Car Hire in Sydney
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Cheapest Car Hire Rates
Sydney Airport
Mini
Kia Picanto or comparable
£12.18 per day
Sydney Airport
Compact
MG 3 or comparable
£14.04 per day
Sydney Airport
Intermediate
Mitsubishi ASX or comparable
£18.29 per day
Most Popular Car Hire Deals
Sydney Airport
Full-size
MG ZS or comparable
£19.35 per day
Sydney Airport
Standard SUV
Kia Sportage or comparable
£23.28 per day
Sydney Airport
Full-size Elite
Polestar 2 or comparable
£26.12 per day
Sydney Caringbah
Standard Elite
Polestar 2 or comparable
£27.86 per day
The above prices are only approximate and were last updated at 15:01 on 20/04/2025. Prices may vary based on the booking dates, length of rental, and car class.
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Have already booked on one of the fastest-growing car rental booking websites.
Travel information
Languages
English
Currency
AUD
Drive on
Left-hand side
Dialing code
+61
Average car hire price
£20 per day
Average car hire length
9 days
Speed limit within city centre
50 km/h or 31 mph
Speed limit out of city centre
100 - 130 km/h or 62 - 81 mph
Acceptable limit of BAC
0.05%
Average petrol price
£0.93 per litre or £3.51 per gallon
Lowest petrol price
£0.78 per litre or £2.96 per gallon
Highest petrol price
£1.10 per litre or £4.18 per gallon
Why hire a car in Sydney?
Sydney is a great place to experience by car. You’ll have the freedom to see this huge and sprawling city in all its diversity, traveling from inland neighborhoods to coastal parts, as well as to see the rest of the huge and hugely interesting New South Wales.
One-way Car Hire in Sydney
The most popular one-way car hire options for pick up in Sydney and drop off in another city include:
- From Sydney to Brisbane - 67 offers from £39.32 per day
- From Sydney to Melbourne - 34 offers from £60.75 per day
- From Sydney to Cairns - 50 offers from £57.80 per day
- From Sydney to Gold Coast - 50 offers from £41.48 per day
- From Sydney to Coffs Harbour - 9 offers from £55.29 per day
Top ways to enter Sydney
- Sydney Airport: The busiest in Australia, Sydney Airport hosts flights to and from all of the other continents of the world.
- Newcastle Airport: This small airports only hosts domestic flights, but as it is only two hours drive north, flying to Newcastle can be another good way to reach Sydney if you’re already in Australia.
- Canberra Airport (236 km / 147 mi): The capital city’s airport hosts a number of domestic flights, as well as routes to and from such large international hubs as Qatar and Singapore. It is about three hours drive southwest of Sydney.
City facts
- Sydney has a humid subtropical climate with very warm summers and mild winters. Inland city districts are generally much warmer than the ones that are by the ocean and can experience extreme heat during the summer months.
- Although not the capital, Sydney is the largest city in Australia. More than 5 million people, or roughly every fifth Australian, live here.
Top sights and activities
- Sydney Harbour. Once the location of the first European settlement in the area, Sydney Harbour’s Circular Quay is now perhaps the most picturesque and the best known part of town. It is home of the world-famous as Sydney Opera, as well as to a number of other landmarks and attractions.
- SS Ayrfield. Once an old coal and oil ship and then a written-off wreck, SS Ayrfield has impossibly turned into a floating forest of mangroves. The unique sight can be observed from the nearby shore of the Homebush Bay area where you can also find four other shipwrecks, as well as nature areas like Bicentennial Park, a system of parklands and mangrove wetlands.
- The Sydney Tower Eye. The highest point in Sydney and thus offering the best 360 views from its top, the Tower Eye offers a great impression of both how immense is Sydney and how sparsely populated the rest of the state is to this day.
