Wales car hire

Wales. Stunning mountain scenery, amazing castles, a rugged coastline interspersed with sandy soft beaches, male voice choirs, heritage and modern and ancient history. This small nation, part of the British Isles, packs a huge punch to attract the many tourists who explore the country each year using a cheap car hire deal.

Just give us a reason not to go. The variety of things to see and do make this country a real treat for weekend breaks or longer holidays...

However you arrive in the country, picking up a cheap car hire deal is easy. With pick-up points at Cardiff Airport (CWL), as well as many mainline rail stations, ports, cities and towns, you’ll be on the road in no time at all. Use our search engine to the left to get the best prices by pre-booking your Welsh car rental.

Cardiff is the capital and home to its castle, a regenerated city centre and docks area, the Millennium Stadium and a vibrant nightlife catering for everything from fine dining to clubbing. Other important centres to visit are Swansea, Newport and Rhondda in the south, Aberystwyth in the centre, and Wrexham, Colwyn Bay and Bangor.

These busy places have plenty to see and do of their own, but by getting in your car you’ll be soon be out of the towns and into some of the most impressive scenery in the UK. Drive to stunning view points and enjoy walks, mountain biking and hikes across moors, mountain ranges and around beautiful unspoiled lakes.

Celtic history abounds and you’ll even find dual language signage everywhere as the nation enjoys a renaissance in the Welsh language. More modern traditions abound in places like the Welsh valleys, for years steeped in mining and heavy industry and now more famous for industrial museums and male voice choirs. And if music is your thing, remember that Wales is the home of superstars such as Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey and the Stereophonics.

Food standards are high with lots of local produce, including Welsh lamb, cheese, and baked goods such as the famous Bara Brith cake.

You will not be short of places to visit in Wales when using a cheap Welsh hire car. Here’s a round-up of some of the best places to enjoy...

Let’s start in South Wales. The valleys of South Wales were once caked in coal dust and the centre of a huge mining industry. These days those mines are no longer operating, but you could drive out to the Big Pit National Coal Museum at Blaenafon, where you can go down a real mining pit on an underground tour and learn all about the industry that Wales relied on until the 1980s. Nearby, the Brecon Beacons are well worth exploring and great for walking, hiking and biking.

In Cardiff, visit the imposing castle in the centre of the city or take a tour around the Millennium Stadium, home to the patriotic national rugby team. The Museum of Welsh Life and the National Museum of Wales in the city are another must, along with a day out visiting the Cardiff Bay barrage.

Heading west, the Gower Peninsula is one of the most beautiful places in Wales to visit by hire car. Sand beaches, surfing, castles such as Oystermouth and stunning coastal scenery await.

In the north of Wales there are many coastal resorts to visit, from Rhyl to Colwyn Bay and Llandudno, as well as the Isle of Anglesey with its ferry routes to Ireland and recent association as the home for the Duke of Cambridge and his wife during his RAF days.

Turn inland and you will immediately see the Snowdonia National Park for a day out up the mountain and in the fantastic valleys and lakes around Betws-y-Coed and surrounding area. You can even try out another use of an old mining site with the Zip World attraction, Europe’s highest and longest zip wire strung across an old slate quarry, or take one of the area’s many steam trains.

Along the coast is Portmeirion, the Italianate village used as the setting for TV favourite ‘The Prisoner’, and as you travel further south along the western coast you’ll go past seaside towns before reaching Aberystwyth with its university and seafront esplanade.

If castles are your thing, you’ll find more than 500 to visit in the country. The big hitters can be found at Conwy, Denbigh, Caerphilly, Raglan and Caernarfon.

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.