland's Gold Coast is a good place to start. The city's metro area spreads along the coast for 70km (43 miles), offering long golden beaches ideal for swimming, sunbathing and surfing. Surfer’s Paradise is the area’s most famous stretch, and it's an easy to reach from the city centre. There are some world-class theme parks here too, including Warner Bros. Movie World.

Kakadu National Park

This Northern Territory reserve is Australia's largest national park, and gives you a taste of the outback without taking you too far from civilisation. Located about two hours' drive from Darwin, it is brimming with outdoor activities, from spotting wild crocodiles and turtles to cooling off in spectacular waterfalls. There are some fascinating aboriginal rock art sites too – Burrungkuy and Ubirr are the big ones.

Melbourne

Cosmopolitan Melbourne demands a visit in its own right – it has a great aboriginal art collection at the National Gallery of Victoria, arguably the country's best craft beer scene, and some vibey neighbourhoods that are catnip for backpackers (hello Acland Street and Brunswick Street). But the city is also a gateway to some superb road trips. Explore the Yarra Valley vineyards, or hit the legendary Great Ocean Road, which starts around an hour away in Torquay, and runs for 244km (152 miles) along the spectacular Victoria coast.

1. Electronic tags (known as e-TAGs) are used on major toll roads in Australia. Most of the big car hire brands, including Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty, provide cars with e-TAGs already fitted. If you're using another company or have any doubts, ask before you drive away.
   
2. Kangaroos can pose quite a danger to drivers, especially at night. Try to minimise driving after sunset in rural areas, and if you do drive after dark, proceed with caution.
   
3. If you’re travelling somewhere remote, stock up on petrol, and bring plenty of food and water. Many towns and cities are hundreds of miles apart, and if you do break down, it could be a long time before help reaches you.

Fair fuel policy

A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.

No hidden fees

All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.