Car Rental in Nelson
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Cheapest Car Rental Rates
Nelson Airport Car Rental
Compact
Nissan Wingroad
or similar
$25.80
per day
Nelson Airport Car Rental
Minivan
Mazda Premacy
or similar
$29.78
per day
Nelson Airport Car Rental
Minivan
Honda Stepwgn
or similar
$33.71
per day
Nelson Airport Car Rental
Intermediate
Kia Cerato
or similar
$48.33
per day
Most Popular Car Rental Deals
Nelson Airport Car Rental
Compact
Suzuki Swift
or similar
$50.24
/ per day
Nelson Airport Car Rental
Compact
Kia Stonic
or similar
$50.87
/ per day
Nelson Airport Car Rental
Intermediate
Suzuki Vitara
or similar
$51.00
/ per day
Nelson Airport Car Rental
Intermediate
Mitsubishi ASX
or similar
$51.00
/ per day
The above prices are only approximate and were last updated at 06:05 on 2022-06-28. Prices may vary based on the booking dates, length of rental, and car class.
Travel Information
Language
English
Currency
NZD
Country code
64
Traffic direction
Left-hand
Speed limit out of town
80 - 100 km/h
50 - 62 mi/h
Speed limit within town
30 - 60 km/h
19 - 37 mi/h
Acceptable limit of BAC
0.05%
Why rent a car in Nelson?
A city of just 51,000 inhabitants, Nelson punches way above its weight when it comes to being a hub for tourism. The oldest settlement on the South Island is home to a lot of historic attractions but also has interesting museums, a special atmosphere, beautiful beaches, and access to some of New Zealand’s most iconic natural wonders.
One-Way Car Rentals in Nelson
The most popular one-way rental options for pick up in Nelson and drop off in another city include:
- From Nelson to Christchurch - 7 offers from SG$ 118.26 per day
- From Nelson to Picton - 7 offers from SG$ 118.26 per day
- From Nelson to Auckland - 7 offers from SG$ 251.62 per day
- From Nelson to Blenheim - 7 offers from SG$ 118.26 per day
Top ways to enter Nelson
- Nelson Airport: Located just a short ride southeast of the city center, Nelson Airport provides connections with the largest cities on both islands of New Zealand, as well as some smaller regional destinations.
- Christchurch Airport: By far the busiest on the South Island, Christchurch Airport has flights to many destinations in New Zealand and Australia, as well as all across South and East Asia. For many foreign visitors who travel straight to the South Island, it serves as the first point of entry. Located about 410 km (255 miles) south of Nelson, the trip between them takes about five hours.
- Wellington Airport: Located right across the Cook Strait, Wellington Airport serves the capital of New Zealand. In addition to domestic flights, there are also a number of connections with Australia and Fiji. It is possible to pick up a car in Wellington and then take a ferry to the South Island, but you should make sure you pick a ship that permits taking a vehicle onboard; also, you should check with your rental car company. The trip between Nelson and Wellington, including the ferry ride, takes about six hours.
Top destinations and activities
- Architecture. Established 180 years ago, Nelson is one of the most interesting destinations for heritage tourism in New Zealand. The city is home to a variety of different architectural styles and notable buildings and areas. These include the Founders Heritage Park dedicated to the first European settlers and their homes; other notable Victorian and colonial buildings like Cabragh, Fairfield, and Amber Houses; and Christ Church Nelson Cathedral. Another fun place to learn about the history of the city and the region is the Nelson Provincial Museum.
- World of Wearable Art. Also known as the WOW, the World of Wearable Art was a design competition that used to take place in Nelson. Although the competition has now relocated to Wellington, it has left behind a very fun museum where visitors can appreciate the boundless creativity of artists and designers put into things that can be worn. The museum shares its space with the Classic Cars Museum and its 140 classy exhibits.
- Abel Tasman National Park. Although the smallest in New Zealand, Abel Tasman National Park is a great place to enjoy the natural beauty of this part of the country. Situated along the Golden and Tasman Bays, the park is made up of long beaches, scenic coves, wooded hills, and plenty of hiking trails. There are multiple accommodation options in the area, but you can also stay in one of the eight conservation huts inside the park. Located about 60 km (37 miles) northwest of Nelson, the nearest corner of the national park can be reached in about one hour by car.
Toll roads
All of the toll roads in New Zealand are in the northern part of the North Island, meaning there are none in or around Nelson.
The toll roads of New Zealand all serve as short bypasses of congested areas. The tolls are therefore quite low. The toll roads use a license plate capturing system with no physical booths. Payment can be made either by having a setup account, by paying online before or within five days of using a toll road, or with cash in some BP and Caltex petrol stations (though a small fee will be added).
Many rental companies offer some system, with a fee, to pass on toll payments to you without you having to do anything. Of course, it may be better just to pay the toll yourself and save on paying that fee. The toll roads can all be avoided quite easily by avoiding the bypass roads and transiting through the towns (in addition to being able to see more).
Car Rental Prices in Nelson
- Large cars - from $88 per day
- Medium cars - from $87 per day
- SUVs - from $78 per day
Top 20 Cities near Nelson
-
Auckland Car Rentals from $37.08 per day518.8 km / 322.4 miles away
-
Christchurch Car Rentals from $30.34 per day249.6 km / 155.1 miles away
-
Queenstown Car Rentals from $56.46 per day550.8 km / 342.2 miles away
-
Wellington Car Rentals from $31.35 per day132.2 km / 82.2 miles away
-
Dunedin Car Rentals from $37.27 per day568.9 km / 353.5 miles away
-
Palmerston North Car Rentals from $74.85 per day228.8 km / 142.2 miles away
-
Tauranga Car Rentals from $66.75 per day477.9 km / 296.9 miles away
-
65.5 km / 40.7 miles away
-
436.5 km / 271.2 miles away
-
Napier Car Rentals from $52.01 per day370.1 km / 230.0 miles away
-
Invercargill Car Rentals from $34.12 per day691.2 km / 429.5 miles away
-
Whangarei Car Rentals from $49.55 per day623.1 km / 387.2 miles away
-
New Plymouth Car Rentals from $48.01 per day267.2 km / 166.1 miles away
-
Gisborne Car Rentals from $48.01 per day500.2 km / 310.8 miles away
-
Taupo Car Rentals from $43.77 per day378.6 km / 235.3 miles away
-
Whakatane Car Rentals from $39.47 per day492.2 km / 305.9 miles away
-
Westport Car Rentals from $87.65 per day145.5 km / 90.4 miles away
-
Whanganui Car Rentals from $75.15 per day212.7 km / 132.1 miles away
-
Kerikeri Car Rentals from $49.55 per day673.9 km / 418.7 miles away
-
424.6 km / 263.8 miles away
Top 20 Locations near Nelson
-
Nelson Airport Car Rentals from $25.80 per day
-
Blenheim Airport Car Rentals from $55.89 per day58.6 km / 36.4 miles away
-
Wellington Inter Island Ferry Terminal Car Rentals from $31.37 per day130.6 km / 81.1 miles away
-
Wellington Airport Car Rentals from $31.35 per day132.2 km / 82.2 miles away
-
Westport Airport Car Rentals from $87.65 per day145.5 km / 90.4 miles away
-
Whanganui Airport Car Rentals from $75.15 per day212.7 km / 132.1 miles away
-
Palmerston North Airport Car Rentals from $74.85 per day228.8 km / 142.2 miles away
-
Christchurch Airport Car Rentals from $30.34 per day249.6 km / 155.1 miles away
-
New Plymouth Airport Car Rentals from $48.01 per day267.2 km / 166.1 miles away
-
Napier Airport Car Rentals from $52.01 per day370.1 km / 230.0 miles away
-
Taupo Airport Car Rentals from $49.55 per day374.5 km / 232.7 miles away
-
Rotorua Airport Car Rentals from $31.59 per day442.5 km / 274.9 miles away
-
Tauranga Airport Car Rentals from $53.25 per day477.3 km / 296.6 miles away
-
Whakatane Airport Car Rentals from $40.49 per day490.7 km / 304.9 miles away
-
Auckland Airport Car Rentals from $16.54 per day495.8 km / 308.1 miles away
-
Gisborne Airport Car Rentals from $48.01 per day500.2 km / 310.8 miles away
-
Auckland Onehunga Car Rentals from $37.08 per day505.0 km / 313.8 miles away
-
Auckland East Tamaki Car Rentals from $15.97 per day505.6 km / 314.2 miles away
-
Auckland Penrose Car Rentals from $89.01 per day506.1 km / 314.5 miles away
-
Auckland Henderson Car Rentals from $37.08 per day506.8 km / 314.9 miles away
Map of Car Rental Locations
Which is the cheapest month to rent a car in Nelson?
Car rental prices in Nelson vary a lot according to the time of year. This graph compares month-to-month price changes to help you find the best offer.
Average Rental Price in Nelson
The best month to rent a car in Nelson is April (when prices for an Economy class start from $8.42). This is 81% cheaper than the yearly average and 85% cheaper than renting in November (when rental prices start at $57.51 for a Compact class). Knowing this can help you find the best price.
What’s the usual rental length in Nelson?
Travel lengths vary from month to month: in November, travelers rent a car for an average of 10 days in June, the average rental period is 4 days.
Average Rental Length in Nelson
What's the most popular month to rent a car in Nelson?
The most popular month for renting a car in Nelson is January, and the least popular is August.
Popularity of Car Rental in Nelson by Monthly Searches
Most Popular Car Models of Rental Suppliers
| Rental Agency | Model | Doors | Luggage | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RightCars | Mazda Demio | 4 | 1 | Small cars |
| RightCars | Nissan Tiida | 4 | 2 | Medium cars |
| RightCars | Honda Stepwgn | 4 | 1 | Vans |
| RightCars | Nissan Tiida | 4 | 3 | Medium cars |
| RightCars | Toyota Passo | 4 | 2 | Small cars |
| Europcar | Kia Cerato | 4 | 2 | Large cars |
| RightCars | Toyota Hiace | 4 | 3 | Vans |
| RightCars | Nissan Sylphy | 5 | 2 | Large cars |
| RightCars | Nissan Pulsar | 4 | 2 | Station wagons |
| RightCars | Mazda Premacy | 4 | 4 | Vans |
Our Customers Reviews
Because we want to make sure each review listed here is left by a real customer, we don’t have an option to post a review here. Instead, we ask each and every customer to leave a review after they return their rental. This way, you know that all reviews are authentic, verified, and trustworthy.
KA
New Zealand
Nissan Tiida
May 3, 2022
We rented a car just to get to the Abel Tasman track and back after our walk. It just sat in a carpark for days, yet still felt like good value as it gave us flexibility
TS
New Zealand
Toyota Corolla
April 16, 2021
Abel Tasman is awesom. Cable Bay 1.6km zipline was a highlight. Visiting Pics peanut butter was great.
CN
New Zealand
Toyota Corolla
October 13, 2020
Great place for nature walks, sightseeing, beaches, Able Tasman, Marlborough Sounds and Marlborough vineyards.
Car rental statistics
Highest rated company
Europcar
9.1 / 10
Lowest rated company
Firefly
8.11 / 10
Total number of reviews
4
Total rental companies
8
Average daily price
$36.40
Lowest daily price
$19.49
Total cars available
34
Top 8 Suppliers in Nelson in 2022
Europcar
+64032655201
Nelson Airport, Nelson 7011, New Zealand
Working hours
Mon:08:00-16:30
Tue:08:00-16:30
Wed:08:00-16:30
Thu:08:00-16:30
Fri:08:00-16:30
Sat:08:00-16:30
Sun:08:00-16:30
RightCars
+6432880097
32 Quarantine Road, Stoke, Nelson 7011
Keddy
+64032655201
TERMINAL BUILDING
Working hours
Mon:08:00-16:30
Tue:08:00-16:30
Wed:08:00-16:30
Thu:08:00-16:30
Fri:08:00-16:30
Sat:08:00-16:30
Sun:08:00-16:30
Hertz
+64035472299
Trent Drive, Nelson
Working hours
Mon:07:30-20:30
Tue:07:30-20:30
Wed:07:30-20:30
Thu:07:30-20:30
Fri:07:30-20:30
Sat:07:30-14:00
Sun:09:30-20:30
Budget
035479586
Domestic Terminal
Working hours
Mon:07:30-20:00
Tue:07:30-20:00
Wed:07:30-20:00
Thu:07:30-20:00
Fri:07:30-20:00
Sat:07:30-18:00
Sun:09:00-20:00
Thrifty
+6435475563
Annesbrook
Working hours
Mon:08:00-20:00
Tue:08:00-20:00
Wed:08:00-20:00
Thu:08:00-20:00
Fri:08:00-20:00
Avis
035472727
Terminal Building
Working hours
Mon:07:30-20:00
Tue:07:30-20:00
Wed:07:30-20:00
Thu:07:30-20:00
Fri:07:30-20:00
Sat:07:30-18:00
Sun:09:00-20:00
Firefly
035472299
Trent Drive
Working hours
Mon:07:30-20:30
Tue:07:30-20:30
Wed:07:30-20:30
Thu:07:30-20:30
Fri:07:30-20:30
Sat:07:30-14:00
Sun:09:30-20:30