Car Rental in Tunis

Why rent a car in Tunis?

Tunis is a great place to explore by car. Both historic and modern, it is perhaps the most vibrant metropolis of North Africa. Having your own ride will also let you explore nearby sites, travel to Tunisia’s world-class beaches, or perhaps even drive all the way south to the Sahara desert.

Top ways to enter Tunis

• Tunis-Carthage Airport: By far the busiest in the country and the 12th-busiest in Africa, Tunis Airport handles more than 6 million passengers every year. There are frequent flights to and from destinations in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. The airport is located just 6.5km (4 miles) north of the city center.
• Enfidha Airport: Served by around 20 airlines, the vast majority of which are only active seasonally, Enfidha Airport is located near the Mediterranean coast and serves the city of the same name. Conveniently, the distance to Tunis can be covered in less than 90 minutes by car, so flying to Enfidha can be another good option to reach the capital city.
• Monastir Airport: Another international airport on the Tunisian coast, Monastir-Habib Bourguiba serves more than 4 million travelers every year. It is a base for Nouvelair, a Tunisian airline, and is also served by a number of other carriers. Monastir is 169km (105 miles) south of Tunis, a distance that can be traveled in two hours.
• Djerba Airport: Also known as Djerba-Zarzis, this airport offers flights to and from many European countries, as well as some destinations in North Africa and the Middle East. It is about 518km (322 miles) south of Tunis.

City facts

• Located on the southern Mediterranean coast, Tunis has very hot and dry summers with an average temperature 27°C  (80°F) in August, the warmest month. Winters are mild and more humid with an average temperature of 11.5°C  (52.7°F) in January.
• Arabic is the official language of Tunisia and the one that’s spoken the most on the streets of the capital. French is also widely known, as are different native Berber languages. The knowledge of English is steadily increasing and many Tunisians are also fluent in Italian.

Top sights and activities

• Tunis Medina. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Old Town o fTunis has in many ways remained what it was during the medieval times. Full of narrow labyrinthine roads, street vendors, and bright Arabic buildings, it’s a place where you want to get lost. Although it’s impossible to drive in Medina, you can park your car nearby and continue on foot.
• Dar Ben Abdallah Museum. One of the city’s folk museums and located inside an old villa in the Medina, it shows the traditions, clothing, and atmosphere of 18th-century, Ottoman-era Tunisia. Dar Ben Abdallah, after whom the museum is named, was a wealthy and influential merchant of the era.
• Bardo Museum. With a fascinating collection of artifacts, books, and stories, the Bardo Museum introduces many former rulers of Tunisia, some of which include the Carthaginians, the Romans, the Berbers, and the Ottomans. The museum is divided into two parts, the old museum and the new museum, so make sure you visit both of them.
• Tunis Municipal Theater. One of the main cultural institutions of the Tunisian capital, the construction of the Municipal Theater dates back to 1902, and its beautiful facade has been an iconic landmark of the city ever since. To this day, the theater continues to serve as a performance venue for ballet, opera, and drama shows, and you could do worse than catch one during your time in the city.
• Hammams. While many cities in Iberia have turned their Moorish baths into heritage attractions, in Tunisia, the hammams remain a living and important part of the local culture. Most of these steam baths are open for visitors, though keep in mind that men bathe with men and women with women. Several of the city’s finest hammams can be found in and around the aforementioned medina.
• Bab el Bhar. Another iconic architectural landmark, Bab el Bhar, or the Gate of the Sea, was built in the 1860s during the reign of the Aghlabid dynasty. Later temporarily known as Port de France, it continues to demarcate the border between the Tunis Medina and the newer part of the city. Despite the meaning of its name, it doesn’t face the Mediterranean, but Lake Tunis. 

Traffic and parking

• Tunisia drives on the right-hand side of the road.
• Unless specifically indicated otherwise, the speed limits are 110km/h (68mph) on freeways, 90km/h (56mph) outside urban areas, 70km/h (43mph) on four-lane expressways within urban areas, and 50km/h (31mph) within urban and built-up areas.
• The legal alcohol limit is 0.00% for both experienced and novice drivers. Exceeding the limit can lead to large fines and even deportation or imprisonment.
• Proof of insurance and the car’s documentation need to be in the car whenever you’re driving.
• If you’re the driver, you need to have your passport or ID card with you at all times.
• The emergency number is 197 for the police (when inside cities and towns), 193 for the national guard when in the countryside or nature areas, 190 for an ambulance, and 198 for the civil protection in cases of car accidents, fire, and other accidents.
• If you plan to drive outside Tunis and away from the main highways, try to reserve a car with an up-to-date GPS system. Even if it is only available in French, it can come in very handy because road maps for some countryside and rural areas can be incorrect or outdated.