- Art Gallery of New South Wales. One of the most important museums in Australia, Sydney’s main gallery is home to a wealth of fascinating paintings, sculptures, photographs, and other types of art. The gallery hosts the works of virtually all of the most notable Australian artists, as well as pieces by world-famous masters like van Gogh, Monet, and Rubens. There are also exhibitions dedicated to Indigenous Australian Art and Asian Art. Located in The Domain, a heritage area with plenty to see and do, the gallery can be easily reached from anywhere in the city centre.
Traffic and parking
- One of the largest road hazards in Australia are 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 nature 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 set out your route in advance to be able to supplement your water supplies.
- Driving under influence laws differ from territory to territory in Australia. In New South Wales, the legal alcohol limit is 0.05% for experienced drivers and 0.00% for novice drivers and drivers with provisional licences. Exceeding the limit can lead to large fines and a driver licence ban.
- The insurance and car documentation needs 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 primary, nationwide emergency number in Australia is 000. The New South Wales Poisons Information Centre number is 131 126.
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 roll system” with mainline barrier toll points. All toll roads in Australia use cashless payment system. You can purchase a prepaid pass for most toll roads. Some rental cars in Australia are equipped with an electronic toll responder the price of which is usually 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.
For more information about the toll roads in Sydney, visit the Sydney Visitor Guide.
Ideas for day trips
- Garigal. A protected national park located in the North Shore region that is technically still part of the city, Garigal is a great place to see the local flora and fauna, as well as to learn about the local aboriginal culture through the ancient cave paintings and rock engravings that you can find throughout the site. Located just 23 km (14 miles) from the centre of Sydney, Garigal can be reached in about 30 minutes.
- Manly Beach. The most beloved beach area of local Sydneysiders that’s located just a short ride from the harbour area, Manly Beach is famous for its beaches, watersport opportunities, and relaxed way of life. For many travelers, this is perhaps the most Australian part in the whole of Australia. Situated northeast of the city centre, Manly Beach is just 17 km (10.5 miles) away and takes 25 minutes to travel to.
- Blue Mountains. Located just west of Sydney, the Blue Mountains region is a unique and relaxing place not only because of its majestic scenery, but also for fun towns like Katoomba and Blackheath, two national parks, and the stunning Jenolan caves. Even if you won’t get to see a wild kangaroo or swamp wallaby, you’ll still come back happy and relaxed. Keep in mind that despite their higher elevation, the Blue Mountains can still experience extreme heat during Australian summer, so it’s good to set out your travel routes in advance and to always stay properly hydrated. About 100 km (60 miles) from Sydney, the Blue Mountains can be reached in 90 minutes by car.
Most popular cars
The most hired car type in Australia is economy, followed by standard and compact. The most popular cars are the Hyundai i20, the Kia Rio, and the Toyota Corolla.
Further destinations
- Hunter Valley. About three hours drive north of Sydney, Hunter Valley offers the impossible combination of being a paradise for both foodies and hikers. Its cheeses, oils, and restaurants that serve produce grown in the valley are famous far and wide, but they’ll taste even better after a full day of walking through eucalyptus fields and learning about local kangaroo and other wildlife populations. Some 240 km (150 miles) north of Sydney, the Hunter region can be traveled to in 3 hours and 20 minutes.
- Canberra. Although not located on the ocean and perhaps less spectacular than the huge cities of Australia, the capital can still be a fun place to visit thanks to its historical heritage, interesting museums, and vast outdoor areas.
- Melbourne. Sydney’s friendly rival is about nine hours drive south, but it’s still well worth doing the distance to experience another spectacular big city with its unique history, culture, and atmosphere. If the distance between these two still feels too big, take a break at the Kosciuszcko National Park or the Alpine National Park that’ll be on your way. The neighboring Namadgi National Park just south of the city is also worth a visit. Located some 280 km (174 miles) southwest of Sydney, Canberra can be traveled to in 3 hours and 20 minutes.
