Car Hire Insider » Sydney

Snow Snow Snow! Winter 2010 Car Hire Guide is here!

Car Hire Insider — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:03:48 +0000

We’ve updated our Winter Car Hire Guide for 2010. All you need to know about who and where to rent from! Have a look see and enjoy tearing up the slopes! Yeehaw!

Time’s a-ticking so pay attention: Europcar’s Earlybird Special offers 10% discount if you place your booking by 11 June 2010!

East Coast Car Rentals serves up Sydney Airport

Car Hire Insider — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:47:18 +0000

Good news for folks looking for Sydney Airport rentals!

East Coast Car Rentals, already amongst our top picks for independents in Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Melbourne have opened shop there and we’re pleased to find their prices for Sydney Airport hires are as competitive as ever. On top of that, they offer probably the lowest daily waiver reduction rates. Read more in our updated article on the Best Independent Companies for Sydney Airport.

Inter-City Driving Distances and Times

Car Hire Insider — Mon, 10 May 2010 14:02:58 +0000

Just how far is it and how long does it take to drive between Australia’s major cities? Plan your journey with the distances and travelling times for the most popular driving routes.

Route	Distance	Time
Sydney-Melbourne via Princes Hwy	1,039 km	15 hrs
Sydney-Melbourne via Hume Hwy	879 km	12 hrs
Sydney-Brisbane via Pacific Hwy	936 km	14 hrs
Sydney-Brisbane via New England Hwy	995 km	14 hrs
Melbourne-Adelaide via Princes Hwy	911 km	11 hrs
Melbourne-Adelaide via Western & Dukes Hwys	729 km	8 hrs
Melbourne-Brisbane via Hume, Newell & Gore Hwys	1,676 km	20 hrs
Adelaide-Perth via Eyre & Great Eastern Hwys	2,700 km	32 hrs
Adeaide-Sydney via Sturt & Hume Hwys	1,415 km	19 hrs
Adelaide-Darwin via Stuart Hwy	3,026 km	31 hrs
Perth-Darwin via Great Northern, Victoria & Stuart Hwys	4,032 km	46 hrs
Brisbane-Cairns via Bruce Hwy	1,703 km	20 hrs
Brisbane-Darwin via Warrego, Landsborough, Barkly & Stuart Hwys	3,406 km	39 hrs

Inter-City Driving Routes Map

For complete details including directions, open this Inter-City Driving Route map on Google Maps.

View Major Inter-City Routes in a larger map

Unleaded Petrol Prices: Today’s Cheapest Fuel

Car Hire Insider — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:40:05 +0000

Below you’ll find today’s best currently available Unleaded Petrol prices within Australia’s major cities, compiled for your convenience.

Click on any of the cities’ badges to display the exact addresses of the petrol stations offering the low prices
Use Google Maps to navigate your way to your chosen station
And save!

Unleaded fuel price data below is manually collected and updated twice daily in the morning and afternoon on Mondays to Saturdays, and once daily on Sundays.

Sydney

Melbourne

Brisbane

Gold Coast

Perth

Adelaide

Hobart

For specific suburb search and prices of other types of fuel, use MotorMouth’s Price Search.

Sydney Toll Roads, Charges and Passes

Car Hire Insider — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:00:42 +0000

Sydney Toll Roads
Toll Roads	Cash	Cost	Phone
M2 – North Ryde toll W \| M	Yes	$4.95	13 76 26 (RoamExpress)
M2 – Only Pennant Hills Road toll W \| M	Yes	$2.75	13 76 26 (RoamExpress)
M4 Western Motorway W \| M	Free since 15 February 2010
M5 South-West Motorway W \| M	Yes	$3.80	1300 658 652
M7 Westlink W \| M	No	$7.06*	13 86 55 (Roam)
Cross City Tunnel W \| M	No	$4.56	+61 2 9033 3999
Cross City Tunnel – Sir John Young Crescent Exit W \| M	No	$2.15	+61 2 9033 3999
Sydney Harbour Bridge – Southbound W	No	$2.50-4.00**	13 18 65
Sydney Harbour Tunnel – Southbound W	No	$2.50-4.00**	13 18 65
Lane Cove Tunnel W \| M	No	$2.89	13 76 26 (RoamExpress)
Military Road E-Ramps (formerly Falcon St Gateway) W \| M	No	$1.44	13 76 26 (RoamExpress)
Eastern Distributor – Northbound W \| M	Yes	$5.50	1300 138 107
W – Link to motorway’s Website \| M – Link to motorway’s Maps Prices are accurate as at 5 July 2011 * This is the maximum toll cost depending on your entry and exit point – see Westlink M7 Toll Prices ** The exact amount depends on the time of day – see Time of Day Tolling on the RTA site

