Now that my itinerary is in place, the next step in organizing my 3 week tour in Australia goes through vehicle rental. Indeed, for this road trip, I need a car the first 2 weeks to go up the east coast from Brisbane to Cairns and a van for the 3rd week in the Red Center from Alice Springs.
La car rental in Australia represents a substantial budget. Here are the questions I asked myself before booking a car and a van online for my road trip.
- Is it better to book a vehicle online or is it better to rent it in Australia on site?
- What is the cheapest option: book directly with the car rental company or go through a rental comparator?
- What type of vehicle should I choose?
- How much does it cost to rent a car in Australia?
- What is the budget for renting a van in Australia?
Road trip in Australia - What driving license?
Here is the rule almost all car rental companies in Australia follow:
All drivers must carry a full driver's license from their country of residence. If it is not in English (which is the case with French driving licenses), you must also present an international driving license or an adequate translation. The permit must be valid for the entire duration of the rental period.
Here is the link to apply for an international permit:https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F11534
Road trip in Australia - Book your vehicle online or rent on site?
This is the 1st question I asked on the forums. Indeed, I told myself that before me others must have asked the same question. All told me that you have to book online and as early as possible and therefore at least a few months before departure. It is much less expensive than in the rental agencies on site where the risk would be of not having the desired vehicle and of going through ranges above and therefore more expensive.
Road trip in Australia - Book with the car rental company or go through a comparator?
There, it's different depending on whether you are renting a van or a car. For the van, it is preferable and cheaper to go through an online comparator, while for a car, it is advisable to book directly with the rental company.
How to rent a Van in Australia?
Rent a Van in Australia - Compare Van Rentals
Many blogs indicated that it is cheaper for vans to go through a car rental comparator rather than to book with the rental company directly. I was able to do some simulations which confirmed that it is indeed a little cheaper to book through a comparator. For vans, camper vans and 4X4, the one offering the best rates and the best booking conditions is MotorHomeRepublic. It is the leader of vehicle rental comparators in Australia. Rates can drop almost 30% compared to direct rental. It is therefore through this site that I reserved my van (see details below).
Rent a Van in Australia - Which agency to choose?
First of all, through the comparator, you have to choose one of the best van rental companies. To put it simply, here are the two largest (more reliable and more numerous in the territory): Apollo or Britz. For my part, I chose Britz because it offered good insurance coverage at a reasonable price for a vehicle that suited me. Only downside: the high deposit that will be requested on site (5 AUD).
Rent a Van in Australia - Which camper van to choose?
Camper vans should be preferred the most recent. Indeed, if you rent a vehicle that is more than 10 years old, the risk will be of breaking down with all the complications that this would imply… The one I chose is less than 5 years old.
As I only need the van for a short week and I will go camping every night, I found it unnecessary to choose a van with showers and toilets. Indeed, these two options make the prices skyrocket.
So I chose a very simple camper van : 2 Berth Hitop with cabin air conditioning, CD / radio player, fridge / freezer, microwave and gas stove. The price includes the Unlimited mileage, vehicle insurance with excess and deposit of AUD $ 5000, VAT, 3% administration costs, bedding and kitchen equipment kit, an additional driver and 24-hour road assistance.
In addition, I took out a cancellation insurance. When booking, I paid a deposit of € 63,21, the balance being paid on site.
Rent a Van in Australia - What price for a camper van?
Here is the price detail for 1 week all inclusive rental: 273 Euros
How to rent a car in Australia?
Rent a car in Australia - Which agency?
There, on the other hand, it is very difficult to compare because the conditions are often very different and complicated according to the agencies. Regarding the agency that I chose, I privileged the clarity of the conditions, the serious side, the reputation, the reliability and especially the price. Even if I read a lot of bad reviews on this agency, I still chose Europcar because the pricing was really much cheaper than with other rental companies (see details below).
Rent a car in Australia - which car to choose?
As the two of us are traveling, no need to take a huge car. So I booked a Toyota Corolla with air conditioning and unlimited mileage and which will be able to accommodate our 2 large pieces of luggage. I preferred to add an intermediate insurance at 243,10 AUD (medium protection pack).
Rent a Car in Australia - What Price for a Sedan?
Here is the price detail for a 2-week rental with pick-up of the vehicle in Brisbane and deposit in Cairns: 721 Euros
Total transport budget for my road trip in Australia
997 Euros for 3 weeks: Van: 276 Euros + car: 721 Euros
See the itinerary of my road trip: