Car Rental in Townsville

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Townsville, Australia
Unable to find any location
Driver's country of residence is United States of America (USA) and age is 30-65
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Cheapest car rental rates

Townsville Airport
Compact SUV
Kia Stonic or similar
Kia Stonic
  • 5
  • 2
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Bargain Car Rentals
$41.00 per day
Townsville Airport
Intermediate SUV
Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross or similar
Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
  • 5
  • 2
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Auto.
SIXT
$53.62 per day
Townsville Airport
Standard SUV
Kia Sportage or similar
Kia Sportage
  • 5
  • 3
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Keddy
$55.83 per day
Townsville Airport
Standard Elite
Polestar 2 or similar
Polestar 2
  • 5
  • 2
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Thrifty
$64.89 per day

Most popular car rental deals

Townsville Airport
Full-size SUV
Toyota Kluger or similar
Toyota Kluger
  • 5
  • 4
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Europcar
$84.61 per day
Townsville Airport
Premium Extended Cab Pickup
Ford Ranger or similar
Ford Ranger
  • 5
  • 4
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Dollar
$89.24 per day
Townsville Airport
Economy
MG 3 or similar
MG 3
  • 5
  • 1
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Enterprise
$146.26 per day
Downtown
Full-size Elite SUV
Toyota Kluger or similar
Toyota Kluger
  • 7
  • 2
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Auto.
SIXT
$84.16 per day
The above prices are only approximate and were last updated at 2:55 PM on 4/20/25. Prices may vary based on the booking dates, length of rental, and car class.
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Special offers
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Travel information

Languages
English
Currency
AUD
Drive on
Left-hand side
Country code
+61
Average car rental price
$65 per day
Average car rental length
6 days
Speed limit within town
50 km/h or 31 mph
Speed limit out of town
100 - 130 km/h or 62 - 81 mph
Acceptable limit of BAC
0.05%
Rating
10.0 / 10
Average gas price
$1.12 per liter or $4.24 per gallon
Lowest gas price
$1.04 per liter or $3.95 per gallon
Highest gas price
$1.28 per liter or $4.85 per gallon

Why rent a car in Townsville?

One of the main cities and regional centre of North Queensland, Townsville is best known for its nearby natural attractions. The cozy city of 180,000 souls offers access to the southern portions of one of the world’s natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef, as well as the amazing Magnetic Island, the famous Outback and the northern Australian rainforest. There’s no need to be in a great rush to leave the city, though, as there’s also plenty of attractions inside its borders, such as heritage sites, beautiful public beaches, and lots of art and culture. 
Townsville

One-way car rentals in Townsville

The most popular one-way rental options for pick up in Townsville and drop off in another city include:

  • From Townsville to Cairns - 26 offers from $96.11 per day
  • From Townsville to Sydney - 26 offers from $112.22 per day

Top ways to enter Townsville

  • Townsville Airport. Serving about 1.6 million travelers every year, this cozy airport offers access to Australian metropolises like Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne, as well as more exotic and isolated destinations like Mackay, Toowoomba, and Palm Island. Located about 7 km (4.3 miles) west of the city center, the airport can be reached in ten minutes.
  • Cairns Airport. The biggest airport of North Queensland, it serves plenty of domestic destinations, as well as flights to and from China, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, and Papua New-Guinea. Located some 350 km (217 miles) north of Townsville, the trip between the two takes about four and a half hours, and most of the drive takes you near the coast, passing attractions like Mission Beach and Hinchinbrook Island along the way.

Top sights and activities

  • Museums. Despite its relatively small size, Townsville has a decent amount of interesting museums. The standout amongst them is the Museum of Tropical Queensland with its impressive collections of corals, other marine flora and fauna, and artifacts from the wreck of the famous HMS Pandora. Others include the Army Museum of North Queensland, the Maritime Museum (located in the Townsville Harbour area), and the Rolling Stone Park Museum and community markets.
  • The Strand. One of the most famous city beaches in Australia, the Strand is characterized by its golden sands, surrounding gardens, impressive views, and relaxed atmosphere. The ocean is generally very calm here and safe to swim in at many places along it. Located in the suburb of North Ward, The Strand can be easily accessed from anywhere in the city.
  • Reef HQ. While many trips and tours to the Great Barrier Reef depart from Townsville, the first impression of that unique ecosystem can be gained without leaving the city. An impressive aquarium, the Reef HQ has not only corals, but also other mesmerizing ocean dwellers like sea cucumbers, urchins, and stars. Other sections of the aquarium house the impressive blacktip reef and leopard sharks, as well as the Turtle Hospital dedicated to the recovery of injured marine animals. Visit the aquarium's official site to learn more about opening hours, tickets, and the conservation efforts of the center.
  • Magnetic Island. A stunning tropical island located just a short 40-minute car ferry away from Townsville. “Maggie” as locals call it, is known for its crystal clear waters, abundant wildlife, and secluded bays. This is often recommended as a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to Townsville. Find out more in this great guide to Magnetic Island. 