Sydney Electronic Passes

There are several providers from which you can get electronic passes from – RTA E-Toll Pass, RoamExpress, and Roam. They have minor differences but to keep things simple, we find the cheapest and most flexible option is to register for RoamExpress Visitor’s e-PASS online. You’ll be charged a $1.50 start-up fee and an additional $0.75 Vehicle Matching Fee for each trip on top of the standard toll charge.

You’ll need a credit card to purchase a pass and you can do so up to 3 months in advance or within 48 hours after using a toll road. Passes remain valid for 30 days or until an earlier date which you can specify – a good idea to ensure you don’t end up paying for the next renter of your car.

To use the pass, you must drive on the lanes with a red and white little ‘e’ symbol. You can register multiple vehicles on a single e-PASS for $0.25 each online.

Toll Roads in Australia

Car Hire Insider — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:58:57 +0000

Toll roads are found in the metropolitan areas of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Everywhere there is a move towards electronic payment sensors with the acceptance of cash being phased out. This means it is possible to use the toll road without physically paying for it on the spot (your car registration plate will be photographed as you go through the toll and it’s your responsibility to make sure you have paid for it before or within a couple days of using it).

Any fines will be sent to your car hire company and not only will you be charged for it (in the vicinity of $140 each) but they will also add on a “processing fee” which commonly comes in at about $35-60 each.

With all the care taken to save on your car hire, the last thing you need is a fine for unpaid toll charges. So you don’t accidentally miss one, below you’ll find information for toll road locations, toll charges and purchasing passes, payment methods and meanings of toll road signs.

Toll Roads, Charges and Electronic Passes

Payment Methods

Cash Payments

If your toll road accept cash payments, that’s easy. You’ll just want to make sure you have some change. Some toll booths only accept the exact amount while others will give you change. Keep to the left lane as that’s where most cash booths are located and pay attention to the signs:

Exact change lanes are labelled ‘exact toll’ or ‘auto’
Booths marked ‘change’ will, you guessed it, give you change.

Cashless Electronic Toll Payments

As mentioned, not all toll roads have cash booths in which case payment must be made electronically with an E-Tag or pass, or over the phone by credit card after using the road.

Over the Phone

Along the road you will see large signs with the relevant phone number so remember it and make the call to pay within 48 hours of passing the toll. A small fee will be charged for credit card payments. Online payments are also possible and incurs a lower fee than over the phone.

The Electronic Pass

For interstate and foreign visitors, the electronic pass will likely be your best option. All you need is a credit card and they are usually valid for 30 days with minimum or no start-up fees. If you’re travelling to multiple places e.g. Sydney, Melbourne AND Brisbane, you’ll need to get the relevant passes for each city i.e. unlike the E-Tag, a pass bought in Sydney will NOT be usable in other cities.

The E-Tag

The E-Tag is a little device you attach to your car’s windscreen which automatically deducts from your account each time pass a toll sensor. Naturally having an E-Tag in the car is the most efficient option and spares you having to worry about forgetting to pay.

However, it is designed for longer term or frequent usage, often requiring a security deposit and prepaid toll balance which may not be appropriate for a visitor. Most rental car companies do not equip their cars with an E-Tag but if you find one that does, great!

E-Tags from NSW, VIC or QLD are usable throughout Australia so if you have an existing one, you can use it with your rental car or consider borrowing a friend’s. Just notify your E-Tag provider of your hire car registration number (and remember to call them to remove it after finishing your rental unless you are feeling particularly charitable).

