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Car Hire San Francisco

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  • Already 500,000+ bookings More than half a million people preceded you 24000+ pick-up locations Locations around the world
  • 24000+ pick-up locations Locations around the world
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Popular rental locations in San Francisco

The following rental locations are the most popular for renting a car in San Francisco

Car rental offers in San Francisco

Whether you're looking for a small rental car or a station wagon for the entire family, we will always have a suitable vehicle for the lowest price. Below are some examples from our selection in San Francisco.

Car type
Mini
Economy
Compact
Intermediate
Standard
Full-size
Luxury
Passenger van
Convertible
SUV
Electric

Car rental companies in San Francisco

Below are the car rental companies in San Francisco with the best ratings. Compare all ratings and prices of these rental companies in one search.

  • National Car Rental

    9.4 (435)
    From £ 17 / day
  • Enterprise

    8.9 (2107)
    From £ 12 / day
  • Alamo

    8.6 (9369)
    From £ 18 / day
  • Hertz

    8.4 (7510)
    From £ 15 / day
  • Avis

    8.1 (6520)
    From £ 14 / day
  • Sixt

    8 (3695)
    From £ 18 / day
  • Dollar Rent a Car

    7.7 (4664)
    From £ 16 / day
  • Thrifty

    7.6 (5898)
    From £ 17 / day
  • Budget

    6.5 (10242)
    From £ 14 / day
  • Europcar

    6 (8795)
    From £ 9 / day
  • Fox Rent A Car

    5.8 (13)
    From £ 11 / day
  • NÜ Car Rentals

    4.6 (22)
    No rates available
  • Yesaway

    No reviews
    No rates available
  • ACE Rent A Car

    4.9 (16)
    No rates available
  • Eaglerider

    No reviews
    No rates available
  • Green Motion

    7.6 (2141)
    No rates available
  • InterRent

    6.3 (5827)
    No rates available
  • Payless Car Rental

    6.2 (512)
    No rates available
  • Advantage Rent a Car

    No reviews
    No rates available

Recent reviews

Our customers rate us a 8.9/10 out of 2259

When is the best time to book a rental car in San Francisco?

San Francisco - When is the most affordable time to rent a mini class car?

At this destination (San Francisco), October is the most affordable time to rent a mini class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting mini class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

San Francisco - When is the most affordable time to rent a economy class car?

At this destination (San Francisco), October is the most affordable time to rent a economy class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting economy class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

San Francisco - When is the most affordable time to rent a compact class car?

At this destination (San Francisco), October is the most affordable time to rent a compact class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting compact class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

San Francisco - When is the most affordable time to rent an intermediate class car?

At this destination (San Francisco), October is the most affordable time to rent a intermediate class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting intermediate class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

San Francisco - When is the most affordable time to rent a standard class car?

At this destination (San Francisco), November is the most affordable time to rent a standard class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting standard class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

San Francisco - When is the most affordable time to rent a full-size car?

At this destination (San Francisco), October is the most affordable time to rent a full-size class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting full-size class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

San Francisco - When is the most affordable time to rent a luxury car?

At this destination (San Francisco), November is the most affordable time to rent a luxury class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting luxury class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

San Francisco - When is the most affordable time to rent a SUV?

At this destination (San Francisco), October is the most affordable time to rent an SUV with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting an SUV, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

San Francisco - When is the most affordable time to rent a MPV?

At this destination (San Francisco), November is the most affordable time to rent an mpv with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting an mpv with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

San Francisco - When is the most affordable time to rent a minivan?

At this destination (San Francisco), October is the most affordable time to rent a minibus with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting a minibus, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

San Francisco - When is the most affordable time to rent a sports car?

At this destination (San Francisco), October is the most affordable time to rent a sports car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting a sports car, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

San Francisco - When is the most affordable time to rent a convertible?

At this destination (San Francisco), November is the most affordable time to rent a convertible with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting a convertible, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

San Francisco - When is the most affordable time to rent a sedan?

At this destination (San Francisco), February is the most affordable time to rent a sedan with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting a sedan, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

Car rental companies in and around San Francisco

Looking for a hire car in United States? Take a look at our Car rental United States directory.