Toll roads

There are several toll or péage roads in Tunisia including the main highways A1 (from Tunis to Sfax), A3 (from Tunis to the border with Algeria), and A4 (from Tunis to Bizerte). 

There are toll booths on these roads and you can only pay with cash. The prices are quite cheap and it’s good to have small change at hand.

Ideas for day trips

• Carthage. A famous Phoenician city of the Ancient world, Carthage has been inhabited since the 6th century, B.C. At its height, Carthage ruled much of the Mediterranean and its ambitious general Hannibal crossed the Alps with elephants in an attempt to sack Rome. Although in the end, the Romans prevailed, conquering and destroying Carthage in a retaliatory attack, many of Carthage’s old famous buildings survive as ruins to this day. Carthage is just 15km (9 miles) northeast of modern Tunis’ city center.
• La Marsa. A beautiful stretch of coast just half an hour’s drive northeast of Tunis, La Marsa offers as much as the French and Italian beaches on the other side of the Mediterranean. The area is a perfect place for kite-surfing and participating in other water sports, visiting one of the many beach restaurants, making local friends, or simply enjoying the sea and sun. 
• Boukornine National Park. Home to high hills, swift streams, and green forest, Boukournine is a beautiful natural area on the edge of the city. Its inhabitants include the Mountain Gazelle and the Etruscan Shrew, the world’s smallest mammal. Perfect for a long walk or just a picnic, Boukornine is just a 20-minute drive south of Downtown Tunis.
• Uthina. A city once inhabited by Romans and Berbers, Uthina has long been abandoned by its full-time inhabitants but has been recovered as a notable destination for local and international tourists. The site is best known for its mighty amphitheater, but there are also other notable structures, such as a fortress and an ancient basilica. The drive from the capital takes only about 40 minutes.

Most popular cars

The most popular rental car in Tunis is the Hyundai Grand i10. Plenty of travelers also pick the VW Polo and the Renault Clio. The most popular rental car types are economy, mini, and compact. If you plan to travel to desert areas, choosing a full-size vehicle is a good idea.

Further destinations

• Sousse. Famous both for its unique medina that some say overshadows the one in the capital city and for its many beautiful beaches, Sousse (sometimes also called Susa) is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Tunisia. If you come here, also pay a visit to nearby Monastir, another beautiful Mediterranean resort with plenty of impressive Phoenician ruins and other historic sites. Monastir is about a two-hour drive south of Tunis with most of the road going along the coast.
• Djerba. The tranquil island of Djerba is known for its scenic seashore and quiet villages which are more relaxing than similar beach resorts on the mainland. When traveling deeper inland, you’ll find impressive mosques, Turkish baths, and even a synagogue. The landscape is unique here. In fact, some of the scenes in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope were shot in Djerba’s desert and the villages that were carved in solid stone. Djerba is about six hours southeast of Tunis but there are plenty of opportunities for interesting stops along the way.
• Ksar Ghilane. An otherworldly oasis in the far south of Tunisia, Ksar Ghilane is often called the Gate of the Sahara. With a hot spring where you can swim, date gardens, and opportunities for both meeting locals and taking trips into the desert, it is a truly special place. Six hours south of Tunis, it can only be safely accessed by a 4x4 vehicle, but those who travel here will feel richly rewarded.

Car rental prices in Tunis

• SUVs - from $47 per day
• Premium cars - from $142 per day
• Vans - from $88 per day
• Small cars - from $27 per day
• Large cars - from $30 per day
• Medium cars - from $31 per day

Money-saving and other tips

These tips can help you get a good and cheap rental car in Tunis:

• Compare the rates of different rental car providers
• Book your rental car well in advance
• Plan your route before you go
• Know your fuel and mileage requirements
• Visit during the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Tunis is the cheapest in January when renting a car is about 64% cheaper than the yearly average.