E-Tags are available from RTA, RoamExpress, and Roam (NSW providers), Breeze (VIC provider), go via (QLD provider). Each provider has a slightly different payment structure and you’ll need an Australian address.

If you are a visitor to Australia or infrequent traveller (one or two trips on a toll road), look instead at getting yourself an electronic pass for the city you require.

Toll Road Signs

E-tags are accepted in these lanes

Electronic Passes are accepted in these lanes

An E-tag ONLY lane

A lane where you can use an E-tag or pay with the EXACT amount of cash

A lane where you can use an E-tag or pay with ANY amount of cash and change will be given

A lane where you can use an E-tag or an Electronic Pass

A lane where cash is accepted and change is given

NSW Public and School Holidays 2010 / 2011

Car Hire Insider — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:56:46 +0000

NSW Public Holidays

2010
Friday 1 January – New Year’s Day
Tuesday 26 January – Australia Day
Friday 2 April – Good Friday
Saturday 3 April – Easter Saturday
Monday 5 April – Easter Monday
Monday 26 April – Anzac Day
Monday 14 June – Queen’s Birthday
Monday 2 August – Bank Holiday (financial institutions)
Monday 4 October – Labour Day
Saturday 25 December – Christmas Day
Monday 27 December – Boxing Day (replacement for 26 December)

2011
Monday 3 January – New Year’s Day (replacement for 1 January)
Wednesday 26 January – Australia Day
Friday 22 April – Good Friday
Saturday 23 April – Easter Saturday
Monday 25 April – Easter Monday, Anzac Day
Tuesday 26 April – Replacement for Easter Monday and Anzac Day falling on the same day
Monday 13 June – Queen’s Birthday
Monday 1 August – Bank Holiday (financial institutions)
Monday 3 October – Labour Day
Monday 26 December – Christmas Day (replacement for 25 December)
Tuesday 27 December – Boxing Day (replacement for 26 December)

NSW School Holidays

2009 / 2010
Summer: 19 December 2009 – 26 January 2010
Autumn: 2 April – 18 April
Winter: 3 July – 18 July
Spring: 25 September – 10 October

2010 / 2011
Summer: 18 December 2010 – 27 January 2011
Autumn: 9 April – 25 April
Winter: 2 July – 17 July
Spring: 24 September – 9 October
Summer: 21 December 2011 – 26 January 2012

Driving Rental Cars to the Snow

Car Hire Insider — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:13:15 +0000

From Thredbo to Perisher, Falls Creek to Mt Baw Baw, comes the oft-asked question: Are you allowed to drive your rental car up to the snow?

In their standard terms and conditions, the Big Boys of Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty do NOT allow you to take any rental cars above the snowline or to any area that requires the use of snow chains during the winter season (June-Sep/Oct). If you do, you will be fully liable for any and all damages to the car. However, selected branches of the various companies do offer you the option to purchase additional “snow cover” insurance. Also, keep a look out for special winter deals that may already include the snow cover on some vehicles.

To make your life easier (that’s what we’re here for after all), we’ve compiled your options for you.

Winter 2011 Car Hire Guide for NSW and VIC

Snow cover is usually only available at selected branches. Always double check for your required pickup location and the exact details of the offer.