San Francisco

Available locations in San Francisco

10 S Van Ness Ave
1060 Bryant St
136 S Linden Ave
1365 Columbus Ave
1398 Bryant St
1600 Mission St
177 S Airport Blvd
230 Harbor Way
233 Ellis St
2500 Mason St
2800 Leavenworth St
325 Mason St
333 O'Farrell St #101, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
335 Powell St
350 Beach St
350 O'Farrell St
364 O'Farrell St
3911 Alemany Blvd
3928 Geary Blvd
400 Treat Ave
4250 Geary Blvd
45 Charter Oak Ave
450 Sutter St
475 S Van Ness Ave
488 8th St
495 Bay St
5 Embarcadero Ctr
500 Beach St
500 Post St
544 5th St, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA
55 4th St
550 O'Farrell St
550 Turk St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
675 Post St
687 Folsom St
7 S Linden Ave
780 Mission St
8 10th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA
821 Howard St
840 Ellis St
950 Mason St

Popular destinations

Rent an affordable car from us in the following districts

San Francisco Guide

Car Hire

Northern California’s ‘Bay Area’ and the city of San Francisco remain one of America’s most unique and adored urban affairs. The quirky geography of the city is an attraction in itself, characterised by steep hills, fantastic Pacific shorelines and a number of massive bridges including the quintessential Golden Gate. With all of this, San Francisco boasts an eclectic demographic mix featuring a vibrant youth culture, flourishing Asian neighbourhoods, moneyed professionals and one of the world’s most well-established gay communities. Those visiting here can sample a massive array of excellent cuisine and fresh seafood, cruise town on the city’s iconic cable cars, head out for red-hot nightlife or grab a rental car and set out for some of North America’s best scenery and top wineries.

Who to Book With
Car rental is easy to come by in the Bay Area. Visitors can find nearly every US rental company at San Francisco International Airport just south of the city, notably Hertz, Budget, Avis, Fox, Payless, Thrifty, Dollar, Enterprise, Advantage and National. Additionally, look for Hertz, Budget, Avis, Enterprise, National and Alamo offices downtown or nearby in the Financial District. Make sure to book with plenty of time to spare at any of the above locations.

Best Time to go
San Francisco’s mild climate, bustling economy and popularity as a top city break make it a busy destination throughout the year. And despite a regular increase of fog and high winds, an additional push occurs during mid to late summer. Rental cars can be particularly expensive here compared to many US destinations any time of year, so book online as soon as your plans are set to lock in competitive rates.

Need to Know Essentials
You’ll need to bring the following documentation to the rental counter in San Francisco:

- A valid driver’s license (some companies may ask for an International Driving Permit – check ahead).
- Your booking number
- The credit card used to reserve your hire car
- Your passport

For more info read our FAQ's.

Driving
With such a huge variety of attractions in and around the Bay Area, renting a car in San Francisco can be an excellent way to see much more than the average tourist. However, this location is particularly tricky for motoring when compared to most other destinations in North America.

The streets in downtown are some of the steepest in any major urban area worldwide, which can be daunting for some. We mean it when we say they are steep. Additionally, they are often one-way affairs and the inter-city can be difficult to navigate.

Parking is a major issue as well. If you’re looking to simply park for a few hours during the day to visit an attraction, eat or go shopping, you’ll likely be able to find something. However, in the evening hours, you may have to wait until sunrise before you find an open, legal place to park without paying absurd rates. Finally, be on constant lookout for the continuous onslaught of cable cars, pedestrians, skateboarders and cyclists that frequent the streets here.

Nonetheless, your car hire is perfect for getting away to places like the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the old charismatic fishing town of Monterrey and the fabulous wine country of Napa Valley. While in town, you can leave your rental car at most hotels and explore on foot and via public transport.

For more info on driving, refer to our US guide.

Transport

San Francisco features one of the best transport systems in the US. It can be extremely useful for visitors transiting downtown and key parts of the Bay Area. However, for onward travel and outlying attractions a rental car is generally a safe bet.

Trains
San Francisco Bay area visitors can make use of four different rail systems in operation here. Popular with many tourists is the famous SF Cable Car network, which connects a limited number of points downtown including Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown and the Financial District. Meanwhile the Muni metro/light rail system runs below the majority of San Francisco proper and features stops at dozens of key locations. Meanwhile, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) network offers faster, lengthier trips to points across the Bay Area, including Oakland, SFO Airport, Millbrae and numerous municipalities to the south toward San Jose. Finally, long-distance passengers can head to Emeryville near Oakland to board direct Amtrak services to Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Buses and Trams
Muni operates San Francisco’s public bus system, which provides comprehensive service throughout the city via diesel buses and electric trolleys, in addition to a number of charismatic streetcar lines. Be sure to visit the Muni website for up to date fare information, ticketing, a useful journey planner and schedules. Alternatively, if you’re looking to head out of town by bus, look for the Greyhound coach station at the corner of Folsom and Main Street downtown.