Car hire prices in Sydney
- Station wagons - starting at £42 per day
- Large cars - starting at £18 per day
- Medium cars - starting at £14 per day
- People Carriers - starting at £23 per day
- Premium cars - starting at £40 per day
- Small cars - starting at £12 per day
- SUVs - starting at £17 per day
Money-saving and other tips
These are the things you can do to get a great car hire deal in Sydney:
- Compare rates of different car providers
- Book your car well in advance
- Plan your route before you go
- Know your fuel and mileage requirements
- Visit on the month when the prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Sydney is the cheapest in October when hiring a car is about 59% cheaper than the yearly average.
Top 20 cities near Sydney
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141.3 km / 87.8 miles
-
236.5 km / 147 miles
-
319 km / 198.2 miles
-
372.9 km / 231.7 miles
-
693.9 km / 431.2 miles
-
705.7 km / 438.5 miles
-
718.7 km / 446.6 miles
-
752.2 km / 467.4 miles
-
909.4 km / 565.1 miles
-
914.3 km / 568.1 miles
-
972.6 km / 604.3 miles
-
1,026.9 km / 638.1 miles
-
1,164.1 km / 723.3 miles
-
1,176.2 km / 730.9 miles
-
1,972 km / 1,225.3 miles
-
2,019.7 km / 1,255 miles
-
2,023.1 km / 1,257.1 miles
-
2,802.8 km / 1,741.6 miles
-
3,154 km / 1,959.8 miles
-
3,277.1 km / 2,036.3 miles
Top 15 locations near Sydney
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14 km / 8.7 miles
-
19.7 km / 12.2 miles
-
27.8 km / 17.3 miles
-
41.4 km / 25.7 miles
-
49.1 km / 30.5 miles
-
236.5 km / 147 miles
-
700.7 km / 435.4 miles
-
705.7 km / 438.5 miles
-
705.9 km / 438.6 miles
-
727.3 km / 451.9 miles
-
1,164.1 km / 723.3 miles
-
2,019.7 km / 1,255 miles
-
3,154 km / 1,959.8 miles
-
3,292.8 km / 2,046.1 miles
Map of Car Hire Destinations
In which month is car hire in Sydney the most affordable?
According to our data, prices for hiring a car in Sydney fluctuate depending on the time of year. This graph displays the average hire prices in each month in order to help you find the best bargain.
Average price for hiring a car per day in Sydney
The best month to hire a car in Sydney is May (when the average price is £22.32 per day). This is 15% less than the yearly average and 34% less than hiring in December (when the average price is £33.91).
This information can help you determine the low season. But note that these prices are only averages. The cost of your car hire is determined by the type of car you select, the length of time you hire it for, and how much in advance you book. Simply select your dates in the form at the top of the page to find out the exact prices.
This information can help you determine the low season. But note that these prices are only averages. The cost of your car hire is determined by the type of car you select, the length of time you hire it for, and how much in advance you book. Simply select your dates in the form at the top of the page to find out the exact prices.
What's the usual period for which people keep their hire cars, on average, in Sydney?
Car hire lengths vary from month to month: in January, the average hirer keeps their car for 10 days, and in May, they keep their car for 8 days.
Average number of hire days in Sydney
What is the most favoured month for hiring a car in Sydney?
Given the number of searches made by our customers, the most popular month for hiring a car in Sydney is December, and the least popular is May.
