Comparing and Booking a Cheap Car Rental in Sydney is Now Quick and Easy
Tour Australia's most photogenic city your own way
Sydney is perhaps the best known city in Australia, so many visitors assume it's the capital. However, it's not! That honour goes to Canberra.
Sydney, New South Wales, is often called "the Harbour City". The city was established in 1788 at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip, commodore of the First Fleet. It was the site of the first British colony in Australia and to this day boasts a proud heritage as well as a modern city-scape. As a major destination for immigrants to Australia, Sydney is one of the most multicultural cities in the world and is also highly populated.
Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Cove...this city boasts some of Australia's most internationally recognisable tourist attractions. However, if you're going to be getting around in a rental vehicle to see the sights, be warned that you're likely to encounter some traffic congestion in the CBD itself. This eases dramatically once you're outside the suburbs.
Check out our great ideas for your road trip in our travel guide.
Things to consider when booking a car hire with us
2. Select - Find the best rates for the car category that you want and book with us. There is no need to worry about a booking fee. CarHire.com.au pride themselves on having no hidden fees, offering you the best comparative rental car service we can.
3. Enjoy - Once you have selected your vehicle, you'll get a confirmation email to make sure your car hire is booked, without any charges until you pick it up. You will have the freedom to explore sensational Sydney in style and at your own pace.
The Perfect Road Trip Guide to Sydney
The Harbour, the Bridge and the Opera House are often the first choice of places to visit in Sydney. But there is so much more to this vibrant city! Check out the outdoor 'rock pools' dotted around the Northern Beach suburbs, dine at Cockle Bay wharf in Darling Harbour, or search the historic lanes in the Rocks District. A hire car will give you the ability to travel where you want, at a time that suits you. Cheap car hire from CarHire.com.au equals total convenience!
Take the Ferry to Manly
Consider ditching the rental car for a little while and catching the Manly ferry instead from Circular Quay. This will provide great views of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Manly offers a completely different slice of Sydney life. You can walk through the Manly 'Corso' to the ocean beach. Explore historic North Head with breathtaking Sydney Harbour views.
Manly is not the only destination reached by ferry, Circular Quay is the starting point for many picturesque boat trips. Balmain and Darling Harbour are inner suburbs best reached by boat. Can't decide? See all the highlights with a boat tour.
Sleep with the animals at Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo can be reached by ferry or road. It's a fun destination at any time, but for something extra special try the Roar and Snore overnight accommodation package. This includes a gourmet buffet dinner followed by a two hour night time zoo safari and then an overnight stay in a safari-style tent. The morning provides a continental breakfast and behind the scenes tours before the zoo opens.
With the freedom of a hire car, there are many fabulous regions of New South Wales that you can discover from Sydney. Many are an easy day trip away in your rental vehicle, such as the Blue Mountains and Katoomba. It's inland from Sydney itself, and Katoomba is the prime destination around the Blue Mountains National Park, just a 90 minute drive from the city. True to their name, you'll see that the distant mountains do indeed seem to be shrouded in a blue haze.
Imbibe in the Hunter Valley
Gourmets will love Newcastle and the Hunter Valley. The Hunter Region is famous for its wines and is a 90 minute drive north of Sydney. If you're up for a longer trip, Canberra, the capital of Australia, is also within driving distance, just three hours away.
Sutherland Shire
Sutherland Shire is a great destination if you've rented a car. 'The Shire' as it's known is just 25 kilometres south of the CBD and only 20 minutes from Sydney Airport. It delivers on every promise you've heard about Sydney: rich bushland, glorious beaches and beautiful waterways. There are plenty of experiences to be had and many of them - such as the Bundeena & Maianbar Art Trail every 1st Sunday of the month or a guided tour of ANSTO, Australia's only nuclear facility - are absolutely free of charge.
For more travel ideas in Sydney, check out this travel guide by VroomVroomVroom.
Trip ideas when booking a rental car in Sydney
Where should your trip start in one of Australia's most popular and populated tourist destinations? If this is your first visit to Australia, then Sydney - particularly Sydney Harbour - should definitely be at the top of your list of destinations. If you live in one of the other fabulous states in Australia, then it should still be a drawcard.
Why visit Sydney?
If proof is what you're after then here it is: Sydney is frequently ranked in the top ten of the highly respected Mercer Quality of Living Survey and the Economist's 'World's Most Liveable Cities' survey. More importantly, there are plenty of famous sights, plenty of sun and plenty of fine wines to be bought at places like Mosman Cellars.
Just to get you started Carhire.com.au have compiled some ideas for your trip. It's always good to begin with the obvious so be certain to check out the Opera House (pretty hard to miss this one), Sydney Harbour Bridge. You could also consider planning your visit around fantastic events like Mardi Gras, New Year's Eve, Fashion week or State of Origin. Other top stops include Bondi Beach, Luna Park, Kings Cross (this one has quite a reputation so Google it first), China Town, The Rocks, Darling Harbour, Taronga Park Zoo, Fox Studios, Sydney Tower and the Royal Randwick.
Why you should hire a car in Sydney
Even if you hire a vehicle the city of Sydney is going to take you at least a few days of touring to fully appreciate. Expect to tack on a few more days to your trip for the iconic landmarks of New South Whales generally. The best way to get both your money's worth and your time's worth is to hire a car as this greatly expands your capacity for exploring the State and means you're not tied down to public transport schedules. If you also rent a GPS with your car hire, you'll be all set to explore this vibrant and busy city and its picturesque surrounds.
Day trip options include a drive out to The Blue Mountains, Jervis Bay or even to the nations capital Canberra which is only 285 km away. Having a rental car at your disposal gives you the freedom to tackle not only Sydney but the entire state.
Take some time out to get to know the locals too. There's plenty of variety to be found and a lot of fun to be had. Almost half of city residents are aged between 20 and 40, and over a quarter are students.So that's your first few days taken care of. The rest of your Sydney adventure is in your hands. If you do have any problems booking a cheap hire car for Sydney, we are always here to help you out.
Article by Jorem NuevoJorem Nuevo is a content writer and car rental expert at CarHire.com.au - The easiest way to rent a car!
Europcar Sydney - Pullman Hotel / 26-36 College St, Sydney, NSW. 2000
Avis Sydney-Kings Cross - 200 William Street, Woolloomooloo, NSW. 2011
Budget Sydney Downtown - 93 William Street, Kings Cross, Sydney, NSW. 2011
Thrifty Sydney City Domain - Domain Car Park Sir John Young Crescent, East Sydney, NSW. 2010
Redspot Sydney City, Holiday Inn - 203 Victoria Street, Potts Point, NSW. 2011
Hertz Pyrmont - 10/209 Harris Street, Pyrmont, NSW. 2009