Compare Dorchester car hire

Between the towns of Poole and Bridport, Dorchester is a historic town known for being the birthplace of the celebrated author Thomas Hardy as well as the two Iron Age forts Poundbury Hill and Maiden Castle (which is thought to be the largest of its kind in Europe).

In the surrounding Dorset countryside, there’s also plenty to see and do by car, from excursions to stately homes to scenic Jurassic Coast road trips. And you can conveniently compare deals on hire cars in Dorchester right here using our search tool above.

There are at least a couple of hire car companies operating in Dorchester. On the national side you have Enterprise Car & Van Hire, and on the local side you have Dorset Vehicle Rentals.

Elsewhere, and approximately 25 minutes away, Poole is home to another Enterprise branch and a company called U-Drive, while in Bournemouth – 45 or so minutes from Dorchester – you’ll find Thrifty, Enterprise and Europcar. If you happen to be flying into Bournemouth Airport (BOH), which is just under an hour away from Dorchester, you can pick up a hire car here from Hertz.

Being a small town and all, driving around Dorchester is more or less a breeze – the roads and traffic are pretty standard fare. That said, do bear in mind that the centre is partly pedestrianised.

There are plenty of parking options in the town. Fairfield Car Park has short and long-stay parking, Colliton Car Park sets you close to Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, while Trinity Street has over 120 spaces and is a short walk from the Plaza Cinema.

For day trips, join the A35, which skirts the southern edge of Dorchester, to visit the National Trust-owned Hardy’s Cottage, where the author was born and where he wrote his first novels.

Continue on the A35 to tour the Tudor mansion at Athelhampton House and Gardens, and travel beyond that to Badbury Rings (site of an Iron Age fort) and Kingston Lacy Estate with its spectacular avenue of beech trees. From here, it’s about 40 minutes back to Dorchester.

The A37, meanwhile, borders the west of Dorchester and cuts northwest to Yeovil. Off the main road, you’ll find walking routes such as the Frome Valley Trail and the Cerne Valley Way circular walk.

One of the highlights in this neck of the woods is the B3157 between Weymouth and Bridport, which includes a roughly 15-mile section of the Jurassic Coast. The route is consistently voted as one of the best in the UK. There are blind bends along the way, so keep an eye on your speed (the limit is 50mph and 30mph in the villages).

And finally, do pull over to admire the sea views in one of the many lay-bys designed for this very purpose. Be sure to stop at the villages of Abbotsbury, too, to visit St Catherine’s Chapel, as well as Burton Bradstock for a seafood lunch at the Hive Beach Café.

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.