Popularity of Car Hire in Sydney by Monthly Searches
Car hire information
| Car hire locations | 39 |
| Airport locations | 1 |
| Popular suppliers | NoBirds, Bargain Car Rentals, Simba Car Hire, YesDrive Car Rentals, Alpha car hire |
| Popular car categories | SUVs, Medium cars, Large cars, Small cars |
| Lowest price | £12 per day |
| Cheapest supplier | YesDrive Car Rentals |
Most popular car models of suppliers
| Hire Agency | Model | Doors | Luggage | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NoBirds | Kia Stonic | 5 | 2 | Medium cars |
| NoBirds | Mitsubishi ASX | 5 | 2 | Large cars |
| Bargain Car Rentals | Hyundai Accent | 4 | 2 | Medium cars |
| NoBirds | Mitsubishi Outlander | 5 | 2 | SUVs |
| Bargain Car Rentals | MG HS | 4 | 2 | SUVs |
| Jucy | Hyundai Accent | 5 | 2 | Medium cars |
| Simba Car Hire | Mitsubishi ASX | 5 | 2 | SUVs |
| NoBirds | Toyota Corolla | 5 | 2 | Medium cars |
| NoBirds | Toyota RAV4 | 5 | 3 | SUVs |
| Bargain Car Rentals | Kia Stonic | 4 | 2 | SUVs |
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.
JS
United Kingdom
Toyota RAV4
09/04/2025
Seeing family and sightseeing around Port Stephens.
CH
United Kingdom
Mitsubishi ASX
22/03/2025
I visited all the areas I had planned. Blue Mountains, Palm Beach, Manly Beach, Bondi Beach, Sydney City
JR
United Kingdom
Hyundai Accent
30/12/2024
Visited the Blue Mountains.
MJ
United Kingdom
Mitsubishi ASX
26/08/2024
sydney and surrounding areas are awesome
KA
United Kingdom
Hyundai Accent
12/08/2024
Australia is excellent place to visit. I would definitely recommend. Food specially lamb is very tasty. Large drinks. Beautiful scenery.
TC
Hong Kong
Toyota RAV4
26/06/2024
The Nobirds officer is very helpful and proactively explain the details.
WC
United Kingdom
Hyundai Accent
12/06/2024
Trip was primarily to visit family as new grandchild had been born.
KM
United Kingdom
Mitsubishi Outlander
10/06/2024
Really easy to book - efficient shuttle bus to collect and return. Very nice SUV vehicle and extremely reasonable price. Highly recommennded
DS
United Kingdom
Kia Stonic
23/05/2024
Visiting our son in Sunshine Coast. Climbing mount Coolum ;many bush walks throughout Queensland right down to the blue mountains in nsw. Beaches from Noosa to Newcastle. Markets at Eumundi and Caloundra
Breakfast at Brisbane City Garden cafe and Brisbane botanical gardens.And soooo many waterfalls.
Best accommodation at Wallaby ridge retreat near Tamborine and Leura Gardens Resort Leura
Not forgetting Australia zoo and the friendly natives of the human variety It was a busy. 6 weeks!
JB
United Kingdom
Polestar 2
01/05/2024
Having an electric car (Polestar) didn't hampen any effort to have a great trip. The car is intuitive and you can plan charging in along your route. Overall I'd say, even with some more expensive fast charging spots, our expenditure on fuel was around half of what unleaded would have cost, not to mention we were in a vehicle that many would consider a luxury item with high end features such as Google built in, Spotify, YouTube etc.
We had a great trip and back to Canberra, amazing spots like the arboretum and took in some excellent sport. Canberra had some free charging in some of its car parks. 
HJ
United Kingdom
Toyota Corolla
28/04/2024
Watsons Bay for fish and chips, manly and manly ferry and north heads with spectacular views. Love Balmoral beach too. 
RA
United Kingdom
Kia Cerato
12/04/2024
Road trip from Sydney to Adelaide via Great Ocean Road.
SL
United Kingdom
Hyundai Accent
28/03/2024
I was just visiting friends and family.
JR
United Kingdom
Kia Stonic
20/03/2024
Sydney was amazing
GI
United Kingdom
Hyundai Accent
08/03/2024
Great walks and wildlife experiences
JW
United Kingdom
Skoda Scala
03/03/2024
Having spent many years visiting Australia our experience this time was equally as good as before especially as we saw two Koala’s in the wild during our trip.
AZ
United Kingdom
MG HS
16/02/2024
Amazing trip to the Blue mountains & around the northern beaches area of Sydney.