Traffic and parking

  • As a moderately sized Australian city, traffic congestion is generally not as severe as in larger cities like Sydney or Brisbane. The road network is also well maintained.
  • There is free and paid parking available in the city. Generally, the free parking is found a few streets back from the Strand. There are plenty of spots usually available near the Ross River, within walking idstance of the main attract
  • One of the largest road hazards in Australia is the wildlife. Take extra caution when driving in bad weather or after dark as this is when most of the collisions with wildlife take place.
  • Mobile coverage is very rarely available outside of major highways and population centers, so take extra caution when traveling in rural areas.
  • Another great risk when traveling outside of main highways is the heat. The temperatures can reach extremes very easily, especially during the summer months and in inland areas. Always stay properly hydrated and plan your route in advance to be able to supplement your water supplies.
  • Laws concerning driving under the influence differ from territory to territory in Australia. In Queensland, the legal alcohol limit is 0.05% for experienced drivers and 0.00% for novice drivers and drivers with provisional licenses. Exceeding the limit can lead to large fines and a driver license ban.
  • Proof of insurance and the car’s documentation need to be in the car whenever you’re driving.
  • When driving, you need to have your passport or ID card with you at all times.
  • The primary, nationwide emergency number in Australia is 000. 

Toll roads

There are a number of toll roads in Australia, mainly in the states of New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. In New South Wales, there are nine currently active toll roads, which is more than in the rest of the country combined.

Most toll roads in Australia use an open toll system with mainline barrier toll points. All toll roads in Australia use a cashless payment system. You can purchase a prepaid pass for most toll roads. Some rental cars in Australia are equipped with electronic transponders, the price of which may or may not be included in the rental price. Ask your car rental provider about it in advance. 

Different toll roads are operated by different companies, so there is no nation-wide fee system in place.

The main freeway bypassing Townsville is called the Townsville Ring Road, which forms the new A1 motorway connecting the southern Queensland cities to Cairns. This is a toll-free road, and tolls in general are not found in the Townsville region. 

For more information about the toll roads in the state of Queensland, visit the state’s toll road website.

Car rental prices in Townsville

  • Large cars - from $46 per day
  • Medium cars - from $62 per day
  • Vans - from $95 per day
  • Premium cars - from $89 per day
  • Small cars - from $85 per day
  • SUVs - from $41 per day
This information was written, fact-checked, and/or translated by our content creators.
Learn more about our Editorial Policy.
Fact checked by
Olly Gaspar
This article was reviewed and updated by Olly Gaspar, a professional adventure travel photographer and writer. He has spent the past five years documenting his full-time travels around the world on his blog We Seek Travel.

Top 20 cities near Townsville

  1. Proserpine from $39.73 per day
    231.6 km / 143.9 miles away
  2. Cairns from $41.30 per day
    284.3 km / 176.7 miles away
  3. Mackay from $45.22 per day
    329.9 km / 205 miles away
  4. Port Douglas from $36.98 per day
    337.4 km / 209.7 miles away
  5. Moranbah from $27.70 per day
    340.4 km / 211.5 miles away
  6. Emerald from $41.97 per day
    501.4 km / 311.6 miles away
  7. Rockhampton from $51.76 per day
    598.3 km / 371.8 miles away
  8. Gladstone from $82.16 per day
    689.6 km / 428.5 miles away
  9. Bundaberg from $40.03 per day
    848.4 km / 527.2 miles away
  10. Hervey Bay from $40.58 per day
    921.8 km / 572.8 miles away
  11. Noosa Heads from $43.15 per day
    1,024.8 km / 636.8 miles away
  12. Marcoola from $19.59 per day
    1,042.2 km / 647.6 miles away
  13. Toowoomba from $36.20 per day
    1,063.4 km / 660.8 miles away
  14. North Lakes from $34.74 per day
    1,092.6 km / 678.9 miles away
  15. Brisbane from $16.02 per day
    1,112 km / 691 miles away
  16. Ipswich from $55.82 per day
    1,113.5 km / 691.9 miles away
  17. Moree from $35.40 per day
    1,178.4 km / 732.2 miles away
  18. Surfers Paradise from $21.30 per day
    1,185.6 km / 736.7 miles away
  19. Gold Coast from $19.19 per day
    1,204.4 km / 748.4 miles away
  20. Coolangatta from $68.36 per day
    1,206.7 km / 749.8 miles away