Budget
Look for the ‘Ski Magic’ deal on Intermediate up to Full-sized cars, 4WDs and Vans which allows you to drive to the snow from participating NSW and VIC locations. Standard excess applies. Available from pickups by 31 October 2011. Quote this BCD discount number: D010750 Go to Budget’s Offers page Click to expand terms and conditions * Available locations: VIC – Melbourne Southbank, Richmond, Sunshine, Footscray, Airport West, Camberwell, South Yarra/Prahran, Bayswater, Box Hill, Campbellfield, Clayton, Croydon, Dandenong, Frankston, Geelong, Highett, Hoppers Crossing, Preston, Sale and Traralgon. NSW – North Sydney, Manly, Artarmon and Gladesville * Vehicles: Car groups C, D, E, K, F, W and V only * Offer available for Australian residents only * Validity: Offer valid for rentals commencing between 11 May – 31 October 2011. * Rate includes: Vehicle registration recovery fee, Administration fee, GST, Unlimited kilometres * Rate excludes: Refuelling service charge, optional excess reduction and other optional miscellaneous charges. * One-way rentals: Are only permitted to Sydney or Melbourne Airports. * Minimum rental: 1 day * Drivers must be 25 years and older and payment is by credit card only * No night driving outside towns and cities * Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, coupon or promotion including local branch specials * Underbody Damage is not included in the stated excess coverage. * Offer subject to vehicle availability * Subject to the terms and conditions of the Budget Rental Agreement at the time of rental.
Europcar
*Australian Snow Package 2011* This deal is available on Economy up to Full-Sized cars, 4WDs and Vans and prices are inclusive of the Snow Protection Package which gives you a lowered liability of A$385 and also covers windscreen, headlights and tyres. Extra free snow chains are provided for hires 5 days or more. Available for pickups by 30 October 2011 at participating NSW, QLD and VIC locations. Quote this CD Number: 0050480354 Go to Europcar’s Snow Special Alternatively, you can make a regular booking and choose the A$13/day Snow Cover add-on which will allow you to take the car above the snowline. This be done during the online booking process. Taking the Peace of Mind (POM) Damage Liability Reduction option will lower your excess to the same $385 as above. Go to Europcar’s homepage We recommend comparing the two options to see which one works out cheaper or suits you better.
Hertz
A$22/day for SNO Cover on Economy up to Standard cars, 4WDs and Vans allows you to drive in the snow. Standard excess applies. This option can’t be added on online and must be done over the counter. Go to Hertz Click to expand terms and conditions Travelling in any Alpine Resort during the gazzetted snow season, or in any other area under conditions where a reasonable person would use snow chains, is deemed full responsibility use (refer to Rental Restrictions section). Hertz offers ‘SNO Cover’ at selected locations (listed below) for customers travelling to these areas under specific conditions: * The following vehicle groups are permitted for driving in Alpine Areas: A, B, H, C, S, E, T, R, V & E5 (Lexus RX350). * Damage caused as a result of the fitting of snow chains and/or ski racks is deemed negligence and full recovery will be sought. When SNO cover is taken, Damage Cover still stands, however customers also have the option of purchasing MAX or AER to reduce any accident damages excess (Refer to Coverage/Liability Protection). * The cost of SNO Cover is AUD $22.00 (incl. GST) per day and is to be applied to the rental. Primary Locations in the Alpine Areas NEW SOUTH WALES – Thredbo, Perisher Blue, Mount Kosciusko. VICTORIA – Falls Creek, Mount Hotham, Mount Bulla, Mount Baw Baw, Lake Mountain, Mount Beauty, Mount Buffalo, Pinacle Valley. Participating locations are as follows: Canberra City, Canberra Airport, Artarmon, Brookvale, Newcastle, Belmont, Williamtown, Parramatta, Gosford, Five Dock, Castlehill, Bankstown, Campbelltown, Wollongong, Nowra, Tamworth, Armidale, Sydney City, Sydney Airport, Melbourne City, Melbourne Airport, North Melbourne, Canberra 4WD, Albury, Avalon, Ballarat, Bendigo, Balwyn, Castlemaine, Cowra, Dandenong, Dubbo, Echuca, Essendon, Forbes, Frankston, Geelong, Gundagai, Kyneton, Lorne, Moorabbin, Merimbula, Mitcham, Parkes, Preston, Shepparton, South Yarra, Traralgon, Tumut, Wagga Wagga, West Wyalong, Werribee, Yass, Young.
Thrifty
A$22/day for Snow Cover allows you to drive in the snow. Standard excess applies. This option can be added on to your rental during the online booking process. Go to Thrifty
Bayswater Car Rental (Sydney only)
Available for Sydney rentals only, from June-September, a one-off A$50 Snow Cover fee will allow you to drive in the snow (specifically Cooma, Jindabyne, Perisher, Selwyn and Thredbo). It also comes with complimentary snow chains. Bayswater only carries Corolla Hatches and Sedans on which they offer excellent hire rates that come with a lowered Standard Cover of A$300. Go to Bayswater Car Rental

Sydney Airport-City Public Transport

Car Hire Insider — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:21:27 +0000

The Sydney Kingsford Airport (both international and domestic terminals) is located approximately 10km south of Sydney city (CBD).

A taxi ride between the airport-city will set you back about A$30 one-way (around 20 minutes)
The train ticket is about A$15.20/adult one-way. Take the green Airport and East Hills line which includes 6 stops within the city itself at Central, Museum, St. James, Circular Quay, Wynyard and Town Hall (10-20 minutes). The exact timings can be found here
Jetbus Airport Shuttle services numerous surrounding suburbs and accommodation in the city for A$12 one-way, A$21 return per adult. Booking online is required to avoid $5 phone booking charge
Yet another shuttle bus takes you from/to the airport to/from major city locations (including Darling Harbour and Kings Cross) and various accommodation for A$13 one-way, A$22 return per adult. This requires pre-booking with the KST Sydney Airporter Shuttle Bus Service (allow 45 minutes)
You may like to ask your hotel if they are able to organize complimentary transfers

For more information, follow the links at the official Sydney Airport site. For all public transport fares and services for New South Wales, use Transport Infoline. It also has a great tool for generating travel routes for getting from any particular location to another.

Sydney Airport-City CBD Map

Note that this route avoids the partial toll road (Eastern Distributor) which will cost you an additional $5. Only certain rental car companies fit their cars with electronic tags. If yours doesn’t have one, you’ll have to arrange alternative payment options (see here). See Sydney Motorways for links to all other motorways and their tolls.

View Larger Map

Sydney Airport – Best Independent Car Hire Companies

Car Hire Insider — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:35:52 +0000

Updated: January 2011

The great thing about going with an off-site independent company is you will immediately save 18% off your car hire which is Sydney Airport’s fixed Premium Location Fee. After much sifting, the following few companies came out tops and are definitely worth checking out.

All findings are based on regular non-peak rates. You might want to note school holiday periods in NSW.

East Coast Car Rentals Go To Site

Great value on all cars especially on SUVs, Vans. Unlimited km’s

East Coast Car Rentals started serving Sydney’s airport back in 2010 and offers one of the better value propositions particularly since all rentals come with unlimited km’s. They carry a good range of cars from Compact manual hatches to Family sedans, SUVs and Vans.

The standard liability on cars is A$3000 that can be reduced to A$200 for A$13.20/day, or for A$11/day for rentals over a week. This is the cheapest reduction waiver rate you can find amongst car hire companies (however, we still recommend you have a look at alternative car rental insurance options). Their depot is just outside the airport so you’ll just have to make a quick call once you’ve landed and they’ll arrange for a shuttle bus to collect you.

Discount Car Rental Go To Site

Value on Compact Autos, Family Sedans. 250km/day

It may not be the prettiest site but you’ll find competitive rates on the Compact Toyota Corolla hatch and family-sized Toyota Camry. To counter the potential inconvenience of being off-site, they offer a free customer pick-up and return service to the airport. Rates are inclusive of 250km/day and A$2750 collision damage liability that can be dropped to A$550 for A$16/day (compare that to the Big Boys’ A$24-26.40/day).

Airport Rent-A-Car Go To Site

Good value for short (3 days) hires on Compact and Intermediate cars. Look out for discounts. 300km/day

Value can be found on Compact (manual and auto) and Intermediate cars like the Toyota Yaris hatch, Hyundai i30 hatch and Toyota Corolla sedan for shorter rentals. This website requires just bit of scrolling down to get to what’s important but beyond that, the booking form itself is simple. Certain months have further 10% discounts (at this time, this is being offered in June and July 2011).

Includes 300km/day (A$0.25/extra km) and A$3300 collision damage liability (A$23/day reduces to $330). Located 5 minutes off-site but offers free transfers to/from the airport.