SB
United Kingdom
Toyota Corolla
09/01/2024
Blue mountains
DS
United Kingdom
Kia Cerato
01/01/2024
Too many to share over 3500km 
SJ
United Kingdom
Toyota Yaris Aut.
28/12/2023
Visiting nudist beaches around Sydney.
IY
United Kingdom
Kia Stonic
23/05/2023
Drove up to Pokolbin from Sydney, then all around the Blue Mountains.
JD
United Kingdom
MG HS
01/05/2023
Bush walking, kayaking, exploring Sydney harbour, Kangaroo Valley, Fitzroy Falls, Central Coast, North Haven, Port Macquarie, Dark Corner, Kurrajong and Mosman.
HE
United Kingdom
Kia Stonic
06/04/2023
Took a trip with my family to Hunter Valley. A great experience playing golf, meeting the Kangaroos and of course wine tasting (when not driving)
IA
United Kingdom
Mitsubishi ASX
02/04/2023
Visiting relatives all over NSW, covered 2000km,
definitely worth visiting Dubbo Zoo
RE
United Kingdom
Toyota Corolla
17/01/2023
Great beaches,scenery and fun at Scenic world in Blue mountains.
RW
Singapore
Toyota Corolla
29/10/2022
Research before setting off - Car park charges are high in Sydney and definitely go for EV or hybrid.
HD
United Kingdom
Kia Stonic
24/08/2022
I drove from Sydney to Newcastle to visit a friend, the drive was very easy and smooth. Newcastle is a lovely place with the lagoon. From there I drove up to Toowoomba in Queensland which was a small town however stayed on my friends farm for the most of it.
PM
United Kingdom
Kia Stonic
11/08/2022
Stayed with family in Sydney, visited friends in Canberra and Manly, and attended a variety of events. Blue Mountains were a highlight (photo attached). I tried to upload photos for some time but they were not accepted.
I eventually compressed them to about 200kb and it just uploaded one. Suggest you advise what size files are possible. 
CO
United Kingdom
Hyundai Accent
18/06/2022
Great trip up the Pacific Highway (and various diversions off) seeing lots of place between Sydney and Brisbane. The coastline and beaches are beautiful.
Car Hire Statistics
Highest-rated company
YesDrive Car Rentals
9.4 / 10
Lowest-rated company
yesaway
7.2 / 10
Total number of reviews
154
Total rental companies
29
Average daily price
£19.96
Lowest daily price
£12.18
Total cars available
1393
Top 29 suppliers in Sydney in 2025
YesDrive Car Rentals
1 location
£12 - £23
NoBirds
3 locations
£16 - £50
Simba Car Hire
1 location
£14 - £37
Everything Fleet
1 location
£27 - £106
Budget
14 locations
£19 - £111
SIXT
18 locations
£19 - £144
Hertz
2 locations
£47 - £248
EastCoast Car Rentals
1 location
£24 - £78
Ace Rent a car
1 location
£28 - £95
Dollar
12 locations
£37 - £169
GreenMotion
4 locations
£33 - £126
Enterprise
4 locations
£40 - £54
Thrifty
17 locations
£26 - £161
National
1 location
£45 - £85
Alpha car hire
1 location
£19 - £76
Avis
17 locations
£21 - £103
Bargain Car Rentals
1 location
£42 - £48
Jucy
1 location
£42 - £48
Keddy
10 locations
£25 - £100
Alamo
1 location
£39 - £67
Firefly
13 locations
£39 - £67
URDRIVE
2 locations
£43 - £99
Flexways
2 locations
£43 - £99
Rush Car Rental
1 location
£52 - £72
Goldcar
1 location
£21 - £46
Routes Car Rental
10 locations
£21 - £321
Distinqt Car Hire
8 locations
£20 - £32
Europcar
9 locations
£23 - £305
yesaway
1 location
£21 - £186
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