Top 20 locations near Townsville

  1. Townsville Airport from $37.34 per day
  2. Whitsunday Coast Airport from $39.73 per day
    231.6 km / 143.9 miles away
  3. Cairns Airport from $41.30 per day
    284.3 km / 176.7 miles away
  4. Mackay Airport from $58.96 per day
    329.9 km / 205 miles away
  5. Emerald Airport from $41.97 per day
    501.4 km / 311.6 miles away
  6. Rockhampton Airport from $51.76 per day
    598.3 km / 371.8 miles away
  7. Gladstone Airport from $82.16 per day
    689.6 km / 428.5 miles away
  8. Bundaberg Downtown from $40.03 per day
    848.4 km / 527.2 miles away
  9. Bundaberg Airport from $40.84 per day
    849.3 km / 527.7 miles away
  10. Hervey Bay Downtown from $40.58 per day
    911.2 km / 566.2 miles away
  11. Hervey Bay Airport from $46.96 per day
    921.8 km / 572.8 miles away
  12. Sunshine Coast Airport from $19.59 per day
    1,042.2 km / 647.6 miles away
  13. Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport from $38.90 per day
    1,060.6 km / 659 miles away
  14. Brisbane Brendale from $55.82 per day
    1,097.9 km / 682.2 miles away
  15. Brisbane Airport from $16.02 per day
    1,112 km / 691 miles away
  16. Brisbane Ascot from $51.99 per day
    1,113.4 km / 691.8 miles away
  17. Brisbane Fortitude Valley from $37.90 per day
    1,113.7 km / 692 miles away
  18. Downtown from $18.43 per day
    1,113.8 km / 692.1 miles away
  19. Brisbane Tingalpa from $64.74 per day
    1,118.4 km / 694.9 miles away
  20. Brisbane Rocklea from $63.91 per day
    1,120.7 km / 696.4 miles away

Map of car rental locations

What is the cheapest month to rent a car in Townsville?

Car rental prices in Townsville vary by time of year. This graph shows the average prices per month to help you find the best time of year to rent.
Average rental costs per day in Townsville
$43.04
January
$45.75
February
$58.62
March
$60.83
April
$41.06
May
$49.57
June
$65.88
July
$66.36
August
$109.81
September
$83.42
October
$83.11
November
$62.51
December
The cheapest month to rent a car in Townsville is May (when prices average $41.06 per day). This is 36% cheaper than the yearly average and 63% cheaper than renting in September (when prices average $109.81).

This information can help you identify the low season. But these are only average numbers. How much your car rental will cost will depend on the type of vehicle you rent, how long you’ll rent it for, and how far ahead you book. Simply enter your dates in the form at the top of the page to see the exact prices.

What’s the usual rental length in Townsville?

How long travelers keep their rental cars for varies from month to month: in February, the average renter keeps their car for 8 days, and in October, they keep their car for 4 days.
Average number of rental days in Townsville
7
January
8
February
6
March
7
April
5
May
7
June
8
July
6
August
6
September
4
October
5
November
6
December

What's the most popular month to rent a car in Townsville?

Based on the number of searches by our customers, the most popular month for renting a car in Townsville is February, and the least popular is June.
Monthly searches in Townsville by pick-up date relative to the average
82%
January
163%
February
129%
March
112%
April
133%
May
43%
June
103%
July
116%
August
43%
September
60%
October
138%
November
77%
December

Car rental information

Car rental locations 2
Airport locations 1
Popular suppliers Bargain Car Rentals, Alamo, Thrifty, Dollar, Budget
Popular car categories SUVs, Medium cars, Large cars, Vans
Lowest price $37 per day
Cheapest supplier Bargain Car Rentals

Most popular car models of rental suppliers

Rental Supplier Model Doors Luggage Type
Bargain Car Rentals Hyundai Accent 4 2 Medium cars
Bargain Car Rentals MG HS 4 2 SUVs
Bargain Car Rentals Kia Stonic 4 2 SUVs
Bargain Car Rentals MG 5 5 2 Large cars
Bargain Car Rentals Holden Acadia 5 3 SUVs
Alamo Toyota Yaris 4 2 Medium cars
Bargain Car Rentals Toyota Hiace 5 5 Vans
Thrifty Hyundai i30 5 2 Medium cars
Dollar Hyundai i30 5 2 Medium cars
Alamo MG 3 4 1 Small cars

Our customers' reviews

Because we want to make sure each review listed here is left by a real customer, we don’t have the option to post a review here. Instead, we ask each and every customer to leave a review after they return their rental car. This way, you know that all reviews are authentic.