Taxis
Taxis are exceptionally expensive in San Francisco though can be very useful, especially late at night when traffic is absent and public transport is limited. If you’re looking to get a cab during weekend party hours, be sure to call ahead. Major firms include Yellow Cabs and DeSoto Cabs.

Exploring

Although San Francisco has more than enough attractions to keep nearly any visitor busy for an extended stay, the outlying portions of the Bay Area and Northern California are not to be missed. To catch a glimpse, hire a car and take to the road in this timeless tourist region. To get you started, we’ve provided a few recommended destinations.

Recommended Drives

Point Reyes National Seashore - For a breath of cool pacific air and unspoilt coastline, head north to visit this tremendously beautiful preserve. It is just over an hour across the Golden Gate Bridge and is excellent for whale watching, particularly in January and again during the spring.

Napa Valley - Wine lovers should not hesitate to head inland to Napa Valley, the most famous wine growing region in North America. Here, visitors can fill up on tours, tasting, gourmet cuisine, excellent scenery and hundreds of quaint bed & breakfast properties. Don’t forget to stop by the Napa Valley Museum for some extended insight into the region.

Monterey - Meanwhile, the small fishing and beach town of Monterey about two hours south of downtown San Francisco is another great getaway. This wonderful seaside community boasts the renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of the best anywhere, in addition to excellent dining, world-renowned golf courses and family entertainment.

Winchester Mystery House - For something a little closer, consider a trip to the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. Known as the ‘world’s oddest mansion’, this Victorian structure was built by a widow of the Winchester firearm family at the end of the 1800s. Seemingly aimless, its stairways lead to nowhere and baffling features continue to puzzle historians to this day.

Practical information

  • Currency
    United States Dollar
  • Driving direction
    Right
  • City speed limit
    25 - 70 km/h
  • Freeway speed limit
    90 - 130 km/h
  • Language
    English
  • Popular car category
    SUV

What most people want to know

The following questions and answers are a selection of the most popular questions. If you do not find the answer to your question, have a look at the Frequently Asked Questions page or contact us.

Is Carrentals.co.uk the cheapest?

Yes, we offer a guarantee of the lowest price - because we compare various retailers, we can always offer you the best price in town.

What do I need to do when picking up a car?

To pick up your car, you will need your voucher, passport, driver's license and a credit card. It is very important that your driver's license and credit card are in the same name as the main driver. Keep in mind that the local rental company will reserve a certain amount on your credit card as a deposit. This requires the PIN code for your credit card. If your driver's license is foreign (for example, in Chinese), you must bring a translation with you. Only your original passport and driver's license will be accepted - a copy is not sufficient.

Are there any additional costs?

In general, our rates are all-inclusive. Should there be any additional costs, our booking department will get in touch with you before issuing the invoice. Should you object, you can always cancel your reservation with no obligations attached (at least 48 hours in advance).

What kind of insurance is applicable to my car rental?

In general, Liability Insurance, Fire Insurance, All-Risks Insurance and Theft Insurance are included in the cost of your rental car.

What is a worry-free label?

Only rental companies with a high level of customer satisfaction are eligible to be included in our Worry-Free selection. This rate includes excess cover and unlimited kilometres. Your vehicle will be provided and must be returned with a full tank of fuel. With a vehicle from our Worry-Free selection, you can travel with peace of mind and no hidden costs.

How can I change or cancel my reservation?

You can cancel your reservation through "My Account". We recommend contacting us by phone if your changes to your booking or cancellation takes place at short notice (48 hours or less).

When will I get a confirmation of my booking?

Most reservations will receive confirmation within minutes after payment takes place. We recommend contacting our Booking Department for last minute reservations (pick-up within 48 hours).

Which car rental companies are compared by Carrentals.co.uk at this location?
  • National Car Rental
  • Enterprise
  • Alamo
  • Hertz
  • Avis
  • Sixt
  • Dollar Rent a Car
  • Thrifty
  • Budget
  • Europcar
  • Fox Rent A Car
  • NÜ Car Rentals
  • Yesaway
  • ACE Rent A Car
  • Eaglerider
  • Green Motion
  • InterRent
  • Payless Car Rental
  • Advantage Rent a Car