Whether you are in Sydney for a week or a month, a car rental might be top on your list of transport options. A car rental in Sydney will give you the ability to cruise from one great Sydney suburb to the next, each of which generally have their own special and unique flair. For beaches, you can hit up Coogee and Bondi; for cafes, you can explore Surry Hills; for Portuguese food, you can head over to Petersham in the Inner West.
Beyond the suburbs, a car rental in Sydney can help you wander effortlessly throughout the Royal National Park, drive on to the Grand Pacific Drive, lead you west into the Blue Mountains or north to the Central Coast. Without proper transportation in a city like Sydney, you will find it easy to miss out on some of the city’s best attractions hidden in the nooks and crannies.
>> Check out car rentals in Melbourne and car rentals in Australia
To be able to drive and rent a car in Sydney, and in Australia in general, you need to have a valid drivers license with the class specification to suit your desired rental. If the drivers license is from overseas, it must be in English or it must come with an International Driving Permit (IDP) in English. Car rental rules vary by company, and some companies require individuals to be of or above 25 years of age. Other may require a surcharge is renting to someone younger than that.
The easiest place to rent a car would be at the Sydney International Airport as there are several different companies located in one place. In the airport, there is Hertz, Avis, Budget, Redspot, Europcar and Thrifty to choose from. However, it is good to note that renting from the airport, albeit easier, will not always be cheaper. Outside of the airport, there is a section near Mascot and other suburbs close to this area of car rental facilities; it is harder to find such places in the city itself besides Williams Street, which surprisingly is home to several campervan rental companies.
Traffic is the biggest issue when driving in Sydney. At one point in the day, it can take you 30 minutes to go somewhere, while high traffic times can see you over an hour. The Pacific Highway is notorious at peak traffic times given all the stoplights and the 2 or 1 lane roads. For those coming from overseas, it is vital to have a look at some driving in Australia rules in advance. Besides driving on the other side of the road, traffic rules might be a little different (like no left on red option), and that small difference can cause huge mistakes. One last thing to watch out for when driving in Sydney would be the toll charges as there are usually no manned booths to take cash. Instead, they rely on an electronic system (recognized by a tag in your car), and if you don’t have one, then you have to log on to a website within 2 days to pay the dues.
>> Read more about getting around Sydney.
Driving is a great escape only made better by some glorious Sydney sunshine. The long-distance or budget traveler may also want to check out some campervans as yet another option. You’ll be on the road and onto the next day trip getaway in no time!
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