Australia
Hyundai i30
8/12/22
Photo 1 by Julie T. about renting a Hyundai i30 in Townsville (8/12/22) Photo 2 by Julie T. about renting a Hyundai i30 in Townsville (8/12/22)
Australia
Kia Picanto
10/2/21
Went all over the area it was so good to have the freedom to drive where and when we wanted

Car rental statistics

Highest-rated company
Alamo
9 / 10
)
Lowest-rated company
Routes Car Rental
7.3 / 10
)
Total number of reviews
2
Total rental companies
13
Average daily price
$65.17
Lowest daily price
$37.34
Total cars available
221

Top 13 suppliers in Townsville in 2025

Alamo
Alamo
Exceptional 9 / 28 reviews
1 location
$52 - $55
Thrifty
Thrifty
Very good 8.9 / 15 reviews
2 locations
$53 - $163
Bargain Car Rentals
Bargain Car Rentals
Very good 8.7 / 25 reviews
1 location
$37 - $124
Dollar
Dollar
Very good 8.4 / 2 reviews
2 locations
$54 - $168
Budget
Budget
Very good 8.4 / 3 reviews
1 location
$53 - $107
SIXT
SIXT
Very good 8.3 / 7 reviews
2 locations
$69 - $94
National
National
Very good 8.3 / 2 reviews
1 location
$65 - $78
Hertz
Hertz
Very good 8.3 / 0 reviews
1 location
$99 - $185
Europcar
Europcar
Very good 8.2 / 16 reviews
1 location
$51 - $127
Enterprise
Enterprise
Very good 8.1 / 0 reviews
2 locations
$52 - $92
Keddy
Keddy
Average 7.9 / 0 reviews
2 locations
$47 - $136
Firefly
Firefly
Average 7.7 / 0 reviews
2 locations
$47 - $136
Routes Car Rental
Routes Car Rental
Average 7.3 / 0 reviews
2 locations
$48 - $128

Highly recommended by our customers

Apr 25, 2025
Easy and smooth booking procedure
Easy and smooth booking procedure
Lars søvsø
Apr 25, 2025
Easy and fast.
Easy and fast.
Brian Fraser
Apr 25, 2025
Great prices seamless booking
Great prices seamless booking
Alper Utku
Apr 25, 2025
Easy to use
Easy to use, competitive prices.
Robert Allen
Apr 25, 2025
easy booking
easy booking
Maaike
Apr 25, 2025
Cheaper than booking direct easy peasy
Cheaper than booking direct easy peasy
David Smith
Apr 25, 2025
easy to book
easy to book. good price
maria stevens
Apr 25, 2025
Simple and straightforward
Simple and straightforward, competitive prices
Erick Savoye
Apr 25, 2025
Fast and best price
Fast and best price
Kerry Bartley
Apr 25, 2025
No Hassles.
No frills car and no hassles. Car had a few scrapes etc at pick up but no fuss made to record. No fuss made at drop off either . Was not full to full as contract so they gained a little fuel. Collection at airport was very efficient.
Allan
Apr 25, 2025
easy peasy
easy transaction. I like in terminal pickup.
John Barbetta
Apr 25, 2025
good value for money
good value for money
Kocsis Istvan
Apr 25, 2025
👍👍👍👍
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Mariusz
Apr 24, 2025
Thanks a lot
Thanks a lot
Fatih Sari
Apr 24, 2025
Great service
Great service, reasonable prices, good that I decided to go for a full cover. Rented a car on my trip everything was good till the last day on holiday. Someone scratched our car. I called the DiscoverCars.com helpline; I was pleasantly surprised with the quick answer, and agent Gunta was very reassuring not to worry about a thing. On my return home, I filled in a full coverage claim, which was successful. Max promptly, in about 2 days, reviewed the case and initiated the money which I had to pay to the rental company for damage, to be paid back into my account.
Martins Skujans
Apr 24, 2025
fast and clear
fast and clear
Ivan Abud

Townsville

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Driver's country of residence is United States of America (USA) and age is 30-65
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